William Anderson leads a band of Confederate…

William Anderson leads a band of Confederate “irregulars”, among then sixteen-year-old Jesse James, in raiding Centralia, Missouri, on September 7, 1864.

Anderson's men, roughly seventy strong, wear Confederate uniforms but behave like pirates.

After attacking a stagecoach, they systematically raid homes and stores, reportedly raping and murdering before reducing the town to a burning ruin.

Finding that a train is scheduled to pass through town at midday, they erect a barricade and force it to stop, then begin robbing the passengers.

Finding twenty-six Union soldiers on furlough from General William T. Sherman's command in the southeast, they shoot their lieutenant as he tries to flee, then herd the rest off the train and strip them of their uniforms.

Anderson single-handedly executes all of the soldiers but one (a sergeant, who they intend to exchange for one of their number held in a federal prison), then finishes robbing the civilian passengers and burns the train.

Three companies of Union troops, roughly one hundred and fifty strong, having been on Anderson's trail for some time, are ambushed just south of Centralia by Anderson's gang, now reinforced by several guerilla leaders who have joined forces to annihilate the Federal patrol.

The guerillas charge, killing the Federals by the score and giving no quarter to those attempting to surrender.

The guerillas then pursue and kill the troops attempting to escape, some scalping their victims.

After the battle the guerilla bands separate again to elude their pursuers.

Anderson's crew, keeping their hostage from the train robbery, heads west along the Missouri river.

They continue to kill union militia and sympathizers along the way.