The Deadline Report – Ben Vidgen Investigates.

Ben Vidgen InvestigatesJournalist author Ben Vidgen presents a 30 minute show offering quality alternative media backed by quality documented information on the issues not hitting the headlines, but that should be. A double shot of reality, always educational if never pretty.

The Deadline Report airs on Sundays at 1:00pm & replays Friday nights at 7.00pm

Nov 3 Episidev 140 The Cowboy Wars

Oct 20 Epi 139 US Elections.

Oct 13 Epi 138 Treaty of Waitangi Constitutional Law

Oct 6 Epi 137 US Elections

Breakfast in America Photo Diary Pt1.

The Moonlight Diaries – The Italian Connection.Red White & Green.

I decide to have dinner at Tenampa in the Garibaldi Plaza.

The yellow building is icon of Mexico city immortalized in countless mariachi songs since it opened in 1925. Since then it has been part of the history of Mexican music; with murals reminiscent of the great composers and artists who include the likes of Javier Solís or tall poppy Chavels Vargas Long a Costa Rican-born tequila drinking, cigar smoking, rabble rouser who sang at Elizabeth Taylor’s marriage to Mike Todd (where she ran off with Ava Gardner) and lived with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in La Casa Azul for over a year.

Vargas sexuality was considered an open secret, though she only publicly came out as a lesbian at age 81 in her 2002 autobiography.

On the surface her songs where romantic going deeper lines such as “I’m leaving, I leave you my freedom as an inheritance” highlighted how much of her material was tinged with social political influence as will.

The food is all I could hope for spicy salsa tender totortilles, succulent veal washed down with 2 lites bottle of Corona and fresh limes.

Is it Michlin Star cuisine? No but it’s history. And as I enjoy my food a Danny Trejo look alike sits at the next to me. Brother it can’t get more MexiCAN than that.

I buy a silly hat from a vendor and call it quits after remembering my concierge and a local merchant warned me to be careful in the plaza at night and to avoid the local clubs. A claim I hear repeatedly over the next few days. A merchant from Uruguay and his artist friends aside from warning me of the plaza confirm that their little difference between the two main Mexocan political parties. That asides they feel the standards of living in Mexico is improving and most Mexicans do feel hopeful.

Who knows one day the plaza will return to its former glory. And it’s clear the police have been instructed to turn out in numbers as a show of force. The square used to be known as the Plazuela de Jardín not an offshoot of my Australian brethren the Jardines. Though in researching the surname I learn both names derived from the French for garden or orchard.

This ultimately makes sense but initially leaves me to wondering on the symbolism of single tall ‘green’ tree ( an organic form of the Clepatros Needle if you will) which seems appears in the mighty gardens that spring up where ever the water spirt ( Vidgean) symbol emerges. Yet let’s not get ahead of our selves now. It’s suffice to say for the time being the two clans of Vidgean Jardine originated from the same Scotish region of Abroth and drew from the same hearaldy which was more blue than red. And of course a tall tree also has deep roots. For as mums painting The Tower reminds means water means life and is a good place to build your seat of power.

The tall tree in Mexico case is the Cactus of Mexico City a reminder that the original Aztec city was literally a floating garden built on a swamp located between two pyrids one that honored the moon and the other sun.

The Mexican flag is a symbol, in a symbol, a geographic representation of history. An eagle eating a snake, on a tall green cactus, on a red white green background with the Mexico coat of arms in the middle.

Green is for independence (natural law), White represents the purity of Catholicism and Red the blood of national heroes. The laurel of the flag means wisdom (Minerva) and beneath that lies the symbol of Federalism.

The bird in the centre of Mexican flag is often sold as the national bird of Mexico, the crested Caraca but fact is a golden eagle the heraldic icon of the Phoenix which represents bravery, strength, and the indomitable spirit of the Mexican people. While the snake symbolizes their ancient foes and the constant struggle against adversity – evil spirits or at least that how the Catholic priest spin it on Sunday mornings.

To indigenous Aztecs and Mexicans the snake represented simultaneously wisdom and a nutritional snack. It was the martial god Quetzalcoatl familar and that waz capable of shredding skin proof of its ability to reincarnate. The perfect pet who you never had to take for walks or feel guilty about if you served it up for dinner when an unnounced guest popped in when the larder was other wise empty.

The Mexican coat of arms is recalling when the Aztec ruler Huitzilopochtli told the Tenochtitlan people that they would find their permanent home once he found an eagle devouring a snake, perched on a prickly pear cactus.

In the text by Chimalpahin Cuauhtlehuanitzin, the eagle is devouring something. Other versions show an Eagle clutching the Aztec symbol of war, the atl-tlachinolli glyph, or “burning water”. Built on a swamp the Aztecs soon worked out to make their tree prickly when attacked.

The Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, echo the shape of the neighboring valleys where attack may come and thus the pyramid doubled as forts and watch towers.

Huitzilopochtli “vision” I would say was sound lucid strategy. The man was clearly no slouch.

Eagles only eat where it’s safe.

Safe is the highest vantage point and if Tommy Savage, my guide at Cape York, taught me any thing (as he showed us edible green ants that doubled as anti septic and sunscreen on prickly cactus growing out of the sun blasted rocks at Cape York), it means cactus mean water. And water means food.

A tall cactus is literally a McDonalds for hungry apex predator wanting to eat a nice protein swamp dweller – aka a snake burger. It offered people, sick of nomadic living, a suitable high place to build on a defensive position (with access to water), while also offering their crops the maximum sun needed for photosynthesis essential for growth.

And it gave those denizens a vantage point to view where your enemy was ostensibly like to arrive from. That snakes also kept other creepy crawlies at bay, hunted other possible edible food source, no doubt was a lesson long learned by the early nomadic Aztecs.

People whose descendents like the aboriginal Australian (and in fact all non-African populations) had descended from a single wave of migrants, who left Africa over 72,000 years ago. Those forced to move as the weather underwent many changes. Who moved where their food went until finally walls were erected around tall trees and gardens where planted and deep wells were dug.

Times passes. Names change. In 1871 Plaza Jardin became Plaza del Baratillo. A name used to market the giant street market that occupied the square and the surrounding streets. The name was changed again in 1921 to honor the Garibaldi family specifically Giussrppi and grand son Jose. Blood is the water the Garibaldi grew tall upon. Yet befor we get to big red grand daddy Garibaldi here’s the brief on junior José “Peppino” Garibaldi.

The acorn does not fall far from the tree.

Jose was born in Melbourn Australia and belonged to the same Melbourne lodge affiliated with the Burns Society. The Garibaldi society Propaganda Uno P1 would be a pivotal force in the Australian Eureka up rising with its leader including Garibaldi 2IC Raffaello Carboni and the red tuniced Carlifornia Rangers.

Men who despite being called Carlifornians where represented by a large Scotish contingent. As seen by the Southern Crosses St Andrew’s logo (fused with the Seven pointed Star symbolizing the Eastern or Lone Star — overlapping a Masonic Square).

José would also served in British Hellenic Army (Greek: Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), in the British backed war of independence aka Greeco Turkish war Where he served alongside his father and the English funded romantic such as Lord Gordon Byron (who influenced Garibaldi’s ideology) whose use of masonic Scotish Rites and St Andrew Cross would again infuence the revolutionary symbolism used by the Greek secret society Filiki Etairia Byron help found.

In 1911, a year after the Mexican flag was first flown ,Jose would fight in The First Battle of Ciudad Juárez.

A battle between forces loyal to Spaniard aligned President Porfirio Díaz and rebel forces of Francisco Madero a practcing esoteric spiritualist Raffaello Carboni the lieutenant to Garibaldi senior who fought in Australia’s Eureka uprising.

Jose brothers in arms revolutionsies Pascual Orozco and Pancho Villa commanded Madero’s army as it besieged Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua during two days of intense fighting until the city’s garrison surrendered and the Revolutionaries took control of the town.

The fall of Ciudad Juárez to Madero, combined with Emiliano Zapata’s taking of Cuautla in Morelos, convinced President Díaz that he could not hope to defeat the rebels. As a result, he agreed to the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez, then he resigned and went into exile in France, ending the initial stage of the Mexican Revolution. A phase where allegiance often changed and there was plenty of snakes for the eagles to munch on.

Case in point Pancho ended up sacking Garibaldi in a controversy over who should recieve the credit for the victory of Ciudad Juárez in 1911. The name of the Garibaldi plaza (formerly Pila de la Habana) stuck nonetheless, despite the way Jose left the Mexican army of the Revolution.

Unphased Jose joined the rebels fighting against the anti American anti French Cipriano Castro in Venezuela, and then several other conflicts in South America.

Conflicts where beneath the romantic cause revolutionary ideals the battle for natural resources and minerals underscored the real motives at work. At at least for the sugar daddies funding the revolutionaries.

When WW1 unfolded Jose became a Lieutenant-Colonel in France commanding the French Foreign Legion’s Italian Garibaldi Legion ( the marchimg legion ). At least until the regiment was finally dissolved on May 5, 1915, due to Italy’s entry in the war and the departure of the majority of the regiment including Jose back to their country of origin.

As for Giuseppe Garibaldi Im going to quote the highly bias official masonic lodges text but when reading between the lines I refer readers to my previous statement that beneath the cause of revolution natural resources and minerals where the true motive.

The Garibaldi family revolutions tended to revolve around money and power.

And the Garibaldi clan tended to go where the money and power was. As to whom was using whom your guess is as good as mine. Yet Garibaldi like Cecil Rhodez or Alister Crowley (one of the heads of the Golden Dawn) or the other numerous leaders and messiahs of the hundred fraternal orders and secret societies simply saw the lodges as a networking tool means to an end.

Snake filled gardens where seeds could be planted. Though only a few survived to put down any meaningful roots and few grew tall enough to become home for the snake eating Eagles.

That caveat in place;

Giuseppe Garribaldi, Garibaldi senior, was quite possibly one of the most passionate and active freedom fighters of the 19th century.

Born in Italy in 1807 as Napoleon was spreading enlightenment ideals across Europe, Garibaldi was deeply inspired but the rising tide of human liberty.

After he came of age he fought in almost every revolution and struggle for freedom from South America to his native homeland. What he is remembered most for, however is leading the hearts and minds of the Italian people to unity, turning a loose collection of small states into a united kingdom of Italy. It was this innate passion for human liberation that led Garibaldi to Freemasonry.Garibaldi was initiated in 1848 into Les Amis del la Patri Lodge in Montevideo, Uruguay. He remained an active Mason until his death in 1882, frequently mixing his fervor for liberation with masonry. Often his Masonic Brothers were his comrades in arms, and his Masonic ideals went with him everywhere he raised the flag of liberation, and fostered fraternity. He became an international hero, often his presence alone was enough to turn the tide of battle, and lead men to victory.Because of his massive popular support, Kings and Princes sought to use him for their own ends, however he always flipped the tables, and ended up using them to further his dreams and ideals. He famously switched sides in the Franco-Prussian war, when Emperor Napoleon III of France abdicated and proclaimed a Republic. He famously said on the occasion “Yesterday I said to you: war to the death to Bonaparte. Today I say to you: rescue the French Republic by every means.” He was never a slave to personalities and personalities and states, only a servant of ideals“

Hyperbol certainly. Yet unargubably Garibaldi most certainly left ( no pun attended) his influence on both the flag of Mexico the red tunic of the 1849 Carlifornian miners worn by the Australian Scotish Italian Eureka revolutionaries and later striking Blackball Miners on New Zealand’s West Coast

Men who went on to form the red shirted coal stained socialist leaning New Zealand Labour party. A party who post 80s would become the manure from which Sir Roger Douglas would breed the Atlas backed yellow belly rattle snake known as the Act Party.

It’s some what an irony that today the red shirted American pro Republicans and red shirted Kiwi Laborites have forgotten ( or don’t know) that their party was once the party of the independent working class miners. Those who simply wanted a nation to be free in. They were not seeking to reconstruct another tower of Babel or raise an empire that would enslave all others.

Or it wasn’t until political animals undermined the elegatarian goals of Garribaldi influenced 1849s.

In America’s case Yankees like Fernando Wood (former Democrat Mayor of New York), Vice President John Breckinridge, Confederate General Albert Pike, John W. Booth Lincoln’s assassin, Cincinattis George W. L. Bickley (leader of Knights of the Golden Circle), and Willism Freemonts Native Sons of the Goldern West or US imperialist Sam Houston misused ideology and fraternal brotherhood to lay claim on the gold silver and highly pastoral lands of Texas Carlifornia and even parts of Mexico ( what’s now New Mexico). Freedom became a cliche for the building of prisons and the poisoning of wells.

In looking at the history of 17th 18th century globalism Im reminded of the ancient Celtics myth. A legend where the Druids of tall trees were once the caretakers of the ancient oaks who nurtured the forest’s nature and preserved what was left of Eaerlann, the ancient wood elven kingdom of the High Forest. But the druids eventually sucummed to the greed of man. The plundering armies of mortals who sought to steal the ancient magics, treasures, and knowledge until.the trees roots withered and where no more.

Trees grow on water not blood alone.

NOV 2 The Moonlight Diaries- Scape Goatted.

I spend the morning hobbling about as I recover from Halloween with little else to do I begin writing up Moonlights military career in Wyoming. A path that began with the mass slaughter of buffalo herds their extermination actively encouraged by mining and rail road titans.

Chicago NY investors saw Indians as bad for bussiness. And they were not that happy with independent operators either. Convirnently imported diseases like smallpox made life extremely hazardous for all the Plains people in the Colorado and Kansas territories in the early 1860s.

Indians who sucumbed to the disease easily where then quickly blamed by fearful European. Those whose own ancedtor had imported the pathogens originally. The NY Chicago Sam Fransisco press ( whose front doors usually bore the same logos you found on the entranceway to such buildings as The Native Sons of The Goldern West, The Knights of Pythian, Pacific Union Social Club or the exclusive Bohemian) did little to correct the misinformation that Indians alone spread disease and death.

A smear campaign combined with a series of harsh winters added to harshship and tension. The depleted cattle stock numbers ironically exposed inflated stock numbers ( as dead cattle did not match stock numbers) by Cattle barons. And Indians again got the blam for the theft of in many cases non existence phantom cows. A feat later repeated in the Cowboys wars where Big Cattle (backed by Eastern banking and Big Rail interest) laid false claims upon independent ranchers.

A perfect storm for increased rivalry between immigrants and indigenous peoples.

Provacation was further fulled by the Terrotorial Governor and Chicago Cattle tycoon John Evans who embellished the Indian threat and provoked the Indians into hostilities via the deployment of volunteer troops who where basically hired death squads.

In April, an encounter between Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and troops ended with two troopers killed and four dog soldiers wounded.Then Cheyenne Chief Lean Bear was murdered. Other horrific incidents occured and even when the culprits where clearly not Indians Indians got blamed by the government and corporate friendly newspapers.

A column of soldiers had approached Lean Bears Smoky Hill River camp. He and a large group of men rode out to meet them. Lean Bear and Star approached the soldiers seeking to greet them in parley as they displayed the peace medal and document issued by President Lincoln during negotiations a year earlier.

The soliders ignored the items. The order to fire saw Lean Bear take the full brunt of their weapons at point blank. He was blown off his horse and literally shot to pieces as the men kept on firing as the leader of the Plains Indians lay on his back on the ground having never made the slightest sign of aggression. George Bent, a Sand Creek survivor. Cheyenne Chief White Antelope testified that this murder alone ignited the beginning of hostilities in 1864.

Hostilities saw the desperate indigenous Indians facing not just muskets but multi chambered revolvers, howitzer with high explodive rounds and the ultra modern Gattling guns capable of firing 1000 rounds minute with a 98% accuracy up to 1000 yards. The tribes ultimately had no chance of winning. Not when placed up against a post Civil War force now fully mechanised with the most efficient killing weapons the world had ever seen.

In August 1864 Governor Evans authorised citizens to pursue “hostile Indians”. Evans encouraged them “to kill and destroy, as enemies of the country, wherever they may be found, all such hostile Indians.” A hostile Indian was basically defined as any Indian who committed the arrogant crime of breathing.

Those who joined the volunteer forces would be given arms, be paid and they could keep any “property” taken from the Indians including women and children who usually never lived long once the volunteer tired of their sadistic sport of such living trophies.

After finally receiving a funding authorisation, from a grossly misled Washington, Evans and Col. John Chivington ( a religious extremist), began recruiting in ernest. They hired the lowest dregs of Denver and nearby mining towns society to “pursue, kill, and destroy all hostile Indians that infest the Plains.”

Wyomy National Parks note “November 29: At dawn, Chivington orders troops to attack the village. Order breaks down within the military regiments. The soldiers murder/massacre over 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho, including about 150 women, children, and elderly. They mutilate many of the bodies. One Arapaho Chief and thirteen Cheyenne Council Chiefs are among the dead.December 14-19: Captain Silas Soule and Lieutenant Joseph Cramer of the 1st Regiment write letters to Maj. Edward Wynkoop, describing the attack at Sand Creek. Wynkoop has multiple copies of their letters made and he sends them to various military commanders and political figures. The letters are responsible in part for official investigations into the attack“. In respect to the dead and their relatives I wont recount the graphic details. It is suffice to say that this was not just a massacre. The wonton scale of barbarism Chivington men displayed went beyond simple mass murder and would turn the stomach of even the most stoic. I actual found tears began flowing when recalling the precise massacre details, while reading the candid but unemotional acknowledgment, of the brutal fate of so many Plaind Indians in Wyoming State Capital during this era.

Officially event remain sanitised as the raw evil of these state sanctioned events remains down played. As out side the State Capitol the names of the company and fraternal orders who bank rolled and legitimised this monstrous absence of humanity continue to be given prominence on the sculpture and building that surround the Capital next to major names we associate with the military industrial complex and the names of private sponsors who consist mostly of high ranking retired military offices who now sit on the same companies. Proud Cowboys Indiams chiefs and noble Bison ( and other plains animals) stand with equal honour next to the name of those who wiped out the bison, stomped on the truly independent frontiersman and committed mechanised mass extermination. It’s worthy of Monty Python sketch.

As the Civil War wind to its conclusions Washington began to better comprehend the scale of Evans and Chivington murderous actlons and they took action. Albeit in a pulled punch kind of way.

Moonlight, Wyoming future governor then a Lt Colonel and more importantly a non native was placed in command of the District of Colorado. He was ordered by War Department to relieve Colonel John M. Chivington. Moonlight was then ordered to conduct an investigation into Chivington’s actions during the Sand Creek Massacre and make recommendations of action.

To say Moonlight handling of the inquiry of the zealot (often acknowledged as the original author of the statement :the only good Indian is a dead Indian”) was a white wash is unfair to Moonlight.

Moonlight did included officer highly critical of Chivington in the investigation and the investigation was detailed and accurate for the most part.

However it also truthful to say Moonlight did not exceed himself into zealosly crucifying Chivington. Moonlights recommendations where shirt on seeing that Chivington was held fully accountable for the undeniably whole sale and clearly criminal butchery of Chivington and his men.

The reason for this is pretty straightforward.

The Civil War had just been concluded and the embers still burned hot. The Union military made it clear to Moonlight that it was not in a mood to flame internal dissent in the face of already existing levels of low moral induced by battle fatigue.

Moonlight settled for the scalp of Evans a non military non plains native.

Evans based largely on Moonlights investigation and report was removed from office by President Johnson for his role in the Sand Creek affair.

Something Evans distractors would not forget years later when Cleverland picked Moonlight as Wyoming Territorial Governor two decades later. Evans immeadate replacement as territorial governor would be Alexander Cummings, ala ‘Old Straw Hat” a former news papers man, who served as a highranking Union officer befor beem discharged for profiteering who however was deemed a staunch Republican loyalist*

At the outbreak of the American Civil War,Cummings used his political influence to be appointed as a special purchasing agent for the War Department. He was assigned to expediting the defense of Washington D.C. which included arranging railroad transportation of troops and purchasing supplies. Cummings wasted most of his two million dollar budget on overpriced items never used by troops. He purchased Halls carbines which the War Departmemt had ruled dangerous and not fit for service. He brought thousands of straw hats and pants that subsequently where ruled out of the Union uniform.

Chivington had already mustered out , listed as an honourable discharged. He recieve no punishment for his part. However it was not his timid handling of the Chivington affairs which lies behind the apparent desire to forget the only non ‘native’ governor of Moonlight.

Today Moonlights face is conspicuously absent from the portraits that hang in the public foyer of the State Capital. While his mansion has now been knocked down ( having been allowed to fall into disrepair long before that). Where his house once sat is the Department of Agricuture. Moonlights ardent foes the cattle industry seemingly got the last jab in.

Rather than the industry owning fully its own bloody handling of Indians affairs many have incorrectly sought to make Moonlight the Wyoming solider out as “drunken buffoon”.

A poster boy for cruelty and injustice to Indians. While his role as agent, albeit an agent with numerous constraints against those who where the true instigators of inhumanity, gets overlooked. To say it’s a cover up going to far. But it is equally valid to say the fact that whole Moonlight gets no street name military base or school named after him while those with far more blood on their hands do speaks volumes. And looking at the Masonic stamp on the state building dated 2019 is proof enough that regardless of lipservice suggesting otherwise the old boys network of god guns and bloody gods still is still a force to be reckoned with.

To give that account fair and balanced context let us begin Moonlights trip to Wyomy via Kansas in the last days of the Civil War The journey from Kansas to Fort Kearney in Nebraska Territory, then to Fort Laramie and what is now Casper, Wyoming (Patte Bridge Station) took endurance and hardyness.

Service which the Kansas 11th excited loyally and with little complaint as its war wear veterans faced deep snow, blast freezing winds virtually the entire legnth of their arduous march.

They would arrive at Fort Laramie April 9—the same day General Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. As Col. Moonlight remained at Fort Laramie Lt. Col. Plumb traveled to Platte Bridge Statio. Plums duty to collect intelligence and guard the telegraph post using a mix of the Kansas 11th and the 0hio 10th volunteers who like Plum were not happy with their duties. The 10th where Indian hunters and knew little of orthodox military discipline.

Ellis Hein an historian notes the “post was manned by units of the 11th Ohio and 11th Kansas cavalry regiments. Col. Thomas Moonlight of the 11th Kansas, stationed at Fort Laramie, commanded Platte Bridge and other posts along the Oregon Trail. Because of his actions and attitudes, bitterness and animosity grew between the 11th Ohio and the 11th Kansas regiments” Comfirming the 11th remained loyal to Moonlight.

The judgemental claims against Moonlight as a “drunk” are repeatedly made in connection with numerous incidents, without full reference or correct context. The title of “drunk” originate from a single documented incident. And a more careful examination provides a level of extenuating circumstances that also highlight the willingness of Moonlights hanging jury to ignore key factors as they seeking to boil history down to goodies and baddies based on current values and ideals.

Moonlight was certainly no “buffoon“. Befor and after his now ‘legendary’ walk of shame his career was marked by a repeated ability in the thick of combat to undertake swift decisive action. Behaviour that not only won numerous battle but also at times saved lives and diverted unesscary blood shed.

Reading Moonlights own analyst of Governor pardons and administrative affairs he can be awarded points for diligence and offering at time practical (if not always popular) solutions. Wyoming State Archives of his own papers show he can be seen to be genuinely concerned at corruption and manipulation of Cheynne working class voters.

Moonlights last military command is two dimensionslly sketched by revisionist as a spectacular train wreck all of Moonlights doing. A melt down that ignores what had until then been an exemplary and fast track military career. And that then ignores his many post war successes.

Moonlight with no family connections, wealth, or favors had risen from the lowly ranks of private to that of full Bird Colonel. Though again his frequently cited rank as a general, appears to be an honour Moonlight placed upon him self. Vanity was just one of Thomas many imperfections but stupidity wasn’t one of those weaknesses.

The original source to clarify his rank is the far from perfect **** who called him a Bevet Brigadier – a term meaning an honorific rank. However provides no official documentation to support their claim. An analyst of claims made about Moonlight Col. Moonlight confirms he was appointed commander of the north sub district of the Great Plains, and as such, the 11th Kansas Cavalry had command of the district. It never calls him a general and cites no official account of rank beyond colonel.

Jonathan Pickman also produces a mostly balanced detailed and excellent ( and even witty) account of the 11 in Wyoming including the rise and Fall of Moonlight military career in whats then Colorado clained territory.

So for clarification and credit where I’m not directly quoting Wickman I am (for this entry) largely paraphasing him. Though my final biography will also include other authors and historians whose account of this phase of Moonlight are worth noting.

In Moonlights defence Wickman account I note cites two factors which while not fully exscusing Moonlight actions do contributed a more rounded account of the ensuing Fort Laramie ‘fiasco’.

One “lt col” Moonlight acted largely on information he recieved from his joint commander and field officer Major Preston Plumb born in Ohio a future Senator accused of Cowardice during operations against Missouri raiders a claim countered by volunteer Cyrus Leland, Jr. in a letter from Leavenworth to his mother “It is all wrong about him. . . I was with him and saw all.”

There is regardless an undercurrent sense of rivalry between Plum and Moonlight.

And a sense Plum, who sided with the Ohio 11th, was quick to point fingers and did not always untake his duties willingly or diligently. Plum’s Civil War records is patchy at best.

Two Moonlight men in Wyominv where not in fact the 11th whom Moonlight had served with extensively. It was also made up of Ohio Volunteers. Who as noted did not have the 11th experience.

Many of the men of the 11th Kansas, including Plumb, had signed enlistments for three years or the duration of the war. The Civil War had ended in April, the men, many of them farmers, were anxious to get home to their families and start their spring planting. The 11th also included Black (Buffolo) soliders*, who likewise had signed up to fight pro slavery Confederates not indians. Plumb even personally went over Moonlights head and petitioned the governor of Kansas for relief, but his arguments fell on deaf ears. Moonlight in contrast went about his duties with zeal as even his critique succeed.

*1 A recent discovery by the author shows that Undercook Harvey Craven was wounded in the Battle of Platte Bridge, providing evidence that the Black soldiers of the 11th Kansas were involved in combat. (Wickman)

Plumb was not a happy camper and became natural ally to the disgruntled Ohio 11 and those in the Kansas 11th tired of war. The two regiments had to work together as if they were a combined unit. Col. Moonlight commanded the district HQ. Plumb distributed his 11th Kansas troops along the telegraph route, intermingling them with troops of the 10th Ohio. Plumb oversaw their supplies and ammunition. As the field officer he wrote the intelligence reports Moonlight then based his decisions upon. So the inaccuracy of the information Moonlight acted on must to a degree fall on Plum.

Moonlight unwillingness to listen to alternative accounts was yes most certainly a product of his strong will which bordered on stubborness amd even obnoxioysness at times. It would also based however on his understanding of some of his men motivation or more precisely lack of.

It seemingly also steemed from Moonlight wanting to demonstrste command. Which charactistically in his Presbytarian Scotish belief was done by installing a level of discipline that his more experience soliders of the 11th had learned to respect though jointly shared hard ship and the fact Moonlights leadership had kept them alive. The 10th knew nothing of that side of Moonlight.

On May 3, 1865, Moonlight personally led an expedition of 500 cavalry soldiers of mixed regiments against local tribes “in retaliation for attacks on telegraph stations” .

The detachment was intact a mix of the 11th Kansas Cavalry, the 11th Ohio Cavalry and 7th Iowa Cavalry, who like Ohio Volunteers where more militia than professional soliders. It would be guided by famed mountain man Jim Bridger, whose fire arms and equipment remain on displaced in Cheyenne national museum in Wyoming.

After Moonlight (based on information handed to him by scouts) mistook a herd of antelope for a band of Cheyenne and with water in short supply some of the men began to threaten mutiny against him. Some where said to be drinking.

Withstanding the issue that’s it not clear which regiments this claim refers to is a reality of the times. Drinking beer was not uncommon occurrence and as with sailors of the era beer or alcohol was sometimes used as a replacement when water was sparse. which provide context for claim. Regardless Moonlight relinquished command to Plumb, who largely oversaw the 11 Ohio. Plum immediately chose to return the detachment back to their original stations as again he undermined Moonlight orders.

On May 15th a handful of Oglala Lakota Sioux was located near Fort Laramie. With them was a Mrs. Lucinda Ewbanks and her small (half Indian??) daughter. This fact is often omitted by Moonlights critics Or she is simply referred to as being married to one of the Indians. Thd inference is made that it was the mixed race marriage that out raged Moonligjgbamd led to what happened next

In fact.Mrs. Ewbanks had been kidnapped in Nebraska nine months earlier by a band of Cheyenne who repeatedly raped her before trading her to another Indian.

The Indians who brought her did not appear to comprehend their action would be viewed as not acceptable And yes as such they had no apparemt hostile intentions to the men at Fort Laramie. Mrs. Ewbanks was in their eyes their legitimate property and they had brought her legitimately.

Two Face, one of the indians, claimed that he had purchased Mrs. Ewbanks from the Cheyennes in a “gesture of friendliness;”

Which was probably true

However Mrs. Ewbanks underscored she was not a well trested by her new masters and she gave a report of being horribly abused physically and sexually through out her captivity. Her.account was supportred by Capt. Palmer of the 11th Kansas who described how the bloodied sores on Ewbanks back had not been tended too or allowed to heal. The report also noted the Indians had six mules and three horses all bearing US brands.

Moonlight after hearing the evidence had six of the Oglalas arrested, and then he confiscated the $270 the prisoners had on them, which he gave to Ewbank as compensation for her capitivity and abuse. Moonlight released one Indian who he believed to be toonyoung to be held account for the action of the others. To make an example of the Indian, in response to their rape, trafficking, and theft, Moonlight ordered that two indians Two Face and Black Foot, be hanged on May 26.

Moonlight wrote Both of the chiefs openly boasted that they had killed white men and that they would do it again if let loose, so I concluded to tie them up by the neck with a trace chain suspended from a beam of wood and leave them there without any foothold.…On the person of Two Face was found $220 in greenbacks, which I gave to Mrs. Eubanks; also $50 taken from another of the band. This lady was captured by the Cheyennes on Little Blue last fall, where her husband was killed along with several others. She was treated in a beastly manner by the Cheyennes and purchased from them during the winter by Two Face and Blackfoot, who compelled her to toil and labor as their squaw, resorting in some instances to lashes. She was in a wretched condition when she was brought in, having been dragged across the Platte with a rope. She was almost naked and told some horrible tales of the barbarity and cruelty of the Indians.

Their remains were left in public view. Historians argue over the two men actually level of guilt and often omits Ewbank own account or clemency to the underaged teen. Or Palmers report or the discovery of US brands on horses. Or the order to execute was in fact given by Brigadier General Patrick Edward Connor, commander of the District of the Plains, who telegraphed the fort: COLONEL, I WAS A LITTLE HASTY. BRING THEM TO JULESBURG AND GIVE THE WRETCHES A TRIAL. The reply, possibly from the secondranking officer at Fort Laramie, Lt. Col. William Baumer, not Colonel Moonlight: DEAR GENERAL, I OBEYED YOUR FIRST ORDER BEFORE I RECEIVED THE SECOND.

Moonlight was no saint. He was also no Chivington. And no doubt while colored by the predjudice of the era Moonlight action where not shaped by hatred of non whites or moral indignation that an Indian dare have a white partner as some revisonist maintain.

His action was driven correctly by adressing a serious crime and incorrectly by a belief this would deter further crime by hostile Indians.“The act had decidedly the opposite effect on the tribes from what Moonlight had intended. They began attacking telegraph stations almost immediately”

The attack on the post continued and they would have regardless of Moonlights subsequent action which follow the loss of two of his men and telegraphed orders to pursue the war party.

The simple fact is their were Chiefs who wanted peace*1 but the scale of Chivington”s previous action combined with numerous other cold blooded murders meant many Indians felt war was their only hope

Unlike Moonlight hanging those men had not included the taking of dispositions from witnesses, an examination of evidence, or the slightest bit of clemency.

On June 3, 1865, a small party of Cheyennes under the leadership of White Eagle fired upon Platte Bridge Station in an effort to draw the soldiers out. The troopers returned fire with carbines and a mountain howitzer, driving off the small band. Fearing a larger attack, soldiers in charge immediately sent a messenger to Lt. Colonel Plumb at Camp Dodge. Plumb relayed the information back to Moonlight but only after Plum gave chase to sixty Indians who used tactics that preserved their own horses energy levels while luring the solides into ambush that saw two soliders killed. Plumb gave up the chase and reported to Moonlight justifying his walking into an bush as a good experience for his men.

The sad story of Chief Yellow Bird is one example pre Moonlight injustice against the Indians. A highly dignified and honourable man Yellow Bird gave himself up as hostage to keep peace. Only to be shot and sculpted by an Ohio Volunteer. The case is made even more curious by a detailed petition of pardon to Moonlight of an Indian of the same name that sits in Moonlight file in Wyomy national archive. The file is comprehensive and worthy of deeper inspection than alas time allowed. Yet Moonlight appears in this case to recommended clemency.

Here I abandon Pickman’s account that “his expedition of 250 troopers resulted in a stampede of their horses by a band of 200 Lakota, 120 miles northeast of Fort Laramie. Half the men had to walk back to the fort. Moonlight was accused of being drunk during the fiasco, and was immediately relieved of command by Gen. Patrick Connor.”

In June, the situation again escalated after 1,500 and 2,000 Lakota prisoners and their families en route east to Fort Kearney, under the guard of 135 7th Iowa cavalrymen rose up. A skirmish broke out that ended with the deaths of five soldiers and over 30 Lakota. While the remaining Lakota all escaped and headed north. Moonlight was given a direct order to give chase.

One: Moonlight had to pursue the Indians over a considerable distance. When half the horse were depleted Moonlight ordered those riders back rather than ruin the horses permanently.

Two: 20 century historians and those with no consideration of PTSD. Moonlight had afer all been fighting, minus a few years farming, nonstop for 16 years.

Three Again booze in the rations when water was exhausted was in no way unnormal.

Drunk? I would say exhaustion was the bigger culprit.

Moonlight biggest error was that he appears not to have placed a camp watch ( and even that claim based on assertion that offer no supporting documented reference).

And to be fair lets not forget the mission was to chase escaping Indians, many who were still on foot, who it was probably assumed where seeking to put more distance between them selves and the Indians.

That said its odd mistake. Moonlight was an experienced Indian fighter and would have known the Indians ability to conserve their horses energy namely by switching mounts reguarly. Moonlights posse was the obvious place to get fresh horses. Either way Moonlight and his men had to face a long humiliating ride home. Yet historians forget these were the men who had chosen to continued the chase will after their supplies where exhausted. And Moonlight had given those who felt unable to continue the opportunity to retire.

Moonlight has unfairly become the singular scape goat for men with far less principles who spilt far more blood.

“This trouble ultimately culminated in the Battle of Platte Bridge and the Battle of Red Buttes on July 26, 1865, when in which Lt. Caspar Collins of the 11th Ohio and 27 other soldiers–most of them from the 11th Kansas–were killed.” And inturn this led to further blood being spilled.

The Wyomy National Park is just one source that note hostile attacks on the 100 mile front took place after Sand Creek will before Moonlight appointment.

“January-February: In retaliation for the Sand Creek Massacre, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors attack settlements and stage and telegraph stations along a 100-mile front. These attacks force large sections of the South Platte Road to be closed, which disrupts travel, isolates Denver, and delays deliveries of supplies and mail.”

Moonlight doesn’t get an A. Yet he doesn’t deserve the F revisonist accord him.

A grade more deserving of the men like Chivington Evans and the Cattle Barron railway brethren whom Moonlight pursued as diligently as any of his duties in or outside of uniform. Men who in many cases are still treated as honoured patriots with public buildings, statues and military bases built in their honour.

October 14 The Moonlight Diaries The More Than Okay Coral.

My Travel agent.emails me ‘Ben hope you are all good and having a great time..Just wondering where you are now and how you are getting on ?

‘I reply – on my way home from Tombstone. This has been my Cape York in terms of not easy to get to and a bit of a budget blow out ( it’s noodles and water for the rest of the week 😉 ) . However very worth it.

My plans to Hitch from Tuscon would have been suicide. As I found out after I discovered the exit out of Tuscon is so not hitch hike friendly and more than a little sketchy. And while all the cartel stuff is North East of me I don’t think the local traffic very hitch hiker friendly.

Getting back would have been doable but getting out of Tuscon was going to be hard work and as the sun was 35 at midday – not fun. Instead Jose, my driver switched off his metre and we made a deal to take me their and come back and pick me up.

Turns out he was former military investigator specializing in corruption in Guatemala Army in the 80s. So I spend the trip to Tombstone listening to some fairly hairy story about Men in Dark glasses and the politics of cartels banna republic dictators and the CIA. Totally in my element.

Jose dropped me off at the Tombstone cemetery where the first names that greeted me where Griffith, my dad’s mums family name and Steward my mums mums maiden name.

Spent the day gathering research, recording shows and indulging in a little gringo tourist shit. The shoot out at the Okay Coral was good pantomime theatre. Took a ‘few’ historical liberties but still good theatre.

The shoot out never in fact took place at the Coral but occured down Freemont Alley. Which is named after William Freemong a solider, scout and politician, who forced forced the Mexicans out of Carlifornia. The reactment theatre is located roughly on the spot in question.

Oh i did loose my pass port …but for only 10 heart stopping minutes until Jose texted me it was in his car…phew!

Finished the day exploring Boot Hill Cemetery where the Clayton’s are buried along with other Cowboys outlaws and historical rich characters which i will process when on the Greyhound to Las Vegas tomorrow.So still alive and trucking across the USA.

G’day up horsey let’s ride hombre.

The Old Boys Network Not The Illuminati But No Boyscouts.

Just read an NZH puff piece on Freemasons where as usual only one side of a complex story gets told. I wonder when the NZH will ever get that a fair and article is one where…

A. You.get the other side of the story as will.

B. When you do report the other side you don’t only report the Crazy cat lady protesters

Here my view on why yes masons are nasty racist misogynist elitist club who deserve public condemenation and official recognition as body that democratically is toxic. A boys only club whose influence in western society is regularly understated.

1. Only males can join.
2. Find me a Master Mason who earns less than 50k and is not politically speaking a conservative Tory.
3. Guardian and other mainstream quality UK papers unlike NZH regulatly reports on how yes a right wing tory Masonic cartel continues to operate at the highest levels of Westminster.
4. Is secretative and its open door will show nothing other than slick pr.

He’ll the Masons even use a term Parrot for low-level members who repeat what they are told without knowing its actual meaning. Having not be taught the hidden codex.

5. Name me one other club caught using human skulls of indigenous people in its creep rituals. This link relates to the Lodge just up the road from another boys club that includes British Nazis and Nick Smith.
6. How come in the last NZ election more than half a dozen of the so called minor parties mouth pieces promoting anti Treaty racism where Freemasoms or Daughters of the Eastern Star eg Hells Angels National Front affiliated Kelvyn Alps.
7. What club lay at the centre of corruption charges linked to organised murder, police corruption, pedophilia at centre of Operation Tibetius official Masonic corruption police affair, John Stalker Irish hit squads, P2 European wide organised crime terrorism death squads, South African Aparthide & Cecil Rhodes rascist Brudderhood organisation, corruption of the Police Metro Flying squad.
8. What club did Jimmy Saville Epstein & Prince Andrew belong to.
9. Which club did Operation Tiberus overseerer Ronnie Flanagan belong to.
10. Who paid for the scholar ship Jacinda Ardern recieved after helping Ronnie Flanagan white wash masons police corruption in operation Tiberius.
11. Where do the black and white chequers on police hats and the marble floors of the parliament and state registere in every commonwealth nation and 51 USA state come from.
12. Which club do neatly 100% of US President belong to.
13. Ever watched a Monthy Python sketch and you do get why Python called satire not just comedy.
14. Why are there logos plastered on virtually every state build and court building in the western hemisphere.
15. No they are not the Illuminati but you do get why folk talk of the old boys club or old school tie net work.
16. To pretend they are not a part of the clue that keeps the status quo of centralised power and elitist self entitlement is to be both niavie and ignorant. Almost as ignorant as thinking a pretty space cadet who goes on about the illuminati but can’t name one single bit of their history or rituals ( beyond the bsdics) is not there for the same reasons as this puff piece by the Herald.
17. Who helped found the KKK.
18. Who was the inspiration for US imperialist organisations including Knights of the Golden Circle and Native Suns of the Golden West. Nah Masons don’t rule the world but yes they are toxic part of the status quo. And it’s about time that organisations like NZH stop pretending an old boys net work doesn’t exist in NZ and that societies like the Free Mason are not but of that anti democratic exclusiveness which reaches across both side of the house and always has done so.