Everyone knows Jesse James

but not everyone knows who the Younger Brothers were. Well, they rode with Frank and Jesse James. Frank and Jesse James and the Younger Brothers all hailed from Missouri. They were part of the confederate army, the guerrilla fighters. After the War Between the States the guerilla fighters had trouble assimilating back into civilian lfe. Many became outlaws. After too much press in Missouri and at the suggestion of one of the gang who had lived in Minnesota the gang decided to ply their trade in Minnesota. They bought horses, stayed in hotels and scouted out the bank in Mankato. After one of the gang was recognized in Mankato they decided to hit another town. They settled on Northfield because there were no gun stores and the bank looked easy to rob. The townspeople of Northfield however, proved a formidable force and killed a gang member, the one from Minnesota and injured all the rest of the gang except for Jesse. They then headed southwest nursing their wounds. At some point they hid out near Minneopa Falls. They decided to split up and better their chances. Frank and Jesse headed west toward Dakota Territory and Bill, Bob and Cole Younger and Charlie Pitts continued Southwest. Days later they neared the town of Madelia, where they asked a farmwife for breakfast. The son and father were milking the family cow. The son recognized the outlaws and went to get the sheriff. The sheriff rounded up a posse and there was a short gun battle. Charlie Pitts was killed, the Younger Brothers were all injured. They were housed and tended to at the Madelia Hotel and then sent for trial in St. Paul where they were sentenced to life in prison. One died in prison, the ohter two were paroled. Every September there is a reenactment of the gun battle and capture in nearby Madelia. On a warm September morning we headed to Madelia for a tour of the Historical Center, a bank robbery and a gunspinner. Later, we headed to the capture site for a picnic and a reenactment of the gun battle.