Most of what I know of J.L. Buaas (not Buass) is from stories passed down in my family and from various historical records I have read. This is the first I had heard of the Austin City Light Artillery and his involvement in it. I find this fascinating. I do know he served as an Alderman for Austin during Reconstruction and was active in the Republican Party after the Civil War. Apparently, how he came to his ultimate Unionist position was an evolutionary process.
I recently found some interesting information on the internet from the Tarlton Law Library at The University of Texas. It was copies of the Journals of the Reconstruction Convention for the State of Texas, 1868. One in particular was dated July 22, 1868 (Journals of 1868 Conventions-Session One). One issue it addressed was whether certain departments (Comptroller of Public Accounts, State Treasurer and Commissioner of the General Land Office) of the State government in Austin had employees who had been enemies of the United States and who might still be hostile to the government. So each department was asked to show that their employees had taken an 1862 oath and to describe what military service each had engaged in during the Civil War. Looking at the Comptroller’s office, the acting Comptroller at the time listed the various clerks that had served in this office since 9/3/1867. J.L. Buaas was one of those listed. Interestingly, there was no subsequent reference to any military service for him. Here is the link:
http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/constitutions/pdf/pdf1868recon-1/07.22.1868.pdf
You mentioned J. Schneider was from Germany. Although J.L. Buaas was born in Norwegian, I believe he was educated in Germany and spent much time there before coming to Texas in the 1840s. He spoke and wrote in Germany. I have a diary from the 1870’s that he wrote exclusively in German.
Thanks again for the information