Would you turn your back on your family and friends if the local authorities asked you to do so? Residents were asked to do just that during the Missouri/Kansas Border War prior to and during the Civil War.

William Clarke Quantrill and his infamous raid of the city of Lawrence, in 1863, is known to most residents on the Missouri/Kansas Border. What led Quantrill and his men to such a drastic and risky undertaking in the first place? Moonlit Mayhem: Quantrill’s Raid of Olathe, Kansas tells this story from the Bleeding Kansas years to the rise of Quantrill and eventually to the raid on Olathe on September 6, 1862.

Quantrill’s raid is an event that would shape Olathe’s history for many years to come. Most locals have little knowledge of this event that so heavily impacted the history of their town. Moonlit Mayhem provides a view of life, on both sides of the border. In addition, short summaries of events before and after the Olathe Raid, give the reader a complete picture of the time and key players on both sides. Moonlit Mayhem is packed with over 100 color images and maps showing the modern locations of historic events. This meticulously researched work is a must for anyone looking for an easy to understand explanation of the Border War and its impact on the residents of the border counties.

There were no winners and losers in the Border War, the residents of the border counties suffered greatly. Moonlit Mayhem tells their story.