While W. C. Quantrill's motives are suspect, there is little doubt as to why the men of northwest Missouri flocked to him. The real raiders were from Kansas...Jayhawkers, Redlegs. They came from the "free state" of Kansas into Missouri. They raided, marauded, killed and burned throughout this area of Missouri...targeting suspected southern sympathizers. My family immigrated from Kentucky to Johnson and Lafayette counties in Missouri. They were farmers. They were killed and burned out. Many citizens rallied around Quantrill to combat the raiders from Kansas...to protect their families and farms. Members of my family joined and supported the partisans under Quantrill. It is not simple, it is not black and white. They had cause.