Draft:JohnMonroe

John "Red Jack" Monroe (Born: October 12, 1842), was a a famous outlaw, gunslinger and former military soldier also known as "The Red Jack" or "Jack the Fox".

Early Life and Military Service

His father, a farmer and part-time blacksmith, died of cholera when John was ten. By fourteen, Monroe had taken on various labor jobs around town, eventually working as a stable boy, which exposed him to a variety of travelers and tales from the west. Monroe grew restless and took up with a band of trappers bound for the Rocky Mountains by the time he turned sixteen.

The Civil War interrupted Monroe’s travels when he was conscripted by the Union Army in 1861. He was assigned as a scout, where his natural skills for evasion, navigation, and shooting were honed. Monroe's time in the military solidified both his discipline and a disregard for authority, traits that would later mark his criminal career.

Turning to Crime When the war ended, Monroe ventured west to Nevada, where the silver and gold rushes promised wealth for anyone willing to risk the frontier. However, as a failed prospector with a knack for cards and a reputation for a fiery temper, he soon found himself on the wrong side of the law. By 1867, he had committed his first robbery, launching a series of increasingly sophisticated heists that would make him both a feared and admired figure across the west.

Major Heists and Robberies The Silver City Stagecoach Heist (1869) In 1869, Monroe planned and executed his first major heist near Silver City, Nevada. Posing as a down-on-his-luck preacher, Monroe boarded the stagecoach from Silver City to Virginia City. The stage was carrying $5,000 worth of silver bars meant for a new mining operation, along with a heavily armed security detail.

Monroe carefully scouted the route and anticipated where the coach would encounter rugged terrain, knowing the driver would need to slow down. At a narrow mountain pass, he revealed his revolver and took control of the stage by surprise, ordering the guards to drop their weapons. Monroe then directed the driver off the main trail to a secluded spot, where he unloaded the silver, secured the guards and passengers with ropes, and disappeared into the hills on horseback. Authorities searched for weeks, but Monroe was already hiding out in a mining town, using an alias. The incident left locals in awe, as Monroe's plan demonstrated precision, patience, and daring that set him apart from common criminals.

The Black Rock Train Robbery (1874) The Black Rock Train Robbery in 1874 remains one of Monroe's most infamous and audacious heists. By this time, Monroe had assembled a small, loyal gang of outlaws he referred to as "The Red Hand," named for their distinctive red scarves.

After receiving a tip about a shipment of $20,000 in gold and silver bullion destined for a Nevada bank, Monroe and his gang devised an elaborate plan. They scouted a secluded bend in the railroad near Black Rock Canyon, where Monroe anticipated the train would slow down. On the night of the heist, Monroe and his men placed logs across the tracks to force the train to stop.

Once the train halted, the gang quickly overpowered the guards and uncoupled the freight cars holding the bullion. Monroe instructed his men to load the gold onto horses he had hidden nearby, all while maintaining a calm yet commanding presence. Witnesses claimed that Monroe’s attention to detail was meticulous; he had accounted for every guard and calculated precisely how much time they had before lawmen arrived. The entire heist was completed in under twenty minutes, and Monroe vanished into the desert. Despite a large manhunt, no arrests were made. The robbery cemented Monroe's reputation as a master strategist.

The Dead Man’s Bluff Coach Job (1877) In 1877, Monroe executed the Dead Man’s Bluff Coach Job, which would earn him the reputation as “Jack the Fox” for his cunning and audacity. He learned of a transport carrying $15,000 in payroll from Fort Bowie to the mines in Tombstone, Arizona. Monroe carefully plotted his approach, taking into account the heavy security on board.

Knowing a frontal attack would be impossible, Monroe devised a ruse. He and his men disguised themselves as injured soldiers, strategically lying across the road near Dead Man’s Bluff. The guards on the coach halted, thinking the men were casualties from a recent Apache attack, and two guards dismounted to offer assistance. Monroe's men quickly overpowered them and signaled to the rest of the gang, who emerged from cover, revolvers drawn.

After tying up the guards and passengers, Monroe left them unharmed but took the payroll and all valuables. The heist occurred so swiftly and unexpectedly that by the time authorities arrived, Monroe was already across state lines. The Dead Man’s Bluff job added to Monroe’s Robin Hood-like aura, as he left behind a small portion of the take with the guards, reportedly saying, “Enough to cover your troubles.” His respect for calculated risks and minimizing violence whenever possible earned him a level of folk hero status.

The Tombstone Bank Job (1879) In 1879, Monroe set his sights on one of the most well-protected targets yet: the Tombstone Bank, notorious for its state-of-the-art vault. Monroe had spent months planning the heist, recruiting a skilled locksmith and purchasing blueprints of the bank's layout through bribes.

The heist took place on a quiet Sunday morning when the bank was closed. Monroe and his gang broke in through an adjacent dry goods store, tunneling into the bank’s basement. Once inside, his locksmith worked on the safe while Monroe kept watch. After hours of delicate work, the vault was cracked, and the gang made off with $40,000 in cash and gold.

The heist went undetected until Monday morning, giving Monroe a full day to evade detection. This feat stunned local authorities and cemented Monroe’s notoriety as a criminal mastermind, sparking rumors about his intelligence and strategic thinking. Lawmen pursued Monroe and his gang across Arizona, but he was always one step ahead, escaping with the use of a fresh relay of horses he had arranged weeks before.

Feud with Marshal Eli Barton Throughout his career, Monroe was pursued by Marshal Eli Barton, a relentless lawman from Texas. Barton and Monroe’s rivalry began after Barton vowed to bring Monroe to justice following the Black Rock Train Robbery. The two crossed paths numerous times, with Barton barely missing Monroe by hours on several occasions.

Their final showdown came in late 1881 at a hideout near Deadwood, South Dakota. In a shootout known as the Battle of the Pines, Monroe, outnumbered and cornered, fought until he was mortally wounded by Barton himself. Despite his injuries, Monroe’s last stand was marked by his refusal to surrender. Barton later admitted, “He was the cleverest man I ever tracked; Red Jack never gave in to any man.”

Death and Legacy John “Red Jack” Monroe died on December 1, 1881, and was buried in an unmarked grave near Deadwood. His legend continued to grow in the years following his death, as dime novels, folk songs, and local stories exaggerated his exploits. Despite his outlaw status, Monroe's reputation as a calculating and disciplined figure who seldom killed without cause led to a mixed legacy; he was both feared by his enemies and respected by those who saw him as a symbol of defiance against powerful banks and railroads.

Today, Monroe’s story is preserved in artifacts and letters displayed at the Deadwood Museum of Western History, which showcases items such as his custom Colt .45 revolver and hand-drawn heist maps.

References

"Outlaws of the Frontier: The Life and Times of John Monroe." Deadwood Press, 1922. Marshall, E. The Legend of Red Jack Monroe: Fact or Fiction? Arizona State University Press, 1989. Carter, J. Frontier Justice: The Feud Between Marshal Eli Barton and John Monroe. Tombstone Publishing Co., 1957. Wilson, L. Heists and Hold-ups: Great Western Robberies. Boston: Northbridge Press, 1945.