In 1854 a small group of pro-slavery sympathizers formed the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society whose goal it was to create a vast new empire for slaveryone that traced a "golden circle" from the deep South through Mexico, Central America, parts of South America, and the Caribbean. The symbols of Rich Mountain fit the mid-1800's timeframe for the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secretive organization formed in 1854 to establish a slaveholding empire from the South as well . In the summer of 1859 an organization calling itself the Knights of the Golden Circle achieved national notoriety as an influential secret society formed to defend the rights southern slaveholders. Kane would serve over a year in prison. In 1991, he found a cache of 1800s coins totaling $400. That same year, Asbury Harpending and California members of the Knights of the Golden Circle in San Francisco outfitted the schooner J. M. Chapman as a Confederate privateer in San Francisco Bay, with the object of raiding commerce on the Pacific Coast and capturing gold shipments to the East Coast. In 1864, it became the Order of the Sons of Liberty, with the Ohio politician Clement L. Vallandigham, most prominent of the Copperheads, as its supreme commander. activity circulated for a few more years, but there is no dependable evidence that the organization survived the war in any meaningful way. In 1859 George Bickley, a freebooter and adventurer, launched a fraternal order which proposed the establishment of military colonies of Americans in Mexico. Unionists in Texas claimed that the K.G.C. (currently published under the title of Rebel Gold ISBN 978-0-7432-1969-3) Hicks, Jimmie (July 1961). Phillips and another party arrived on Saturday.. Know Before You Go. 5 Reasons to Update Your Business Operations, Get the Best Sleep Ever in 5 Simple Steps, How to Pack for Your Next Trip Somewhere Cold, Manage Your Money More Efficiently in 5 Steps, Ranking the 5 Most Spectacular NFL Stadiums in 2023. At the wars end, Saulsbury would buy the Eden Street treasure home from secret slaver Captain Mattison, his rebel brother-in-arms. Although nominally a secret society, the existence of the Knights of the Golden Circle was not, in fact, a secret.Knights of the Golden Circle. Was John Wilkes Booth in the Knights of the Golden Circle? Sir Harry Andrews spent more than 50 years building a headquarters for members of the Knights of the Golden Trail brotherhood. The Davis party took with them the Confederate treasury and the gold of several Virginia banks for safekeeping. Some sources even connect Abraham Lincolns assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and the infamous folk outlaw Jesse James, to the secret society. Receiving reports of the activities of the Order of American Knights (a new name for the alleged order) in Missouri and Illinois, U.S. Pres. Bickley created, on paper at least, an army of 16,000 men. Southwestern Historical Quarterly. A New York railroad C.E.O. James Armstrong had expanded his business in the 1840s by merging with the rival candle and soap firm known as Charles Webb and Sons. During this time, the pro-slavery, human-trafficking South and the anti-slavery, "woke" North wanted to expand their borders and create new . The Knights of the Golden Circle (K.G.C. Robert E. Lee surrendered the last major Confederate army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. The Knights of the Golden Circle was a pro-slavery secret society founded in the decade before the American Civil War. The K.G.C. Floyd received instructions from the Order to "seize Navy-yards, Forts, etc. http://knightsofthegoldencircle.webs.com/ Reactions:Wallyfish, damYankee, Deleted User CSand 18 others donna The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret military organization created in 1859 by George W. L. Bickley in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was created directly out of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and linked to the highest circles of American Freemasons. The Montreal office seems to have approved the idea, and to have advanced Booth some seed money to organize the plot. The team is. Prohibition is declared in the U.S. That evening, an incensed Marshal Kane, a close friend and political associate of Charles Webb, fired off this incendiary telegraph to the Maryland militia: Streets red with Maryland blood; send expresses over the mountains of Maryland and Virginia for the riflemen to come without delay. Knights of the Golden Circle: John Wilkes Booth a member That secret society, the Knights of the Golden Circle, was the brainchild of a Cincinnati con man named George Bickley. What was meant to diffuse the situation between pro-slavery and non-slavery states only added fuel to this fiery discrepancy. and at other times to different treasonous groups. Chapter I. Background'Southern Rights' Clubs. He sued, unsuccessfully, for the freedom of himself and his family as they were living in the free state of Illinois. They decided to hire Allan Pinkerton and his Pinkerton Detective Agency to spy on the Baltimore conspirators. Handbook of Texas Online, The Golden Knights are one of only three Department of Defense-sanctioned aerial demonstration teams, along with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Find out more amazing stories of Civil War-era America, from John Wilkes Booths supposed sex addiction, to Harriet Tubmans never-before-seen photo. In 1859 George Bickley, a freebooter and adventurer, launched a fraternal order which proposed the establishment of military colonies of Americans in Mexico. He used his status to accost Lincolns abolitionist efforts on his tours throughout the North and South. Alternate titles: Order of American Knights. I presume we will receive orders soon to arrest them, to prevent them from going into Mexico.. Stuart, reported encountering Pennsylvania farmers who frantically made strange hand gestures, often while waving yellow pieces of printed paper and/or exclaiming certain words. If Spain did not want to sell Cuba to the Knights, they would attack the island and take it over by force. Due to a lack of funds and a lack of faith in Bickleys leadership, or perhaps a lack of organization as some have speculated, the Knights attempt at annexation fizzled out. The eventual goal of the plan was the annexation of all of Mexico to the United States. is its contribution to creating the emotional excitement necessary to persuading southerners to rebel against the United States. K.G.C. The Knights Of The Golden Circle: The Secret Civil War Society That Wanted To Build An Empire Of Slavery, A foodie, wanderlust victim, professional Francophile, and history nerd, Andrew Milne is a freelance writer who has worked at outlets like Bon Apptit and Food Network, and currently runs content at, How The Eastern Front Decided World War II, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. This book explores this group in fine detail, in fact remarkable detail given it was a secret organization, yet provides an engaging read. The Texas KGC supported President of the United States James Buchanan's policy of, and draft treaty for, protecting routes for U.S commerce across Mexico, which also failed to be approved by the U.S. The Knights of the Golden Circle was a mysterious southern-based society that set out in 1859 to establish a slave empire in Mexico. Joseph Holt, United States Judge Advocate General, submitted a report in October 1864 that warned Secretary of War Edwin Stanton about the danger of this plot, which he attributed at times to the K.G.C. But a majority don't focus on why. Senate. [12] On February 15, 1861, Ben McCulloch, United States Marshal and former Texas Ranger, began marching toward the Federal arsenal at San Antonio, Texas, with a cavalry force of about 550 men, about 150 of whom were Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) from six castles. How did John Wilkes Booth react to Lincolns speech? Banker Fletcher dismissed each of the three blackmailers curtly, but their claims that they had Golden Circle ties fitted into the public concept about the pro- Southern secret ~0ciety.I~ We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. KGC members also figured prominently among those who, in 1861, joined Lt. Col. John Robert Baylor in his temporarily successful takeover of southern New Mexico Territory. An Authentic Exposition of the K.G.C. Knights of the Golden Circle, or, A History of Secession from 1834 to 1861, by A Member of the Order (Indianapolis, Indiana: C. O. Perrine, Publisher, 1861). did not have the strength attributed to it in such reports. During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, scam artists in south-central Pennsylvania sold Pennsylvania Dutch farmers $1 paper tickets purported to be from the Knights of the Golden Circle. Abraham Lincoln sent his secretary, John Hay, to investigate. The Knights were one of the countrys more successful Southern Rights Clubs which agitated for more political power for the South. Legends, Ghosts, Myths and Mysteries Main Page, Byways & Historic Trails Great Drives in America, Soldiers and Officers in American History, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas Declaring Independence, Stanley, Ks Extinct but Still Here (LOK), Black Bob Reservation in Johnson County (LOK). Of course, the true battleground for slavery was the American Civil War, which took place between 1861 and 1865. Omissions? Now it was John Wilkes Booths turn to be upset. The OLS operated as something of an unofficial army which took it upon itself to invade South American countries and forcibly take control of them for the sake of America. The company was originally called 'Queensland Tropical Fruit Products', with 'Golden Circle' used as their brand name. The Knights of the Golden Circle emerged around 1858 when a secret society formed by a Cincinnati businessman merged with the pro-expansionist Order of the Lone Star, which already had 15,000 members. The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society formed in 1854 by sympathizers of Southern causes, dedicated to supporting pro-slavery policies and promoting the conquest of Mexico. Its stated aim was to sponsor and conduct military expeditions into the Caribbean region (the Golden Circle) for the purpose of bringing new slave territories into the Union. But Brewer has found evidence enough that this legend is based in some reality. However, that hasnt stopped some people from suggesting that the organization is still active as an underground society today. The Knights of the Golden Circle (K.G.C. But war itself was not be averted. In the decade leading up to the Civil War, a fledgling group called the Knights of the Golden Circle joined forces with a well-establish Southern society known as the Order of the Lone Star.The Knights were the brainchild of George W.L. [11], With the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, the Texas KGC changed its emphasis from a plan to expand U.S. territory into Mexico in order to focus its efforts on providing support for the Southern States' secession from the Union. Robert Barnwell Rhett, who has been called "the father of secession", said a few days after Lincoln's election: We will expand, as our growth and civilization shall demandover Mexicoover the isles of the seaover the far-off Southern tropicsuntil we shall establish a great Confederation of Republicsthe greatest, freest and most useful the world has ever seen. The slave population there had continued to grow due to natural increase even after the ban on international trade. How refers to the process to achieve . The following year, the Knights began publishing their own newspaper and established their headquarters in Washington, D. C. In 1860, during . Could this somehow all be a coincidence?? The coins (at least most of them) were handed over to the police, and a prolonged legal battle ensued between the boys and the elderly landlords who owned the crumbling, inner-city tenement house. Armstrong, Saulsbury, and the Webbs just werent fellow employees, they were blood brothers in unison for a cause, the Confederate States of America. . Before the American Civil War, which would decisively end slavery in the United States, the Knights focused on invading and annexing Mexico. The Knights of the Golden Circle or K.G.C. On the left is George W. L. Bickley, head of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Does the Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? KGC Meeting. Frank L. Klement, Dark Lanterns: Secret Political Societies, Conspiracies, and Treason Trials in the Civil War (1984). Knights of the Golden Circle made post-war "appearance" During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign dozens of Confederate soldiers, including generals Jubal Early and J.E.B. According to the book titled JESSE JAMES WAS ONE OF HIS NAMES by Jesse James III (the grandson) and Del Schroeder, Jesse James was indeed a prominent member of the KGC and hid large quantities of stolen riches in various locations on behalf of the secret society. Do Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? This would, according to Bickley, protect the Southern states from being overwhelmed by the industrial and commercial interests of the North. decided to send undercover New York City detectives to Baltimore to root out the conspiracy. The Knights of the Golden Circle or K.G.C. Signup today for our free newsletter, Especially Texan. Captain Mattison succumbed soon after. With the early 1900s death of Thomas Armstrong, the man likely responsible for the stash of coins found on-site at The Fountain Hotel in 1870, no one is left who was originally involved with the burial of the coins in the cellar at the treasure house on South Eden. Inconceivable, right? Several members of President James Buchanan's administration were members of the order,[8] as well as Virginia's secessionist Senator James M. According to the Texas State Historical Association. Kane would be replaced on the Jones Falls Commission by Webb employee Andrew J. Saulsbury, now owner of the home with 5,000 gold coins buried in the basement. . Does the Golden Circle still exist? However, that hasnt stopped some people from suggesting that the organization is still active as an underground society today. mastermind Albert Pike, had two employees and a fellow Armstrong board member all living with thousands of gold coins buried under their respective residences. Corrections? Supposedly, the hidden treasure was meant to finance another Civil War, and perhaps one that would prove more successful for the South. At a Freemason memorial service for Grand Master Charles Webb, his Masonic brothers recited a poem in his memory a poem written by Albert Pike, the most powerful Freemason of his generation and the long suspected head of the secretive Knights of the Golden Circle. Gen. Henry Hopkins Sibley on the 1862 New Mexico Campaign, which sought to bring the New Mexico Territory into the Confederate fold. Everyone thought Bob was bonkers . . He sued, unsuccessfully, for the freedom of himself and his family as they were living in the free state of Illinois. The "golden trail" refers to the Ten Commandments, but Russell says . Does the Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? Mason. Seasoned scholars will find new ground trod here, particularly regarding the origins of the Knights. Do Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? One of his first moves in office would be to appoint his longtime friend Charles Webb as tax collector for the city. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Centering on Havana, this empire would be some 2,400 miles in diameterhence the name Golden Circle. If such a plot existed, nothing came of it, suggesting that the rumors were just that or that the K.G.C. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/knights-of-the-golden-circle. They were all staunch supporters of slavery, and they could see that slavery was under attack. had been created and, therefore, ended its life. This measure, which supported the goal of the KGC, failed to be adopted. Many of them were not willing to give it up, however, and dreamt of expanding the use of slaves such that it could never be extricated from them. With the national rise to power of Abraham Lincoln and his Republican Party, the K.G.C. On May 28, 1856, the Grand Lodge of Missouri issued a charter to Giddings Lodge # 156 at Nebraska City. The Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic. TheUnited Stateshad entered World War I, and by that time most of the old Knights of theGolden Circlehad died. He feared secession of the Northwest. There exist reports of the KGC continuing after 1864 as a secret group which planned to start fighting the Civil War again, as soon as a generation or two had passed and they had regained their manpower and resources." . Fresh hordes will be down on us tomorrow. 11What are the three pillars of the Golden Circle? The scene of the confrontation and following riot began at the foot of Concord Street, in front of the offices of James Armstrong & Associates, where Armstrong, Saulsbury, and Webb were all employed. Webb had always declined political office until the position of city collector was tendered him by Mayor Kane. Apparently, the bond between Webb and Kane was so tight that Kane was the one individual to whom Webb could not say no., But Kane died in office soon after. References: Ollinger Crenshaw, "The Knights of the Golden Circle: The Career of George Bickley," American Historical Review 47 (1941). George W. L. Bickley, a Virginia-born doctor, editor, and adventurer, was one of the founders of the K.G.C. This convention adopted a largely Copperhead platform and selected Ohio Representative George Pendleton (a known Peace Democrat) as the vice presidential candidate. Elkanah Greer of Marshall, for example, served with distinction as colonel of the Third Texas Cavalry, a unit in the cavalry brigade commanded by future governor L. Sullivan Ross. Booth, who had lived just four blocks from the treasure site, was already long dead. Dred Scott in 1857. An army of 16,000 men would protect the emigrants and the terms of the treaty with Mexico, thus ensuring American dominance. Fellow candle executive Thomas Armstrong, the company founders nephew, lived at a local hotel known as the Fountain Hotel. Centering on Havana, this empire would be some 2,400 miles in diameterhence the name Golden Circle. Copperheads Fernando Wood, former Democratic mayor of New York City, and Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio were reputed to be the chief officers. had its beginnings in the formation of Southern Rights Clubs in various southern cities in the mid-1830s. Both investigative teams came to the same startling conclusion Lincoln would almost certainly be murdered if he attempted to travel through Baltimore. He likely secured this appointment with the blessing of Charles Webb. There are three parts of The Golden Circle: Why, How, and What. It became strongest among Copperheads, who were Democrats who wanted to end the Civil War via settlement with the South. Mayor Brown and Marshal Kane were soon arrested and thrown into jail without trial. The senior Webb had passed away, leaving sons Charles, Jr. and James in charge. The Lost Order continues renowned New York Times bestseller Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series with another riveting, history-based thriller.The Knights of the Golden Circle was the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. connections with the Knights of the Golden Circle and each asking for a substantial cash gift in return for securing the son's release. April 9, 1865 Armstrong would soon leave the running of the soap and candle enterprise to his trusted young executives Charles Webb, Jr., James Webb, Andrew Saulsbury, and nephew Thomas Armstrong. Less than a week later, Confederate forces evacuated Richmond, and within two weeks, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops. However, that hasn't stopped some people from suggesting that the organization is still active as an underground society . By March 1865 Booth and his conspirators were involved in at least two attempts to seize Lincoln as he traveled down Washington, D.C. roads in his carriage. It was concentrated in the Deep South, on large plantations devoted to the commodity crops of cotton and sugar cane, but it was the basis of agricultural and other labor throughout the southern states. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Many Knights of the Golden Circle fought for the Confederacy, including Bickley himself, who participated as an army surgeon before his capture for espionage and subsequent death in 1867. In September 1857, Masters and Wardens from those three lodges assembled and organized the Grand Lodge of Nebraska. The place they chose to stay, disguising themselves as rebel hotheads, was The Fountain Hotel. The group included notable figures such as Elkanah Greer, a colonel of the Third Texas Cavalry, and future governor of Texas L. Sullivan Ross. Once back in Baltimore, Kane was quickly appointed to the municipal water board, known as the Jones Falls Commission. World War One devastates Europe. They are armed with an axe and a corn knife, but it is sufficient to uncover one of the greatest found treasures in American history. Plots were hatched to invade Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and other lightly-defended Latin American countries. In most areas only a minority of its membership was radical enough to discourage enlistments, resist the draft, and shield deserters. Meanwhile, Colonel Kane was waiting patiently in a remote, out of the way location in rebel-held Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. One such cache was actually discovered by two Baltimore boys in 1934 who found 5,000 gold coins worth $10 million in todays dollars. Years after the war, when the hotel would be torn down to make way for a much larger hotel, a box containing 2,000 gold coins would be discovered hidden on the premises. The overarching goal of Bickleys secret organization was simple, if not a little grandiose: to create a slavery-fueled empire known as the Golden Circle.. What made him different, however, was the fervor with which he took to this task. ), a secretive organization created in 1854, proposed to establish a slaveholding empire encompassing the southern United States, the West Indies, Mexico and parts of Central America. As the Knights of the Golden Circle was a very well-funded organization, the Spanish government was to be approached to buy Cuba first. The KGC held numerous peace meetings. Widespread publicity in Southern expansionist newspapers called attention to the new order, and Bickley soon claimed it had 65,000 members. Adagio Overview; Examples (videos) At that time the order's prime objective was said to be to raise an army of 16,000 men to conquer and "Southernize" Mexico, which meant making slavery, not legal in Mexico, again legal, while supporting the "Knights of the Columbian Star"those in the KGC's highest level of membershipfor public office.[7]. Unfortunately, this bit of history as is true with most of the Knights history may remain just legend. In response to the increased anti-slavery agitation that followed the Dred Scott decision (1857) the Knights changed their position: the Southern United States should secede, forming their own confederation, and then invade and annex the area of the Golden Circle to vastly expand the power of the South. Why English language is important for electrical engineering. A successor organization, the Sons of Liberty, was alleged to have taken its place. Simon Sinek's Golden Circle encourages you to 'start with why' for a purpose-driven approach to business, marketing and life. The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society founded in 1854, the objective of which was to create a new country, known as the Golden Circle (Spanish: Crculo Dorado), where slavery would be legal. About the Author: Jack Myers is the author of several books, including Row House Days, Row House Blues, and The Delco Files as well as his book Knights Gold. This circle of countries would represent the golden circle of the KGC, the knights of the golden circle. In the mid 19th century United States, a group of Southern men known as the Knights of the Golden Circle subscribed to a similar philosophy. : The Confederate States of America, the Confederacy's defeat in the Second Great War, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. A group of Knights in New Orleans then publicly attacked him as a liar, coward, and inept leader. Their early purposes included expanding southern imperial interests into the "golden circle" of Mexico, Central America . Knights of the Golden Circle impresses though its comprehensiveness. These investigators also allege that many famed characters from the Civil War era, including John Wilkes Booth and Jesse James, belonged to and acted under the influence of the Knights. did not become active until 18591860 when he undertook an organizing campaign across the southern states. They opposed the abolitionists, Northern churches, and other Yankee movements that sought to interfere with the Southern economy, Southern society, and way of life. Wikimedia CommonsDred Scott in 1857. as Lincoln was ascending to power was a hot-blooded young thespian named John Wilkes Booth. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and has worked as a teacher, newspaper reporter, newspaper editor, pizza shop proprietor, and technical writer. Booth had performed for President Lincoln at Fords Theatre in November 1863. The contradiction severely weakened the partys chances to defeat Lincoln. [6], Hounded by creditors, Bickley left Cincinnati in the late 1850s and traveled through the East and South, promoting an armed expedition to Mexico. A few days later, the Davis train departed Danville and headed south to Greensboro, N.C. Kane stayed behind. The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society that was active in the United States during the mid-19th century. Proudly powered by WordPress | Section 107 related to Copyright and Fair Use for Non-Profit educational institutions, which permits the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), to utilize copyrighted materials to further scholarship, education, and inform the public. Saulsbury, only 46, died suddenly at his Eden Street home with his wife knowing nothing of the 5,000 gold coins buried in their basement. Timothy H. OSullivan/U.S. Andrew Saulsbury would one day have yet another grandson, this one named Thomas Armstrong Saulsbury. This tension continued throughout the first half of the 19th century, as new territories were added to the United States of America. noun plural Knights of the Golden Circle : a member of a former American secret organization formed about 1855 to promote the interests of the South and the slavery cause Love words? Home; Dante Opera. ), a secretive organization created in 1854, proposed to establish a slaveholding empire encompassing the southern United States, the West Indies, Mexico, and parts of Central America. [citation needed] Mexico and Central America had no interest in being part of the United States. We know what we're doing and some of us know how we're going to do it. In either case, the goal was to increase the power of the Southern slave-holding upper class to such a degree that it could never be dislodged.[3]. The Golden Circle would ensure that the sun never set on the American system of exploitation. And in a declining inner-city neighborhood not far from the sometimes rough-and-tumble Depression-era Baltimore docks, two bored adolescent boys decide to go exploring in a dark corner of the basement of a crumbling tenement house. DAILY GAZETTE & COMET [BATON ROUGE, LA], April 6, 1860, p. 2, c. 3 Knights of the Golden Circle.This organization, whose sole aim at presents seems the invasion of Mexico and assists in the establishment of a new government, has caused some interest, especially among the young men of the city, many of whom are unemployed.They have formed an association, and for some time past have been . In 1859-60 he backed the like-minded George Brown for Mayor, and the fiery slave-owning, Lincoln hating George P. Kane for the position of police marshal. One by one as the Southern states began to secede, a startled Lincoln ordered Northern troops from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to hurry south to protect Washington, D.C. This entry belongs to the following Handbook Special Projects: We are a community-supported, non-profit organization and we humbly ask for your support because the careful and accurate recording of our history has never been more important. The KGC's proposal grew out of previous unsuccessful proposals to annex Cuba (Ostend Manifesto), parts of Central America (Filibuster War), and all of Mexico (All of Mexico Movement). The Knights of the Golden Circle ( KGC) was a secret society founded in 1854 by American George W. L. Bickley, the objective of which was to create a new country, known as the Golden Circle ( Spanish: Crculo Dorado ), where slavery would be legal. In late 1863, the Knights of the Golden Circle were reorganized ( sans Bickley) as the Order of American Knights and again, early in 1864, as the Order of the Sons of Liberty, with Clement Vallandigham, the most prominent of the Copperheads, as its supreme commander, dissolved in 1864 after being exposed and members arrested and tried for treason.