[114] Anderson's men mutilated the bodies of the dead soldiers and tortured some survivors. The U.S. Government provided a veteran's tombstone for Anderson's grave in 1967. The act sanctioned guerrilla activities against the Union army while attempting to gain some measure of control over the guerrillas. Bloody Bill was played by John Russell who played Marshall Stockburn in Pale Rider. [154] Most Confederate guerrillas had lost heart by then, owing to a cold winter and the simultaneous failure of General Price's 1864 invasion of Missouri, which ensured the state would remain securely under Union control for the rest of the war. In addition, it is included in the Missouri - A State Divided: The Civil War in Missouri series list. Get A Copy Kindle Unlimited $0.00 Amazon Stores [49], Four days after the Lawrence Massacre, on August 25, 1863, General Ewing retaliated against the Confederate guerrillas by issuing General Order No. Quantrill attained near-unanimous consent to travel 40 miles (64km) into Union territory to strike Lawrence. ; Battle of Albany Civil War Marker near Orrick, Mo. [129] Anderson presented him with a gift of fine Union pistols, likely captured at Centralia. (, At the time, some U.S. states allowed slavery, primarily those in the south, and some explicitly forbade it, primarily those in the north; whether newly created states would be "slave states" was a contentious and hotly debated issue. [Photo captions, clockwise from top left, read] [155] As the Confederacy collapsed, most of Anderson's men joined Quantrill's forces or traveled to Texas. Missouri - A State Divided: The Civil War in Missouri, Partisan Warfare in the American Civil War, Forces of Change and the Enduring Ozark Frontier: The Civil War. Barbed Wire Press. Anderson was described as "nearly six feet tall, of rather swarthy complexion and had long, black hair, inclined to curl. . Born in Kentucky in 1839 before moving to Missouri and eventually living in Kansas when the Civil War started, Bill Anderson soon earned the non de plume "Bloody Bill.". . Others, like William Anderson, had already entered a dark abyss from which there was no return and no escape except death. . [167] He maintains that Anderson's acts were seen as particularly shocking in part because his cruelty was directed towards white Americans of equivalent social standing, rather than targets deemed acceptable by American society, such as Native Americans or foreigners. Their families and other local Confederate sympathizers supplied them with shelter, food, medical care and tactical information about Union activities. The residents of Lawrence, Kansas, would never forget what happened on August 21, 1863, if indeed they were lucky enough to survive. Many of Anderson's men also despised the Union, and he was adept at tapping into this emotion. Operating against Unionists in the midst of the guerrilla war in Missouri and Kansas, he was a leading figure in the infamous Lawrence Massacre and the Centralia Massacre, gaining the nickname "Bloody Bill" for the perceived savagery of his exploits. . The tension between the two groups markedly increasedsome feared open warfare would resultbut by the time of the wedding, relations had improved. [116] Anderson achieved the same notoriety Quantrill had previously enjoyed, and he began to refer to himself as "Colonel Anderson", partly in an effort to supplant Quantrill. William Anderson was initially given a chilly reception from other raiders, who perceived him to be brash and overconfident. from Wichita State University and his Ph.D. in History and Political Science from the University of Chicago. 100% heavyweight Gildan brand cotton t-shirt. [125], Anderson visited Confederate sympathizers as he traveled, some of whom viewed him as a hero for fighting the Union, whom they deeply hated. 2. In 1908, the ex-guerrillas and former outlaws Jim Cummins and Cole Younger arranged for a funeral service at Anderson's gravesite. [127] Although many of them wished to execute this Union hostage, Anderson refused to allow it. [73], In June 1864, George M. Todd usurped Quantrill's leadership of their group and forced him to leave the area. Violence dropped in the area affected by Order No. The life of a guerrilla was difficult and violent. Date Posted: 8/12/2009 1:51:23 PM. [35] In the aftermath, rumors that the building had been intentionally sabotaged by Union soldiers spread quickly;[36] Anderson was convinced it had been a deliberate act. By 1860 the .44- caliber New Model Army revolver soon rivaled the Navy on which it was based. [161] James Carlos Blake's novel Wildwood Boys (2000) is a fictional biography of Anderson. As soon as the company attains the strength required by law it will proceed to elect the other officers to which it is entitled. En route, they entered Baxter Springs, Kansas, the site of Fort Blair. However, he was quickly released owing to a problem with the warrant, and fled to Agnes City, fearing he would be lynched. Bloody Bill Impostor William C. Anderson The Myth that Bloody Bill Anderson had survived the war and was living in Brownwood Texas originated in 1924, after a young Brownwood reporter named Henry Clay Fuller spent several hours talking with an 84 year old William C. Anderson in his home on Salt Creek. [94], On September 26, Anderson and his men reached Monroe County, Missouri,[95] and traveled towards Paris, but learned of other nearby guerrillas and rendezvoused with them near Audrain County. Guerrilla Tactics [128] On October 6, Anderson and his men began travelling to meet General Price in Boonville, Missouri;[124][129] they arrived and met the general on October 11. Anderson retreated into the lobby of the town hotel to drink and rest. [117][118] Sutherland saw the massacre as the last battle in the worst phase of the war in Missouri,[119] and Castel and Goodrich described the slaughter as the Civil War's "epitome of savagery". [143] Only Anderson and one other man, the son of a Confederate general, continued to charge after the others had retreated. [86], On August 13, Anderson and his men traveled through Ray County, Missouri, to the Missouri River, where they engaged Union militia. While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. "Bring Lieutenant Coleman to me." Born about 1839 in Kentucky, the family early moved to Missouri, where William grew up near the town of Huntsville in Randolph County. I will have to go through my library to see what I can find. The next day, the elder Anderson traveled to the Council Grove courthouse with a gun, intending to force Baker to withdraw the warrant. By August 1864, they were regularly scalping the men they killed. Anderson was hit by a bullet behind an ear, likely killing him instantly. Anderson and his companion "took a negro girl of 12 or 13 years old into . On Oct. 27, 1864, about 300 men of the Enrolled Missouri Militia, led by Union Lt. Col. Samuel P. Cox, ambushed Anderson and his guerrilla force in Ray County's Albany, Mo. Now that statement is a little murky. Born in Kentucky in 1839 before moving to Missouri and eventually living in Kansas when the Civil War started, Bill Anderson soon earned the nom de plume "Bloody Bill." An unusual event made a guerrilla out of William Anderson. [124] Anderson watched the fire from nearby bluffs. Death 27 Oct 1864 (aged 24-25) Albany, Ray County, Missouri, USA. [113] One Union officer reached Centralia and gave word of the ambush, allowing a few Union soldiers who had remained there to escape. Bushwhacker activities in Missouri increased as a response to Federal occupation and increasingly brutal attacks and raids by Kansas soldiers, or jayhawkers. William T. Anderson was born around 1840 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, to William C. and Martha Anderson. [40] On August 19, the group, which proved to be the most guerrillas under one commander in the war, began the trip to Lawrence. He protested the execution of guerrillas and their sympathizers, and threatened to attack Lexington, Missouri. 100, in April 1863, set a national policy, outlining guerrillas and their treatment. They also burnt Baker's home and stole two of his horses before returning to Missouri on the Santa Fe Trail. John Nichols, a bushwacker who operated in Johnson and Pettis Counties in 1862-1863, prior to his execution in Jefferson City, Missouri, October 30, 1863 The Union troops took his body to Richmond, Mo. 6 guns of ouTlaWs Residue of WaRThe RaideRs 7 Todd rested his men in July to allow them to prepare for a Confederate invasion of Missouri. Serving in the US Marine Corps in WW II, he earned a battlefield commission and decorations for valor at Guadalcanal. After he returned to Council Grove he began horse trading, taking horses from towns in Kansas, transporting them to Missouri and returning with more horses. [33] In August 1863, however, Union General Thomas Ewing, Jr. attempted to thwart the guerrillas by arresting their female relatives,[34] and Anderson's sisters were confined in a three-story building on Grand Avenue in Kansas City with a number of other girls. They had sworn to be revenged for the death of their father, and made their troubles an excuse for the career of bushwhacking in which they engaged with the Quantrill gang. The rapid rate of fire made the revolver perfect for the quick attacks executed by these men. [20], William and Jim Anderson soon formed a gang with a man named Bill Reed; in February 1863, the Lexington Weekly Union recorded that Reed was the leader of the gang. Even before Union forces finally shot him down in his final gunfight, the man called Bloody Bill had become equal parts legend and infamous nightmare. [Map inset] Nearby Civil War attractions include Pioneer Cemetery and Ray County Museum in Richmond, Mo. Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. The Confederate guerilla died in battle on October 26, 1864. Bloody Bill Anderson - Lies and Sensationalism. They often used unorthodox tactics to fight Union troops, such as using a small party of horsemen to lure them into an ambush. Rains, charged fearlessly through our lines and were both unhorsed close in our rear. [13], Upon his return to Kansas, Anderson continued horse trafficking, but ranchers in the area soon became aware of his operations. From July 1861 until the end of the war, the state suffered up to 25,000 deaths from guerrilla warfare, more than any other state. The Dalton boys grew up outside of Coffeyville and . James Jay Carafano. Usually a wife, sister, mother or sweetheart used ribbons, shells and needlework to create the ellaborately [sic] decorated shirts. [2] His siblings were Jim, Ellis, Mary Ellen, Josephine and Janie. They buried him in an unmarked grave in Richmond's Pioneer Cemetery. Please note that we are about 6-7 months in backorder and the wait is worth it. On March 12, 1864, in the midst of a bloody war which had long overflowed its thimble, Margaret Brooks was returning from her home near Memphis, Tennessee when her wagon broke down in Nonconnah Creek. The Union troops took his body to Richmond, Mo. ; and Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, Mo. The rest rushed to obey the orders. Depending on which side you asked, these bushwhackers were either heroes or criminals. The Wild West Extravaganza is a history podcast that delves into the fascinating and often tumultuous world of the American Old West. For the more effectual annoyance of the enemy upon our rivers and in our mountains and woods all citizens of this district who are not conscripted are called upon to organize themselves into independent companies of mounted men or infantry, as they prefer, arming themselves and to serve in that part of the district to which they belong. ; Battle of Lexington State Historic Site in Lexington, Mo. [105] Anderson gave the civilian hostages permission to leave but warned them not to put out fires or move bodies. They opposed the Union army in Missouri for a variety of reasons. This is his story. Add to your list and mine, Bloody Bill Anderson for he was a ruthless, vicious killer. He addressed the prisoners, castigating them for the treatment of guerrillas by Union troops. Stories about Anderson's brutality during the War were legion. 2, in March 1862, allowed Union troops in Missouri to hang guerillas as robbers and murder[er]s. Future orders followed the same tone. Anderson and his men were in the rear of the charge, but gathered a large amount of plunder from the dead soldiers, irritating some guerrillas from the front line of the charge. Similarly, Jesse James' brother Frank became . Details on John (b. Your choice of white or . Anderson, perhaps falsely, implicated Quantrill in a murder, leading to the latter's arrest by Confederate authorities. I. On August 10, while traveling through Clay County, Anderson and his men engaged 25 militia members, killing five of them and forcing the rest to flee. [146] The corpse was photographed and displayed at a local courthouse for public viewing, along with Anderson's possessions. As Quantrill and Todd became less active, "Bloody Bill" Anderson emerged as the best-known, and most feared, Confederate guerrilla in Missouri. In early 1863 he joined Quantrill's Raiders, a group of Confederate guerrillas which operated along the KansasMissouri border. 3. Anderson planned to destroy railroad infrastructure in Centralia, Missouri. [167], In a study of 19th-century warfare, historian James Reid posited that Anderson suffered from delusional paranoia, which exacerbated his aggressive, sadistic personality. The act sanctioned guerrilla activities against the Union army while attempting to gain some measure of control over the guerrillas. [41], Arriving in Lawrence on August 21, the guerrillas immediately killed a number of Union Army recruits and one of Anderson's men took their flag. So . [50], They departed earlier in the year than they had planned, owing to increased Union pressure. While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. On October 26, 1864, the notorious Confederate guerrilla leader William "Bloody Bill" Anderson is killed in Missouri in a Union ambush. Again, were those 2 pistols found on the horse or were there more as Cox's statement was in the plural. It is said that "Bloody Bill" Anderson carried six to eight revolvers with him at any point. In September 1864, Anderson led a raid on the town of Centralia, Missouri. [13] Anderson had told a neighbor that he sought to fight for financial reasons rather than out of loyalty to the Confederacy. [131] Price instructed Anderson to travel to the Missouri railroad and disrupt rail traffic,[129] making Anderson a de facto Confederate captain. The Fate of the Bushwhackers It is possible that Jim Anderson might have married Bloody Bill's widow IF the 22 August 1866 marriage of J. M. Anderson and Malinda Anderson was the marriage of James Madison Anderson and Malinda Bush Smith. He then ordered and conducted the massacre soldiers. [19] Baker and his brother-in-law brought the man to a store, where they were ambushed by the Anderson brothers. [138] Local residents gathered $5,000, which they gave to Anderson; he then released the man, who died of his injuries in 1866. By Glynda July 23, 2006 at 03:01:32. [38], Although Quantrill had considered the idea of a raid on the pro-Union stronghold that was the town of Lawrence, Kansas before the building collapsed in Kansas City, the deaths convinced the guerrillas to make a bold strike. He retained 84 men and reunited with Anderson. [30] The first reference to Anderson in Official Records of the American Civil War concerns his activities at this time, describing him as the captain of a band of guerrillas. After hearing of the engagement, General Fisk commanded a colonel to lead a party with the sole aim of killing Anderson. The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. You may have your own list of heartless maniacal killers. On July 30, Anderson and his men kidnapped the elderly father of the local Union militia's commanding officer. Anderson was upset by the critical tone of the coverage and sent letters to the publications. An unusual event made a guerrilla out of William Anderson. Wood believes that these stories are inaccurate, citing a lack of documentary evidence. They used it to attack other boats, bringing river traffic to a virtual halt. The two were prominent Unionists and hid their identities from the guerrillas. Captains will be held responsible for the good conduct and efficiency of their men and will report to these headquarters from time to time. ; and Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, Mo. The guerrillas, however, quickly learned the signals, and local citizens became wary of Union troops, fearing that they were disguised guerrillas. World War Memorial (here, next to this marker); World War II and Korean War Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Vietnam War Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Richmond (within shouting distance of this marker); Pvt. [32], Quantrill's Raiders had an extensive support network in Missouri that provided them with numerous hiding places. Brown had devoted significant attention to the border area, Anderson led raids in Cooper County and Johnson County, Missouri, robbing local residents. In 1857, the family moved to Kansas and William worked for a time . It was Anderson's greatest victory, surpassing Lawrence and Baxter Springs in brutality and the number of casualties. [14] However, the group was attacked by the Union's 6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry in Vernon County, Missouri;[e] the cavalry likely assumed they were Confederate guerrillas.