William “Bloody Bill” Anderson (1840-1864)
One of the best known and most feared of all Missouri Confederate guerrillas was William Anderson who, surprisingly, considered himself a Kansan.
William and Martha Anderson, Bill's parents came to Randolph County in 1840. This is the same year Bill was born. He had an older brother Ellis, younger brother James and younger sisters Mary C., Josephine and Martha. Mrs. Anderson's parents, William and Mahala Tomason also lived with the family. Bill's father was a professional Hatter and was a Charter Member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge here in 1847. The family lived north of town on the J.D. Hammet farm and in town near the Rake factory on West Depot Street. They later moved south of town in the Hagar school area to be nearer to relatives. In 1850 Bill's father went with a group of men from the county to the California Gold Fields. During this time away, Bill and his brothers were the heads of the family and their relationship with their sisters was both brotherly and fatherly. Bill attended school in town located near the corner of east Mulberry and north Oak Street and the Hagar school south of town. As Pro-Southern settlers the family moved to Agnes City, Kansas in 1857.
It is believed that Bill served in the Missouri State Guard up until the withdrawal from Lexington, at which time he returned home. In March 1862, Bill's father was murdered by Pro-Northern neighbors in some type of dispute.
Born in Randolph County, Mo., he spent his teenage years near Council Grove, Kan., where he was drawn into the Border War when his father, a Southern sympathizer, was shot to death by a prominent Unionist, some say for horse-stealing, others say for simply having pro-slavery views. Whatever the reason, Bill Anderson returned to Missouri and, desiring revenge, joined William Quantrill´s guerrillas.
Up to a few days prior to the 1863 raid on Lawrence, Kan., Anderson seemed content to follow rather than lead. Then, in an attempt to curb the growing guerrilla problem in Missouri, Union soldiers imprisoned a number of the womenfolk of known bushwhackers in a deteriorated building in Kansas City. The building collapsed on August 14, killing some of these women, including Anderson´s sister, Josephine. Another sister was maimed for life. This event, cited by many of the guerrillas as one of the primary reasons for the August 21 raid on Lawrence, intensified Anderson´s hatred and turned him into a Federal soldier´s nightmare.
Stories about Anderson´s rage are legion. It is said he carried a silk cord on which knots were tied for every Yankee he killed. Some report that he cried and even frothed at the mouth during battle. By 1864 his quarrels with Quantrill led him to form a fierce guerrilla band of his own that included 16-year-old Jesse James.