2015 Spring Newsletter

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By Jim Bousman

(Moonlight Rd. in Johnson and Miami Counties Kansas)

T homas Moonlight was born in Scotland in 1833. At the age of 13 he arrived aboard ship at Philadelphia and began his life in America. In 1853 he joined the regular army and served in the artillery until his dis charge at Fort Leavenworth in 1858.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Moonlight was commis sioned Captain of the 1st. Independent Battery Kansas Light "SUJMMFSZ PSHBOJ[FE BU .PVOE $JUZ ,BOTBT ć F BSUJMMFSZ battery was assigned to the Lane Brigade and took part in the sacking of Osceola, Missouri. His skill as an artilleryman was demonstrated during this engagement when he placed a howitzer round on top of the St. Clair County Courthouse. %VSJOH UIF $JWJM 8BS ć PNBT .PPOMJHIU XBT SBQJEMZ QSP moted and ended the Civil War as a brevet brigadier general of the 11th Kansas Cavalry. Colonel Moonlight is another, of several, who fought in the Battle of Westport that are – “stories unto themselves”. Moonlight’s command of his brigade during the engagements before the Battle of Westport gave the Union Army time nec FTTBSZ UP DPODFOUSBUF PO UIF #JH #MVF ć VT EFGFBUJOH 1SJDF T Army of Missouri.

On January 8, 1865 Colonel Moonlight took command of the %FOWFS .JMJUBSZ %JTUSJDU 0O 'FCSVBSZ IF Pď DJBMMZ DPO venes the military investigation into the Sand Creek Massacre. Following the Civil War, Moonlight served during the Indian wars in the west.

"ę FS MFBWJOH UIF BSNZ IF TFSWFE BT the Kansas Secretary of State, 13th Ad jutant General of the State of Kansas, Governor of the Wyoming Territory and was appointed Minister to Bolivia. He died in 1899 and is buried in Leav enworth Kansas.

T homas Moonlight

Jim Bousman

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