Did Rathbone get blamed?

[RJNorton]

(12-19-2013 09:18 AM)Gene C Wrote:  It takes a lot of nerve for an unarmed man to go after an armed man. Especially as quickly as Rathbone did. There must have been something deep in the character of the man to have responded like he did.

(12-19-2013 10:36 AM)J. Beckert Wrote:  I believe Rathbone's selfless actions were a result of his military training and experiences. One of the best pieces of advise given when being instructed about what to do in life or death situations when you may not be prepared, are caught off guard or at a disadvantage is - do something. Anything. Don't just stand there. Here's a modern example of a soldier thinking on his feet when faced with certain death.

(12-19-2013 11:23 AM)jonathan Wrote:  What he did do was more than many would have, at least among civilians, though probably not soldiers.

It's one of those situations where, looking at it from Rathbone's chair, he did what he could do, it just wasn't enough. He should have let himself off the hook a little bit.

IMO all of you folks make good points. Many years later Harry Hawk wrote, "I did simply what any other man would have done - I ran."