The muzzle-loaders required no special ammunition or training and were effective out to about seventy-five or one hundred yards. 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. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. [107] The guerrillas set the passenger train on fire and derailed an approaching freight train. While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. [76] Anderson was selective, turning away all but the fiercest applicants, as he sought fighters similar to himself. . As soon as the company attains the strength required by law it will proceed to elect the other officers to which it is entitled. Gen. Henry Halleck. Anderson and his men dressed as Union soldiers, wearing uniforms taken from those they killed. They buried him in an unmarked grave in Richmond's Pioneer Cemetery. Marker is on the Ray County Courthouse grounds. Union troops used horses to drag Anderson's body through the streets around the Ray County Courthouse. Union troops used horses to drag Anderson's body through the streets around the Ray County Courthouse. Violence Was No Stranger (1993). [158] He was later discussed in biographies of Quantrill, which typically cast Anderson as an inveterate murderer. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Gifts for Every Valentine Jewelry & Accessories A wide-brimmed slouch hat was the headgear of choice. [117] However, Frank James, who participated in the attack, later defended the guerrillas' actions, arguing that the federal troops were marching under a black flag, indicating that they intended to show no mercy. Similarly, Jesse James' brother Frank became . After hearing their accusations against his sons, he was incensedhe found Baker's involvement particularly infuriating. He visited the house of a well-known Union sympathizer, the wealthiest resident of the town, brutally beat him, and raped his 12- or 13-year-old black servant. In 1908, the ex-guerrillas and former outlaws Jim Cummins and Cole Younger arranged for a funeral service at Anderson's gravesite. . Answer: Coffeyville. He was killed in a Union ambush near Richmond, MO. several of Anderson's men were cut down immediately & Anderson & 2 more continued but just a short distance when they were cut down. On July 30, Anderson and his men kidnapped the elderly father of the local Union militia's commanding officer. [50], They departed earlier in the year than they had planned, owing to increased Union pressure. Anderson's prodigious talents for bloodshed were such that, by the end of his life in 1864, he'd left a trail of destruction across three states which took just two years to blaze. Now that statement is a little murky. ; and Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, Mo. [160] Asa Earl Carter's novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (1972) features Anderson as a main character. Answer: He mistook the cashier for Samuel P Cox, the killer of 'Bloody Bill' Anderson. Topics and series. In September 1864, Anderson led a raid on the town of Centralia, Missouri. 2. They were still suffering from the wounds inflicted by Jayhawkers in their attempt to murder them while being held as prisoners during the summer of 1863. This may help as far as relatives of Bloody Bill Anderson,who was William T.Anderson born 1839,son of William Anderson and Martha Thomasson. [139], Union military leaders assigned Lieutenant Colonel Samuel P. Cox to kill Anderson, providing him with a group of experienced soldiers. The Fate of the Bushwhackers [77][78] His fearsome reputation gave a fillip to his recruiting efforts. Barbed Wire Press. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. USA. Biographer Larry Wood wrote that Anderson's motivation shifted after the death of his sister, arguing that killing then became his focus, and an enjoyable act. By Glynda July 23, 2006 at 03:01:32. 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.". [129] Anderson presented him with a gift of fine Union pistols, likely captured at Centralia. He favored swift execution of captured guerrillas. Maupin, pictured above. A short time later, another six of Anderson's men were ambushed and killed by Union troops;[90] after learning of these events, Anderson was outraged and left the area to seek revenge. He angered Anderson by ordering his forces to withdraw. [108] Anderson's band then rode back to their camp, taking a large amount of looted goods. William T. Anderson was one of the most notorious Confederate guerrillas of the Civil War. [166] According to journalist T.J. Stiles, Anderson was not necessarily a "sadistic fiend",[167] but illustrated how young men became part of a "culture of atrocity" during the war. [12] In late 1861, Anderson traveled south with Jim and Judge Baker in an apparent attempt to join the Confederate Army. [123] They burned Rocheport to the ground on October 2; the town was under close scrutiny by Union forces, owing to the number of Confederate sympathizers there, but General Fisk maintained that the fire was accidental. 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. [146] The corpse was photographed and displayed at a local courthouse for public viewing, along with Anderson's possessions. [135] After Confederate forces under General Joseph O. Shelby conquered Glasgow, Anderson traveled to the city to loot. One dating device is the guns; they are all germane to the late 1860s and early 1870s at the . As far as the partisans carrying extra cylinders, that is possibly a misnomer unless, they cannibalize other pistols just for the cylinders & that wouldn't make sense. At least 40 members of the 17th Illinois Cavalry and the Missouri State Militia were in town and took shelter in a fort. Cole Younger, 1913, The Federal command in St. Louis, Mo. They murdered my family when I was a schoolboy and I was launched into a life of shooting, reprisals and rough-riding." They buried him in an unmarked grave in Richmond's Pioneer Cemetery. Local citizens demanded possession of the corpse. They claimed to be fighting for the Confederacy, but in fact, their murdering and looting benefited only their pocketbooks. [18], On July 2, 1862, William and Jim Anderson returned to Council Grove and sent an accomplice to Baker's house claiming to be a traveler seeking supplies. Captains will be held responsible for the good conduct and efficiency of their men and will report to these headquarters from time to time. [11] He joined the freight shipping operation for which his father worked and was given a position known as "second boss" for a wagon trip to New Mexico. ; Battle of Lexington State Historic Site in Lexington, Mo. [124] Anderson watched the fire from nearby bluffs. William T. Anderson (1840 - Oct. 26, 1864) known as "Bloody Bill" Anderson was one of the deadliest and most brutal pro-Confederate guerrilla leaders in the American Civil War. Richeson, Richerson, Richardson originally from Taylor County, Kentucky. 3. The U.S. Government provided a veteran's tombstone for Anderson's grave in 1967. Browning James A. The tortures included jumping on him, shooting at his legs and firing guns from his knee to burn his legs with powder. Many of Anderson's men also despised the Union, and he was adept at tapping into this emotion. The reason for the bloody raid that left nearly two hundred men dead and caused between $1 million and $1.5 million in damage (in 1863 dollars) is still the subject of speculation. And that is the terrible truth of the story of Bloody Bill Anderson. From famous outlaws like Billy the Kid and Jesse James to lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok to trailblazing pioneers and frontiersmen, this podcast tells the true stories of the real-life characters who shaped this iconic period in American history. Anderson led a band that targeted Union loyalists and Federal soldiers in Missouri and Kansas. This would effectively put Bloody Bill on the list of about 450 confederate guerrillas who rode into Lawrence on that fateful day. When as many as 10 men come together for this purpose they may organize by electing a captain, 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and will at once commence operation against the enemy without waiting for special instructions. It's either the flesh eating . Unexpectedly, his men were able to capture a passenger train, the first time Confederate guerrillas had done so. Get A Copy Kindle Unlimited $0.00 Amazon Stores He was buried in a nearby fieldafter a soldier cut off one of his fingers to steal a ring. I do not claim to be an expert on guerrilla warfare in Missouri but am a student of the war in general. The act sanctioned guerrilla activities against the Union army while attempting to gain some measure of control over the guerrillas. As you said, they could have obtained pistols from the local population but remember, the average farmer probably wouldn't have shelled out the $15.00 to buy a sidearm as he was more dependent on a long arm & $15.00 was a fortune. Biographer Larry Wood claimed that Anderson's sisters aided the guerrillas by gathering information inside Union-controlled territory. His family had been living in Council Grove, Territory of Kansas at the start of the war. The Civil War was a brutal and savage conflict, but try as I might, I can't think of anyone as bloodthirsty as William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson. Your choice of white or . Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. [2] His siblings were Jim, Ellis, Mary Ellen, Josephine and Janie. [80] In 1863, most Union troops left Missouri and only four regiments remained there. 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. Their families and other local Confederate sympathizers supplied them with shelter, food, medical care and tactical information about Union activities. Anderson was under Quantrill's command, but independently organized some attacks. These "guerrilla shirts" were pullovers with a deep v-neckline and four large pockets. The act sanctioned guerrilla activities against the Union army while attempting to gain some measure of control over the guerrillas. General Orders No. [72] Anderson's men robbed the town's depository, gaining about $40,000 (equivalent to $693,000 in 2021) in the robbery, although Anderson returned some money to the friend he had met at the hotel. Guerrilla Tactics , William Quantrill and William "Bloody Bill" Anderson are well-known bushwhacker leaders in Missouri. Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. Quantrill and other guerrillas nonetheless sought and sometimes received formal Confederate commissions as partisan rangers. They opposed the Union army in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Nov 26, 2015 - PLEASE READ THE HOME PAGE PRIOR TO ORDERING TO UNDERSTAND PROCEDURES, HOW TO MEASURE, WAYS OF PAYMENT, BACK ORDERS, ETC. [31] By late July, Anderson led groups of guerrillas on raids and was often pursued by Union volunteer cavalry. [44] They proceeded to pillage and burn many buildings, killing almost every man they found, but taking care not to shoot women. Bloody Bill Anderson Also included in the list was Cole Younger, whose father was killed by the Kansans, and his mother made homeless after watching their house burn to the ground. [75] As Anderson's profile increased, he was able to recruit more guerrillas. [148] Union soldiers buried Anderson's body in a field near Richmond in a fairly well-built coffin. Some, like the veterans attending the bushwacker reunions under Quantrill's vacant gaze, managed to adjust to post-war life. . Jesse James and his brother Frank were among the Missourians who joined Anderson; both of them later became notorious outlaws. [125], Anderson visited Confederate sympathizers as he traveled, some of whom viewed him as a hero for fighting the Union, whom they deeply hated. While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. The Guerrilla Lifestyle , The life of a guerrilla was difficult and violent. They also targeted strategically important infrastructure like bridges, telegraph lines and railroads. 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. [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. [7][b] Animosity and violence between the two sides quickly developed in what was called Bleeding Kansas, but there was little unrest in the Council Grove area. [144] Four other guerrillas were killed in the attack. [104] Anderson forced the captured Union soldiers to form a line and announced that he would keep one for a prisoner exchange but would execute the rest. [59] It is likely that this incident angered Anderson, who then took 20 men to visit the town of Sherman. [156] Jim Anderson moved to Sherman, Texas, with his two sisters. [58], A short time later, one of Anderson's men was accused of stealing from one of Quantrill's men. [13] Anderson had told a neighbor that he sought to fight for financial reasons rather than out of loyalty to the Confederacy. . More lies and sensationalized stories have been told of William T. Anderson than any other Civil War Border War guerrilla except those of William Clarke Quantrill himself. "Bring Lieutenant Coleman to me." [46] They left town at 9:00am after a company of Union soldiers approached the town. The Missouri Partisan Ranger Act , On July 17, 1862, Confederate Gen. Thomas Hindman issued the Missouri Partisan Ranger Act. In October of 1864, Anderson's unit was trapped and outnumbered in Missouri, and 'Bloody Bill' was killed when he charged the Union troops. Gen. John McNeil, the "Butcher of Palmyra." [50] Shortly after the initial assault, a larger group of Union troops approached Fort Blair, unaware the fort had been attacked and that the men they saw outside the fort dressed in Union uniforms were actually disguised guerrillas. [40] On August 19, the group, which proved to be the most guerrillas under one commander in the war, began the trip to Lawrence. 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. Cox's bugler gathered up 6 pistols around the body. General Orders No. 11, an evacuation order that evicted almost 20,000 people from four counties in rural western Missouri and burned many of their homes. He addressed the prisoners, castigating them for the treatment of guerrillas by Union troops. Baker, a local judge who was a Confederate sympathizer. [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". [141] On October 26, 1864, he pursued Anderson's group with 150 men and engaged them in a battle called the Skirmish at Albany, Missouri. [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. 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. Please note that we are about 6-7 months in backorder and the wait is worth it. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson . The cashier pulled a gun on him and James killed him in self-defence. Other nearby markers. Quantrill and other guerrillas nonetheless sought and sometimes received formal Confederate commissions as partisan rangers. The Fate of the Bushwhackers , Confederate leaders were unsure about guerrillas. [138] Local residents gathered $5,000, which they gave to Anderson; he then released the man, who died of his injuries in 1866. It was Anderson's greatest victory, surpassing Lawrence and Baxter Springs in brutality and the number of casualties. [53], On October 12, Quantrill and his men met General Samuel Cooper at the Canadian River and proceeded to Mineral Springs, Texas, to rest for the winter. Anderson and his men camped with at least 300 men, including Todd. Actor: Rio Bravo. Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. The rapid rate of fire made the revolver perfect for the quick attacks executed by these men. [97], On the morning of September 27, 1864, Anderson left his camp with about 75 men to scout for Union forces. 1:27. The guerrillas gathered at the Blackwater River in Johnson County, Missouri. After the war, several guerrillas, such as Frank and Jesse James, continued their violent behaviors, becoming infamous outlaws. [79] General Clinton B. Fisk ordered his men to find and kill Anderson, but they were thwarted by Anderson's support network and his forces' superior training and arms. [132], Anderson traveled 70 miles (110km) east with 80 men to New Florence, Missouri. 2, in March 1862, allowed Union troops in Missouri to hang guerillas as robbers and murder[er]s. Future orders followed the same tone. 6 guns of ouTlaWs Residue of WaRThe RaideRs 7 . [21][f] William Quantrill, a Confederate guerrilla leader, later claimed to have encountered Reed's company in July and rebuked them for robbing Confederate sympathizers;[22] in their biography of Anderson, Albert Castel and Tom Goodrich speculate that this rebuke may have resulted in a deep resentment of Quantrill by Anderson.