The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-08-06
Last Of James Boys Attending Re-
union, Tells Of Checkered
Career as Fighter in
Many Lands
CAPTURES FRENCH
CROSS OF HONOR
Decorated by British for Bravery
in Africa; Serves 10 Australia,
New Zealand and South
America

Soldier in six wars, serving under six
different flags. and carrying wounds
on every part OF his body. Will James,
cousin OF Frank and Jesse. and the
last OF the james boys" is attend
ing the L. G. ". reunion being held
here this week James is 81 years old.
His hair Is just beginning to turn gray
around the edges and in spite of shat
tered bones and slashed muscles. the
man who served under Quantrell and
then in five foreign countries is more
active than many a younger fellow.
An eventful life, one filled with pri-
vations and dangers, yet at the same
time with accomplishments and honors
is that lived BY the man who bgean a
life OF fighting by serving at the age Of
"a as a courier for Gen. Quantrell the
famous Missouri guerilla. and ended it
by aiding in big revolution in Bo-
livia. South America, under old Gen.
Williams The years between. about
twenty OF them. were taken up with
fighting on three different continents
and the islands of the Pacific, where
WIN w. James. member Of the hardest
fighting family that the southwest Of
America has produced. received tas-at-
tention OF two sovereigns for especial
acts of bravery and service 70 the
country. one Of them being the EN-
peror OF France who awarded to the
then youth the cross OF the Legion OF
Honor, and the other being Queen Vic
toria OF England. who a few years later
awarded the soldier of fortune the Vic
toria cross Tor service against the
Zulus in South Africa.
The veteran. who is swapping yarns
and visiting With former comrades in
Chlckasha today left America in 1859
after participating with his cousin,
the James and the Youngers, in raids
through Kansas and Missouri. He was
one of the youngest Of the band, and
when encroaching civilization made
life intolerable for them and capture
was threatened. he sailed for Europe
Besides having developed propen-
sIty for fighting that made him val
uable under any command, James had
developed In him a strong sense Of
right as he saw It. and delight in
fighting for what he considered jus
tlce. He arrived in Europe just at the
beginning oil the Franco-Prussian war
and enlisted at once with company 9
OF the Foreign Legion
FIGHTS for France.
II was while companies +, G and a
we're transporting cannon to Sedan
that the true mettle OF James was re-
cognized, and he was promoted In a
day from private 10 captain.
Intent on stopping the transport OF
arms. heavy force of Prussians fell
upon the Foreign Legion half way on
the journey. With half the company
fallen. a Prussian threatened to cap
ture the French flag when James
grasped 1t, beat back one man after an
other and held the banner for France
until the arrival OF aid. He received
saber cut from elbow to the top Of his
finger. the rough scar of which he
still bears
He was the only man left in his com
many at the end of the engagement.
and only few were left in the ranks
OF companies f and H. For saving the
flag he was made captain of the COM
bined remnants of the three companies
and. on the order Of Marshal McMa-
hon. was awarded the cross of the
Legion OF Honor.
Battles Bushmen.
When the Germans marched through
Paris and peace was made James
found France irksome and he decided
to seek further adventure in Australia
The Australian government was look
ing for fighters at that time to suodus
the Bushmen and VIII James volun
teered.N When the Bushmen mad peen
disposed of, the American adventurer
fearing 10 again set foot on his native
soil. drifted to New Zealand. This wa