Welcome to quantrillsguerrillas.com the most comprehensive resource for all things related to William Clarke Quantrill and the men who rode with him.

The history of guerrilla warfare is as old as civilization itself. When Caesar’s renowned Roman legions invaded Gaul they found that their best defensive option was utilizing guerrilla tactics. The utilization of guerrilla warfare is as American as "Apple Pie." During the American Revolution as British soldiers made their way in massed formations along the narrow dirt roads of New England, bands of citizen soldiers took a huge toll on their numbers demoralizing their morale by constantly harassing them.

This type of training carried down to the unorthodox method of fighting employed during the War of 1812 where the battle was won by the individual skill and courage of the citizen soldier. Despite the fact that the Mexican-American War is now perceived to be largely a conventional conflict that utilized established European style tactics, the Texas Rangers engaged the Mexican guerrillas “fighting fire with fire” as the American forces made their way into the heart of Mexico. Additionally General Taylor’s army of occupation in Northern Mexico encountered considerable opposition from a Mexican insurgency.

Quantrill’s guerrillas were born during the skirmishes and battles that were created during the conflict known as the Border Wars. Quantrill developed a fighting force of partisan rangers, which came to be known as Quantrill’s Guerrillas that are unrivaled in the world today. Their legacy included not only their fighting prowess but also their character and personal experiences that made them unique as combat soldiers.

Unfortunately the legacy of Quantrill and his command has been subjected to vicious campaign to misrepresent these brave and skillful warriors as barbarians and savages, who indiscrimatley enacted their deadly revenge upon hapless non-combatants and the saintly boys in blue alike. Today their greatest military achievement is routinely portrayed as an unprovoked act of terrorism against an non-military target. Quantrillsguerrillas.com was founded to help right this wrong.

Our mission as quantrillsguerrillas.com is to promote the study and understanding of Colonel William Clarke Quantrill and the men who rode with him, providing sound historical information and interpretation of the basis, events, people, and consequences of the Missouri-Kansas Border War.

We will promote and commemorate Southern heritage and education by advancing the awareness of the contributions of the Missouri Confederate partisan service through awards and scholarships in art, literature and music. We will cooperate with other Southern organizations to perpetuate Southern events, and support the preservation of Civil War battlefields, sites, artifacts and cemeteries pertaining to William Clarke Quantrill and his men. We accept the guardianship of the history surrounding these men.

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When you join quantrillsguerrillas.com you will enjoy ABSOLUTELY FREE OF CHARGE THE WORLDS LARGEST ON-LINE DISPLAY OF ORIGINAL QUANTRILL RELATED ARTIFACTS. Scores of rare and priceless relics from multiple private collections are already on display; and new items will be added on a regular basis.

At quantrillsguerrillas.com you will find all the Quantrill related items currently making news in one easy to read forum.

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Below is an image of the memorial marker placed on Quantrill’s original resting place, quantrillsguerrillas.com's first public project. Thanks to Paul Petersen for sharing this image with the website.

Lawrence citizens have always emphatically insisted that the only victims during the Lawrence raid were "peaceable, unarmed citizens." History proves them wrong.

Lawrence citizen Richard Cordley wrote, “It was not the shooting of a few obnoxious persons. The killing was indiscriminate and mostly in cold blood, the victims being quiet, peaceable citizens. None of them, as far as I know, had taken any part in the early disturbances, and none of them were connected with the border troubles during the war. I do not now recall a single military man among the killed….The guerrillas shot the men they found, without knowing who they were or caring what they were.”

The actual truth about the raid can be found in reviewing the historical record. After he gathered his men for the Lawrence raid Quantrill supplied his men with maps with each targeted house marked for destruction and “Death Lists” of individuals to be killed. The names and places shown came as no surprise. In its entirety it showed the enormity of the opposition and the level of the Kansan’s participation in waging war against her neighboring state. The foremost movers against the institutions in Missouri were those from the east that had come to Kansas in military styled companies associated with the New England Emigrant Aid Society. The remainder of the names were radical abolitionists, operators on the Underground Railroad, who had enticed or stolen slaves from Missouri, newspapermen who were guilty of fomenting unrest and calling for invasion and plunder in Missouri and assassination of Missouri slave owners, and naturally any military men either in the Federal army or Kansas militia.

Robert S. Stevens who took an unofficial accounting of the dead and wounded after the raid recorded 133 names of those killed in Lawrence also listing wounded including both white and Negro casualties. General Thomas Ewing’s Official Report on the sack of Lawrence recorded almost the exact number of casualties listing 140 dead, including 14 from the 14th Kansas Cavalry and 20 from the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment with 24 wounded. And Capt. Henry E. Palmer stated 145 lives lost in his account of “The Lawrence Raid, Running Fight with the Guerrillas,” And Lawrence citizen Richard Cordley listed in his account “Pioneer Days in Kansas” 150 dead and 30 wounded. Cordley recounted that “one hundred and twenty-two were deposited in the cemetery, and many others in their own yards.”

Below you will find the names of the victims of the Lawrence raid compiled from several sources and thus there is a larger number listed than from each individual account. A large majority are in the military. Since the Kansas provost-marshal's files were destroyed in the fire that engulfed the building that held its records we can naturally assume from the accounts emulating from Lawrence that the remainder of the names were in the town's militia organization.

Name: Rank: Unit:

Anderson, Charles A. Private 12th Kns
Albach, J. George
Albrecht, George
Allen Charles R. Private 14th Kns
Allen, Clay - (colored)
Allen, Elmore 9th Kns
Alwes, George
Anderson, John Private 11th Kns
Argel, James
Bell, George W. Captain 12th Kns
Bent, George
Bowers, Samuel aka Bower Private 14th Kns
Brechtlesbauer, James
Brechtlesbauer, Joseph
Brant, R. Chaplain 2nd Kns
Brown, ?
Burt, George
Burns, Dennis aka Burnes
Burns, Michael
Carpenter, Louis Kansas militia
Coates, George W. aka Coates
Collamore, George Washington General Kansas militia
Crane, John L. Kansas militia
Clona, Charles
Cloud, Charles Colonel 2nd Kns Colored Regt
Cooper, James F. Private 9th Kns
Coleman, L. Dwight
Cornell, John A.
Cornell, P. – colored
Crane, John Lewis Kansas militia
Dagle, John
Dix, Ralph C.
Dix, Stephen H.
Dyre, Frank
Dulinsky, Sylvester
Dulinsky, William
Early, George, aka Earle Captain 9th Kns
Eckman, Carl
Edwards, John Private 7th Kns
Ehles, August, aka Ehlis, Ellis, Ethels,
Eldridge, James
Ellis, Frank, - colored
Engler, John
Englesman, Phillip
Evans, John Z Private 5th Kns
Engler, Carl
Englesman, ?
Fillmore, Lemuel Kansas militia
Finley, James B.
Finley, Joseph
Fitch, Edward, P. Kansas militia
Frawley, John aka Fromley
Frank, Joseph
Fritch, S. H.
Gates, Levi Kansas militia
Gentry, first or last name?
Gerrard, George
Giebal, Anthony aka Girbal
Giffler, A. aka Gufler
Gill, John B. aka Gille Private 9th Kns
Goldman,?
Green, John R. Private 14th Kns
Gregg, Fortune
Griswold, Jerome F.
Griswold, Abner W
Griswold, Walter B. S. Private 14th Kns
Halderman, Aaron Private 14th Kns
Hanson, ?
Hendrix, ?
Henry, Charles - colored
Hay, Chester D.
Hoge, Calvin
Holmes, Nathan
Holt, George Kansas militia
Johnson, Maxwell Private 6th Kns
Johnson, Benjamin 11th Kns
Jones, Samuel Private 12th Kns
Keefe, Patrick aka Keith
Klares, William
Klaus, William
Klaus, Frederick
Kleffer, W. M. R. aka Kliffler
Laner, Christian aka Leener
Laurie, John W. aka Lawrie Private Kansas militia
Laurie, William Jr. aka Lawrie Private Kansas militia
Leonard, Christopher
Lambert, Harwick
Lambert, O. O.
Little, John Private 9th Kns
Limboch, Henry aka Limbach
Laner, Christian
Longley, Otis
Loomis, Richard Rensellor Private 2nd Kns
Lowe, Joseph G. Captain Kansas militia
McFarland, ? Kansas militia
McClellan, Amos Private Kansas militia
McClelland, Daniel Private Kansas militia
McFadden, Jacob Sergeant Kansas militia
Mackin, Michael aka McClaine
Markle, David Private 14th Kns
Markle, Lewis Cass Private 14th Kns
Markle, Samuel Private 14th Kns
Martha, Thomas aka Murtha
Martin, Michael Sergeant 5th Kns
Martin, Robert Kansas militia
Murphy, Dennis 16th Kns
Murphy, James Private 6th Kns
Murphy, Thomas Private 15th Kns
Makin, Michael
Martha, ?
Meeky, Michael aka McKee
Meeky, R. aka McKee
Nathan, W.
Nichols, ?
Oldham, Anthony – colored
Oehrle, George
O’Neil, James Corporal 2nd Kns
Page, George
Palmer, Charles A.
Palmer, Daniel W.
Parker, Asbury aka Ashbury Private 14th Kns
Parker, Isaac J. Private 14th Kns
Perine, James aka Perrine
Pope, George
Pollock, Jacob aka Pollok Private
Purington, David H. aka David N.
Range, George
Range, Samuel
Roach, ?
Roach, James
Reed, Peter Sr.
Reedmiller, A.
Reel, Samuel Jeremiah
Reynolds, Samuel
Riggs, Charles F. Private 14th Kns
S. C. ?
Sanger, George N. Kansas militia
Schmidt, Charles Corporal 11th Kns
Schwab, John
Speer, John M. Jr.
Speer, Robert Private 14th Kns
Snyder, Samuel S. Lieutenant 2nd Kns
Stewart, Henry Sergeant 2nd Kns
Smith, Charles 2nd Lt 2st Kns
Sanger, George H.
Sargeant, George H. Kansas militia
Stewart, Henry Sergeant 2nd Kns
Stonestreet, Benjamin – colored
Stone, Joseph Private 2nd Kns
Stone, Nathan
Swan, Louis L. aka Louis H.
Thorpe, Josiah C.
Thorp, Simeon M.
Trask, Josiah C. Major Kansas militia
Tritch, E. P.
Turk, David
Watson, James E.
Watson, John Private 14th Kns
Waugh, Addison Private 9th Kns
Waugh, William A. Private 14th Kns
West, ?
White, ?
Williams, William Private 7th Kns
Wise, Louis Private 8th Kns
Williamson, William T. Private 9th Kns
Wilson, James Private 14th Kns
Wilson, John
Woods, Andrew J. Private 14th Kns
Wood, James Private 7th Kns
Waugh, Addison Private 9th Kns
Zimmerman, John K. Private 1st Kns

Article submitted by Paul R. Petersen– 2010 quantrillsguerrillas.com

"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image"

Hello Everyone, I have made a two part dvd of about 2.5 hours in length covering the 1864 and 1865 Reprisal Executions which took place in Kentucky under the direction of Union General Stephen Gano Burbridge and his inhuman Order #59. This order directed the lives of four innocent Confederate Prisoners of War to be executed at the site of any murder of a Union civilian.

These reprisal executions took place across the state of Kentucky.

In this dvd I have documented many of the execution and burial sites of those Confederate Martyrs.

I made use of Stewart's research out of the book entitled The Atonement of John Brooks by James Head and Stewart Cruickshank.

The title of my dvd is Kentucky Bloodletting.

The dvd sells for $15 which includes postage. I did the video work on my own. (I hope you will not expect an award-winning Hollywood production!)

Thank you,
Nancy Hitt
6214 Apex Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40219
(502) 969-4893
hunleyhitt@earthlink.net

Here is a scan of the cover of the DVD, it is well wortth the small investment.

I am sure many of you have seen the new antique image of the two black boys sitting in a field. It is proported to be of two abused slave boys taken somewhere in NC by Brady. I am a 50 year experienced collector of American photography and take exception to this ridiculous article.

It is another attempt by the leftist, Hollywood style,PC media to continue to cause a rift between the blacks and the whites in the South. It is another crock of Yankee distortions.

The two children in the image do NOT look abused in the least. On the contrary, they appear to be well fed and healthy. They appear to be like any other rural child of the period; poor, shabby but fine. Do you see any chains? Do you see scars? Do you see blood? Do you see tears? Nope. These boys simply look like they are out playing in the field.

Do they look unhappy? SURE! WOULDN'T YOU? These kids were stopped, made to pose, and hold still for a photographer stranger! I am sure they had no interest in having their picture taken by a well known Yankee Photographer named Brady (or one of his employees) who had his own agenda in mind during the Civil War; an agenda these poor boys had no knowledge or interest in at their ages.

Don't African Americans or American Blacks have anything better to do than continuously spew this excrement about slavery and how they were abused out over and over again? They WON their freedom 150 years ago. GET A LIFE. GET AN EDUCATION. READ A BOOK. BROADEN YOUR MINDS. Quit following the NAACP and like organizations like blind fools and think for yourselves! Learn there are two sides to every issue and an abundance of knowledge out there if you have a mind of your own. This kind of propaganda just makes me want to puke! If this was an image of two little, poor white boys during the CW, first, there would be no article, and second, these would just be called CUTE KIDS. Why aren't these cute black kids just called cute to? Total hypocrisy!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Submitted By Major Emory Cantey, Quantrillsguerrillas.com

Below are copies of the image and the document courtesy of Keya Morgan, LincolnImages.com/The Associated Press.

Mr. Morgan bought this photograph of two slave children, which was accompanied by a document detailing the sale of John for $1,150 in 1854.







Please take the time to click on the link below and to place your comments about the exploitation of this image.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/rare_photo_of_slave_children_f.html

When the area of the Louisiana Purchase was bought and transferred from France to the United States in 1803, many slaves could be found along the Mississippi Delta working in the sugar cane and cotton fields which proved to be profitable to the economy. A treaty between Britain and France abolishing slavery was signed in 1835 but it wasn't until 1848 that France completely abolished slavery in all her colonies. Before this time a code of rules established by King Louis XV in 1724 called the Code Noir or the Black Code governing the treatment of slaves which defined the rights of slaves and slave-owners and rights of those freed from slavery was used as the major guideline regarding slavery west of the Mississippi River.

In Missouri along the border during the second winter of the war William Clarke Quantrill's partisan ranger company traveled south behind Southern lines when the harsh Missouri winters made it impossible to hide out in the thick woods and underbrush of the countryside. While Quantrill was stationed in Texas two of his companies under the commands of Captains John Jarrette and Dave Poole were detached and sent on an important mission into Louisiana.

These two companies were given special orders to curtail cotton speculation along the Mississippi River. The North allowed commerce in cotton speculation with the South by issuing special permits and licenses through the Treasury Department at the insistence of President Lincoln, who understood cotton’s importance to the North. Northern speculators were buying cotton from Southern plantations along the river, and cotton shipments were escorted by Federal cavalry and protected by Federal gunboats. Southern cotton speculators accepted much needed medical supplies, gun caps, clothing, and a few luxuries for their product, but along with them also came Union spies. What came to be called the Red River Campaign by the North was an operation to invade Louisiana with thirty thousand troops and the goal of capturing the cotton plantations, thus gaining the product and eliminating the need to do business with the enemy. Confederate General Edmund Kirby-Smith ordered Quantrill's two guerrilla commands, now united under the leadership of Jarrette, to attack and make quick work of the illegal cotton trading. Owing to the guerrillas efforts, western Louisiana and east Texas remained in Confederate hands. For his successful effort Jarrette received the thanks of General Smith in a special order.

During their operation the guerrillas discovered that the condition of slaves in Louisiana were slightly different than they were in Missouri. While slaves along the Missouri border were given a wide latitude of freedom their counterparts in Louisiana were still being governed by the Code Noir. The document had 55 articles. The initial Code was so agreeable that it was carried over into Spanish rule and many of its provisions were incorporated into the territorial laws of Louisiana when the Louisiana Purchase passed into American hands.

Under the provisions of the Code Noir, a broad range of liberties were afforded African slaves who worked on Southern plantations. Article 2 of the Code called for all slaves to be instructed in religion and baptized. Continuing with this provision Article 4 made sure that the slaves would not be swayed from their religion by appointing overseers of the same denomination. Also, Article 5 guaranteed that slaves should not work on Sundays and if the necessity required them to work on the Sabbath they would be guaranteed payment for their labor. Article 6 permitted slaves to marry but they could not be forced to marry against their will. A slave married to a free black was automatically assumed to have been freed although the consent of the owner was necessary for the marriage to be performed.

Article 9 and 10 defined the condition of children born in a marriage of a free black person and a slave. Children followed the condition of the mother, if the mother were free, the children were free. Article 15-16 and 17 allowed slaves to sell at market. Slaves were given free land to raise food in their own gardens and were able to sell what they had grown at market. Many were able to raise chickens and sell eggs.

Article 18 set up a Superior Council to be arbitrators in the feeding of slaves. Decent healthy food was required to be given to slaves twice a day and a set of new clothes were given twice a year. Article 19 said that slave-owners could not hire out their slaves to another unless they provided them with food and clothing. Article 20 made it possible for a slave to report a master for not giving proper food and clothing.


Article 21 dealt with the care of sick, elderly and disabled slaves. They could not be abandoned by their owners. If they were in the care of a hospital, the owner had to pay for that care. Article 26 ordered that slaves would be prosecuted for crimes in the same manner as free persons.

Articles 38 and 39 made torture, killing or mutilation of limbs of slaves illegal. Slave-owners and overseers would be prosecuted by the officers of justice according to the severity of the crime. Articles 43 through 49 stated that a husband, wife and any children under the age of puberty were not to be sold separately if they belonged to the same master.

Article 50 gave any owner over the age of 25 permission to grant freedom to his slaves and the Supreme Council would ascertain that the freed slave would have a means of support. Article 51 dealt with the problem of a slave given legal authority over a master's children. Any slave put in such a position would be assumed by the court to have been freed. And Article 54 gave freed slaves all the rights and privileges of free born people in regard to both person and property.


Contrary to the proof and practice of these laws Northern writers unhesitantly bombarded the country with biased and irresponsible stories concerning the harshness of slave conditions. As proof of humane treatment John H. Randolph, owner of the Nottaway Plantation in Louisiana provided his slaves with hot and cold running water. Even President Andrew Jackson thought so highly of his personal house slave that she was buried between him and his wife in the family cemetery at his home at the Hermitage Plantation in Nashville.

Guerrilla leader William Clarke Quantrill had at least three black soldiers riding in his ranks during the war: John T. Noland, John Lobb and Henry Wilson. John T. Noland was offered a $10,000 reward by Union officers for betraying Quantrill but he refused. Henry Wilson bragged about his abilities as a spy for Quantrill. When Union troops invaded Jackson County and were seizing all the Negroes and taking them back to Kansas he recalled how he had run for miles in order to join Quantrill's band. Also in Jackson County, a female slave, named Sophia White, lived on the Rice Plantation. The Rice's son Benjamin was one of Quantrill's first recruits guarding his neighborhood against Jayhawker attacks from Kansas. When Benjamin's father Elihu Coffee Rice and his wife Catherine “Kitty” Stoner White were married in November 1850, Sophia accompanied Kitty to her new home. Sophia attended the births of the couple’s five children and became known affectionately as “Aunt” Sophie. She lived in a small cabin near the back door of the Rice home, where she cooked the family’s meals in the large hearth. Sophie had a personal fortune of over $800.00, (comparable to over $35,000 by today's standard) which she increased by loaning it out at interest.

Here is an image of Aunt Sophie’s cabin as it looks today. Thanks to Paul Petersen for sharing this image with the membership.



In another instance of the relationship between slaves and their owners was a case along the Missouri border when Kansas Jayhawkers came looking for guerrilla Cole Younger during the war. They found him hiding out at his mother's home. His faithful black female slave Susan hid him at the risk of her own life and aided him in escaping. For her personal loyalty she was strung up with a rope by the neck several times by the Jayhawkers but she remained silent and true. What the Jayhawkers also didn't know was that Susan was entrusted with the family's money which she hid in the hems of her skirts.

Here is an image of beloved Suze Younger. Thanks to major Emory Cantey for sharing yet another of his rarest images with the membership.



Little credit has been given to slaves for their contribution in the early history of our country. Slaves were the skilled craftsmen and mechanics that helped build the rich ornate plantations throughout the South. From the skills taught them slaves were able to provide for themselves when manumitted by their owners. Even the delicate and beautiful carved and molded millwork ornamenting rich homes were done by black workers who learned the trade secrets from master craftsmen from Europe. On one Southern Louisiana plantation in 1850 when inside lighting was only provided by candles or coal oil lamps the plantation owner developed a process for making acetylene gas to light his home. The process was highly complicated but the responsibility was turned over to one of his trusted slaves who then obtained a worthwhile occupation following emancipation.

Article submitted by Paul R. Petersen– 2010 quantrillsguerrillas.com

"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."

Although director Ang Lee’s original movie, Ride With the Devil, based upon Daniel Woodrell's novel, Woe to Live On, was far from perfect, I enjoyed it nonetheless. But when I first saw it, I had the nagging feeling that somehow something was missing. Apparently so did Ang Lee.

But the film was easy to enjoy because Lee took young, fresh actors and transformed them into characters who looked like the weathered guerrillas who fought the Missouri border war. Under Lee’s direction, these young actors blossomed into some of Hollywood most valuable, sought-after actors: Tobey Maguire later became the face of the Spider-man franchise; Jim Caviezel tackled The Passion of the Christ; Simon Baker assumed roles in The Mentalist and Land of the Dead; and Jeffrey Wright moved on to star in Syriana and Angels in America. In Ride With the Devil, Wright starred as Daniel Holt, a black confederate guerrilla fighting against the Jayhawkers, Redlegs, and Bluebellies.

The character Daniel Holt was based upon the real-life John Noland, the best known of the freed black men who served under Quantrill. John served Quantrill as a hostler and spy. Once, the Yankees offered Noland $10,000.00 to betray Quantrill and his command, an offer Noland scorned. John was sent to Lawrence as a spy before the guerrillas’ famous raid on that town. During his ride back to Missouri, he was stopped twice and was unable to report back to Quantrill until hours before the raid began. When Nolan was with Quantrill at the battle of Lamar Missouri, he was purported to have shouted more orders than any other member of Quantrill’s band in an effort to trick the Yankee soldiers inside the courthouse into thinking they were surrounded and should surrender. After the conflict was over, his comrades referred to him as a “man among men,” the highest praise.

When Ride With the Devil originally arrived in theaters with a runtime of 138 minutes, it was not the cut director Ang Lee had originally hoped for and envisioned. The newly released director’s cut, in the form of a DVD, runs a little more than 10 minutes longer than the original. Instead of just adding footage, Lee has rearranged a few sequences adroitly, while removing others. Most of the additional editing is employed to enhance character development—such as an additional scene featuring Alf Bowman. In the original release, Alf is seen only once, as a captured Jayhawker who is in danger of being hung in reprisal for the killing of some Confederates who were executed. In the scene, Jake takes pity on Bowman, and he is released to take a message back to the Yankee commanders. Later, we hear that immediately upon his release, Bowman murdered Jake Roedel's father. Now, we view a pre-war wedding where the Pro-Union Bowman swore he would never do anything to harm his pro-Southern neighbors. This demonstrates the hypocrisy displayed by many of the pro-Union supporters and troops in Missouri at that time.

Lee incorporates a few other minor additions: a small group of guerrillas is shown beating a Union soldier, and Jake and Holt are shown going into the home of a dead neighbor. Director Lee also focuses a few more frames revealing the beauty of the Missouri countryside, which contrasts starkly with the madness and violence of war-time Missouri.

One of the most noticeable subtractions from the film was the removal of a sequence where Dutchie (Jake) writes a letter explaining the guerrillas' tactic of dressing in Union clothing. Dutchie does add that the guerrillas still "wear their guerrilla shirts close to their hearts.” Other sequences have been slightly rearranged, such as the moment where Jake and Jack discuss the "positives" of Jake losing his pinky. Also there's a small amount of added footage involving Jake and Sue Lee, as she is shown breastfeeding her baby late in the film. Finally, there are several elements that have been changed in the Lawrence raid. However, I’ll not disclose the details so that my readers can enjoy the enhanced production features and additional, expanded shots of the best rendition to date of Quantrill’s greatest military victory. Below is a still taken from the DVD of the Raid on Lawrence.




As a stickler for authenticity it took me a long while to realize that Hollywood has no motivation to make a 100% accurate film because a 100% accurate film is not a marketable commodity. Yet the authenticity of this movie’s portrayal of the Civil War in the Midwest is one of the best Hollywood has every produced. Not everything is correct, but the result is highly impressive. From the scenery to the dialog, from the costuming to the weaponry, this film earns the highest honors. It certainly more than passes the “first glance test,” only a true expert could spot the few miscues that are present.


To his credit, Lee resists the temptation to incorrectly portray slavery as the predominant issue in the story, something to be analyzed and dissected at length. That is because slavery was not the predominant issue for Missouri’s version of the Minute Men. Quantrill’s guerrillas, mostly young boys, were fighting against overwhelming odds to protect their families and their farms. Ang Lee, in line with these motives, had the courage to show the strong bonds that existed between the former slave Daniel Holt and his white comrades. Thanks to the acting skills of Jeffery Wright, Simon Baker, and Tobey Maguire, these bonds are as natural and believable as they are historically accurate.


Both the audio and video in this DVD have been greatly enhanced and improved in this edition. For those who are interested in further details, they are available on-line. Suffice it to say the differences are clearly visible, so every moment looks and sounds great. Finally, there are added features to this Criterion Collection release, two feature length commentaries are included. In the first, director Ang Lee and writer James Schamus give their insights. The next commentary has Fred Elms, Drew Kunin, and production designer Mark Friedberg, providing a blow-by-blow account of the filming process with recollections and anecdotes galore. However, the unexpected surprise of the disc is the interview with Jeffrey Wright—a candid, insightful, and sometimes humorous interview.


Wright comments as follow: “Most films that I see in this country dealing with race, I mean, come on man, are just not helpful. Especially now as we look back at our history in the Obama era, it‘s more complex. What separates this film from other films that deal with the Civil War and other films that deal with historic racial dynamics [is that] Ang was open to the complexity of it. That war is a seminal event in the character of American history which continues to form who we are today and who we will become.”


Wright’s interview was truly something special. He reveals his experience in shooting “his favorite film,” and he recalls it "vividly." He discusses how this became his first role where he didn't have to audition first, that Lee thought he was right for the part because of something he saw in Wright’s eyes. Jeffrey fondly remembers the actors were placed in an environment where they could fully immerse themselves in their new roles, and that they couldn’t wait to get to work everyday. I was laughing when Wright candidly stated that making the movie was boiler-plate fantasy for him because he was “riding horses every day, shooting up white folks, and getting paid a LITTLE to do it.” I know this writer spent many a day when I was young riding an imaginary horse beside Quantrill and the James brothers. But in today’s politically correct world, it takes some real gumption to admit it on camera. Bravo, Mr. Wright.


Another tribute to the overall dedication to excellence of this project is the fact that the producers tracked down and obtained permission to use the only known image of John Noland, so they could display it while Wright talked about him. So if something looks strangely familiar about that image it should because that image has been displayed on quantrillsguerrillas.com for years. Once again heartfelt thanks should go out to founding member Major Emory Cantey for sharing another image from his unsurpassed Quantrill collection with the world. Below is the image in question.




Impressively, Wright had the integrity to admit he struggled with the underlying theme of the movie, until the director Ang Lee said to him plainly: “These are two men who grew up together as boys, you played together, and you had this relationship, and in spite of there being this obvious hierarchal dynamic, you still LOVE HIM. There were certain negative structures that were undeniable; at the same time there were human relations that belied the racial tensions.”


Wright also admitted that they had to re-shoot one scene on four different days. It was the scene where Jewel’s character questions why Holt was inside the dug-out instead of out plowing in the fields. Holt said he did not want to give in to what was really happening, because “he wanted to impose his modern views on race.” But once again, Ang Lee took charge. He told Wright that he knew the scene “hurt” Wright, and that he should acknowledge his pain and just get through the moment.


Finally, Wright wondered why the “powers that be” couldn’t find a way to market the film when it was originally released. To this writer, the answer is that those powers don’t want this story to be told because it doesn’t fit the carefully crafted fairy tale where the vile and inhuman Confederates were defeated by the saintly boys in blue. The powers that be don’t want people to realize that the slaves and their master did respect and even love each other. Instead, the powers that be want to impose their modern views on race in an effort to continue to stoke the flames of distrust and disharmony that still exist nearly 150 years later.


So I whole-heartedly recommend that everyone pick up a copy of this director’s-cut, which is a vast improvement over the original release. Whether you are a novice or an expert on the Missouri-Kansas Border War, it is well worth the investment of $35.00. Don’t waste your time watching the original release, see the film the way the director intended it to be seen. Wright, who plays a black Confederate in the film, thinks it is the most positive film about historical American racial relations ever made. I give this version of the film a rating of 4 and one half pistols out of 5 pistols. Lt. Colonel Patrick Marquis


Article submitted by Patrick R. Marquis– 2010 quantrillsguerrillas.com

"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."

Since the death of William Clarke Quantrill much has been written concerning his early life and military career. As more and more written accounts are made public a much more accurate story of his life can be made. A startling new discovery has recently been made by Quantrill historian and author Paul R. Petersen.

During the Battles of Cane Hill and Prairie Grove, Arkansas on November 28 and December 7, 1862 respectfully, all written accounts report that Quantrill did not take part in these battles. When the leaves began to fall in Missouri during the autumn of 1862 Quantrill led his men south into Arkansas. On November 17 Quantrill requisitioned forage from the quartermaster in Fort Smith, Arkansas for his men.

Below is an image of what Cane Hill looks like today, thanks to Paul Petersen for sharing this image.



Quantrill's command remained in camp at Fort Smith for a week. After this brief respite, Quantrill took his command across the Arkansas river at Van Buren, Arkansas. At Dipper Springs the guerrillas joined Confederate Gen. John S. Marmaduke with orders to attach themselves as an independent cavalry command to Col. Benjamin Elliott’s cavalry battalion serving under General Joseph O. Shelby.

After the Confederates made it safely into Van Buren, they set up camp and remained there for four days. Here they awaited the arrival of Sterling Price’s infantry. The first units to arrive had many men who were close friends of those in Quantrill’s company. Here far away from home they were reunited with old friends from Jackson County that they had not seen for many months.

Following this date Quantrill was suppose to have left his command in charge of his adjutant Lt. William H. Gregg then traveled with his orderly sergeant Andrew Blunt to Richmond, Virginia seeking an independent commission of partisan rangers from President Jefferson Davis. Without any official records it was assumed that Quantrill left for Richmond sometime before November 28 when the Battle of Cane Hill began.

Noted Quantrill historian William Elsey Connelley said of Quantrill during this period that "While Quantrill's company was attached to the command of General J. O. Shelby when it reached the Confederate lines in Arkansas, Quantrill himself did not remain with it." Another noted modern author, Edward E. Leslie of The Devil Knows How to Ride wrote: "In the coming months Marmaduke's division saw considerable action and was much bloodied; Shelby's brigade earned the nickname the 'Iron Brigade,' but Quantrill would miss all the fighting. In the middle of November he left Todd in charge of the band and, accompanied by Andy Blunt and a man named Higbee, went to Richmond."

With all due respect done by these contemporary and modern historians the officers of quantrillsguerrillas.com are proud of being able to continue the research into the life of William Clarke Quantrill and show the truth behind the false accounts that have been perpetrated for so many years.

Below is an image of William Elsey Connelley, noted liar and procurer of stolen body parts.




Cavalryman Homer Harris Jewett was from Pella, Henry County, Iowa. He enlisted in Company D, 7th Missouri Cavalry at Oquaqa, Illinois on September 17, 1861. During the First Battle of Independence on August 11, 1862 he was slightly wounded and taken prisoner by Quantrill's men. Before being exchanged he was led south into Arkansas as a prisoner of war. While being guarded and held in the Confederate camp near the Cove Creek road he wrote in his diary on Tuesday, December 9, 1862, "We had learned before that Quantrill was here and that it was by his men we were taken. We were marched into an open field and bivouacked for a while. The Provost Marshal took possession of us. We were inspected by them to see if any of Willhite's men were among us. Willhite is a Union bushwhacker. Col. Shelby and Quantrill rode up and down the line looking at each one. Quantrill is a small man about 5 ft 8 in, light hair and eye brows with a mustache and 'imperial' of the same colour. There was a very quiet look about him and I observed his compressed lips to slightly quiver as he ran his eye over us. I would here observe that the officers who were taken were paroled after the battle. Lt. Combs, Lt. Merihue and a Major of the 1st Missouri were taken. The artist Camell from Independence who joined Quantrill at the Independence battle came and talked with us, also some others from there."

Next we hope you enjoy this image of Yankee cavalryman Homer Harris Jewett.



Private Homer Jewett wrote this entry in his diary concerning his personal meeting with Quantrill on December 9, 1862. The Battle of Cane Hill Arkansas took place on November 28, 1862. The Battle of Prairie Grove took place on December 7, 1862. This single written account sets the record straight for all future historians that Quantrill was present with his men during these two epic battles.

References: William Elsey Connelley - Quantrill and the Border Wars
Edward E. Leslie - The Devil Knows How to Ride
Tom Jewett - Failed Ambition - The Civil War Journals & Letters of Cavalryman Homer Harris Jewett

Article submitted by Paul R. Petersen– 2010 quantrillsguerrillas.com

"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image"

Our recap of the Memorial Service for Quantrill’s Men at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, April 10, 2010, held in Confederate Section of Spring Hill Cemetery in Harrodsburg, Ky.

One hundred and forty-seven years ago six of Quantrill's men were killed in a skirmish near the Oakland Church five miles west of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. They were 2nd Lt. Chat Renick, Sgt John Barker and Privates Henry, James and William Noland who died in January 1865 while serving in Quantrill's Missouri Cavalry. For all this time their graves had been unmarked. Thanks to the generosity of those who wished to honor these brave men a gravestone has recently been placed in the Confederate section of Springhill Cemetery in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. On April 10, 2010 historians from across the nation came together to hold a memorial service for these brave men. Speakers at the Memorial Dedication included Marsha Noland Bergman, a blood relative of the Noland's who were honored and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Quantrill Society. Nancy Hitt who was most instrumental for getting the gravestone placed and the memorial service organized also spoke. Nancy's dedication and hard work in preserving history has earned her numerous awards around the country. Harold Edwards of Perryville, Kentucky noted Civil War historian was also a speaker at the services along with Lt. Colonel Captain Patrick Marquis, descendant of the James family of Kearney, Missouri who addressed the crowd and also presented an award to Major Emory Cantey in behalf of gallant service rendered by his ancestor General James Cantey a noted Civil War hero who served under Generals Stonewall Jackson and Joseph E. Johnston. Below is the eulogy given by Colonel Petersen of quantrillsguerrillas.com during the memorial service. We of quantrillsguerrillas.com are proud to offer the texts of this historical occasion.

Below is the address delivered by Nancy Hitt:

Welcome Everyone. I am Nancy Hitt, a member of the Quantrill Society and a resident of Louisville, Kentucky.We are assembled here at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, in order to honor the memory of six Confederate soldiers who were killed 145 years ago.

These six battle-scared Confederates had followed Captain William Clarke Quantrill from the state of Missouri into the state of Kentucky in January of 1865. They were destined to die far from their homes and families.

This memorial event is due to a chance conversation I had with Marsha Noland Bergman in June of 2009 in Waverly, Missouri. She and her husband, Mike, are also members of the Quantrill Society and they live in Independence, Missouri.Marsha is a Noland descendant and she was interested in learning more about the various Nolands who fought and died in Kentucky under the leadership of Captain Quantrill.

In addition to the valuable information that Marsha had accumulated, several of us tried to determine from additional sources the most logical answers to her inquiry.

Unfortunately, many questions still remain due to the lack of surviving military records. Our analysis of events often had to be made based upon unreliable and conflicting newspaper reports of the period and from publications written years after the war.

Even now, some of Quantrill’s men who were killed in Kentucky remain in unknown and unmarked hills and valleys of the state.

These six soldiers were part of about 40 Confederates who had followed Quantrill into Yankee-occupied Kentucky in an attempt to get to Virginia where they might safely surrender.

They knew full well their chances of surrendering and remaining alive were unlikely in blood-drenched Missouri. Unfortunately they faced many enemies in their attempt to cross Kentucky.

Frank James rode with Quantrill into Kentucky. He was a witness to the skirmish at the widow Sallie Vanarsdale’s home on Oakland Lane which is about 5 miles southwest of Harrodsburg.

Frank saw the Federals kill Chatham Renick and the brothers Henry and William Noland. He believed that John Barker probably died on the way to Harrodsburg.

Frank’s undying devotion to these men and those he termed “mere boys” is the reason we are standing here today on the grounds of the Spring Hill Cemetery.

Colonel Jack Chinn, a local man, was able to fulfill Frank James’ request to have the remains of the three killed at Oakland and previously buried at the Oakland Cemetery moved to this cemetery in 1904. We are not sure if they ever received permanent markers.

The remaining three men we are honoring today are likely still buried in unmarked graves.

This new marker is in memory of:
2nd. Lt. Chat Renick
Sgt. John Barker
Private Foster Key
Privates Henry, James and William Noland.

This granite marker was purchased with donations from various individuals and organizations located in six different states.
Patrick Marquis – of California
Duncan Hansen – of Iowa
Nancy Hitt – of Kentucky
Marsha and Michael Bergman, Paul Petersen, The Quantrill Society, and Rosa Rogers with the U.D.C – of Missouri
The Quantrill’s Raiders SCV Camp #2087 – of Ohio
Emory Cantey – of Texas

During the past ten years, I have been fortunate to have had the loyal assistance of Junie Fields, Charlie Harper and Gary Davis. The ladies of the Mollie Morehead UDC have also been very helpful with Confederate memorials I have organized. Not all these folks could be with us today due to other obligations.

I would like to thank the citizens of Harrodsburg who have been so hospitable, the folks at the Tourist Commission, Mildred with the Harrodsburg Historical Society, Jerri Carter the Supervisor of the Spring Hill Cemetery, Terry Orme with the San-Wil Monument Company, Mr. and Mrs. Dedman of the Beaumont Inn and Debbie Cook, editor of The Harrodsburg Herald.

If this is your first visit to the pioneer city of Harrodsburg, I want to point out the grave of our Kentucky War Governor. Honorable Beriah Magoffin, Jr. is buried directly behind me. The magnificent home where he was born is a showplace in Harrodsburg.

I am flying the General Leonidas Polk flag in recognition of his visit to the Saint Philips Episcopal Church on Chiles Street in Harrodsburg after the battle of Perryville. General Polk, an Episcopal Bishop, prayed there for both friend and foe. A historical marker sits outside of Saint Philips Church to mark the General’s sermon.

In order to understand the so-called Missouri partisan, guerrilla, bushwhacker warfare, one must study the border wars that preceded the War. There was a blood feud brewing long before the first shots were fired at Sumter.

When your home has been burned down or your stock has been stolen or your father murdered, it will create a desire for revenge.
In closing, I would like to make a point especially to the youngsters not to drink too deeply of the Yankee Kool-Aid you might be offered by your instructors at school.

These men were not traitors. They were not cowards. They were not common thieves. These Southern men were in a life or death struggle against tyranny. Thousands, in fact more than 300 thousand Confederate graves now cover the South as a testament to their courage
.
Our Southern citizen-soldiers who took up the dirk, the pike or the pistol in defense of their homes were the true Patriots during the War for Southern Independence.

The blood that flowed within the veins of many of these ragtag, desperate men descended to them from the bold-blood of their Revolutionary War grandfathers and fathers.

Let us never forget that the mortal remains of freedom-loving men are buried within this small enclosed Confederate section.
Thank you all for being here today to honor six Confederate Patriots.

Next we have the eulogy given by Colonel Petersen of quantrillsguerrillas.com during the memorial service.

"We are here to memorialize these Confederate soldiers and we think we can never know or feel what they went through or what they were fighting for. We know they were patriotic and brave, and we agree that they died fighting for a cause, but what exactly were they fighting for? Some may say that it is nearly impossible to imagine what it was like back then. Some experiences they had we will never be able to empathized with these men who came to Kentucky with Quantrill but let me relate what war was like for these Missourians who rode here to fight. Their homes were destroyed, all their property was stolen and carried back into Kansas by Jayhawkers, their slaves were raped in the presence of their owners. Many of them had their father's murdered by Federal soldiers.

The Quantrill men who rode with these six soldiers that we honor today shared similar experiences during the war. Bud Wiggington's 68 yrs old father was killed by Federals, his house burned and all his possessions taken. Randolph Venable's home along with 27 others including his church was burned by Jayhawkers. Lee McMurtry was living with Upton Hays. His home was burned and his brother killed and all his possessions stolen by Jayhawkers. John McCorkles' home was plundered and burned down by Jayhawkers and the women had their clothes torn from their bodies looking for valuables. His sister Charity was murdered by Kansas Jayhawkers. Frank James's step-father was hung by Federals until he was mentally incapacitated. They beat his brother, whipped his mother and sister with a bullwhip then put them in prison for two weeks on a diet of bread and water. Dave Hilton's home was burned down by Federals. Thomas Harris's home was burned and plundered by Kansas Jayhawkers. The soldiers threatened his young sisters by saying they were going to cut their heads off with their sabers. Isaac and Robert Hall's mother was forced by Kansas Jayhawkers to set fire to her own home. Four of neighbors homes were burned the same day. William Basham was an innocent man accused and convicted of being a Quantrill man. He was in jail awaiting execution when Quantrill attacked Independence and freed him. His only choice was to join Quantrill. James Younger's father was murdered by Federal soldiers. His mother was forced to burn down her own house. All their property was stolen by Jayhawkers. A Federal officer raped his sister.

While we will never know exactly what these men went through we can feel some of the same passions that they experienced at the start of the war and realized why they chose to fight for the Confederate Cause. And what was the Cause? The country in 1861 was changing. And we that are living today can feel some of that same CHANGE.

In 1860 the president was elected for one goal in mind. In February 1861 a Northern newspaper offered a sobering portrait of the newly elected president by saying: The election of Abe Lincoln to the presidency will, go down in history as the great mistake of this age and of the American people. Some of the deplorable fruits it has already produced are before the world. The states (are in discord) and almost belligerent, the Union virtually dissolved, commerce, manufacturing, and agriculture seriously depressed, and thousands and tens of thousands of mechanics and laborers without employment.

In 1860 when the cords that bound our nation were being tested, the newly inaugurated president shunned all attempts at compromise from peace commissions sent from the South. In 1860 they had politicians disregarding the guarantees of the Constitution. In 1860 they had Radicals taking over Congress. In 1860 they had a Government operating without compromise, polarized into two separate camps.The United States elected a president that had been a senator from Illinois. He went to Washington using his authority to infringe on citizens' freedom of speech, on their freedom of the press, on their freedom of religion, on their freedom of assembly and violating the establishment clause and abolishing the Writ of Habeas Corpus. The men who fought under Quantrill did so because they saw the Federal government usurping authority over the states and growing larger with unbridled power as more of their freedoms were being taken from them. In 1860 there was a Balance of Power in our government, not just between the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches but a balance of power that included the power of State's Rights that kept the Federal government's power in check and from gaining unlimited power and control. What Lincoln destroyed in 1865 we are living with today. Our Founding Fathers were quoted as saying "Unlimited government remains the single greatest threat to the rights and liberties of a free people."Some may say that these men fought a long time ago and the ideals they fought for are foreign to us as a nation today. Unfortunately there is a strong correlation to what these brave men experienced prior to the war and what we are similarly experiencing today. You think it is impossible to feel what these men felt? I say no. I say you are feeling it today. The bravery that these men exhibited has never been surpassed in any conflict in American history. These men were patriots, fighting for the cause that our Forefathers had established in the Constitution. Through six states these men bled and died carrying a reputation that is unequaled even today. Thomas Jefferson instructed us, Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty. Let us be vigilant as these men whom we honor today were vigilant.

Here is the text of Marsha Noland Bergman's speach:

My name is Marsha Noland Bergman. I am a “Real Granddaughter” in the United Daughters of the Confederacy: The Noland’s listed on this stone share a common ancestor with Ledstone Noland, a Revolutionary War Soldier. He was the Grandfather of these men and is my third Great Grandfather. These men were also cousins of my Grandfather, James George W. Noland, so they are my first cousins twice removed.

Kentucky was like a second home to this family, as it was from Estill county, Kentucky that Ledstone Noland traveled to Jackson county Missouri with his son William, and other family members in 1925. Ledstone’s brother, Jesse had made an earlier trip to Missouri with Daniel Boone.

My interest is and always has been the Noland’s with Quantrill. My grandfather George, did not come to Kentucky with Quantrill in 1865. He was a prisoner of was at Alton Prison in Alton, Illinois at the end of the war. His relatives were among those who did make the trip to Kentucky. I share their DNA and it saddened me to know their graves were unmarked. I wish to thank everyone who had anything to do with making this day possible. Nancy Hitt has worked tirelessly and has been in long distance contact with me throughout the entire process.

Fortunately there are written accounts of what took place in Kentucky with Quantrill in 1865. I think we know the loyalty of those who went on this last trip with their leader. Frank James stated that there was little chance they would return alive. William and Henry sons of William and Polly, were the oldest and youngest son’s of this couple. No doubt, notification of their deaths was difficult on the family. These men had survived through the Lawrence raid and other trials only to be killed in the last months of the war. James Noland another cousin was among those killed.

Today in the same tradition as Frank James, we came to Kentucky to recognize the lives and death of some Missourians. Fate brought them to Kentucky with Quantrill and it was destined that they were to die here. These men whose names appear on this maker were sons, grandsons and brothers in families they left behind in Missouri and it is fitting that we remember them.

When preparations were being made for the reburial of Jesse James in Kearney Missouri in 1995, I received a letter from Judge James Ross, Great Grandson of Jesse James. He said and I quote: “There is no doubt where the Noland’s stood with the Confederacy and with the Guerrillas.” In his letter to Harrodsburg in 1904, Frank James described these men as his dead Comrades who met death bravely and that they were as true a set of fellows that ever followed the Bonnie Blue flag.

This tribute made over 100 years ago by Frank James, one who actually knew them all, is as fine a eulogy as anything we can say today. May they finally rest in peace.

Next is the address presented by Lt. Colonel Patrick Marquis:

On June 3, 1904 a memorial service was held here in the Confederate section of Spring Hill Cemetery to honor the fallen rebels who were relocated from Oaklands Cemetery. The six men we honor today were among those who were re-interred. The day before the event, the Harrodsburg Herald ran an article about the service that featured a letter of regret from one of the Missourians who had traveled to Kentucky with Quantrill. The author was undoubtedly the most famous survivor of Quantrill's Kentucky raid, a man who was better known for his exploits after the Civil War. That man was Alexander Franklin James.


Along with his regrets for not attending, Frank proclaimed his intention to have a marker placed to honor his　brave comrades who had fallen in Kentucky at the hands of the enemy during January 1865.This wasnt Frank's only attempt to ensure that those who rode under the black flag were acknowledged for their service on behalf of the lost cause, for Frank James was the driving force behind the first Quantrill men’s Reunion held in 1898.

Unfortunately when Frank James　died on February 18, 1915, no marker had been placed. Ninety-five years later, we are finally fulfilling his wishes by having such a marker placed in their honor. I doubt that Frank James could have envisioned any circumstances where the graves of Quantrill’s veterans　would be unmarked. But, tragically,Frank's own grave does not have a Confederate marker, due in no small part to another newspaper article.

In the fall of 1991 the William Clarke Quantrill Society had arranged for the government to provide a military marker for Frank, and they obtained permission to have the marker placed on his grave. This was no small feat because Frank's grave is located inside a park maintained by the city of Independence Missouri.Frank's in laws, the Ralston's, were wealthy. When they passed away, they donated hundreds of acres of land with the caveats that it be utilized as a city park, and that way, the family burial plot would be perpetually maintained.

When a newspaper article was published about the pending memorial, an elderly and somewhat distant relative of the Ralston's protested. Citing a provision in the original grant, this bitter old bitty swore she would sue the city to regain control of the land if they allowed a marker to be placed on the grave of what she called that
"Confederate Outlaw Frank James." The city of Independence, for legal reasons, consequently, made the decision　to forbid placement of the marker. Currently it is displayed at the James farm museum in Kearney, Missouri.

Today is a festive occasion where we have gathered together to commemorate six brave men who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country, the Confederate States of America. The fact that we can still openly celebrate our Confederate heritage is one of the few liberties which has not been revoked yet, so it must be cherished and freely exercised whenever possible.

This event was accomplished as a team effort, and each and every　person and organization that contributed to this project should be applauded. There were no egos involved, no disharmony nor disagreements. Everyone worked together to achieve this common goal. As basic and routine as this project may seem, this level of cooperation is not commonly achieved. When more than a single organization is involved in such an enterprise as this, sometimes debate and disunity occur. But we are all pleased that this did not occur in the creation of this ceremony.

I hope and pray that we have set a precedent for others and that they follow our lead,putting aside differences they might have and working together to honor our Confederate heroes. Otherwise, I'm afraid these events, which are already all too rare, will quickly disappear. In case you missed them, recent changes enacted by our benevolent and omniscient government make it significantly more difficult to request and obtain a military headstone. That is just one reason why the officers of Quantrillsguerrillas.com made the decision to purchase the headstones, instead of trying to jump through bureaucratic fire hoops equivalent to the Bataan Death March. Once again we welcome other individuals and organizations to follow suit　

I implore those in attendance to reach down deep and make the commitment to help us in our quest to find and mark the graves of　each　man who　served under Quantrill. My own family’s motto is: "We are the James family of Kearney, Missouri, and we NEVER give up," we will never stop searching to find a way to mark my cousin Frank's grave.Realistically, I fear it will never come to past. If memory serves me, lawyers friendly to our cause reviewed the options at the time and they determined the chances of successfully challenging and winning the decision are slim at best. But we remain hopeful, nonetheless, and will strive for this goal. Times change and we hope hearts will also.

We can honor Frank's memory by ensuring that the graves of allof his comrades are marked. Please join our website quantrillsguerrillas.com, the William Clarke Quantrill Society, or your local SVC or UVC camp. Please take action now, for tomorrow, it may be too late. It’s been my pleasure to be a part of this historic event, and I thank you all for sharing it with us.

Colonel Petersen also served as Chaplain during the services giving the Invocation as well as the Benediction. The Memorial Dedication ended with a prayer that is as meaningful and significant today as it was to the man who prayed it during the most important time of crisis in our country taken from the prayer book of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

“Soldiers! We have sinned against Almighty God. We have forgotten his signal mercies, and have cultivated a revengeful, haughty, and boastful spirit. We have not remembered that the defenders of a just cause should be pure in His eyes; that “our times are in His Hands,” and we have relied too much on our own arms for the achievement of our independence. God is our only refuge and our strength. Let us humble ourselves before Him. Let us confess our many sins, and beseech Him to give us a higher courage, a purer patriotism, and more determined will; that He will convert the hearts of our enemies; that He will hasten the time when war, with its sorrows and sufferings, shall cease, and that He will give us a name and a place among the nations of the earth.”

"I PRAY DAILY AND ALMOST HOURLY TO YOU HEAVENLY FATHER TO COME TO THE RELIEF OF OUR AFFLICTED COUNTRY. THERE IS NOTHING BUT YOUR ALMIGHTY POWER THAT CAN SUSTAIN US, AND TO YOU BE ALL THE PRAISE. " Amen Robert E. Lee .

HOMES BURNED BY JAYHAWKERS IN MISSOURI: Not counting citizens murdered, homes plundered, livestock and possessions driven off, barns and outbuildings burned.

Life along the Missouri-Kansas border during the Civil War was the easily considered the darkest period in American History. William Clarke Quantrill appeared upon the stage of events initially organizing a small band of young Missouri men to guard against wanton attacks on their homes and property mainly by bands of murderers, thieves and robbers from across the border known as Kansas Jayhawkers.

Regardless of what anyone's personal views are about Quantrill the most misunderstood event of his career will undoubtedly be his raid on Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863. Rather than debate the merits or denunciations surrounding the raid we would like to exhibit some basic facts for our readers.

Contrary to what previous irresponsible writers have led us to believe Lawrence was an armed camp and most of its male citizens were in the militia and armed with the most modern repeating rifles of their day. The town was home to 5 well-built forts strategically situated with artillery throughout the main streets. Trenches and earthworks surrounded its perimeter and companies of armed pickets were constantly on patrol.

Thanks to University Professor George F. McCleary who has extensively researched the site of Lawrence as it stood on August 21, 1863 we now know that there were approximately 300 buildings in Lawrence on that memorable day and during the raid 86 of those buildings were destroyed by fire, half of those being destroyed in collateral damage. The reasons for the raid are varied but one reason must plainly be, that of retaliation.

Unlike other writers that give either a spurious or sensationalized accounting of the facts, thanks to the historical record we are offering to show an actual accounting of the number of homes destroyed along the Missouri border. Unfortunately we can only give an approximate number that will not take into account the true tally when records stated that "entire neighborhoods were laid waste" or that "hundreds of homes were destroyed" until the border of Missouri came to be known as the "Burnt District."

The figures below only show a very conservative estimate. They have been taken from historical records and painstakingly preserved in contemporary books like Quantrill of Missouri by Paul R. Petersen and in the soon to be published book Quantrill at Lawrence, where the complete stories behind these Jayhawker raids can be found.
Permission to use this article has graciously been granted by the author.


Here is an artist rending of remains of Lawrence, which was published in 1863. thanks to Patrick Marquis for sharing this image.



Number of Names - Dates - Places - of Homes Destroyed

**********************************************************

(800) September 1861-800 homes burned in Osceola, Missouri by James Lane and his Jayhawkers from Kansas

(29) October 27, 1861-Martin & John Flanerys' homes burned along with 27 neighbors homes in Brooking Township, Jackson County Mo

(26) October 28, 1861-26 homes burned in Jackson County Mo. by Jayhawkers

(1) November 1861-home of David Porter near Independence. Mo. burned by James Lane's Jayhawker Brigade

(65) Jennison's first attack on Independence burned 65 homes in November of 1861,

(8) November 11, 1861-7th Kansas Jayhawker Dan Holmes writing from Kansas City, ''I like soldiering first rate. Yesterday we marched to Independence and Jayhawked about fifty horses and mules, as many negros, men, women, and children, pillaged two stores, burnt seven or eight dwellings, and one large mill.''

(12) November 27, 1861-12 homes burned by 7th Kns Jayhawkers in Crackerneck neighborhood of Jackson County Mo.

(30) November 1861-Jennison killed 12 men for being Southern sympathizers and burned 30 homes in West Point. Mo.

(50) December 12, 1861-3rd Kansas Jayhawker Regiment destroys every business and residence in Papinsville, Mo.

(50) December 1861-3rd Kansas Jayhawker Regiment destroys Butler, Mo.

(50) December 1861-7th Kansas Jayhawkers rode from Pleasant Hill, Mo. to West Point Mo. stealing ten thousand dollars’ worth of livestock and 55 slaves then another 150 mules, 40 horses, and 129 slaves and burning every house but one along their line of march.

(47) January 1, 1862-47 homes in Dayton, Mo. burned by 7th Kansas Jayhawkers.

(42) January 4, 1862-James Lane's Brigade burned 42 homes in Rosehill, Mo.

(2) January 8, 1862-2 homes burned in Columbus, Mo. by Kansas Jayhawkers.

(50) January 9, 1862-The county seat of Columbus and fifty homes were completely destroyed by 7th Kansas Jayhawker Regiment.

(14) January 28, 1862-William Gregg saw 14 homes in his neighborhood in Jackson County Mo. burning at one time.
Here is a very rare image of three members of Jennison’s Jayhawkers taken in Weston Mo. Thanks to Rick Mack for sharing this rare image with us.




(200) January 1862-Jennison's Jayhawkers burned 200 homes Lexington, Mo

(150) January 1862-Jennison burned 150 homes in Chapel Hill, Mo.

(50) January 1862-7th Kansas Cavalry rode into Holden, Mo. in Johnson County and burned forty to fifty homes stealing what they did not burn.

(160) January 8, 1862-One resident of Kingsville, Mo. recounted seeing 160 houses on fire by the 7th Kansas Jayhawkers.

(3) March 9, 1862-three homes burned in Cass County by Jayhawkers who were chased off when Quantrill appeared.

(5) March 23, 1862-following Tate house fight Federal patrols burned several homes.

(1) Spring 1862-Major Emory Foster burned down the house that guerrilla John Brinker and fellow guerrilla Frank Burgess were hiding in for harboring guerrillas.

(30) May 1862-Col. John T. Burris of the Fourth Kansas Jayhawker Regiment led forty Redlegs and two hundred jayhawkers on a Jayhawking raid on Missouri farms. Burris’s men ransacked property, killing more than fifty unarmed men, and burning at least thirty houses.

(10) August 1862-Lt. John T. Burris, in command of the Fourth Kansas Jayhawker Regiment, followed up the Southerners’ victories at 1st Battle of Independence, Lone Jack and White Oak Creek by burning homes of Southern sympathizers.

(8) August 1862-A resident of Independence Mrs. R. T. Bass saw 8 homes burning at one time.

(10) August 1862-immediately following 1st Battle of Independence Kansas Redleg George Hoyt invaded Missouri in Jackson County burning the houses of Southern people on the east side of the Blue River.

(12) September 18, 1862-12 homes burned in Lafayette Co. Mo.

(12) November 1862-a Federal patrol burned from two to twelve houses in the Little Blue neighborhood, leaving the families homeless.

(12) September 19, 1862 the 10th Kansas Cavalry swept through Pleasant Hill again and burned another twelve homes.

(5) October 4, 1862-Lexington, Mo. Redlegs burned several houses and killed seven men after plundering what they could carry off.

(12 ) October 1862-12 homes burned by 4th Kansas Jayhawkers in Pleasant Hill, Mo.

(50) October 1862-7th Kansas Jayhawkers completely destroy Morristown, Mo. only leaving 5 houses left standing

(12) November 1862 a Federal patrol had burned from two to twelve houses in the Little Blue neighborhood, leaving the families homeless.

(5) Winter of 1863 Vernon Co. Mo. Union Col. Obediah Smith was murdering Southerners and burning their homes in that region.

(13) In late January 1863 Colonel Penick sent a patrol from Independence to burn down thirteen houses of Southern sympathizers along with the Baptist church in Oak Grove,
Mo.

Colonel James Ridgeway Penick was the commander of the Fifth Missouri State Militia stationed in Independence, where this photo was taken. Because of their ruthless plundering, the civilian population called his troopers "Penick's Thieves," Penick refused to take prisoners so the Guerrillas responded in kind. Thanks to Patrick Marquis for sharing this image with us.



(2 ) January 1863-Federals burn down the home of John Saunder's and Samuel Kimberland in Jackson County Missouri

(1) Winter of 1863-Federals burn the home of Jeptha Crawford leaving wife and nine children destitute

(2) February 10, 1863-home of Mary Fristoe and Mrs. Rucker in Jackson County burned by Federal soldiers

(5) April 1, 1863-Kansas Redlegs raided Lexington, burning several homes.

(40) In the early spring of 1863 Jayhawkers stationed in Kansas City burned all the stores and destroyed 40 dwellings in the Six Mile Township of Jackson County near Sibley, Missouri.

(11) Spring 1863-Federals burned eleven Southern homes in Bates County.

(50) May 26, 1863 11th Kansas Cavalry burned Nevada City Mo. Vernon Co.

(1) May 26, 1863 Col. John D. Holt's home burned by Kansas Jayhawkers.

(1) September 1863 Elvira Scott described the Redlegs as “the lowest, most desperate looking specimens of humanity it has ever been my lot to witness.” Elsewhere Kansas troops broke into the home of an elderly man named Lawrence. They hanged him from a tree in his yard to get him to tell where his money was hidden. His wife had just died, and her casket was sitting on chairs in the parlor when the jayhawkers broke open the lid and cut off her finger to steal her wedding ring. Two daughters were forced to drag the coffin into the yard while the house burned down around them. They then cut down their father and nursed him back to health.

(20 ) July 1864 Jennison burned 20 homes in Camden Point, Mo. Destroyed entire town.

(20) July 1864 Jennison & Col. Ford burned Platte City, Mo.

(110) September 1864 During Gen. Ewing's Order #11 One Kansas officer boasted that a squad of his men were responsible for burning more than 110 houses, “some of them worth, it is said, as high as $20,000.”

(1) September 1864 Preston Plumb of the 11th Kansas Jayhawker Regt burn down the home of Unionist A. S. H. Crenshaw Independence, Mo.

Here is an post-war image of Colonel Preston Plumb. Thanks to Patrick Marquis for sharing this image.



(1) Daniel DeWitt of Blue Springs had his property plundered by Jayhawkers at least seven times in two years leaving his farm stripped of everything and his house and buildings burned to the ground.

(3) Morgan Walker, Kate King and Reuben Harris's homes burned by Kansas Jayhawkers

(8) Nancy Harris's home burned by Jayhawkers and she saw 7 homes burned in Sni Hills of which 2 were of poor widows.

(5) Thomas Pitcher's home burned along with several others per Nancy Pitcher's letter

(18) Upton Hays and Samuel Hays home 2 miles south of Westport Mo. burned by Jennison's 7th Kansas Jayhawkers and 16 neighbor's houses the same day.

(1) Home of Frances Fristoe Twyman's 70 yr old invalid mother burned. She had neither husband or son.

(1) Home of Charles Coward in Jackson County burned by 4th Kansas Jayhawker Regt.

(1) Home of John Wallace of Independence burned by Jayhawkers

(1) Sidney Scott Johnson County house burned by Kansas Jayhawkers.

(1) Mrs. Maggie English Independence Mo. Jayhawkers burned down her home.

(6) Guerrilla Andy Walker home burned by Union troops and those of 5 neighbors

(1) Guerrilla Richard P. Maddox home burned down by Kansas Jayhawkers

(1) Guerrillas John and Joseph Hall, George Barnett homes burned by Jayhawkers early 1862

(1) Guerrilla Cole Younger' home burned down February 9, 1863 by Jayhawkers forcing his mother to set fire to her own house in the middle of winter at the point of a bayonet.

(1) Guerrillas Robert and Isaac Hall's mother's home burned by Jayhawkers during winter of 1862 when they made her set her own home on fire on threat of death and burned the homes of 4 neighbors the same day

(2) Guerrilla Hiram and John George's home burned by Jayhawkers 7 times and their mother's home burned 3 times and neighbor Ezra Moore's house burned down the same day

(1) Guerrilla Joseph Gibson's home in Bates Co. Mo. burned by Jayhawkers.

(1) Guerrilla John A. Workman's home destroyed by Kansas Jayhawkers, Jayhawkers came to his home and took his wife and young baby out and laid them on a mattress in snow a foot deep and then burn down his house.

(4) Guerrillas Preston Webb, Frank Smith, George Wigginton, Joseph Gibson, homes burned by Jayhawkers

Here is a post war image of George Wigginton standing in front of his home. Thanks to member Patrick Marquis for sharing this image.



(1) Guerrilla William McCoy's mother's home burned down by Federals

(1) Guerrilla George M. Noland's home burned by Kansas Jayhawkers with him inside but he managed to escape

(1) Guerrilla Dave Poole and his brother John joined after Jayhawkers killed their uncle Archibald Poole, plundered his property then burned down his home and murdered their brother-in-law.

(1) Guerrilla Warren Welch's home burned down by Jayhawkers while he was in the Mo State Guards leaving his mother and her five young children destitute

(3) Guerrilla William McWaters home in Platte County and Guerrillas John House and Dave Hilton's homes burned in 1861 by Jayhawkers

(15) Guerrilla Joseph and Frank Lea from Strother, Mo. had their home burned by Federal troops. Federals murdered their father and burned down 14 homes in the neighborhood.

(1) Guerrilla Archie Clements's mother's home burned down by Federals

(1) Guerrilla William Anderson's parents home burned by Federals.

(1) Guerrilla John McCorkle's house burned down early summer 1863.

(2) Guerrilla William Babe Hudspeth's home burned Spring 1862 and again July 1863 and Federals also burned down the home of his uncle.

(1) Guerrilla Gooley Robinson's widowed aunt's home burned by Federals

(5) Guerrillas Dick Yeager, Ben Morrow, Howard Bragg, William Reynolds, & John Brown, homes burned by Kansas Jayhawkers.

(3) Guerrillas Horace Davenport, J. Stogden and R. Cockrell from Columbus, Mo. Their homes were destroyed by Jayhawkers on January 8, 1862.

(25) Guerrilla Dick Liddel remarked that he saw Kansas Jayhawkers burning and robbing at one time twenty-five farm houses and barns and carrying off the stock and taking away all the negroes who would go.

Total
2,419


To this was added the observation of John Newman Edwards: “The militia and the Jayhawkers preyed upon the citizens and the non-combatants, and the guerrillas preyed upon the militia and the Jayhawkers. To the sword the torch had been added. Two hundred houses in Jackson County had been burnt; Vernon County was a desert; a day’s ride in Bates brought no sight of a habitation; Cass was well nigh ruined; a black swathe had been mowed through Lafayette; Butler was in ashes; Harrisonville was in ashes.” To combat these abuses by the Federals, the guerrillas fought back with a vengeance, so much so that there was a price upon the head of Quantrill and every one of his men. Let the facts speak for themselves.

Reference Missouri Historical Review #54
Andreas - History of Kansas pg 1152-53
The Story of the Seventh Kansas by Simeon Fox
Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas Border by Don Gilmore
Quantrill of Missouri - Paul R. Petersen

Article submitted by Paul R. Petersen– 2010 quantrillsguerrillas.com

"Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this or copyrighted essay and/or image."

This picture was recently found by my mother in a photo album of an elderly relative. The photo album is believed to have been owned by Raphael Dixon who lived in the northwest portion of Missouri. Towns in MO that the Dixon family lived in include Savannah, Maryville, Ravenswood and possibly others close by. More than likely it would have been closer to Savannah, MO, just outside of St. Joseph.

There has always been talk that Dixon family members rode with Quantrill’s guerrillas. There were also stories passed down that my mother’s family knew the James family as well. However, I would imagine a lot of people have made that claim. My mother also suggested I research the Smith-Dixon gang as there were rumors about family members being part of that gang as well.



Not long ago I sent the attached picture to a James family expert and he suggested I look to you members for help. I had seen a death photo of Charlie Pitts (James’s gang) and the similarities made me curious. However, since then I have seen a live picture of Charlie Pitts and I now question my initial thoughts. By the way, the expert could not confirm nor deny that the person was Charlie Pitts. He did say, however, that after his brief review of the picture that this person more than likely rode with Quantrill’s guerillas because of his style of shirt and the brandishing of his pistol. He mentioned that the members of the James gang rarely took pictures with their guns and the fancy shirt was indicative of someone who rode with the guerrillas.

Anyway, can someone shed some light on the identity of this person? I do appreciate your help.

John Potthast

If anyone has any information please contact the admin via a private message or by e-mail. Thanks in advance for your assistance.