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. One way he sought to prove that loyalty was by severing his ties with Anderson's sister Mary, his former lover. 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. Bushwhacker activities in Missouri increased as a response to Federal occupation and increasingly brutal attacks and raids by Kansas soldiers, or jayhawkers. They acquired arms where they could, including taking what was left behind on the battlefield. Burial. [80] In 1863, most Union troops left Missouri and only four regiments remained there. Eventually, the six-shot revolver became the weapon of choice for the bushwhacker because it was considered better for firing from horseback. [146] The corpse was photographed and displayed at a local courthouse for public viewing, along with Anderson's possessions. so there couldn't have been that many to obtain from citizens. 2, in March 1862, allowed Union troops in Missouri to hang guerillas as robbers and murder[er]s. Future orders followed the same tone. Some, like the veterans attending the bushwacker reunions under Quantrill's vacant gaze, managed to adjust to post-war life. 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. [13], Upon his return to Kansas, Anderson continued horse trafficking, but ranchers in the area soon became aware of his operations. This historical marker was erected by Missouri State Parks. [55] Anderson ignored Quantrill's request to wait until after the war and a dispute erupted, which resulted in Anderson separating his men from Quantrill's band. So they couldn't have obtained many from the Infantry. Captains will be held responsible for the good conduct and efficiency of their men and will report to these headquarters from time to time. [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. During the American Civil War, the James family sided with the Confederates, and Frank and Jesse James joined a group of guerrillas, or . The most infamous order came in response to a brutal guerilla attack on Lawrence, Kan. Union troops set his body up for public viewing and photos at the Richmond, Missouri courthouse. He angered Anderson by ordering his forces to withdraw. 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). Often group sizes fluctuated as they came together for larger raids and then broke apart after the raid. [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. Often bushwhackers wore stolen Union uniforms as a disguise. In what became known as the Centralia Massacre, Anderson's bushwhackers killed 24 unarmed Union soldiers on the train and set an ambush later that day which killed over a hundred Union militiamen. [130] Price was disgusted that Anderson used scalps to decorate his horse, and would not speak with him until he removed them. [62][g] Quantrill was taken into custody but soon escaped. Bloody Bill dead. He was killed in a Union ambush near Richmond, MO. [5] The Anderson family supported slavery, though they did not own slaves. [57] Quantrill appointed him a first lieutenant, subordinate only to himself and to Todd. [122] In the aftermath of the massacre, Union soldiers committed several revenge killings of Confederate-sympathizing civilians. Born in the late 1830s, On the other hand, the use of tactics like arson, robbery and murder seemed beyond the bounds of honorable combat. After a brief gunfight, Baker and his brother-in-law fled into the store's basement. He then ordered and conducted the massacre soldiers. [103], Anderson ordered his men not to harass the women on the train, but the guerrillas robbed all of the men, finding over $9,000 (equivalent to $156,000 in 2021) and taking the soldiers' uniforms. William T. Anderson was one of the most notorious Confederate guerrillas of the Civil War. [163], Historians have been mixed in their appraisal of Anderson. [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. [136][137] Anderson indicated that he was particularly angry that the man had freed his slaves, then trampled him with a specially trained horse. They later fought under "Bloody Bill" Anderson . 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. [162] He also appears as a character in several films about Jesse James. One one hand, they were useful, serving to tie down Union forces. Gen. John McNeil, the "Butcher of Palmyra." 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.". A lack of Confederate military presence in Missouri led Southern sympathizers to form guerrilla groups to harass Union soldiers and pro-Union citizens. [32], Quantrill's Raiders had an extensive support network in Missouri that provided them with numerous hiding places. [108] Anderson's band then rode back to their camp, taking a large amount of looted goods. Most fought to protect or revenge their families from what they saw as injustices heaped upon them by the Union army and Union sympathizers. [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. [85], In early August, Anderson and his men traveled to Clay County. 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. Stories about Anderson's brutality during the War were legion. [29], In early summer 1863, Anderson was made a lieutenant, serving in a unit led by George M. Todd. 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. . 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. [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. Dec 28, 2022. Although he learned that Union General Egbert B. Wood speculates that it was "Thomas", his grandfather's name. 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. By Glynda July 23, 2006 at 03:01:32. Many bushwhackers wore a distinctive shirt, such as this one on T.F. Others, like William Anderson, had already entered a dark abyss from which there was no return and no escape except death. 1. "The war brought on hate and strife and killing around here. 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. . The Bushwhacker in Missouri. Anderson's bushwhacking marked him as a dangerous man and eventually led the Union to imprison his sisters. They opposed the Union army in Missouri for a variety of reasons. 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 Also see . [31] By late July, Anderson led groups of guerrillas on raids and was often pursued by Union volunteer cavalry. [143] The victory made a hero of Cox and led to his promotion. Barbed Wire Press. [54] During the winter, Anderson married Bush Smith, a woman from Sherman, Texas. [126] The Union soldier held captive at Centralia was impressed with the control Anderson exercised over his men. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman was the head of the Confederate Army's Trans Mississippi Department in Little Rock, Ark. 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. There are other examples as well, such as . [3] His schoolmates recalled him as a well-behaved, reserved child. Confederate States Army. The rapid rate of fire made the revolver perfect for the quick attacks executed by these men. He concluded the letters by describing himself as the commander of "Kansas First Guerrillas" and requesting that local newspapers publish his replies. [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. . 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. "Bloody Bill" redirects here. They found the guerrillas' horses decorated with the scalps of Union soldiers. Your choice of white or . 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. [132], Anderson traveled 70 miles (110km) east with 80 men to New Florence, Missouri. Actor: Rio Bravo. [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. 100, in April 1863, set a national policy, outlining guerrillas and their treatment. [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. Anderson retreated into the lobby of the town hotel to drink and rest. Their duty will be to cut off Federal pickets, scouts, foraging parties and trains and to kill pilots and others on gunboats and transports, attacking them day and night and using the greatest vigor in their movements. [93] However, a guerrilla fired his weapon before they reached the town, and the cavalry garrisoned in the town quickly withdrew into their fort while civilians hid. 11, but guerrilla activity continued throughout the war in other regions of the state. 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. This action angered his men, who saw themselves as the protectors of women, but Anderson dismissed their concerns, saying such things were inevitable. [51] The guerrillas charged the Union forces, killing about 100. Only advantage would have been if you were behind a barrier, in a gun battle. This is his story. William and Jim Anderson then traveled southwest of Kansas City, robbing travelers to support themselves. [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. As a general rule, bushwhackers would attack quickly and withdraw if. William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson was a southern sympathizing bushwhacker born in Missouri and raised in Kansas. [144] Four other guerrillas were killed in the attack. Anderson's men mutilated the bodies, earning the guerrillas the description of "incarnate fiends" from the Columbia Missouri Statesman. [155] As the Confederacy collapsed, most of Anderson's men joined Quantrill's forces or traveled to Texas. On July 17, 1862, Confederate Gen. Thomas Hindman issued the Missouri Partisan Ranger Act. These acts were interpreted as tyranny and compelled many Missouri men to become bushwhackers. [88] On August 27, Union soldiers killed at least three of Anderson's men in an engagement near Rocheport. Rains, charged fearlessly through our lines and were both unhorsed close in our rear. and M.A. The Guerrilla Lifestyle , The life of a guerrilla was difficult and violent. Maupin, pictured above. William T. Anderson was born around 1840 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, to William C. and Martha Anderson. In response, Union militias developed hand signals to verify that approaching men in Union uniforms were not guerrillas. . The Federal command in St. Louis, Mo. [102] This was the first capture of a Union passenger train in the war. Please note that we are about 6-7 months in backorder and the wait is worth it. [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. These "guerrilla shirts" were pullovers with a deep v-neckline and four large pockets. There, his men briefly engaged a group of guerrillas loyal to Quantrill, but no one was injured in the confrontation. [Map inset] Nearby Civil War attractions include Pioneer Cemetery and Ray County Museum in Richmond, Mo. Around the same time, William T. Anderson fatally shot a member of the Kaw tribe outside Council Grove; he claimed that the man had tried to rob him. [8] After settling there, the Anderson family became friends with A.I. Bloody Bill was played by John Russell who played Marshall Stockburn in Pale Rider. By the time of his death in 1864 Anderson had become one of the most sought after men in Missouri and had left a trail of blood and hatred across the west and central portions of the state. Confederate leaders were unsure about guerrillas. Similarly, Jesse James' brother Frank became . 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. View character biography, pictures and memorable quotes. Anderson was fatally shot twice in the back of the head. Death 27 Oct 1864 (aged 24-25) Albany, Ray County, Missouri, USA. Anderson's horse, saddle & 2 pistols were presented later to a general. Its frame and grip initially matched the Navy in size, but Colt later lengthened the grip to absorb. Partisan Warfare in the American Civil War. [153], Archie Clement led the guerrillas after Anderson's death, but the group splintered by mid-November. Union leaders branded bushwhackers as outlaws, issuing multiple orders to suppress guerilla activities. 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 . William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson (circa 1838 - October 26, 1864) was a pro-Confederate guerrilla leader in the American Civil War. 3916.725N, 9358.603W. Marker is in Richmond, Missouri, in Ray County. [Photo captions, clockwise from top left, read] , . The Andersons barricaded the door to the basement and set the store on fire, killing Baker and his brother-in-law. II. The .500 Bushwhacker is the biggest, baddest handgun cartridge in the world right now. [106] Although he was alerted to the congressman's presence in the town, he opted not to search for him. And that is the terrible truth of the story of Bloody Bill Anderson. For instance, you could play Jesse James-an American outlaw who was also a confederate soldier under Bloody Bill Anderson's leadership. Cox's bugler gathered up 6 pistols around the body. Some local citizens suspected the Anderson family was assisting Griffith and traveled to their house to confront the elder William Anderson. [142] Anderson and his men charged the Union forces, killing five or six of them, but turned back under heavy fire. Notorious Confederate bushwhacker Bloody Bill Anderson Three bushwackers; Arch Clements, Dave Pool, and Bill Hendricks. That being said,if you multiply 700 troops times 6 revolvers each, that comes to 4200 pistols. General Orders No. They murdered my family when I was a schoolboy and I was launched into a life of shooting, reprisals and rough-riding." 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 . The guerrillas heard that the cavalry was approaching,[110] and Anderson sent a party to set an ambush. After the attack, one of Anderson's guerrillas scalped a dead militiaman. 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. In July of 1864 Anderson moved his operations to Carroll and Randolph Counties. Assuming, of course, that you're brave enough to get within handgun range of those animals.
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