William Clarke Quantrill

[JaneQuantrill]

Today, May 10th, 2015, is the 150th Anniversary of when my relative, William Clarke Quantrill, was mortally wounded, near Taylorsville, Kentucky. He died from his wound on June 6th, 1865.

 

[KeyserSoze]

Your relative came to a rather interesting end.

"Quantrill was buried in an unmarked grave (it was later marked) in what later became known as St. John's Cemetery in Louisville. A boyhood friend of Quantrill's, newspaper reporter William W. Scott, claimed to have dug up the Louisville grave in 1887 and brought Quantrill's remains back to Dover at the request of Quantrill's mother. These remains were supposedly buried in Dover in 1889. However, Scott attempted unsuccessfully to sell what he said were Quantrill's bones, so it is not known whether the remains he returned to Dover or buried in Dover were genuine. In the early 1990s the Missouri division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans convinced the Kansas State Historical Society to negotiate with authorities in Dover, which led to three arm bones, two leg bones, and some hair, all allegedly Quantrill's, being buried in 1992 at the Old Confederate Veteran's Home Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri. As a result of these events, there are grave markers for Quantrill in Louisville, Dover, and Higginsville."

 

[MRB1863]

A boyhood friend of Quantrill's, newspaper reporter William W. Scott

Hope I don't have any "good friends" like Scott.

 

[alexjack]

Today, May 10th, 2015, is the 150th Anniversary of when my relative, William Clarke Quantrill, was mortally wounded, near Taylorsville, Kentucky. He died from his wound on June 6th, 1865.

How do you feel about him Jane in view of his notoriety. Do you go for ' my family right or wrong'?

 

[JaneQuantrill]

Your relative came to a rather interesting end.

"Quantrill was buried in an unmarked grave (it was later marked) in what later became known as St. John's Cemetery in Louisville. A boyhood friend of Quantrill's, newspaper reporter William W. Scott, claimed to have dug up the Louisville grave in 1887 and brought Quantrill's remains back to Dover at the request of Quantrill's mother. These remains were supposedly buried in Dover in 1889. However, Scott attempted unsuccessfully to sell what he said were Quantrill's bones, so it is not known whether the remains he returned to Dover or buried in Dover were genuine. In the early 1990s the Missouri division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans convinced the Kansas State Historical Society to negotiate with authorities in Dover, which led to three arm bones, two leg bones, and some hair, all allegedly Quantrill's, being buried in 1992 at the Old Confederate Veteran's Home Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri. As a result of these events, there are grave markers for Quantrill in Louisville, Dover, and Higginsville."

I have only visited the Higginsville grave, but hope, one day, to visit the others.

 

[JaneQuantrill]

How do you feel about him Jane in view of his notoriety. Do you go for ' my family right or wrong'?

I think that war affects people in different ways. If I had faced the things he faced; how would I have acted? There's no way to know.
He did both good and bad things; but 'to the winner goes the spoils', and I believe he has been unfairly demonized, as a result.

 

[leftyhunter]

I think that war affects people in different ways. If I had faced the things he faced; how would I have acted? There's no way to know.
He did both good and bad things; but 'to the winner goes the spoils', and I believe he has been unfairly demonized, as a result.

Quantrill chose to fight in the CW. He could of moved back to Ohio and maybe he would of been drafted and maybe if he really didn't want to fight he could of fled to Canada as did others. When one orders 13 year old boys to be murdered in cold blood as did Quantrill in the Lawrence Kansas Massacre then yes some folks will think that is a bad thing to do. Their are a number of books about him I like "the Devil knows how to ride the true story of Quantrills raiders and T.J. Stiles "Jesse James the last rebel of the Civil War which also covers Quantrill in detail. Their are of course other books. Quantrill is an interesting character thats for sure.
Leftyhunter

 

[Boonslick]

It's unfortunate that Sam Peckinpah never thought of writing and directing the William Clarke Quantrill biopic. What a movie that would have been!

 

[leftyhunter]

It's unfortunate that Sam Peckinpah never thought of writing and directing the William Clarke Quantrill biopic. What a movie that would have been!

Hopefully some one will make another movie about the COIN war in Mo such has "ride with the devil " which I liked. I would like to see a movie that is fair and balanced about Quantrill but that is far easier said then done. I am thinking in terms of Oliver Stone as director although Martin Sorchese (sp?) comes to mind. Spike Lee wouldn't be a bad choice.
Leftyhunter

 

[diane]

Our good friend @Patrick H can probably help out here. Quantrill was irregular, possibly a bit unbalanced, but there sure was something about the incredibly brutal warfare in Missouri that brought it out in people who were, under normal circumstances, fine folks.

Good grief, three graves - that's him all over! However I do believe Higginsville MO collected all the bits and put him in one place. I did know his skull was used by a fraternity for some sort of ritual. Well, thanks to the graves protection acts to keep such things from happening to Indian skulls - notably Geronimo's and Chief Joseph's - Quantrill's noggin was placed in a respectable pine box and buried, I sincerely hope with the rest of him. Robert L Hawkins III said, in his eulogy at Higginsville:

"We do not wish him buried where people are ashamed of him, where no one remembers or cares to recall the brutality of a partisan warfare that created men like Captain Quantrill and those who rode with him. He belongs here, here with those who were truly his people."

 

[JaneQuantrill]

Hopefully some one will make another movie about the COIN war in Mo such has "ride with the devil " which I liked. I would like to see a movie that is fair and balanced about Quantrill but that is far easier said then done. I am thinking in terms of Oliver Stone as director although Martin Sorchese (sp?) comes to mind. Spike Lee wouldn't be a bad choice.
Leftyhunter

I agree re a film about WCQ. Ride with The Devil is an excellent movie. There have been some dreadful and inaccurate movies about William Quantrill: Quantrill's Raiders, Kansas Raiders, and Dark Command, all come to mind.

 

[leftyhunter]

I agree re a film about WCQ. Ride with The Devil is an excellent movie. There have been some dreadful and inaccurate movies about William Quantrill: Quantrill's Raiders, Kansas Raiders, and Dark Command, all come to mind.

I have not seen the other three. I could see if netflix as them.Of course Hollywood sometimes gets history mostly right and sometimes take great liberties with the truth depending if they want to make money or a political propaganda. It was always ever thus. I like the Duke although not all of his politics. I think I will rent Dark Command. Of course I can always rent another movie along side of it if its no so good.
Thanks
Leftyhunter

 

[hanna260]

William Quantrill- what an interesting, complicated person living in such terrible circumstances- as you said Jane, who knows how I would have acted, same circumstance, same place, same time- though that is not said to either condemn or condone him! It is so cool that you have this connection to him.

 

[JaneQuantrill]

I have not seen the other three. I could see if netflix as them.Of course Hollywood sometimes gets history mostly right and sometimes take great liberties with the truth depending if they want to make money or a political propaganda. It was always ever thus. I like the Duke although not all of his politics. I think I will rent Dark Command. Of course I can always rent another movie along side of it if its no so good.
Thanks
Leftyhunter

There's some very good actors in these three rather dubious movies.

 

[JaneQuantrill]

William Quantrill- what an interesting, complicated person living in such terrible circumstances- as you said Jane, who knows how I would have acted, same circumstance, same place, same time- thought that is not said to either condemn or condone him! It is so cool that you have this connection to him.

I freely admit, I am proud of my heritage and the connection it gives me to such an important and fascinating part of history.

 

[JaneQuantrill]

I freely admit, I am proud of my heritage and the connection it gives me to such an important and fascinating part of history.

I wish I was the character in my novel, Partners in Time, who gets to go back in time to meet him!

 

[Union_Buff]

I've been reading about him for a while now Jane and like Hanna, I find him to be a most interesting and complex person living during the worst event of America's history.

 

[ole]

I freely admit, I am proud of my heritage and the connection it gives me to such an important and fascinating part of history.

As well you ought to be. In this world, the sins of the father may not be visited upon the children.

 

[rhettbutler1865]

Hopefully some one will make another movie about the COIN war in Mo such has "ride with the devil " which I liked. I would like to see a movie that is fair and balanced about Quantrill but that is far easier said then done. I am thinking in terms of Oliver Stone as director although Martin Sorchese (sp?) comes to mind. Spike Lee wouldn't be a bad choice.
Leftyhunter

This is one for Stone. He'd do the best job--but he's pretty tired now...

 

[rhettbutler1865]

Jane, I think it's "cool" that you have the same last name. (i have a Barnum pewter sculpture "Quantrill's Raiders"--it's action-packed and quite beautiful).