The two posts by Steve Parkes and Jeri begin to illustrate some of the problems faced by historians trying to flesh out a story. The account by Jeri is a straight account without any personal incidents. The account given by Steve is a personal account of a man who was there, but given to a reporter(at the bottom there are some suggested questions for the reader). As any good cop (and good historian) knows, many things color the account of a witness. You have to take the parts that seem reliable and can be verified by other witnesses. Reporters are sometimes (always?) careless and can mis-hear.
Songs written after the event bring in more questions. The song writer is more worried about rhyme, meter and impact that the bare truth of the matter.