William T. Anderson - Aftermath of Centralia

Aftermath of Centralia

Anderson left the Centralia area on September 27, pursued for the first time by Union forces equipped with artillery. Anderson evaded the pursuit, leading his men into ravines that the Union troops would not enter for fear of ambush. In the aftermath of the attacks, Union soldiers committed several revenge killings of Confederate-sympathizing civilians. They burned Rocheport to the ground on October 2; the town was under close scrutiny by Union forces, owing to the number of Confederate sympathizers there, but General Fisk maintained that the fire was accidental. Anderson watched the fire from nearby bluffs.

Anderson visited Confederate sympathizers as he traveled, some of whom viewed him as a hero for fighting the Union, whom they deeply hated. Many of Anderson's men also despised the Union, and he was adept at tapping into this emotion. The Union soldier held captured at Centralia was impressed with the control that Anderson exercised over his men. Although many of them wished to execute this Union hostage, Anderson refused to allow it. On October 6, Anderson and his men traveled to meet General Price in Boonville, Missouri. Price was disgusted that Anderson used scalps to decorate his horse, and would not speak with him until he removed them. He was, however, impressed by the effectiveness of Anderson's attacks. Anderson presented him with a gift of fine Union pistols, likely captured at Centralia. Price instructed Anderson to travel to the Missouri railroad and disrupt rail traffic, making Anderson a de facto Confederate captain.

Anderson traveled 70 miles (110 km) east with 80 men to New Florence, Missouri. The group then traveled west, disregarding the mission assigned by General Price in favor of looting. Anderson reached a Confederate Army camp; although he hoped to kill some injured Union prisoners there, he was prevented from doing so by camp doctors. After Confederate forces under General Joseph O. Shelby conquered Glasgow, Anderson traveled to the city to loot. He visited the house of a well-known Union sympathizer, the wealthiest resident of the town, brutally beat him, and raped his 12- or 13-year-old black servant. Anderson indicated that he was particularly angry that the man had freed his slaves and trampled him with a specially trained horse. Local residents gathered $5,000, which they gave to Anderson; he then released the man, who died of his injuries in 1866. Anderson killed several other Union loyalists and some of his men returned to the wealthy resident's house to rape more of his female servants. He left the area with 150 men.