Still, the Knights of the Golden Horsehoe tell a compelling story. ), 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. 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. connections with the Knights of the Golden Circle and each asking for a substantial cash gift in return for securing the son's release. His case galvanized abolitionists in the North. Proclaiming that we have nothing to fear but fear itself, President Franklin D. Roosevelt unveils his plans for a New Deal to help the country out of its malaise. The Knights of the Golden Circle gain power in the American South and industrialise the area during the 1850 and 1860s, They increase their autonomy and then instead of engaging in civil war with the north they invade and/or unite with various slave holding powers in the Caribbean. The hope was that in establishing a large and successful domain run on slavery, the South could then secure the use of slavery nationwide. To recap, Charles Webb, a Southern Democrat-sponsored as Grand Master of Maryland Freemasonry by K.G.C. The Spanish possessions of Cuba and Puerto Rico and the Empire of Brazil continued to depend on slavery, as did the Southern United States. Warren Getler and Bob Brewer, Rebel Gold: One Mans Quest to Crack the Code Behind the Secret Treasure of the Confederacy (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004). played a role in reducing the vote for Constitutional Unionists (see CONSTITUTIONAL UNION PARTY) in November 1860 and in keeping Unionist voters from the polls when the state held a referendum on secession in February 1861. 7What companies use the Golden Circle? For the past 80+ years it has been assumed that the golden fortune belonged to some unfortunate miser who had passed on without revealing to anyone where the treasure had been stashed. Captain Mattison, the secret slaver, lived just around the corner from Southern sympathizer Saulsbury on adjoining Eden Street, site of the 5,000 gold coins. The board of directors of that insurance company included old man Armstrong himself, Charles Webb, Jr., James Webb, and retired ship captain John J. Mattison. Page 18 - Inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in the Democratic party as to the nature and extent of the powers of a Territorial legislature, and as to the powers and duties of congress under the . dvd extra Plot summary Add synopsis Genre Short 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. Start by marking "The Knights of the Golden Circle: The History and Legacy of One of 19th Century America's Most Notorious Secret Societies" as Want to Read: . Centering on Havana, this empire would be some 2,400 miles in diameterhence the name Golden Circle. The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret military organization created in 1859 by George W. L. Bickley in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to the Texas State Historical Association. Mexico would be acquired and divided into multiple slave-holding states with an appointed congressman. argued that their empire would have a virtual monopoly on the worlds supply of tobacco and sugar and perhaps cotton and have the strength to preserve slavery in the South from constant attacks by northern Abolitionists. Theres a conspiracy that Lincolns assassin was a member of this society. Updates? They opposed the abolitionists, Northern churches, and other Yankee movements that sought to "interfere" with the Southern economy, Southern society, and way of life. True to his word, Kane rounded up a party of rebels that evening to burn bridges and tear up the track leading from the North. Keehn, David (2013). 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. . Bickley never did organize a successful raid and oftentimes, while he was off raising funds for the group, the Knights dissolved into anarchy. This countrys situation in 1861 grew extremely volatile as the newly elected Abolitionist President prepared to take office. The History of Baltimore City and County, Maryland records that Mr. Saulsbury was employed by the firm of James Armstrong & Associates, makers of fine soaps and candles. 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. 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. members also sought to add new slaveholding territories through the peculiar 19th-century institution known as filibustering. When Texas was annexed from Mexico by slave-owning Americans and added to the Union as a newly minted slave state, other Southerners saw an entrepreneurial opportunity of immeasurable proportions. Wilmer McLean and his family sit on the porch of his house, where Confederate General Robert E. Lee signed the terms of surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox Court House, Virginia. 65: 8086. Supposedly, the hidden treasure was meant to finance another Civil War, and perhaps one that would prove more successful for the South. He sued, unsuccessfully, for the freedom of himself and his family as they were living in the free state of Illinois. He likely secured this appointment with the blessing of Charles Webb. Donald S. Frazier, Blood & Treasure: Confederate Empire in the Southwest (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1996). Later, during the 1850s, businessman Armstrong would expand his empire by opening a downtown insurance firm that specialized in insuring ships cargoes. The Origin of the OrderSouthern Rights' Clubsthe African Slave Trade and the acquisition of new Slave Territorythe first Organization in 1834, and its successthe Mexican War, and the South's interest in itProgress of the Slave Trade up to 1852Acquisition of Cuba, Repeal of the Missouri Compromise, Nicaragua Expeditions, etc . 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 eventual goal of the plan was the annexation of all of Mexico to the United States. Proudly powered by WordPress | 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 Crash of 29 heralds the beginning of the Great Depression. In early 1862, Radical Republicans in the Senate, aided by Secretary of State William H. Seward, suggested that former president Franklin Pierce, who was greatly critical of the Lincoln administration's war policies, was an active member of the Knights of the Golden Circle. In the end, young Henry Grob and Theodore Jones prevailed, with the coins being sold at auction and the proceeds (after expenses) being put into trust until the teens reached age 21. 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. Robert E. Lee surrendered the last major Confederate army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. What are the 3 components of the Golden Circle in order? However, that hasn't stopped some people from suggesting that the organization is still active as an underground society . The Knights of the Golden Circle In 1854, according to the Texas State Historical Association, General George W. L. Bickley brought together five men who founded the Knights of the Golden Circle. 13Which question is in the center of . sought to have newly freed slaves returned to Africa, and they opposed the international ban of the African slave trade that exported additional slaves from that continent. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The company was originally called 'Queensland Tropical Fruit Products', with 'Golden Circle' used as their brand name. 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. Some examples of golden circle are Apple, the Wright brothers and Martin Luther King Jr. Donald S. Frazier, Blood & Treasure: Confederate Empire in the Southwest (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1996). It's the 'soul' of who you are, as Sinek explained: "It's why you exist and get out of bed in the morning". And none of the Knights in the photo are clean shaven, so it must be a different Henry Ford than the auto magnate. But in the South, things were quite different. There are no known photos of Henry Ford with any form of facial hair. . 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. outdoor artificial palm trees; They either did very little and were nothing more that a paper tiger or they still exist today hoarding vast amounts . On May 28, 1856, the Grand Lodge of Missouri issued a charter to Giddings Lodge # 156 at Nebraska City. 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. Along with a series of secret hand gestures, these tickets were supposed to protect the horses and other possessions of ticket holders from seizure by invading Confederate soldiers. Library of CongressOn the left is George W. L. Bickley, head of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Baltimores native son, George Herman Babe Ruth revolutionizes the game of baseball by launching 60 home runs in a season. Sam Houston, who reportedly became an initiate. We know this because Saulsburys daughter would testify to this as an elderly woman at the 1935 trial for ownership of the 5,000 gold coins. 6Why is the Golden Circle called the Golden Circle? In 1846, it was revealed that Junius Booth had neglected to divorce his first wife before eloping with his second, Mary Ann, 25 years before. Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 4:27 PM. He sketched the symbols . itself probably received greater attention during the war for its supposed role in a treasonous plot variously called the Northwest Conspiracy, the Copperhead Movement, and similar names in the old Northwestern states such as Indiana and Ohio. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Knights of the Golden Circle (K. G. C.) was a secret society founded by George W. L. Bickley on July 4, 1854. In 1859 George Bickley, a freebooter and adventurer, launched a fraternal order which proposed the establishment of military colonies of Americans in Mexico. But people believe there are still more treasures to be found across the United States and potentially in Canada. YOUR WHY. These clubs were inspired by the philosophies of John C. Calhoun (1782-1850). Knights of the Golden Circle, a semi-military secret society that was active in the Midwestern states during the American Civil War. . The Knights were one of the countrys more successful Southern Rights Clubs which agitated for more political power for the South. 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. A few agitators, some of them encouraged by Southern money, talked of a revolt in the Old Northwest, with the goal of ending the war. has drawn the interest of numerous investigators who claim that it was a vast conspiracy that drew inspiration from groups such as the European Knights Templar, Scottish Rite Masons, and the Sons of Liberty. The latter was a leadership posting while the former were positions meant for the common member. 12What is the Golden Circle model of leadership? The Knights of the Golden Circle (K.G.C. : The Confederate States of America, the Confederacy's defeat in the Second Great War, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. With the outbreak of the war, however, Republicans charged that Democrats who opposed the conduct of the war were influenced by, or were members of, the Knights. The "golden trail" refers to the Ten Commandments, but Russell says . Saulsbury was an ardent Southern sympathizer whose homes parlor would later be identified as having paintings of Confederate heroes adorning the walls. Randolph B. What was meant to diffuse the situation between pro-slavery and non-slavery states only added fuel to this fiery discrepancy. (the "Golden Circle") for the purpose of bringing new slave territories into the Union. The convention confirmed Bickley as leader and published a lengthy address to the people of the southern states that remains the most reliable statement of the K.G.C.s organization and goals. Knights of the Golden Circle, a semi-military secret society that was active in the Midwestern states during the American Civil War. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. The country would have been centered in Havana and would have consisted of the Southern United States and a "golden circle" of territories in Mexico (which was to be divided into 25 new slave states), Central America, northern parts of South America, and Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and most other islands in the Caribbean, about 2,400 miles (3,900km) in diameter.[1][2]. On May 20, 1863, the creek became the site of the so-called " Battle of Pogue's Run ." At the Indiana State House, approximately 10,000 Democrats including Copperheads and suspected members of the pro-Confederate Knights of the Golden Circle gathered to protest the Lincoln administration. Copperheads Fernando Wood, former Democratic mayor of New York City, and Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio were reputed to be the chief officers. Leaders of the K.G.C. 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. Indeed, with that kind of representation, slave-holding states could stop any and all abolitionist policies organized by free Northern states. Fellow candle executive Thomas Armstrong, the company founders nephew, lived at a local hotel known as the Fountain Hotel. Theres a conspiracy that Lincolns assassin was a member of this society. had its beginnings in the formation of Southern Rights Clubs in various southern cities in the mid-1830s. By that time, he had already begun working on his conspiracy to kidnap Lincoln. The Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic. But a majority don't focus on why. . served in the Confederate Army not as members of the societys military division per se, but simply as soldiers in the southern cause. Various clandestine actions were undertaken . While we dont have too much detail on the Knights and their history is mired in rumor, we do know their ultimate goal: to create an empire that would stretch from the Caribbean to the Pacific built on tobacco, cotton, sugar, and the blood and sweat of slaves. 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. It was one of the 3 lodges that would become the Grand Lodge of Nebraska. In 1859 George Bickley, a freebooter and adventurer, launched a fraternal order which proposed the establishment of military colonies of Americans in Mexico. The contradiction severely weakened the partys chances to defeat Lincoln. Several members of President James Buchanan's administration were members of the order,[8] as well as Virginia's secessionist Senator James M. Local chapters were known as castles and by the 1860s, Bickley claimed the group had over 100,000 members, but such numbers are almost certainly exaggerated. The K.G.C. Twiggs was appointed a major general in the Confederate States Army on May 22, 1861.[14]. James Armstrong had expanded his business in the 1840s by merging with the rival candle and soap firm known as Charles Webb and Sons. Andrew Saulsbury, who bought the Eden Street treasure home from Captain Mattison, would one day have a grandson named Charles Webb Saulsbury. George Washington Lafayette Bickley is often referred to as a Cincinnati Conman as he tried to pass for a medical doctor in the alternative field of electric medicine but he was discovered to be without a degree. Booth took a solemn oath to protect the South and the new Confederacy at all costs. ISBN 978--80715-004-7. His plot was discovered, and led to greater distrust of secret societies and Copperheads in general. How did John Wilkes Booth use his status? Do Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? Perhaps this should be expected, after all, for a secret society. [5] Some Knights of the Golden Circle active in northern states, such as Illinois, were accused of anti-Union activities after the Civil War began in 1861. 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. convention held in 1860, the organization was originated at Lexington, Kentucky, on the fourth day of July 1854, by five gentlemen who came together on a call made by Gen. George Bickley. Bickley then occupied himself with other projects during the mid-1850s, and the K.G.C. Pro-slavery Southerners were awarded the Fugitive Slave Act, however, which made it easier for slave owners to recapture and return escaped slaves. The group's original goal was to provide a force to colonize the northern part of Mexico and the West Indies. The place they chose to stay, disguising themselves as rebel hotheads, was The Fountain Hotel. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Every dollar helps. This would extend pro-slavery interests. Not by chance, on South Central Avenue at this time just 4/10th of a mile from Booths home lived a candle and soap company executive named Andrew Saulsbury. A few days later, the Davis train departed Danville and headed south to Greensboro, N.C. Kane stayed behind. Gen. George Bickley assembled a group of five men whose names have since been lost. Though there were rumors that the Knights were involved in the infamous Confederate incursion known as Morgans Raid, which garnered some 2,000 men to draw out Union troops in Ohio and Indiana, these are not substantiated. KGC Meeting. Perrine, 1861 . Does the Knights of the Golden Circle still exist? The legend of this ill-gotten treasure lives on perhaps most strikingly in a man named Bob Brewer, who believes his ancestors may have hidden the gold in Arkansas and has since devoted his lifes work to finding it. The whereabouts of the Danville silver to this day is unknown. Often, histories of the Civil War Era portray the creation of the Knights as chronologically concurrent with early and mid-1850s filibustering expeditions. However, it chose a pro-war presidential candidate, General George B. McClellan. Could this somehow all be a coincidence?? heard rumors that a plot was afoot to murder Lincoln in Baltimore before he could ever reach the White House. Much of the Knights mission was based on another older secret society called the Order of the Lone Star (OLS). The free labor of slaves propped up the Souths economy and indeed, as an 1860 census showed, the region exploited the free labor of around three to four million slaves. Abraham Lincolns assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was allegedly a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle. 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). Knights of the Golden Circle, a semi-military secret society that was active in the Midwestern states during the American Civil War. (currently published under the title of Rebel Gold ISBN 978-0-7432-1969-3) Hicks, Jimmie (July 1961). The Knights of theGolden Circle, according to most authorities, ceased its operations in 1916 for two primary reasons. He sued, unsuccessfully, for the freedom of himself and his family as they were living in the free state of Illinois. is its contribution to creating the emotional excitement necessary to persuading southerners to rebel against the United States. The truth of all these charges cannot be determined with certainty, but secession definitely represented majority opinion across the state regardless of the K.G.C.s role. The Knights of the Golden Circle was reorganized in Lexington, Kentucky, on July 4, 1854, by five men, whose names have been lost to history, when Virginia-born Gen. George W. L. Bickley (1819 . In 1859 George Bickley, a freebooter and adventurer, launched a fraternal order which proposed the establishment of military colonies of Americans in Mexico. Unfortunately, this bit of history as is true with most of the Knights history may remain just legend. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. For their assistance, Maximilian rewarded the Knights of the Golden Circle $12.5 million in gold, and Jesse James $5 million. The order itself had little influence in the South and had few or no Northern adherents. Knights of the Golden Circle, a semi-military secret society that was active in the Midwestern states during the American Civil War. 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.. The team is. The group is said to have included men such as Albert Pike, John Wilkes Booth (assassin of President Abraham Lincoln . K.G.C. [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.