|
Montgomery City, Mo. Aug. 20. - What became of the body of Bill Anderson,
the noted guerrilla of the Civil War who terrrorized
Missouri?
"Uncle Charle Baker, an old and
"reliable" negro of Montgomery County, was here at the old settlers'
reunion. While discussing the Civil War period one of the spectators who
was acquainted with the early history of Missouri pointed to a crowd on
the amphitheater and picking out Baker said: "It is not generally known,
but there is an old negro who was Bill Anderson's valet during the famous
raids through
Missouri."
Baker was sent for and was questioned by
Judge H. W. Johnson of Montgomery City and learned that the aged negro was
Anderson's body servant, having been captured by the noted guerrilla as he
made his raid through Montgomery County, burning Danville, the county
seat, and killing several
men.
"Yes, I want to stay right here, it is
true I was with Bill Anderson as he passed thru here during the war," said
Baker, and took care of his horses for him and waited on him the best I
could. I was was with Mister Bill and his family at the time he was
killed. I was holding two horses for him when he made his last charge in
Ray County, near Camden, when he was killed by the Davis Militia under
Colonel Cox and Major Grimes. I was not in the midst of the battle, but I
saw the charge, and that was the last of mr. Bill. It has been said the
Mister Bill's wife got his body. It's not rue, I went with Mr. Bill's wife
down in Texas, where she spent the winter. I know she didn't get his
body."
"Mister Bill took me up as he passed through
Montgomery County, near Danville, and made me his servant, and I waited on
him and his wife. I spent a year with Mister Bill's wife after he was
killed then I came back to Montgomery County. I own a farm and have been
an official member of the Methodist Church for years, making an honest
living and tending my own business."
"I want to say that Mister Bill was a good
master. He treated me very well, and I looked after his horses and family
after his tragic death."
Anderson and his desperate gang passed through
Callaway County in 1864, going up the Missouri River. Near Camden he was
shot to death in a fight with Federal troops. It is said that 600 human
scalps were found in his possession, and on his body were six revolvers,
$200 in gold and $100 in
silver.
All the early settlers of Audrain County
well remember Bill Anderson's two slaughters at Centralia. Col. Turner
Gorden of Columbis tells the story that he came up from St. Louis on a
Wabash train, passing theough Mexico, and 22 Union soldiers were on board.
The train went on to Centralia and met Bill Anderson and his men.
Anderson's men fired on the train and the soldiers were ordered out and
were lined up and shot down. The worst part of the affair came the next
day when a band of Federal troops came over from Paris, Mo. to wipe out
the bushwhackers. Two miles south of Centralia a fight ensued and the
bushwhackers had it all their way and not a half dozen of the Federals
escaped with their lives - what is known as the "Centralia
Massacre". |
|