American Terrorists

Terrorists loom the thoughts and fears of many Americans in the twenty-first century. But it isn’t the first time in history, our nation has worried about being killed by a group of blood thirst terrorists on United States soil. In the 1860’s, terrorism during the Civil War was a fact of life. Guerilla bands with both Union and Confederate sympathies raided towns and farms and killed civilians. Citizens of Kansas on the Union side and Missouri on the Confederate side had the most to fear from these terrorist raids.

One community suffered from these terrorists attacks more than any other. On August 21, 1863, over 400 raiders led by William Quantrill executed a well planned attack on the city and surrounding farms of Lawrence, Kansas. Before they rode back to Missouri, around 200 men and boys who were old enough to take up arms were murdered and many homes and businesses were burned to the ground.

Some of the men who rode with Quantrill that night were Bloody Bill Anderson, Frank James, Cole Younger, and maybe Jesse James. These men called bushwhackers felt they had reason enough for what they did. The Union terrorists called jaywalkers felt they had reason too. Terrorists always believe that atrocities and bloodshed justify the murder of innocent civilians.