Curt Neeley
I just now ordered this book as an important addition to my collection of Civil War and Indian Wars titles. Only recently had Col. Thomas Moonlight come to the fore in my research. Moonlight was an effective subordinate to Maj. Gen. Samuel Ryan Curtis during the Battle of Pea Ridge Arkansas and others. Gen. Curtis commanded the Military District of the Plains from Ft. Leavenworth. It was his order, by telegraph to Chivington during the so-called Denver-Camp Weld "peace talks", that ordered Chivington to "punish the indians" and to "make no peace without my approval". Chivington caught up with Black Kettle and other bands at Sand Creek. Michno proves 24 dead and 51 wounded troopers in 7 hours Col. Moonlight commanded in Denver for 90 days to arrange the Sand Creek Military hearings and assigned Chivingtons arch-enemy Lt. Col. Samuel F. Tappan to chair them. Hearings minutes show much hearsay and perjury. Moonlight then moved to command Ft. Laramie, Gen. Curtis became a U. S. Railroad Commissioner. After dismissal from the army, Moonlight enjoyed some success at politics. McDermott has filled-in many blanks in the story for me. Curt Neeley, Colorado Springs