James Jay Carafano. After a building collapse in the makeshift jail in Kansas City, Missouri, left one of them dead in custody and the other permanently maimed, Anderson devoted himself to revenge. [84] The guerrillas quickly forced the attackers to flee, and Anderson shot and injured one woman as she fled the house. [87] Although they forced the Union soldiers to flee, Anderson and Jesse James were injured in the encounter and the guerrillas retired to Boone County to rest. The guerrillas were only able to shoot the Union horses before reinforcements arrived; three of Anderson's men were killed in the confrontation. 100, in April 1863, set a national policy, outlining guerrillas and their treatment. Usually a wife, sister, mother or sweetheart used ribbons, shells and needlework to create the ellaborately [sic] decorated shirts. [111] Anderson then led a charge up the hill. "Bloody Bill" redirects here. [47] The raiding party was pursued by Union forces but eventually managed to break contact with the soldiers and scatter into the Missouri woods. They buried him in an unmarked grave in Richmond's Pioneer Cemetery. William T. Anderson[a] (c. 1840 October 26, 1864), known by the nickname "Bloody Bill" Anderson, was a soldier who was one of the deadliest and most notorious Confederate guerrilla leaders in the American Civil War. [28] Castel and Goodrich speculated that this raid may have given Quantrill the idea of launching an attack deep in Kansas, as it demonstrated that the state's border was poorly defended and that guerrillas could travel deep into the state's interior before Union forces were alerted. They soon arrived at the small town of Centralia and proceeded to loot it, robbing people and searching the town for valuables. [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. As armies march across America from 1861 to 1865, other combatants shot soldiers from ambush and terrorized civilians of opposing loyalties in a fierce guerrilla 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. 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. They attacked the fort on October 6, but the 90 Union troops there quickly took refuge inside, suffering minimal losses. Marker is on the Ray County Courthouse grounds. He angered Anderson by ordering his forces to withdraw. It was Anderson's greatest victory, surpassing Lawrence and Baxter Springs in brutality and the number of casualties. Assuming, of course, that you're brave enough to get within handgun range of those animals. Although Union supporters viewed him as incorrigibly evil, Confederate supporters in Missouri saw his actions as justifiable. Missouri's southern sympathizers hated Union Brig. [149] Some of them cut off one of his fingers to steal a ring. Anderson planned to destroy railroad infrastructure in Centralia, Missouri. [19] Baker and his brother-in-law brought the man to a store, where they were ambushed by the Anderson brothers. William Thomas Anderson was born in Randolph County, Missouri in 1837, the exact date and location of his birth, remain uncertain. Anderson was outraged and went to Missouri with his siblings. Browning James A. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman was the head of the Confederate Army's Trans Mississippi Department in Little Rock, Ark. 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. The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. 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. "The war brought on hate and strife and killing around here. [26] In early 1863, William and Jim Anderson traveled to Jackson County, Missouri, to join him. By 1860 the .44- caliber New Model Army revolver soon rivaled the Navy on which it was based. 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. They opposed the Union army in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Upon returning to the Confederate leadership, Anderson was commissioned as a captain by General Price. He took a leading role in the Lawrence Massacre and later took part in the Battle of Baxter Springs, both in 1863. [124] Anderson watched the fire from nearby bluffs. The Andersons barricaded the door to the basement and set the store on fire, killing Baker and his brother-in-law. They often used unorthodox tactics to fight Union troops, such as using a small party of horsemen to lure them into an ambush. They tortured him until he was near death and sent word to the man's son in an unsuccessful attempt to lure him into an ambush, before releasing the father with instructions to spread word of his mistreatment. Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. [59] It is likely that this incident angered Anderson, who then took 20 men to visit the town of Sherman. Many of Anderson's men also despised the Union, and he was adept at tapping into this emotion. One of the leading authorities on the Civil War in the western theater, Albert Edward Castel earned his B.A. At the end of P.R. [54] During the winter, Anderson married Bush Smith, a woman from Sherman, Texas. 0:02. The Union troops took his body to Richmond, Mo. Longley's Bloody Bill Anderson Mystery Group on July 13, 2009: " Francis M Richardson was a carpenter as shown in the 1860 Grayson County Texas Census. [42] The Provost Marshal of Kansas, a Union captain who commanded military police, surrendered to the guerrillas and Anderson took his uniform[43] (guerrillas often wore uniforms stolen from Union soldiers). The Union militias sometimes rode slower horses and may have been intimidated by Anderson's reputation. [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. [1] There he robbed travelers and killed several Union soldiers. [99][100] As the guerrillas robbed the stagecoach passengers, a train arrived. They may be found on the 1850 Census of Randolph County,MO. Reid draws a parallel between the bashi-bazouks of the Ottoman Army and Anderson's guerrillas, arguing that they behaved similarly.[168]. The Dalton gang, cousins of the Younger brothers and imitators of the James gang, met their end at a bloody dual bank robbery in this Kansas town. By the time the war started, Missouri's pro-rebel guerrillas were known as . John Wallace (within shouting distance of this marker); Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan (within shouting distance of this marker); Ray County Bicentennial Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); 1856 Courthouse Cornice Planter (about 300 feet away). [60][61][62] They told General Cooper that Quantrill was responsible for the death of a Confederate officer; the general had Quantrill arrested. . [21] Anderson and his gang subsequently traveled east of Jackson County, Missouri, avoiding territory where Quantrill operated and continuing to support themselves by robbery. [82] In late July, the Union military sent a force of 100 well-equipped soldiers and 650 other men after Anderson. After hearing their accusations against his sons, he was incensedhe found Baker's involvement particularly infuriating. 1. He commanded 3040 men, one of whom was Archie Clement, an 18-year-old with a predilection for torture and mutilation who was loyal only to 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. These companies will be governed in all respects by the same regulations as other troops. Stories about Anderson's brutality during the War were legion. Anderson and his men camped with at least 300 men, including Todd. Pioneer Cemetery. [13], Upon his return to Kansas, Anderson continued horse trafficking, but ranchers in the area soon became aware of his operations. As Quantrill and Todd became less active, "Bloody Bill" Anderson emerged as the best-known, and most feared, Confederate guerrilla in Missouri. The guerrillas heard that the cavalry was approaching,[110] and Anderson sent a party to set an ambush. [29], In early summer 1863, Anderson was made a lieutenant, serving in a unit led by George M. Todd. 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. 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. The .500 Bushwhacker is the biggest, baddest handgun cartridge in the world right now. The Confederate guerilla died in battle on October 26, 1864. [89] In mid-September, Union soldiers ambushed two of Anderson's parties traveling through Howard County, killing five men in one day. After the robbery, the group was intercepted by a United States Marshal accompanied by a large posse,[28] about 150 miles (240km) from the KansasMissouri border. The Missouri Partisan Ranger Act , On July 17, 1862, Confederate Gen. Thomas Hindman issued the Missouri Partisan Ranger Act. [143] The victory made a hero of Cox and led to his promotion. Serving in the US Marine Corps in WW II, he earned a battlefield commission and decorations for valor at Guadalcanal. In 1908, the ex-guerrillas and former outlaws Jim Cummins and Cole Younger arranged for a funeral service at Anderson's gravesite. Violence Was No Stranger (1993). Similarly, Jesse James' brother Frank became . While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. Their familiarity with the landscape enabled them to appear and disappear into the woods like ghosts. [66][67] In the letters, Anderson took an arrogant and threatening yet playful tone, boasting of his attacks. His dark good looks brought him to the attention . [81], On July 23, 1864, Anderson led 65 men to Renick, Missouri, robbing stores and tearing down telegraph wires on the way. Anderson's bushwhacking marked him as a dangerous man and eventually led the Union to imprison his sisters. . Historians have made disparate appraisals of Anderson; some see him as a sadistic, psychopathic killer, while others put his actions into the perspective of the general desperation and lawlessness of the time and the brutalization effect of war. From Donald Hale's book " They call him Bloody Bill" it stated that Cox had sent a Lt. Baker to act as bait to lure Bill & his troops into an ambush. [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. [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. The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. Your choice of white or . [98] They found a large supply of whiskey and all began drinking. Concluding that eliminating the bushw[h]acker's support network would. 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. He thought the cashier was an informant. [65], On July 6, a Confederate sympathizer brought Anderson newspapers containing articles about him. 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. and also on the Agnes City Census of Kansas in 1850. Touch for map. The guerrillas then attacked Allen, Missouri. 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. Relatives of William T. Anderson , known as "Bloody Bill". Eventually, the six-shot revolver became the weapon of choice for the bushwhacker because it was considered better for firing from horseback. Please note that we are about 6-7 months in backorder and the wait is worth it. Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. A wide-brimmed slouch hat was the headgear of choice. [136][137] Anderson indicated that he was particularly angry that the man had freed his slaves, then trampled him with a specially trained horse. [10], In the late 1850s, Ellis Anderson fled to Iowa after killing a native American. If they were Bill's, he would have had 7 pistols on his person which to me is a little hard to believe. Anderson was under Quantrill's command, but independently organized some attacks. [57] Quantrill appointed him a first lieutenant, subordinate only to himself and to Todd. While they were confined, the building collapsed, killing one of Anderson's sisters. Others, like William Anderson, had already entered a dark abyss from which there was no return and no escape except death. There is a new generation of Westerns, typified by the work of writer/actor/producer Taylor Sheridan in the prequel to his hit show Yellowstone (2018), titled 1883 (2022). [64] The next day, in southeast Jackson County, Anderson's group ambushed a wagon train carrying members of the Union 1st Northeast Missouri Cavalry, killing nine. This action angered his men, who saw themselves as the protectors of women, but Anderson dismissed their concerns, saying such things were inevitable. Then I noticed Bloody Bill Anderson and he has a very small existence in Josey Wales. Gen. Henry Halleck. He favored swift execution of captured guerrillas. En route, some guerrillas robbed a Union supporter, but Anderson knew the man and reimbursed him. 17 reviews The first-ever biography of the perpetrator of the Centralia and Baxter Springs Massacres, as well as innumerable atrocities during the Civil War in the West. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson A sociopath who lived for spilling blood, William Anderson was one of the most fearsome leaders of Confederate guerrillas in Civil War Missouri. Death 27 Oct 1864 (aged 24-25) Albany, Ray County, Missouri, USA. . . Anderson was described as "nearly six feet tall, of rather swarthy complexion and had long, black hair, inclined to curl. As a general rule, bushwhackers would attack quickly and withdraw if they began receiving serious casualties. Anderson's men mutilated the bodies, earning the guerrillas the description of "incarnate fiends" from the Columbia Missouri Statesman. William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson (circa 1838 - October 26, 1864) was a pro-Confederate guerrilla leader in the American Civil War. Guerrilla Tactics A lack of Confederate military presence in Missouri led Southern sympathizers to form guerrilla groups to harass Union soldiers and pro-Union citizens. On October 26, 1864, the notorious Confederate guerrilla leader William "Bloody Bill" Anderson is killed in Missouri in a Union ambush. Anderson led a band of volunteer partisan raiders who targeted Union loyalists and federal soldiers in the states of Missouri and Kansas. In September 1864, Anderson led a raid on the town of Centralia, Missouri. The Death of William Anderson , 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. Union leaders branded bushwhackers as outlaws, issuing multiple orders to suppress guerilla activities. However, his gun of choice was said to be the Dance .44 caliber cap and ball revolver. William T. Anderson was one of the most notorious Confederate guerrillas of the Civil War. Gen. Henry Halleck. His gun changed a few times, semi, handgun, revolver . It is in Richmond in Ray County Missouri, "The war brought on hate and strife and killing around here. The U.S. Government provided a veteran's tombstone for Anderson's grave in 1967. Union troops used horses to drag Anderson's body through the streets around the Ray County Courthouse. After Bill Anderson's death in Richmond, Missouri on October 27, 1864 his brother Jim Anderson gathered together their surviving sisters, Mollie and Mattie and took them to Sherman, Texas. [75] Many militia members had been conscripted and lacked the guerrillas' boldness and resolve. There were those that came & went and the largest number had to have been the raid on Lawrence. Anderson is loosely portrayed by Jim Caviezel as Black John Ambrose in the 1999 Ang Lee film Ride With The Devil. USA. Concluding that eliminating the bushw[h]acker's support network would help end guerilla fighting, Brig. If they were Bill's, he would have had 7 pistols on his person which to me is a little hard to believe. Anderson was known for his brutality towards Union soldiers, and pro Union partisans, who were called Jayhawkers. A lot of the federal troops in Missouri were Infantry & only the officer's would have pistols. He was buried in a nearby fieldafter a soldier cut off one of his fingers to steal a ring. One one hand, they were useful, serving to tie down Union forces. They also targeted strategically important infrastructure like bridges, telegraph lines and railroads. [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. He was, however, impressed by the effectiveness of Anderson's attacks. Local citizens demanded possession of the corpse. Location: Missouri, United States. [12] In late 1861, Anderson traveled south with Jim and Judge Baker in an apparent attempt to join the Confederate Army. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. [152] In 1967, a memorial stone was placed at the grave. Topics and series. Wood describes him as the "bloodiest man in America's deadliest war"[164] and characterizes him as the clearest example of the war's "dehumanizing influence". Forces of Change and the Enduring Ozark Frontier: The Civil War. Bloody Bill dead. So they couldn't have obtained many from the Infantry. [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. [88] On August 27, Union soldiers killed at least three of Anderson's men in an engagement near Rocheport. Carrying multiple loaded guns gave them an edge against soldiers equipped with a single-shot, muzzle-loading musket. [39] Anderson was placed in charge of 40 men, of which he was perhaps the angriest and most motivatedhis fellow guerrillas considered him one of the deadliest fighters there. And a lot of the Cavalry didn't have sidearms early in the war. On July 30, Anderson and his men kidnapped the elderly father of the local Union militia's commanding officer. Bloody Bill and some five or six of his associates in crime came dashing considerably in the advance of their line and their chieftain Anderson, with one other supposed to be Lieut. They murdered my family when I was a schoolboy and I was launched into a life of shooting, reprisals and rough-riding." William T. Anderson (1840 - October 26, 1864), better known as Bloody Bill, was one of the deadliest and most brutal pro- Confederate guerrilla leaders in the American Civil War. The film follows a group of people trying to survive while stranded in Sunset Valley, a desert ghost town inhabited by the murderous spirit of Confederate war criminal, William T. Anderson and his horde of zombies. The Fate of the Bushwhackers , Confederate leaders were unsure about guerrillas. 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. Wood believes that these stories are inaccurate, citing a lack of documentary evidence. 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.". Date Posted: 8/12/2009 1:51:23 PM. Stockburn gets a good look at the Preacher and says "YOU". Answer: Coffeyville. The Guerrilla Lifestyle Gen. John McNeil, the "Butcher of Palmyra." [129] Anderson presented him with a gift of fine Union pistols, likely captured at Centralia. [113] One Union officer reached Centralia and gave word of the ambush, allowing a few Union soldiers who had remained there to escape. [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. 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 led a band that targeted Union loyalists and Federal soldiers in Missouri and Kansas. declared martial law in August 1861, giving Union forces broad powers to suppress those who resisted Union control. [75] As Anderson's profile increased, he was able to recruit more guerrillas. [133] The group then traveled west, disregarding the mission assigned by General Price[134] in favor of looting. 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. I do not claim to be an expert on guerrilla warfare in Missouri but am a student of the war in general. Anyway, this has been a very interesting thread & we can agree that we each have an opinion on this matter. In late 1863, while Quantrill's Raiders spent the winter in Sherman, Texas, animosity developed between Anderson and Quantrill. They used any weapon available to them. Fucking legend. Many bushwhackers wore a distinctive shirt, such as this one on T.F. The notorious Bloody Bill was killed in a Union ambush in Missouri. 3. [108] Anderson's band then rode back to their camp, taking a large amount of looted goods. Anderson himself was killed a month later in battle. The guerrillas, however, quickly learned the signals, and local citizens became wary of Union troops, fearing that they were disguised guerrillas. On the other hand, the use of tactics like arson, robbery and murder seemed beyond the bounds of honorable combat. Some local citizens suspected the Anderson family was assisting Griffith and traveled to their house to confront the elder William Anderson. 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. 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. Not long after her driver left to find help, three rambunctious New Jersey cavalrymen, all white, approached Brooks, demanding her money. 1844) after his marriage in Ohio in 1864 are unclear aside from the fact that he appears to have died prior to Milton. [27], In May 1863, Anderson joined members of Quantrill's Raiders on a foray near Council Grove, Kansas,[27] in which they robbed a store 15 miles (24km) west of the town. [37] Castel and Goodrich maintain that by then killing had become more than a means to an end for Anderson: it became an end in itself. Most fought to protect or revenge their families from what they saw as injustices heaped upon them by the Union army and Union sympathizers. The act sanctioned guerrilla activities against the Union army while attempting to gain some measure of control over the guerrillas. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Gifts for Every Valentine Jewelry & Accessories Anderson and Todd launched an unsuccessful attack against the fort, leading charge after futile charge without injury. [106] Although he was alerted to the congressman's presence in the town, he opted not to search for him. In 1857, the family moved to Kansas and William worked for a time . Erected by Missouri State Parks. Some bands of guerrillas, like William Quantrill's, had 400 or more members, but most were much smaller. [139][140] Anderson killed several other Union loyalists and some of his men returned to the wealthy resident's house to rape more of his female servants. William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson was a southern sympathizing bushwhacker born in Missouri and raised in Kansas. The next day, the elder Anderson traveled to the Council Grove courthouse with a gun, intending to force Baker to withdraw the warrant. Official Records of the American Civil War, "Sideshow no longer: A historiographical review of the guerrilla war", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_T._Anderson&oldid=1137633714, People of Missouri in the American Civil War, People with sadistic personality disorder, Confederate States of America military personnel killed in the American Civil War, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Use shortened footnotes from November 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 17:50. Henry Fuller's interview articles appeared in newspapers and magazines all across the United States. William Anderson was initially given a chilly reception from other raiders, who perceived him to be brash and overconfident. 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 reached a Confederate Army camp; although he hoped to kill some injured Union prisoners there, he was prevented from doing so by camp doctors. [5] The Anderson family supported slavery, though they did not own slaves. Although he learned that Union General Egbert B. Bloody Bill Anderson Name bad men in history, Caligula - Hitler - Charles Manson, more? Confederate leaders were unsure about guerrillas. As a general rule, bushwhackers would attack quickly and withdraw if. [157], After the war, information about Anderson initially spread through memoirs of Civil War combatants and works by amateur historians. There he met Baker, who temporarily placated him by providing a lawyer. In 1908, the ex-guerrillas and former outlaws Jim Cummins and Cole Younger arranged for a funeral service at Anderson's gravesite. [2] During his childhood, Anderson's family moved to Huntsville, Missouri, where his father found employment on a farm and the family became well-respected. "Bring Lieutenant Coleman to me." [16] In May 1862, Judge Baker issued an arrest warrant for Griffith, whom Anderson helped hide. 2, in March 1862, allowed Union troops in Missouri to hang guerillas as robbers and murder[er]s. Future orders followed the same tone. Born in Randolph County, Missouri in 1839, William T. Anderson would, by his death on October 26, 1864, be known and feared throughout the Unionas "Bloody Bill" Anderson, a barbaric, pro-Confederateguerilla leader in the American Civil War. [32], Quantrill's Raiders had an extensive support network in Missouri that provided them with numerous hiding places. [127] Although many of them wished to execute this Union hostage, Anderson refused to allow it. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. They murdered my family when I was a schoolboy and I was launched into a life of shooting, reprisals and rough-riding." [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". [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. Baker, a local judge who was a Confederate sympathizer. They relied on knowledge of the local terrain for survival. Their families and other local Confederate sympathizers supplied them with shelter, food, medical care and tactical information about Union activities.

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