Most Savage Killer in the Old West - by James Jay Carafano 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. On July 17, 1862, Confederate Gen. Thomas Hindman issued the Missouri Partisan Ranger Act. Relatives of William T. Anderson , known as "Bloody Bill". Violence dropped in the area affected by Order No. [77][78] His fearsome reputation gave a fillip to his recruiting efforts. [46] They left town at 9:00am after a company of Union soldiers approached the town. [25] Quantrill was at the time the most prominent guerrilla leader in the KansasMissouri area. [Map inset] Nearby Civil War attractions include Pioneer Cemetery and Ray County Museum in Richmond, Mo. [138] Local residents gathered $5,000, which they gave to Anderson; he then released the man, who died of his injuries in 1866. Pioneer Cemetery. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. Bloody Bill - True West Magazine [69], In early July, Anderson's group robbed and killed several Union sympathizers in Carroll and Randolph counties. The rapid rate of fire made the revolver perfect for the quick attacks executed by these men. Anderson and his men dressed as Union soldiers, wearing uniforms taken from those they killed. Anderson, William William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson was born in Kentucky in 1839; he migrated with his family from Missouri to the Council Grove, Kansas area before the war. Anderson remained in Agnes City until he learned that Baker would not be charged, as the judge's claim of self-defense had been accepted by legal authorities. If they were Bill's, he would have had 7 pistols on his person which to me is a little hard to believe. In September 1864, Anderson led a raid on the town of Centralia, Missouri. ; and Confederate Memorial State Historic Site in Higginsville, Mo. On the other hand, the use of tactics like arson, robbery and murder seemed beyond the bounds of honorable combat. In addition, it is included in the Missouri - A State Divided: The Civil War in Missouri series list. Other nearby markers. Quick Description: An historic cemetery that lies a little northwest from the town square in Richmond, Missouri has new life and a monument to Mormon pioneers; but, it also contains the gravestone of the notorious civil war guerrilla leader "Bloody Bill" Anderson. 1:27. [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. [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. . Often group sizes fluctuated as they came together for larger raids and then broke apart after the raid. James Jay Carafano. These "guerrilla shirts" were pullovers with a deep v-neckline and four large pockets. 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. [68] The letters were given to Union generals and were not published for 20 years. 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. . You may have your own list of heartless maniacal killers. 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. [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. One dating device is the guns; they are all germane to the late 1860s and early 1870s at the . He concluded the letters by describing himself as the commander of "Kansas First Guerrillas" and requesting that local newspapers publish his replies. His gun changed a few times, semi, handgun, revolver . On June 12, 1864, Anderson and 50 of his men engaged 15 members of the Missouri State Militia, killing and robbing 12. Bloody Bill's Guns Bill Langley had used a number of different guns during his career as a killer. TII Armory's James Tow says it's powerful enough to ethically take any game animal on the planet, including all the African Big 5. Quantrill attained near-unanimous consent to travel 40 miles (64km) into Union territory to strike Lawrence. [32], Quantrill's Raiders had an extensive support network in Missouri that provided them with numerous hiding places. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. . PDF Who Was William T. Anderson's Friend, F. M. R.? - WordPress.com Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. It's either the flesh eating . The U.S. Government provided a veteran's tombstone for Anderson's grave in 1967. [159] Three biographies of Anderson were written after 1975. Quantrill's Guerillas and William Anderson "Bloody Bill" 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. Some bands of guerrillas, like William Quantrill's, had 400 or more members, but most were much smaller. Below is one of the articles written by Brownwood Banner - Bulletin staff writer Henry C. Fuller after Interviewing William C. "Bloody Bill" Anderson of Quantrill's Guerrillas of the Civil War at his home at Salt Creek, Brown County, Texas in 1924. [63], Anderson and his men rested in Texas for several months before returning to Missouri. Erected by Missouri State Parks. [151] In 1908, Cole Younger, a former guerrilla who served under Quantrill, reburied Anderson's body in the Old Pioneer Cemetery in Richmond, Missouri. . [146] The corpse was photographed and displayed at a local courthouse for public viewing, along with Anderson's possessions. Gen. Thomas Ewing issued General Orders No. Gen. John McNeil, the "Butcher of Palmyra." His family had been living in Council Grove, Territory of Kansas, at the start of the war. 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. Anyway, as Baker had achieved his mission & as Anderson & his troops entered the ambush. Anderson was known for his brutality towards Union soldiers, and pro Union partisans, who were called Jayhawkers. The Outlaw J.W. - Pale Rider connection. - Clint Eastwood [23] They also attacked Union soldiers, killing seven by early 1863. Wood believes that these stories are inaccurate, citing a lack of documentary evidence. Born about 1839 in Kentucky, the family early moved to Missouri, where William grew up near the town of Huntsville in Randolph County. Casey, you have me at a slight disadvantage at the moment in that I have to rely on my memory from what I have read. They attacked the fort on October 6, but the 90 Union troops there quickly took refuge inside, suffering minimal losses. You certainly wouldn't do that aboard a horse. [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. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913. [10], After the Civil War began in 1861, the demand for horses increased and Anderson transitioned from trading horses to stealing them, reselling them as far away as New Mexico. In one of the passenger cars they found 23 unarmed Union soldiers on furlough and headed home on leave. [71] Anderson killed one hotel guest whom he suspected was a U.S. 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. A Note on Sources Anyway, this has been a very interesting thread & we can agree that we each have an opinion on this matter. The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board - Archive is maintained by Webmaster He sees Anderson as obsessed with, and greatly enjoying, the ability to inflict fear and suffering in his victims, and suggests he suffered from the most severe type of sadistic personality disorder. William T. Anderson was one of the most notorious Confederate guerrillas of the Civil War. Assuming, of course, that you're brave enough to get within handgun range of those animals. If they were caught, Federals considered them criminals not prisoners of war. Concluding that eliminating the bushw[h]acker's support network would. Bloody Bill Anderson Name bad men in history, Caligula - Hitler - Charles Manson, more? Although some men begged him to spare them, he persisted, only relenting when a woman pleaded with him not to torch her house. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson . Todd rested his men in July to allow them to prepare for a Confederate invasion of Missouri. Bloody Bill Anderson & the Missouri Bushwhackers - YouTube The Guns Of "Bloody" Bill Longley - American Handgunner [Photo captions, clockwise from top left, read] , . 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. "The war brought on hate and strife and killing around here. Eventually, the six-shot revolver became the weapon of choice for the bushwhacker because it was considered better for firing from horseback. Burying Bloody Bill - True West Magazine Nate's Nonsense: William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson If they were Bill's, he would have had 7 pistols on his person which to me is a little hard to believe. [139], Union military leaders assigned Lieutenant Colonel Samuel P. Cox to kill Anderson, providing him with a group of experienced soldiers. Anthony Edwards as "Goose" in Top Gun (1986) : Colt's 'Old Model Navy' Revolvers Found a Ready Market in the West NPS Ozark Historic Research Study (Submitted on October 1, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He took a leading role in the Lawrence Massacre and later took part in the Battle of Baxter Springs, both in 1863. As a general rule, bushwhackers would attack quickly and withdraw if they began receiving serious casualties. Gen. Henry Halleck. My 1888 Luscomb #b. Gen. Henry Halleck. The trip was not successful and he returned to Missouri without the shipment, saying his horses had disappeared with the cargo. [4] In 1857, they relocated to the Kansas Territory, traveling southwest on the Santa Fe Trail and settling 13 miles (21km) east of Council Grove. [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. In December, 1861, he organized his infamous guerrilla band, which included William "Bloody Bill" Anderson, George Todd, Fletcher Taylor, Cole Younger, and Frank James, to name a few. Some, like the veterans attending the bushwacker reunions under Quantrill's vacant gaze, managed to adjust to post-war life. The argument is not that some of the members carried multiple sidearms but certainly not every member did. [51] The guerrillas charged the Union forces, killing about 100. [80] In 1863, most Union troops left Missouri and only four regiments remained there. [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". Unexpectedly, his men were able to capture a passenger train, the first time Confederate guerrillas had done so. [126] The Union soldier held captive at Centralia was impressed with the control Anderson exercised over his men. Bushwhackers were involved in Price's 1864 Raid, the last official Confederate campaign in Missouri. Anderson was outraged and went to Missouri with his siblings. [160] Asa Earl Carter's novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (1972) features Anderson as a main character. The Death of William Anderson On the western Missouri border, especially, much of the hardships experienced by these families could be traced to the violence of the 1850s Kansas Missouri Border War. Add to your list and mine, Bloody Bill Anderson for he was a ruthless, vicious killer. [156] Jim Anderson moved to Sherman, Texas, with his two sisters. En route, some guerrillas robbed a Union supporter, but Anderson knew the man and reimbursed him. Upon returning to the Confederate leadership, Anderson was commissioned as a captain by General Price. A lot of the federal troops in Missouri were Infantry & only the officer's would have pistols. Bloody Bill Anderson t-shirt | Tightrope Records Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 West Main Street, Richmond MO 64085, United States of America. Their move to Kansas was likely for economic rather than political reasons. Forces of Change and the Enduring Ozark Frontier: The Civil War. View character biography, pictures and memorable quotes. However, most were hunted down and killed. [150][h] Flowers were placed at his grave, to the chagrin of Union soldiers. Maupin, pictured above. There, his men briefly engaged a group of guerrillas loyal to Quantrill, but no one was injured in the confrontation. He became a skilled bushwhacker, earning the trust of the group's leaders, William Quantrill and George M. Todd. 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. [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. Fucking legend. Clifton Hicks - Ballad of Bloody Bill Anderson by Alvin - YouTube [13] Anderson had told a neighbor that he sought to fight for financial reasons rather than out of loyalty to the Confederacy. The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. Anderson was fatally shot twice in the back of the head. [76] Anderson was selective, turning away all but the fiercest applicants, as he sought fighters similar to himself. On August 30, Anderson and his men attacked a steamboat on the Missouri River, killing the captain and gaining control of the boat. Even then, reloading the powder & ball would have been almost as fast as changing out the cylinder. 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 By the time the war started, Missouri's pro-rebel guerrillas were known as . Bushwhacker activities in Missouri increased as a response to Federal occupation and increasingly brutal attacks and raids by Kansas soldiers, or jayhawkers. Then I noticed Bloody Bill Anderson and he has a very small existence in Josey Wales. [75] Many militia members had been conscripted and lacked the guerrillas' boldness and resolve. This Day In History: Bloody Bill Anderson Is Killed In Missouri (1864) His family had been living in Council Grove, Territory of Kansas at the start of the war. They drew the Union troops to the top of a hill; a group of guerrillas led by Anderson had been stationed at the bottom and other guerrillas hid nearby. Brown had devoted significant attention to the border area, Anderson led raids in Cooper County and Johnson County, Missouri, robbing local residents. Born in the late 1830s, [147] Union soldiers claimed that Anderson was found with a string that had 53 knots, symbolizing each person he had killed. Anderson ordered them outside the car and lined up in two files. [62][g] Quantrill was taken into custody but soon escaped. Your choice of white or . [120][121] Anderson evaded the pursuit, leading his men into ravines the Union troops would not enter for fear of ambush. That being said,if you multiply 700 troops times 6 revolvers each, that comes to 4200 pistols. [158] He was later discussed in biographies of Quantrill, which typically cast Anderson as an inveterate murderer. Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla Maupin, pictured above. In late 1863, while Quantrill's Raiders spent the winter in Sherman, Texas, animosity developed between Anderson and Quantrill. ; Battle of Albany Civil War Marker near Orrick, Mo. In 1857, the family moved to Kansas and William worked for a time . He then ordered and conducted the massacre soldiers. The guerrillas were only able to shoot the Union horses before reinforcements arrived; three of Anderson's men were killed in the confrontation. [119], Anderson left the Centralia area on September 27, pursued for the first time by Union forces equipped with artillery. 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. The Guerrilla Lifestyle , The life of a guerrilla was difficult and violent. 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. Union troops set his body up for public viewing and photos at the Richmond, Missouri courthouse. Missouri's southern sympathizers hated Union Brig. The Federal command in St. Louis, Mo. These "guerrilla shirts" were pullovers with a deep v-neckline and four large pockets. Quantrill and other guerrillas nonetheless sought and sometimes received formal Confederate commissions as partisan rangers. On July 15, 1864 "Bloody Bill" Anderson returned home. Stockburn gets a good look at the Preacher and says "YOU". Anderson planned to destroy railroad infrastructure in Centralia, Missouri. Banjo Heritage https://patreon.com/CliftonHicksI learned the words to "Bloody Bill Anderson" from a recording of Alvin Youngblood Hart. Doing some quick math on the number of men who rode with Quantrill, numbers around 700 ( those who can be named), maybe more. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Bloody Bill dead. Bloody Bill Anderson | Books by Gayle - Gayle Lunning 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. As Quantrill and Todd became less active, "Bloody Bill" Anderson emerged as the best-known, and most feared, Confederate guerrilla in Missouri. . [12] In late 1861, Anderson traveled south with Jim and Judge Baker in an apparent attempt to join the Confederate Army. Union troops used horses to drag Anderson's body through the streets around the Ray County Courthouse. The guerrillas gathered at the Blackwater River in Johnson County, Missouri. If they were caught, Federals considered them criminals not prisoners of war. 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. 150 YEARS AGO: Sisters of 'Bloody Bill' Anderson caught in fatal [122] In the aftermath of the massacre, Union soldiers committed several revenge killings of Confederate-sympathizing civilians. Anderson, William "Bloody Bill" | Civil War on the Western Border: The The guerrillas then attacked Allen, Missouri. They may be found on the 1850 Census of Randolph County,MO. They murdered my family when I was a schoolboy and I was launched into a life of shooting, reprisals and rough-riding." Note: Click on photos to get larger view. 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. Many bushwhackers wore a distinctive shirt, such as this one on T.F. While on public display, a local photographer documented his death. Anderson led a band that targeted Union loyalists and Federal soldiers in Missouri and Kansas. Date Posted: 8/12/2009 1:51:23 PM. Handsome, rugged American leading man John Russell (whose credits are often confused with those of child actor Johnny Russell) attended the University of California, where he was a student athlete. The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. [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. This historical marker was erected by Missouri State Parks. The life of a guerrilla was difficult and violent. Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil 11. This is his story. The Tactical Genius of Bloody Bill Anderson by Sean McLachlan 2/13/2018 His ruthless nature earned his moniker and obscured a flair for strategy. [132], Anderson traveled 70 miles (110km) east with 80 men to New Florence, Missouri. Bloody Bill Anderson - Etsy Anderson suggested that they attack Fayette, Missouri, targeting the 9th Missouri Cavalry, which was based at the town. They also burnt Baker's home and stole two of his horses before returning to Missouri on the Santa Fe Trail. ; Battle of Lexington State Historic Site in Lexington, Mo. He protested the execution of guerrillas and their sympathizers, and threatened to attack Lexington, Missouri. And that is the terrible truth of the story of Bloody Bill Anderson. [145], Union soldiers identified Anderson by a letter found in his pocket and paraded his body through the streets of Richmond, Missouri. Baker, a local judge who was a Confederate sympathizer. Carrying multiple loaded guns gave them an edge against soldiers equipped with a single-shot, muzzle-loading musket. 100% heavyweight Gildan brand cotton t-shirt. KANSAS CITY Ten women and girls, including three sisters born in Randolph County, were killed or seriously injured when a building owned by state Treasurer George Caleb Bingham . William "Bloody Bill" Anderson | American Experience | PBS 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. Unraveling Myth of 'Bloody Bill' - RealClearHistory Raised by a family of Southerners in Kansas, Anderson began to support himself by stealing and selling horses in 1862. A low-level conflict had already been raging in the Missouri-Kansas borderlands in the years preceding the outbreak of the Civil War. These companies will be governed in all respects by the same regulations as other troops. The tortures included jumping on him, shooting at his legs and firing guns from his knee to burn his legs with powder. There is no evidence to support that assumption. [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. Its frame and grip initially matched the Navy in size, but Colt later lengthened the grip to absorb. Historic Huntsville Missouri - "Bloody Bill" Anderson - Google [50], They departed earlier in the year than they had planned, owing to increased Union pressure. [65], On July 6, a Confederate sympathizer brought Anderson newspapers containing articles about him. ; Battle of Albany Civil War Marker near Orrick, Mo. They often used unorthodox tactics to fight Union troops, such as using a small party of horsemen to lure them into an ambush. [19] Baker and his brother-in-law brought the man to a store, where they were ambushed by the Anderson brothers. They claimed to be fighting for the Confederacy, but in fact, their murdering and looting benefited only their pocketbooks. [143] Only Anderson and one other man, the son of a Confederate general, continued to charge after the others had retreated. [162] He also appears as a character in several films about Jesse James. A lack of Confederate military presence in Missouri led Southern sympathizers to form guerrilla groups to harass Union soldiers and pro-Union citizens. [130] Price was disgusted that Anderson used scalps to decorate his horse, and would not speak with him until he removed them. [60][61][62] They told General Cooper that Quantrill was responsible for the death of a Confederate officer; the general had Quantrill arrested. 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. Bill Anderson | Ray County Museum Gen. Thomas C. Hindman was the head of the Confederate Army's Trans Mississippi Department in Little Rock, Ark. [115], By the end of the day, Anderson's men had killed 22 soldiers from the train and 125 soldiers in the ensuing battle in one of the most decisive guerrilla victories of the entire war. The order was intended to undermine the guerrillas' support network in Missouri. [58], A short time later, one of Anderson's men was accused of stealing from one of Quantrill's men. Most fought to protect or revenge their families from what they saw as injustices heaped upon them by the Union army and Union sympathizers. Touch for map. [98] They found a large supply of whiskey and all began drinking. [86], On August 13, Anderson and his men traveled through Ray County, Missouri, to the Missouri River, where they engaged Union militia. Bloody Bill Anderson - Prisoners Of Eternity [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. Outlaw Jesse James Attributed Smith & Wesson Schofield & Holster The Guerrilla Lifestyle [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. Legends of America: "Bloody Bill" Anderson - Dixie Outfitters [24] Confederate General Sterling Price failed to gain control of Missouri in his 1861 offensive and retreated into Arkansas, leaving only partisan rangers and local guerrillas known as "bushwhackers" to challenge Union dominance. [21] Anderson and his gang subsequently traveled east of Jackson County, Missouri, avoiding territory where Quantrill operated and continuing to support themselves by robbery. Henry Fuller's interview articles appeared in newspapers and magazines all across the United States.