Though the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Albany is in 2014, 

it’s not too early to start planning for activities to commemorate 

the event. 

That was the message Robbie Maupin put forth during the Annual 

Meeting of the Ray County Historical Society  in January 2012.  The 

Historical Society and Maupin are now working together to make the 

event a reality and would like to get other interested county residents 

involved in the idea. 

Volunteers will be needed to help with fundraising, concessions, ac- 

tivities, marketing, parking, and management. 

Maupin is passionate about Civil War history and was instrumental in 

organizing and planning the Battle of Lexington reenactment this past 

fall and he felt the time had come for Ray County to reenact one of the 

principal battles that took place locally. 

Maupin is joining forces with the Ray County Historical Society to 

stage the Battle of Albany on its 150th Anniversary in October 2014. 

Several other 150th anniversary special events will also be planned, 

including a formal dedication of a State Historic Marker at the gravesites 

on the Murrell Thomas property north of Orrick. 

“There’s a ton of people out there, not just locally, that will be extremely 

excited to hear that finally someone is going to recreate 

this battle and recognize Bloody Bill Anderson, his men, and the 

Federal Troops who were able to finally bring an end to Bloody 

Bill. It’s a time to celebrate their victory and to honor the men 

who fell on that field. 

“To be able to do that for the first time in 150 years, I’m very 

excited to attempt.” 

Maupin has an extensive background in Civil War reenacting 

and has been involved in it for 15 years, taking part in most na- 

tional events and in some movies. 

He’s been involved with productions by “Wide-Awake Films”, 

KCPT television, the History Channel, and National Geographic. 

“I’ve been very fortunate to be involved in all aspects of it — 

infantry, civilian, cavalry, heavy artillery — on both sides. “I’ve 

fought Union and I’ve fought Southern. 

“Most of us had family members who fought on both sides. 

It’s our duty to honor those people who fought in that war.” 

Being a Civil War re-enactor has changed the way Maupin 

feels about history and his family. 

“My mother’s been instrumental in opening my eyes to my family history, 

which goes all the way back to the Revolutionary War. 

“It’s an honor for me to be a part of recreating these events and this history so we don’t 

forget where we’ve come from and the people 

who were instrumental in creating the country we live in today. 

What we hope to do is give Ray County, 

the community of Richmond, and the area of 

Orrick something to celebrate during the 

50th Anniversary of the Civil War. 

The two-day reenactment would also recreate larger battles 

with cannons and charging cavalry. 

He mainly wants Ray County residents to 

recognize what occurred at the Battle of Albany and 

believes that recognition is long 

overdue. 

“This really wasn’t a big battle,” Maupin 

said. “It wasn’t like the battle of Lexington. 

It was a small skirmish. 

But what happened there is due recognition and the men who fought there, the men 

ho died there, the circumstance that happened there. 

It’s way over due to bring attention to this event and this area. 

He didn’t think we should miss the oppor- 

unity to recognize the death of Bloody Bill 

Anderson. 

“Be it good or be it bad, some people look 

at this man and the men who rode with him 

is nothing more than a marauding band of 

murderers and thieves and pillagers. But they 

weren’t. They were men. Young men mostly. 

Anderson was 25 years old. 

Three of Maupin’s relatives rode with 

Anderson when they were 17 or 18 years old. 

They were young men. They were caught 

up in a war that changed their lives and they 

fought for the ideals and beliefs that they 

thought were right. 

It is not our place to judge those people who 

fought on either side. It is our place, if we’re 

going to recreate these events, to do it as fairly 

and accurately as possible. 

In the Battle of Albany, Bloody Bill Ander- 

on and his men were on that spot of land 

and they did what they normally do. They 

mounted their horses and they charged head- 

long into the enemy. That’s what they were 

known for. That’s how they fought. 

The outcome of that day wasn’t what they 

hoped for. 

Maupin said organizers will have to find a 

location that will accommodate everybody — 

the re-enactors, the settlers, the vendors, and 

the spectators and have the room and all the 

amenities to do it. 

He would like to see a four-battle weekend 

with two generic battles with one on Satur- 

day and one on Sunday. 

In and of itself, the Battle of Albany would 

be too short-lived to draw very many re-en- 

actors. 

He said more re-enactors would get in- 

volved “if you give all these guys a chance to 

come for a full weekend of activities” with 

two generic full-scale battles with all the ar- 

tillery, the entire cavalry, and all the infantry. 

At a certain time after a generic battle, re- 

enactors would re-create the Battle of Albany 

and the death of Bloody Bill Anderson. 

Along with the battles, he hopes the event 

will include a Civil War ball, the unveiling 

and dedication of a state highway marker, a 

parade, and tours of the Ray County Museum 

and the cemeteries where Capt. Anderson and 

Bob Ford are buried. 

A weekend event would also provide the 

opportunity to recreate  the graveside funeral 

service for Bloody Bill Anderson, which oc- 

curred nearly 42 years after his death when 

Cole Younger brought his Wild West Show 

to Richmond. 

“All these things are things you could draw 

as you plan and get ready for this event,” he 

said. 

He would also like to include a formal 

dedication of the monument to the Parti- 

san Rangers located on the Murrell Tho- 

mas property north of Orrick. While this 

area could not accommodate a large assem- 

blage, family members, city, county and 

state officials, and re-enactors would be 

invited to participate in the dedication. 

Maupin envisions a select group of 

mounted riders positioned nearly out of 

sight in the wooded area around the graves. 

When the service ended, the riders would 

withdraw solemnly. 

Maupin has already started working with 

the Missouri Department of Natural Re- 

sources to get a State Historic Marker 

placed at the site. 

He said it takes a lot of planning, fund- 

ing and volunteers to produce an event of 

this magnitude. 

Organizers will have to take care of both 

spectators and re-enactors. 

“You have to let them know they are in- 

volved in something very special and we 

are very thankful for them to be here. 

I am hoping if we can do this event in 

Ray County, it will be a phenomenal expe- 

rience and everybody will be proud to be 

involved in it. 

The Death of Capt. W. T. Anderson

Report dated Oct. 31, 1864, and addressed to “General Craig, Headquarters, 33rd Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, Hamilton, Missouri.”  The report was evidently was made by “an officer” present at Albany on Oct. 27,1864.

Dear Sir:

We have already forwarded to you a hasty official report of “Cob” Cox expedition against the notorious and fiendish bushwhacker, Wm. T. Anderson,  and his rebel crew, but feeling satisfied that there are facts and circumstances connected with the death and capture of Bill Anderson  that would be more gratifying to you and perhaps to the public, I have determined to forward you a more detailed account of the expedition and its results which you can have published or not as you may think proper.

The command left Hamilton on Monday the 24th with detailed portions of six companies of the 33rd Regiment Enrolled Missouri commanded by the following company officers to wit: Capts. J. Woodruff, Napoleon B. Brown and Leabo; Lieuts. Samuel Brown and Levi Cline, all of Daviess County, and Lieut. Orem of Caldwell County; also a portion of two other companies, one commanded by Capt. Jones of Cameron and Lieut. James Mylan commanding company of Caldwell home guards organized under Order No. 107, in all some 175 men.

We camped at Knoxville that night. Next morning learning that some 75 or 100 bushwhackers were in camp at or near Millville, six or seven miles southeast of us, we marched directly there, with our whole force, except a small guard sent with the wagon train directly from Knoxville to Richmond.

Lieut. Baker commanding company of the 31st Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, whom we joined at Knoxville, was sent by a different route to learn the whereabouts of the enemy and report to us at Millville. We had not been there more than 30 minutes before a messenger came from Lieut. Baker with the information that he had engaged the enemy some three miles east of us. We joined him on the double quick with the whole force along and found him in possession of one prisoner, a blacksmith and his tools, two horses and two guns.

The lieutenant had come upon them shoeing their horses in the woods near their late camp. They were in small force and fled, all making their escape except as before stated. Their camp had moved the evening before as we suppose joining Anderson’s camp near Albany  in the southwest corner of Ray County, where we engaged them as hereinafter stated.

We then moved to Richmond and encamped for the night and rested the next day and recruited men’ and horses. We learned the whereabouts of the enemy: 200 of them had passed up the river the night before we got to Richmond just south of town in the bottoms, 120 the night we got there, and others we learned had moved their camps from Hanesville in Clay County and other points, all concentrating near Albany in the Missouri River bottoms.

The next morning, 27th October, the entire force above stated and some 150 more of the 51st Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia under Maj. Grimes  of Ray County were marched directly to Albany under the command of S.P “Cob” Cox  of Daviess County.

We came across the rebel pickets some mile east of Albany in the road, 10 or 15 strong. Our advance guard drove them in and through Albany, which is situated in the Missouri bottoms at the foot of the bluffs. The whole command followed up and were dismounted in and south of the town, leaving the 4th man to hold horses. Except that our advance guard of Calvary, consisting of one company of some 40 men under the command of Lt. Baker  of Knoxville, Ray County, was sent forward to engage and draw out the enemy.

Our infantry was formed into company lines and marched forthwith into the open woods beyond Albany some 400 yards, and thrown into line of battle extending from a field on the north to a field on the south. Scarcely had the lines been formed when the enemy, who had also been drawn up in line of battle in Calvary force from two to three hundred strong some five or six hundred yards from our line, were engaged by our advance under Lieut. Baker.

And onward came Bloody Bill and his followers in hot pursuit of our advance guard with such hideous “J” shrieks and fiendish yells that made the very woods ring for miles. Such was Bloody Bill’s mode of warfare.

“Our advance retired to the rear of the infantry line, which opened the way for them.

The enemy came on in full charge, yelling like Indians without firing a shot until they were within 75 or 80 yards of our line. Then the firing commenced on both sides and was kept up with great fierceness until the enemy came within 40 or 50 yards of our line.

Bloody Bill and some five or six of his associates in crime came dashing considerably in the advance of their line and their chieftain Anderson, with one other supposed to be Lieut. Rains, son of rebel Gen. Rains, charged fearlessly through our lines and were both unhorsed close in our rear.

Anderson  fell dead upon the ground within 20 yards of our men, having received two balls in the left side of his head near the ear. The other raised and scrambled off into a field to our left, where he was found dead next day.

The enemy, seeing their leader fall, could stand no longer but fled in wild confusion and returned no more. Our infantry stood firm and fought bravely throughout the contest. Many of the men and officers there deserve especial praise for their gallantry and cool bravery. The retreat of the advance guard to our rear caused a stampede of our horses behind but it was soon checked and did us but little damage.

When the firing ceased, which did not last over 10 minutes before the enemy fled, our advance under Lieut. Baker came in front again and pursued the enemy some two miles, but fell further behind the farther he went.

So the enemy was completely routed. We had four men wounded, three slightly. One James Mulligan, Daviess County, very severely received four balls, one entering the forehead, one through the hips, one through the arm and two fingers shot off; dangerously ill but yet alive. A brave and good man and most excellent soldier. We lost one horse dead on the field, one wounded and since dead.

The enemy lost seven dead men, as stated by a prisoner and young wounded man of theirs, young Miller of Clay County, and some 10 or 12 wounded. But one fell immediately on the field. That was Anderson. Two more were found the next day close by.

The same enemy passed through Millville early that night 25 miles from the battlefield. The battle was fought between two and three o’clock in the evening.

We captured two fine horses in the fight, one supposed to be young Rains’ and the other Anderson’s. The infamous bushwhacker Bill Anderson rode a fine Iron Grey mare with a human scalp tied to the head stall of his bridle on the left rear. He came yelling and shooting and shot until he fell dead and when he fell he was making towards Capt. Woodruff of Daviess County who is another large man and was riding a large gray horse close behind the infantry carrying a flag in his hand.

Bloody Bill had four revolvers buckled around him and two very large ones across his saddle. He was well dressed with rich, clothing. He had on a white wool hat with a long fine black plume in it; wore a fine net undershirt and over it one of fine black cloth most elegantly embroidered on the sleeves and breast; a fine blue cloth vest, and a close-bodied frock coat of excellent drab colored cassimere and pants of same.

He had on his person a fine gold watch and chain and a silver one; $323 in gold and $273 in paper money besides some silver change and small paper currency and $18 in Confederate money.

He also had his own likeness and another supposed to be his wife’s and in his pocketbook was also found a short memorandum which we suppose is from his wife, though he passed himself off through this country for a single man.

After going on to mention certain articles such as a dashing woman would fancy for dress and ornament and some toys for her babe, she winds up thus: Your ever loving and obedient wife until death’ (signed) Bush Anderson , At home Friday evening, April 20th, 1864.’  On the back of same was written: Wm. T. Anderson, Bush Anderson, Grason County, Texas, April 20th, 1864, in pencil mark. Enclosed in this note was a small lock of fine dark chestnut brown hair.

In his pocket was also found a receipt thus: “reed, of W.T. Anderson $360. (Signed) Presley Garvis. Also two orders thus: “Head Quarters Army of Missouri, Boonville 11 October, 1864. Special Order: Capt. Anderson with his command will at once proceed to the north side of the Missouri River and permanently destroy the North Missouri Railroad going as’ far east as practicable. He will report his operations at least every two days. By order of Maj. Gen (Sterling) Price.

And again: “To the officer in charge of the ferry boat: Capt. Anderson  and his command will be crossed to the other side of the river after which the ferry boat will await orders on this side of the river. By order of Maj. Gen. Price.

Both of which there can be no doubt given are genuine and directed by Price. What now can our chivalrous friends of the South say in vindication of their boasted Missouri chieftain General Price: coming into our state under the Confederate flag, leading Missourians and commissioning bushwhackers, yea the infamous, cruel, fiendish Bloody Bill Anderson, for a long time a terror to honest men and women of Missouri.

In his pockets were also found two Rebel flags, one about two feet long and 10 inches wide, another a small but very fine one some foot long and four inches wide, 12 stars on one side and 11 on the other and made of fine silk ribbon. On the middle stripe of which was written on one side, “Presented to Capt. Wm. T. Anderson by his friend M.L.R.” and on the other, “Don’t let it be contaminated by Fed. hands.” As if anything from the hands of such a man as Anderson could be disgraced or be made worse by mortal man. To-the proof of which we need only refer to the cold blooded, heartless and unfeeling butchery of our fellow men at Centralia, unarmed and helpless.

We brought his body off the battlefield and gave it a decent burial in a good coffin, deposited in the extreme south side of the public grave yard in Richmond, marking his resting place with a head and foot board. Not that we had any respect for him, for God knows we are unable to see how an honest man or woman in Missouri could. But because we respected ourselves and felt that after death his body was but the lifeless remains of a human being and could no longer harm this world and feeling that our cause is a just Holy one we could not forget that we were American citizens and should be guided by feelings of humanity and civilization. God grant that our countrymen in this sanguinary struggle may remember and not disgrace our Anglo Saxon bloom.

Photograph likenesses of Anderson before and after death were taken by Dr. Kice of Richmond and of which, General, I will send you.