page_title: Captain Moonlite
section_title: Capture
hierarchical_section_title: Captain Moonlite / Capture
caption_attribution_description: English: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscpics/0/0/4/doc/mp004798.shtml Engraving, Date of creation: en:November 28, en:1879.
context_page_description: Andrew George Scott, also known as Captain Moonlite, was an Irish-born Australian bushranger and folk figure.
context_section_description: Scott's gang held up the Wantabadgery Station near Wagga Wagga on 15 November 1879 after being refused work, shelter and food. By this stage they were on the verge of starvation, after spending cold and rainy nights in the bush and in Moonlite's words succumbed to "desperation", terrorising staff and the family of Claude McDonald, the station owner. Scott also robbed the Australian Arms Hotel of a large quantity of alcohol and took prisoner the residents of some other neighbouring properties- bringing the number of prisoners to 25 in total. One man, Ruskin, escaped in an attempt to warn others, but was caught and subject to a mock trial, the jury of his fellow prisoners finding him "not guilty". Another station-hand attempted to rush Scott but was overpowered.
  A small party of four mounted troopers eventually arrived, but Scott's well armed gang captured their horses and held them down with gunfire for several hours until they retreated to gather reinforcements- at which point the gang slipped out. The gang then holed up in the farmhouse of Edmund McGlede until surrounded by a reinforcement of five extra troopers led by Sergeant Carroll.
  As the boy Wreneckie was running from a fence to reach a better position, he was fatally shot through the side. The police gradually advanced from tree to tree, and drove the remaining desperadoes into a detached back kitchen. Carroll led an assault upon the kitchen, and in this rally Constable Edward Webb-Bowen was fatally wounded, a bullet from one of the gang members entering his neck, and lodging near the spine.
  Nesbitt was also shot and killed, attempting to lead police away from the house so that Scott could escape. When Scott saw Nesbitt shot down and was distracted, McGlede took the opportunity to disarm the gang leader and with the other members wounded, or captured on attempting to flee, the fire fight came to a close. Rogan succeeded in escaping, but was found next day under a bed in McGlede's house. According to newspaper reports at the time, Scott openly wept at the loss of his dearest and closest companion. As Nesbitt lay dying, 'his leader wept over him like a child, laid his head upon his breast, and kissed him passionately'.
caption: Capture of Captain Moonlite
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