|
Posted on 02/15/2005 10:05:11 PM PST by SAMWolf
|
|
 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
|
|
One of the most feared of all Missouri guerillas was William T Anderson who actually considered himself a Kansan. It was said that he carried a silk cord on which knots were tied for every Yankee killed and that he sometimes frothed at the mouth during battle. His was also known to scalp his Federal victims, which is probably one reason why he received the name of "Bloody Bill." Bill was described as being tall, sinewy and lithe with long black hair that curled and fell to his shoulders. He had prominent cheekbones and small angry eyes.  William "Bloody Bill" Anderson William was born in Randolph County, Missouri in 1840. His parents were William and Martha (Thomason) Anderson. Bill was one of six children who included Ellis, James, Mary C, Josephine and Martha. Also living with them were his grandparents, William and Martha Thomason. His father was a hatter and the family moved from Palmyra, Missouri to Huntsville, Missouri between 1847-1848. In 1850, the father went to California to join the gold rush leaving the family in Huntsville. During this time, Bill and his brothers were the heads of the family and their relationship with their sisters were both brotherly and fatherly. The father returned in 1854 and the family relocated to Breckinridge Co, Kansas (which is now Lyon County) in 1857. In March of 1862, his father was murdered while Bill and his brother, Jim were on a trip to Fort Leavenworth. The murders were either Pro-Northern neighbors or a squad of Union soldiers. There are several accounts of the murder. One account claims that Union soldiers hanged him because his name appeared on a list of southern sympathizers. Another account says that a neighbor who accused him of horse theft murdered him. Bloody Bill later killed this same neighbor.  When Bill and his brother returned home that evening and found their father dead, his campaign of revenge began that same evening when he sneaked up behind a Union picket and broke his neck. The next night he killed another Union soldier and was almost caught by a federal calvaryman and had to shoot him in order to escape. He left that same night for the Missouri border and joined up with Quantrill. In August of 1863, Federals arrested his three sisters along with other some other women in an attempt to draw out the guerilla soldiers. They imprisoned the women in a makeshift prison located in a building in Kansas City. Mysteriously, this building collapsed killing his sister Josephine and maiming Mary for life. This event was the reason cited behind the attack on Lawrence and intensified Bill’s hatred of the Federals. Bill was content to ride with Quantrill, being a follower instead of a leader until a quarrel with Quantrill in 1864 caused him to form his own band of guerillas. This band included 16 year old Jesse James and they became the most feared band of all guerillas. Bloody Bill showed no mercy to Union soldiers and killed them on sight. He showed no sympathy to Pro-northerners and raided their homes and stores, murdering those that offered resistance. There is only one known case of when he spared the life of a union officer and he did so because he admired his bravery. There are other accounts of his band robbing southern sympathizers and returning the loot with apologies when their loyalties were revealed.  On March 2, 1864, Bloody Bill married Bush Smith, a young girl from Sherman, Texas but this did nothing to curtail his taste for blood and his need for revenge. They moved to a small farmhouse in Ray County, Missouri. In a letter sent to a local newspaper, Bloody Bill wrote, "I have chosen guerilla warfare to revenge myself for the wrongs that I could not honorably avenge otherwise. I lived in Kansas when the war commenced. Because I would not fight the people of Missouri, my native state, the Yankees sought my life but failed to get me. Revenged themselves by murdering my father, destroying all my property, murdered one of my sisters and have kept the other two in jail for 12 months. But I have fully glutted my vengeance. I have killed many, I am a guerilla. I have never belonged to the Confederate Army, nor do my men." On Oct 26, 1864, just south of Richmond in Ray County, Missouri, Bill and his guerilla band was ambushed by Captain Samuel P Cox and his union troops. They were caught completely unaware. A skirmish ensued and it is said that Bill and another of his men rode right through the Federal line. When his comrade was shot from his horse, Bill turned around to assist him and it was at this time that he was riddled with bullets and killed. Upon examining the personal items found on his body, he had seven pistols, $600 in cash and 2 watches. Private papers found in his saddlebags from General Price identified him as William T Anderson.  Partisan Ranger Memorial in Albany, Missouri (North of Orrick) Bill’s body was taken to Richmond, Missouri where it was propped up in a chair and a pistol was placed in the dead mans hand for photographs. A short time later, the Union troopers decapitated him and placed his head on a telegraph pole at the entrance to the town. His torso was roped and tied to a horse where it was dragged through the streets of Richmond before being buried in an unmarked grave outside of town. Years later, Cole Younger visited the site of Bloody Bills grave and requested that a funeral procession be held for him, in which is was. His grave was marked years later. As with the other legendary guerillas, it is claimed that another man who resembled Bloody Bill was riding Bill’s horse on that fateful night near Richmond and that he was the one whom they identified as "Bloody Bill." One claim is that Bill Anderson changed his name and escaped to Erin Springs, Oklahoma where he ran a saloon. Another report was that Bill settled in Salt Creek, Brown County, Texas where he lived for about sixty years under an assumed name. There may be some truth to this last report as a man resembling "Bloody Bill" died there on November 2, 1927 and found on his bedside table was a photograph of three young women who were later identified as the sisters of William T "Bloody Bill" Anderson. 
|
I am prepared to be fleeced :-) Ain't that the truth and a shame?
'Anderson's Warning' by Cathy Barton, Booneville Mo.
You sons of Missouri, in towns and on farms,
I hear you´ve been urged to go taking up arms,
To fight the guerrillas wherever they´re found—
Take such a step and walk perilous ground.
Remember we hide in the bush all around.
I can´t save you traitors from a terrible end,
Like wolves we will hunt you down both me and my men.
Fools that you are, you can´t run and can´t hide;
My eyes will be on you; watch how you decide.
Death will await those who choose the wrong side.
My name´s Captain Anderson; I hunt and I kill.
I am a guerrilla; I´m a Devil from Hell.
For my dear sister´s death I will kill till I´m killed,
Now there never can be enough Yankee blood spilled.
Jo was crushed as the walls of her prison caved in,
The Feds did it on purpose and they´ll pay for that sin.
And they´ll pay and they´ll pay, boys, again and again.
´Round my waist I keep a cord of the finest of silk,
And I´ve tied a knot in it for each Yank that I´ve killed.
There´s dozens of knots that I´ve put in the cord;
Each knot´s one step closer to evenin´ the score.
But it ain´t never enough, boys, I only want more.
My name´s Captain Anderson; I hunt and I kill.
I am a guerrilla; I´m a Devil from Hell.
One day we rode into Centralia town,
We broke into shops; we robbed the people we found.
Stole a barrel of whiskey from the local saloon,
And we drank and we had fun, boys, till just about noon.
When the real fun would be enterin´ the town mighty soon.
As the sun was a-blazing high up in the sky,
The train from St. Louis was just passing by.
We threw ties on the rails and then we forced ourselves in,
And to our delight there sat Federal men,
unarmed and on furlough—right there in our hands.
We forced them all out; we lined ´em all in a row,
With our guns we´d put each damn Yank on parole.
I says to Arch Clements, “Go on, muster ´em out!”
Then that whole row of Feds fell with screams and with shouts.
We shot ´em till bodies lay littered about.
My name´s Captain Anderson; more feared than Quantrill.
He may spare a Federal, but I never will.
More Feds soon pursued us, but we knew they would come,
We tore through their lines; we shot and killed every one.
Jesse James shot Major Johnson, sent him screaming to Hell.
For a beardless young boy, I believe he´ll do well—
Someday that young Jess might make a name for himself.
So come all you Missouri boys, take warning by me,
No quarter will I give to any traitor I see.
I´ve already killed dozens. Dozens more will I kill,
And if you dare oppose me your fate it is sealed.
If at first I don't get you, the next time I will.
My name´s Captain Anderson; I hunt and I kill.
I am a guerrilla; I´m a Devil from Hell
Morning E.G.C.
Morning Lee.
Thanks for the lead on the story. Interesting Poem.
Good morning everyone, interesting, in depth article. Like one poster said, it's hard to find accurate information on this sad and vile chapter of the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression).
Cheers!
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on February 16:
1075 Ordericus Vitalis French monk/historian/poet
1497 Philipp Melanchthon Germany, Protestant reformer (Augsburgse Confessie)
1620 Frederick William Great Elector, founder of Brandenburg-Prussia
1698 Pierre Bouguer French mathematician (heliometer)
1788 Juan van Halen Dutch/Spanish officer/adventurer
1807 Lysander Cutler Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
1812 Henry Wilson (R) 18th Vice-President (1873-75)
1813 Joseph Reid Anderson Brigadier General (Confederate Army) died in 1892
1822 James Patton Anderson Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1872
1823 Brigadier General John D Imboden organized 1st Virginia Partisan Rangers
1832 Camille Armand Jules Marie de Polignac Major General (Confederate Army)
1852 Charles Taze Russell founded Jehovah's Witnesses
1866 Johann Strauss Austria, composer (Waltz King)
1884 Robert Flaherty Michigan, father of documentary film (Nanook of the North)
1903 Edgar Bergen Chicago IL, ventriloquist (Charlie McCarthy)
1904 George F Kennan Milwaukee WI, US ambassador (to Moscow)
1912 Machito "Frank Grillo" Florida, bandleader (created salsa music)
1926 John Schlesinger London England, film director (Midnight Cowboy, Darling)
1934 Austin "Ted" Taylor US gospel/R&B-singer (Be Ever Wonderful)
1935 Sonny Bono Detroit MI, singer (Sonny & Cher, Mayor-R-Palm Springs CA)
1942 Kim Chong-Il [Yura], President of North-Korea/savior of the Korean people/Dear Leader/Stud Muffin/Snappy Dresser (1994- )
1957 LeVar Burton Landstuhl Germany, (Roots, Star Trek Next Generation)
1959 John P McEnroe tennis player (US Open 1979-81, 84 Wimbledon 1981, 83, 84)
1998 Mr Jefferson Virginia, 1st cloned calf
2335 Geordi La Forge character on Star Trek Next Generation
Dad is resting at home now after several days in the hospital. It'll take a few days for him to get back at 100%
Our thoughts and prayers are with Tony Snow in his ongoing health situation.Snow for those who don't know is a Fox News paersonality. His radio show recently debuted in Oklahoma City.
One reason there isn't much on record is due to the fact that those times were so disorganised and there were few newspapers, none of which were allowed to be sympathetic to the southern cause. The newspaper in Lexington was shut down by Federal order for having those sort of leanings. Much of what is known has come down by word of mouth or by way of letters or notations in family bibles.
Anderson wasn't the only 'devil from Hell' some of the men who road with him and others were equally evil. The man who took over Anderson's men after his death was a fiend named 'Little Arch' Clements. His calling card was usually done with a bowie knife and he would leave a note pinned to his victim stating "You come to hunt bushwackers and you found them and I skelpt you." Archie Clement was not the only barbaric Bushwhacker. Dave Pool chose to enumerate fallen enemies by jumping from one body to another. "If they are dead, I can't hurt them, 'he asserted. "I cannot count 'em good without stepping on 'em."
Thanks for the info. It doesn't really surprise me that there is little published information, because who wants all the dirty secrets and shameful incidents published during war? Especially considering I view these as wars within wars.
Cheers!
Ugh. I am. Why did I think that having our own business might mean not having to be up so early? Out the door in 5 minutes. ;-)
"wars within wars"
That's so true. Especially in regard to the Missouri/Kansas horror. We had 'civil war' five years before Fort Sumpter and for at least another eight afterwards. Old wounds that never healed and hatreds that were passed on from one generation to the next. When I was a kid calling someone a 'Jayhawker' was as bad as any four letter word and usually led to a fight.
It's amazing who CW era photos make everybody look like an ax murderer.
my ancestor, PVT William James "Little Thunder" Freeman, late of the 4th MO Partisan Rangers, fought BRAVELY at Centralia!
had we fought the whole war as partisans, the southland would be FREE! (the few barefooted,hungry but BRAVE "lads in Gray" had NO CHANCE, longterm, against the damnyankee war machine in a long, conventional war. the only thing the CSA had in excess was BRAVERY & at the bitter end that was NOT enough.)
free dixie,sw
In my family a story has been handed down, that the James family were friends with my dad's side of the family. Jesse James paid for medical school for my great-grand-father. Some things in life are so strange.
AND his methods were NOT half as BAD as those of the filthy jayhawkers, redlegs & "kansas volunteer cavalry".
the damnyankee "scum from across the border" preyed on BOTH SIDES with gleeful, bloody abandon. theirs was "war for fun & profit". nothing more, nothing less.
free dixie,sw
Hi Sam.
free dixie,sw
see INSIDE WAR by Professor Michael Fellman, published by Oxford University press.
also if, for some reason, you want to read damnyankee anti-dixie propaganda (and that's ALL it is), check out THE DEVIL KNOWS HOW TO RIDE by Edward E Leslie.
free dixie,sw
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
