No Quarter Given: The Brutal Tale of “Champ” Ferguson’s Confederate Guerillas

Historians have wondered what caused Samuel “Champ” Ferguson to despise the Union army and their sympathizers to the point where he inflicted savage and inhumane atrocities on those he captured

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Guest Post by Donna Patton

Depiction of Samuel “Champ” Ferguson (Image generated via Midjourney)

Background

Samuel “Champ” Ferguson was a notorious Confederate guerilla during the American Civil War with a fierce hatred for Union soldiers and sympathizers. He was known to kill unarmed civilians and brutally murder old men in their beds. The viciousness of his attacks surpassed even the most violent serial killers of today.

Often, he targeted men he merely suspected might do wrong against him. Although he was later charged with 53 murders, Ferguson admitted to killing at least 100 men.

He never denied the charges; instead, he claimed the killings were justified. He…