George W. Maddox was born in Missouri in 1831; in the 1860 census he is listed as a farmer residing in Big Cedar, Jackson County, Missouri. In January 1862, Maddox, along with Charles Fletcher “Fletch” Taylor and others, joined Quantrill’s band as some of the guerrilla chieftain’s earliest recruits. He participated in the Battle of Pleasant Hill, Missouri (July 11, 1862), the raid on Lawrence, Kansas, (August 21, 1863), the massacre at Baxter Springs, Kansas (October 6, 1863) and the Centralia, Missouri Massacre (September 27, 1864). At the Battle of Pleasant Hill his horse was shot out from under him and he was wounded in both lungs. During the raid on Lawrence, Maddox served as Quantrill’s chief scout.

On November 18, 1863, a Douglas County, Kansas grand jury issued indictments against Maddox and others involved in the Lawrence Raid. After the war, he was apprehended and transferred to Lawrence on February 8, 1866. His trial was moved to Ottawa, Kansas, however, on a change of venue, and he was acquitted. Before anyone realized what was happening, Maddox sneaked out the back of the courthouse where his wife was waiting with a horse, and they made their way back to Missouri. George Maddox was the only guerrilla to stand trial for the Lawrence Raid. Moving to Nevada, Missouri, after the war, Maddox worked for the railroad for a period of time. In 1897, he became a guard at the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City, Missouri.

Maddox reportedly died in Arkansas on January 4, 1901 and was buried by Confederate veterans.

Ambrotype by Unknown Photographer

Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 30215