~CAPT. WILLIAM CLARKE QUANTRILL, CSA~

Before the actual declaration of war by newly elected President Abraham Lincoln,

the "Border States" were already under attack by anti-slavery factions incited by John Brown.

Kansas "Jayhawker" vigilantes and pro-Union, militia opportunists antagonized citizens, burned properties, stole possessions & participated in the murder of civilians.

The US government did little to stop them.

WILLIAM CLARKE QUANTRILL - TEACHER

So what does it take to turn a mild mannered teacher of children into a ruthless soldier?

CAPT. WILLIAM CLARKE QUANTRILL, CSA  QUANTRILL'S PARTISAN RAIDERS

A while ago I asked myself, what would compel over 480 brave Confederate warriors to follow some young, scrawny backwoods sociopath into battle?  So I went looking for the answer.

I believe I have found it- along with so much more! To start with, his name indeed was an alias!

History says, William Clarke Quantrill worked as a teacher in Lawrence, Kansas,

 a carpenter/plasterer, a slave chaser and several other odd jobs before newly elected

President Abraham Lincoln officially declared war on the South for secession.

Interestingly, the body guard, hand chosen by the Lincolns to accompany them to Ford's Theater that fateful night, was also a carpenter, as was conspirator Edman Spangler who was working at the theater at the time.  Spangler was known to the Booth family.

None of Quantrill's many now famous Captains were killed, including himself.

They were loathed for the "divine interventions" that seemed to make their raids so successful. Quantrill's men were brave, dedicated and loyal. They like George Washington, had spies, apparently in very high places.

WILLIAM CLARKE QUANTRILL 

William (seated right) with his closest brother) before the war.

Both of these 2 brothers were declared killed in action during the Civil War.

It appears, many of the reports of Quantrill's men lost in battle were not true.

One of these two brothers attended West Point as did their father, but did not stay until graduation while the other sailed with the Navy.