William McWaters facts for kids

William McWaters (born around 1844, died 1875) was an American gunfighter from Missouri. He was known for riding with William Clarke Quantrill. McWaters was one of the many dangerous men who became involved in the conflicts of the Kansas-Missouri border wars and the American Civil War.

Early Life in Missouri

William McWaters was the second of eight children. His parents were Hugh and Mary McWaters. He grew up on farms in different parts of Missouri. These included Platte, St. Charles, and Cedar counties.

When he was young, McWaters was said to have taken part in a raid into Kansas. This raid was in support of slavery. When the American Civil War began, McWaters joined a group of guerrilla fighters. These groups were often called bushwhackers. On September 3, 1861, his group damaged a bridge. This caused a Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad train to crash. The train was carrying Union soldiers. This event was known as the Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy. It was a serious accident that harmed many people.

Fighting in the Civil War

Later, McWaters joined Confederate soldiers. They were led by Jim Gilden, under General Sterling Price. After six months, he went back to his family's farm. He found that his father and a brother had died. Their farm was destroyed. His family had been forced to leave the area.

McWaters then joined other Confederate guerrilla fighters. These included William T. Anderson and the brothers John and Fletch Taylor. They continued to fight against Union soldiers. Reports said McWaters' group killed a Captain Cheeseman and many of his men. Later, they joined Quantrill. They went into Kansas. McWaters was part of the Lawrence Massacre. This was a terrible event where many lives were lost.

Quantrill and Anderson later had a disagreement. McWaters chose to return to Missouri with Anderson. They continued their guerrilla attacks there. News reports from that time said McWaters often barely escaped capture. A woman named Jennie Mayfield sometimes helped him.

Life After the War

In 1867, McWaters became a suspect in a serious incident involving General Joseph Bailey. Bailey was the sheriff of Bates County. McWaters was recognized in Humansville. A group of people formed to chase him. McWaters managed to escape on his horse.

An account from 1875 says McWaters opened a saloon in Platte City. Trouble followed when a shooting incident occurred. A man died, and his friend John Taylor was shot by a policeman. McWaters then went to St. Joseph, Missouri. It is said he was involved in a gunfight there. McWaters then fled to Wyoming. He married Susie Davis on December 31, 1868, in Otoe County, Nebraska.

In February 1873, McWaters and two others had a disagreement with Dr. Wolf. Dr. Wolf was the deputy postmaster in Wyoming, Nebraska. They later attacked him in the post office. A few days later, a United States Marshal named Granville Hail arrived. He came to arrest the group. A gunfight happened. Hail was injured, and Dr. Wolf died. McWaters was later arrested in St. Louis. He was brought back to Nebraska. For some reason, the charges were later dropped.

In February 1874, McWaters and John Crook were arrested. This was after a shooting in Nebraska City. Rudolf Wirz, a store clerk, died. Two others were wounded. The two men were caught in Iowa. They later escaped from jail. They got a gun from a guard. Friends helped them flee to Indian Territory. McWaters and Crook soon separated after a quarrel. McWaters went to Hays City, Kansas. He was recognized and arrested again. He escaped from his cell. He locked the guard and two workers inside. He then rode away on the local postmaster's horse.

For a short time, McWaters hid with the Niitsítapi People. This was in Nebraska or Wyoming. But he had a disagreement that led to a death. He then traveled to Sparta, Oregon. There, he was involved in a shooting incident with George Weed. Weed was a former Union soldier.

Capture and Imprisonment

Detectives hired by Sheriff Farber of Nebraska City were looking for McWaters. After the incident with Weed, they got a tip. They learned he was hiding in Sacramento, California.

A newspaper from November 1874 reported his capture. Sheriff Farber took McWaters back to Nebraska City. McWaters was put in leg irons. He was fastened to the floor of the train car. McWaters threatened the Chief of Police. But the Chief was not worried.

In December 1874, McWaters was found guilty. He was responsible for the death of Rudolf Wirz. The next month, he was sentenced to twenty-one years of hard labor. This was at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

Life in Prison

On January 17, 1875, McWaters started a prison uprising. He and other convicts overpowered a guard. They captured the deputy warden. They tried to escape by making McWaters look like the deputy warden. But one of the captured guards managed to untie himself. He warned the people of Lincoln.

The next morning, soldiers arrived. A tense standoff followed. McWaters realized there was no hope for escape. The convicts released their hostages. These included the warden's wife. They then surrendered. One guard, Jean Grosjean, was wounded in the leg.

Death

William McWaters died after being shot by a prison guard. This happened on May 26, 1875. Days earlier, prison staff had been warned. They heard McWaters was planning another escape attempt. On that day, guard Hugh Blaney saw McWaters whispering to another inmate. McWaters then went into a latrine. When he came out with a rock, Blaney shot him. Some newspapers later said McWaters was shot without a clear reason. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Remembering William McWaters

An article from 1875 described William McWaters. It said he had many scars and bullet holes. He had escaped from prison many times. He loved to tell stories about fighting. He was a skilled rider, like a Comanche. He was also very calm and clever, like Modoc Jack. His eyes would only light up during a fight. He had a good build. The article suggested he could have been a gentleman, like Kit Carson.