My apologies to Col. Thomas Moonlight. It was BG John McNeil that Gen. Alfred Pleasonton was upset with for failing to vigorously attack Price's wagon train near Hickman Hills during the Battle of Westport.

There is evidence to suggest that Col. Moonlight was ordered to return to his command of the 11th Kansas along the southern border of Kansas by MG S.R. Curtis. Curtis had passed thru the area while riding down the Texas Road to Ft. Gibson and Ft. Smith. Curtis arrived at Ft. Gibson about a week after Phillips Expedition had left, and could have sent a dispatch to Thayer at Ft. Smith by 2-7, or sooner. Since Blunt was still returning to Kansas from Washington, only Curtis could have ordered Moonlight to rejoin the command of the 11th. At Ft. Smith, BG Thayer could have ordered Moonlight to stand down, so he could assign Major J. G. Brown to command the detachment which he (Thayer) must have ordered to leave Ft. Smith and join Phillips. Curtis did arrive at Ft. Smith on 2-10, but by this time Brown and the 14th were already approaching North Fork Town, nearly a week late. Phillips had already left and was no where to be found.

It is interesting to examine the various options of why the 14th Kansas was so delayed at Ft. Smith. We need more evidence. What do you think, or discover?