White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1865-08-17
Letter From Col. Thomas Moon.
light.
LEAvENwoRTH CRY, July 26. '65.

Editor Bulletin ::
In your issus of last evening / read,
with interest and astonishment, the 'Nlili-
tary news of the Plains" Whoever the
writer of that article. was be seems friend.
~ to me. and has given pretty generally
the truth. Allow me to add few
items by way Of explanation. Gen. Con-
nor exhibited towards ms spirit of hos
tility from the moment he set foot in
Colorado, and presume he had his rea-
sons; one of which was. that | would not
play into the hands of tba Overland Stage
Company, at the expense Of my honor
and manhood, while he would. 1t is
true, that in my career as soldier, l owe
nothing to either the Overland Stage
Company. or the Telegraph Company,
while Gen. Connor does, and it may be
that be has a right to "praise the bridge
that carried him over" As soldier,
have never worked for the interest of any
particular firm. or party-unless it was
the Union Party. in which take par
eicular pride-ahd while have studious-
" avoided tie quicksands Of sectionslism
and local interests. pecuniarily and other
wise, among my friends and in the State
of my friends, and in the State of my
adoption. it would be weak in me to
cater to the fancy and pockets of Ben.
Holiday, powerful as his influence msy
be at Washington, and knowing, as I do,
the hostility Of his drivers, agents, &c
to the interests of Kansas and the Gov
ernment at large. 1t so happened that
about the time Of the arrival of General
Connor in Denver City, detective en-
ployed by the Government, reported TO
me as a district comman ander. that there
was quantity of forage short distance
out in the country. and that it was being
hauled away stealthily by some parties,
while the man who lived on the premises
could not tell to whom it belonged
Forage had been stolen in large and
small quantities from the Government
prior to my assuming command, and it
was supposed this was one of the piles.
l Immediately had it brought in by
Quartermasters' teams and stored In the
Government store house. No sooner had
Gen. Connor arrived than the stage agent
claimed tho grain as company property.
told him he must cover the whole trans
action by affidavit. but Gen. Connor
said no-said that he was acquainted
with all the facts in the premises, and
that the corn must be given up instsnter,
to Ben. Hollsday. Gen Connor has been
stationed in Utah during this war. which
is only six hundred miles west Of Denver,
and. it would seem, knew all aDout it,
purchased or not purchased. The corn
was sent back, and was relieved 10 COM
mand and sent to Fort Laramie. where
he supposed l conll languish ont my
time and not be sry annoyance to him in
his little private matters. had not been
but short time at Laramie when he de-
nounced me os "mulinous and insnbordi-
nate" My reply was, 81 had nothing to
retract, and should abide the Issue" -
Why was l not arrested for mutiny, DC?
There was a niger in the wood pile" :"
Shortly after my assuming command at
Laramie. l dared to capture two bands Of
Sioux Indians and hang the chiefs, Two
face and Blackfoot, on whose persons l
found two hundred dollars in green backs
which gave to Mrs. Eubsnks, the lady
prisoner they had with them when cap
tured. The poor woman bad suffered
terribly as their prisoner, and could not
resist the temptation to see them hung.
which took place to the tune of yankee
Doodle" by the band of the l1th O. V.
Cavalry. These proceedings did not
suit Gen. Connor. as he wished it distinct
ly understood that be was the only sol.
dicr in the army who knew how and dar-
ed to handle the Indisns. Well, proba-
bly, it is so. for he has been in one little
fight in his life. and ought to know all
about the business, while men who have
gone through this war have nj right to
know anything. rr. ! a7-an ma p
o, wad some power the giftie gle US,
To see ourselves as ithers see us. ~
Kansas men have no business on the
plains. A man must be from Iowa,
Nebraska, Dacotah or Utah, before he is
entitled to some consideration, so l advise
you Kansans, whose faces are turned
westward. to take the hint.
Permit me to say in conclusion that
all kilograms. dispatches. &c. snnounc-
ing that l was surprised by Indians and
my horses captured. are maliciously
false. and only worthy for the source
from which they emsnated. As soldier.
my name has never appeared in the pub
lie press IN any controversy. Ny duty
said "grin and bear it," but now that l
am proud citizen l will try and defend
myself. that the people Of Kansas may
know me just as l am.
~ Moox,, ,oc.r.