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Biography
John Noland (1844 – June 25, 1908) was an American freedman who was one of Confederate bushwhacker William Quantrill's scouts during the American Civil War, and helped in scouting Lawrence, Kansas, before the massacre by Quantrill's men in 1863. Noland may have claimed the massacre began before he returned from scouting the town.
Post-war pictures show Noland, an African-American, sitting with his comrades at reunions of the Raiders. Noland tried to attend most of the reunions and was popular among other Quantrill veterans, who described him as "a man among men."
In the 1999 movie Ride with the Devil, depicting a group of fictionalized Missouri bushwhackers similar to those of Quantrill's Raiders, the character of Daniel Holt was representative of Quantrill's John Noland. The film depicted him even though his awkwardness in fighting for the Southern Cause is also evident. The film also shows the fictional Holt participating in Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas.