William T. Anderson
William T. Anderson[a] (1840 – October 26, 1864), also known as "Bloody Bill" Anderson, was one of the deadliest and most famous pro-Confederate guerrilla leaders in the American Civil War. Anderson led a group of volunteer rangers who attacked Union loyalists and federal soldiers in the states of Missouri and Kansas.
| William T. Anderson | |
|---|---|
 Anderson, c. summer 1864 | |
| Nickname | Bloody Bill |
| Born | 1840 Hopkins County, Kentucky |
| Died | October 26, 1864 (aged 23–24) Albany, Missouri |
| Buried at | Pioneer Cemetery Richmond, Missouri |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Service/branch | Partisan rangers |
| Years of service | 1863–64 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Quantrill's Raiders |
| Battles/wars | |
Early life
William T. Anderson was born in 1840 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, to William C. and Martha Anderson.[1] His siblings were Jim, Ellis, Mary Ellen, Josephine and Janie.[2] His schoolmates remembered him as a well-behaved, quiet child. [1] During his childhood, Anderson's family moved to Huntsville, Missouri, where his father got a job on a farm, and the family became well-respected.[3] In 1857, they moved to the Kansas Territory, going southwest on the Santa Fe Trail and settling 13 miles (21 km) east of Council Grove.[4]
The Anderson family supported slavery, though they did not own slaves. They moved to Kansas most likely for economic rather than political reasons.[5]
William T. Anderson Media
Anderson in an ambrotype photograph, c. early 1860s
A painting of the Lawrence Massacre, in which Anderson played a leading role
A painting by George Caleb Bingham depicting General Order No. 11, which was prompted by the Lawrence Massacre
Anderson's body several hours after he died
