Down Along the Watonwan

Down along the Watonwan
The Younger Boys last chance was gone
The day was September twenty-one
The year 18 and 76
The Boys were in a fearsome fix
From too many years of livin' by the gun

They'd tried to rob the Northfield bank
And to the dusty street there sank
Bill Chadwell and Clell Miller soon were gone
Then for the next two weeks they ran and fought 
Till the last four finally got caught
They got 'em down along the Watonwan

Frank and Jesse left the group
In hopes that someday they'd regroup
With Cole and Jim and Bob and Charlie Pitts
But that sweet dream was not to be
The Youngers got shot and caught you see
And Charlie died from taken five good hits

On the morning of the twenty-first
The Boy's bad luck turned to the worst
When young Oscar Sorbell saw 'em and was gone
He told Sheriff Glispin
And a posse took up the chase again
They ran 'em down along the Watonwan

Till seven men together stood
Side by side in the brush and wood
The Sheriff and Bill Murphy made the plan
Now here's the way we'll do it, boys
Don't shoot just for smoke and noise
Shoot strait to kill, be sure you get your man

As the seven started their advance
Cole said, "Boys, our only chance
Is charge the line and really pour it on."
But the seven shot up every man
Till only Bob Younger could stand
They caught 'em down along the Watonwan

Cole Younger said time and again
"We were caught by fine brave Christian men
Believe me boys our outlaw days are gone
At least it's not the Pinkertons
Who finally silenced all our guns
Our last day down along the Watonwan."



                      Rex Macbeth   1996