Quantrill's War: the Life and Times of William Clarke Quantrill 1837-1865 For career criminal William Clarke Quantrill, the American Civil War was an opportunity to practice legitimately what he loved most: theft, destruction, and murder. He rampaged freely as a military hero, slaughtering hundreds, fighting under the flag of the Confederate Army. This definitive biography presents a richly drawn study of this most unlikely "hero". of photos.