Charlie Pitts Dies Game

 May 16, 2026

   Four fleeing outlaws, believed to be the robbers of the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota, slip into a slough (pronunced slew) on foot and disappear into a dense thicket of wild plums and vines. It is September 21, 1876 and the United States is celebrating its 100th birthday. Oh, and Custer met his match back in June.

   Warned by a farm kid, Sheriff James Glispin and Capt. William W. Murphy, both Civil War vets, arrive at Hanska Slough and ask for volunteers to go in and flush out the desperados. Of the dozens of men on the scene, and anywhere from 40 to 150 “sightseers” present, only five step forward.

"The Hanska Slough Crew Spread Out"

   Sheriff Glispin, Capt. Murphy and their five volunteers make their way down into the river bottom and spread out at 15-foot intervals. Their orders are to fire only if fired upon, and even then, to shoot low, so that the fugitives might be encouraged to surrender.

   Hunkered down in a dense plum thicket, Charlie Pitts and the Younger brothers, Cole, Jim and Bob, ponder their predicament. “We are surrounded,” Pitts says. “We had better surrender.”

   Cole replies, “Charlie, this is where Cole Younger dies.”

   “All right, Captain. I can die just as game as you can,” Pitts responds. “Let’s get it done.” With those words, Pitts stands and fires.

"Charlie Pitts' Last Shot"

   Dropping to one knee, Sheriff Glispin fires back, hitting Pitts in the chest (so much for shooting low). As the outlaw falls backward, the plum thicket is riddled with bullets from numerous posse guns, including those up on the surrounding bluffs.

   We've all seen the photos of Charie dead as a doornail, but did anyone ever find a photo of Charlie Pitts from life? Funny you should ask.

   For many years the only photos we knew about for the James-Younger Gang member Charlie Pitts were these two photos of him in death.

Charlie Pitts in death with a shirt on

Charlie Pitts in death with his shirt off

   But now, thanks to my friend Mark Lee Gardner we know what he looked like in life.

Daily Whip Out: "Charlie Pitts In Life"

   A black and white version of the above photo was published in the James-Younger Outlaw Gang Journal in 2010 in an article written by a descendant. Chip DeMann alerted Gardner to it when he was researching his book, "Shot All To Hell." 

   And speaking of Mark Lee Gardner and his ground breaking book, he is writing a cover story for us in the next issue on Once And For All, Who Was The Man On The Dun Horse? Hint: it wasn't Jesse James.

"The world may believe as it pleases."

—Cole Younger