Rumors spread that the slaves and abolitionists had planned to add mass murder, poisonings and rapes to the arson. Hudson, Linda S. "The Knights of the Golden Circle in Texas, 18581861: An Analysis of the First (Military) Degree Knights", p. 53, in Howell, Kenneth W., ed. [8] The plan was to prevent Lincoln from reaching Washington by capturing him in Baltimore. For example, the military division comprised the Foreign Guard, those men who wished to participate in the wild, glorious and thrilling adventures of a campaign in Mexico and the Home Guard, men who would support military efforts from home. These were translated into English using a cipher attributed to Johannes Trithemius. Unlike most secret societies, the Golden Circle didnt just concern itself with clandestine meetings and mysterious plans. Despite Freemasonrys general disclaimer that no one Masonic organization claims a direct heritage to the medieval Knights Templar, certain degrees and orders are obviously patterned after the medieval Order. Still, the results of the assassination were catastrophic. [3] The new country's northern border would roughly coincide with the MasonDixon line, and within it were included such cities as Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Mexico City, and Panama City. The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret military organization created in 1859 by George W. L. Bickley in Cincinnati, Ohio. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [1] Floyd used his position as Secretary of War to move munitions and men to the South towards the end of Buchanan's presidency. Knights of the Golden Circle On February 15, 1861, Ben McCulloch, 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. The Largest Knights of the Golden Circle Treasure Ever Found! Knights of the Golden Circle Researchers There was a problem saving your notification. In the summer of 1863, Congress authorized a military draft, which the administration soon put into operation. developed a second plan for invading Mexico later in 1860, but it proved abortive as attention turned to the presidential election and the secession movement that followed immediately across the lower South. The Knights of the Golden Circle or K.G.C. The general philosophy of the group was a belief in new age esoteric principles and practices as a method of realizing ones true identity. [15] In May 1861, members of the KGC and the Confederate Rangers attacked a building which housed a pro-Union newspaper, the Alamo Express, owned by J. P. Newcomb, and burned it down. The Hashshashin, or Nizari, were a mysterious band of Muslim assassins that operated in the Middle East during the 13th century. This protects the group from people finding out how to gain admission under false pretenses. served in the Confederate Army not as members of the societys military division per se, but simply as soldiers in the southern cause. In the William Martin novel The Lincoln Letter (2012), the KGC are a group of conspirators in Washington, DC, during the Civil War. Black History - From Reconstruction to the Present (US), National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007), Shadow of the Sentinel: One Man's Quest to Find the Hidden Treasure of the Confederacy, Knights of the Golden Circle by Tim Talbott, The Mysterious and Secret Order of the Knights of the Golden Circle, The Knights of the Golden Circle, Buried Treasure and John Wilkes Booth, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copperhead_(politics), Knight Grand Commander, John Robert Baylor. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. This group is now known as the Bavarian Illuminati. Once the war began, many Knights signed up for service in the Confederate Army. texasjay..glad to be of help..do some research on a quantrill member ''james hall''..eventually you will find metodd hall.when i get the time i will post for you large amounts of quantrill research sources i have around here somewhere Hi gldhntr. No famous members, but attendees have included Ben Bernanke, the royal families of Spain and the Netherlands, World Bank officials, and representatives from major corporations The Bilderberg Group is not a secret society per se, but it does operate under a similar veil of mystery, which has made it the subject of countless conspiracy theories and criticisms. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. A Confederate Empire: The Knights of the Golden Circle In Knights of the Golden Circle, attorney David C. Keehn argues that the secret fraternal order the Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) played a much more significant role in the coming of the Civil War than historians have previously acknowledged.Specifically, he claims that the KGC used extra-political pressure to advance secession in Texas and 27 (2003) by Michael Uslan and Peter Snejbjerg. Unionists in Texas claimed that the K.G.C. The robust economy the KGC hoped to create would be fueled by cotton, sugar, tobacco, rice, coffee, indigo, and mining. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Many historians now credit this obscure organization for deception and fomenting unrest leading up to the Souths secession from the Union and for the Civil War. It was to prepare the way for annexation of a 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.[1]. Corrections? Within days, Austria-Hungary had declared war on Serbia, and after the allies of both countries joined the fray, the small dispute managed to escalate into WWI. Following the Mexican-American War of 1846, the group's original goal was to provide a force to colonize the northern part of Mexico and the West Indies. This would extend pro-slavery interests. Houston, however, regardless of his interest in annexing Mexico to the United States, could not accept the K.G.C.s anti-Union stance and refused to support its schemes. Centering on Havana, this empire would be some 2,400 miles in diameterhence the name Golden Circle. Golden Knights The K.G.C. [9], In 1859, future Confederate States Army brigadier general Elkanah Greer established KGC castles in East Texas and Louisiana. It is considered by many to be a forerunner of the Ordo Templi Orientis and a majority of modern Occult groups. The group's original goal was to provide a force to colonize the northern part of Mexico and the West Indies. Because of its secrecy, the Knights full membership list can never be verified. The signs and handshakes often differ from one jurisdiction to another and are often changed or updated. Originally, the KGC advocated that the new territories should be annexed by the United States, in order to vastly increase the number of slave states and thus the power of the slave-holding Southern upper classes. From political organisations to college frats, these groups require their members to conceal their activities, and sometimes their identities, from the public. Many prominent Texans joined the K.G.C., and Bickley even courted Gov. Knights of the Golden Circle The KGC are the villains of the graphic novel Batman: Detective No. Handbook of Texas Online, Richards Alfred Marmaduke Hobby (1836 - February 5, 1881) was a famous Texas merchant, politician, Confederate officer, and poet. 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]. Join Geni to explore your genealogy and family history in the World's Largest Family Tree. While it was not legally allowed to operate, many influential intellectuals and progressive politicians counted themselves as members. Everything old is new again such as conspiracies, clandestine groups, bogus political rhetoric, power grabs and violence. [1]:102104 The Secretary of War, John Floyd and of Treasury, Howell Cobb, were members of the circle, in addition to Vice President John Breckenridge. [18], The KGC are the antagonists in a story featured in Atomic-Robo web comic. The order of the Golden Dawn was created by Dr. William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. 3 coppers, Silver Trade Broach fragment and First Wax Seal Matrix. Many Texas newspapers, including the Bell County Democrat, heartily supported Bickley and the Knights. WebThe successor to GEORGE BICKLEY must be over thirty years of age, of Southern birth, liberally educated, Knight of the Columbian Star, sound of body and mind, and married, and Protestant. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=vcsr&GSvcid=755868, function webURL() { Many of our members are related to Quantrill's Raiders so, through them, we are able to access family information that is not widely known about. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. They claim that the KGC's new mission was to support a second, former confederate, uprising against the U.S. Federal Government. 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. Various clandestine actions were undertaken to accomplish this, including a plan in 1861 to intercept Abraham Lincoln in Baltimore and kidnap him before he could take the Oath of Office (which Allen Pinkerton scuttled). These clubs were inspired by the philosophies of John C. Calhoun (17821850). Some 250,000 to 300,000 oath-bound members were said to have existed in the Midwest. will send {when i can find the time to relocate it} a list to you/your group showing james {thomas j} on a list of known quantrill's raiders.i mentioned this one due to the ease with which i located itam also kin to a couple others in your above list.i will also send you a picture of joseph in Confederate uniform when i get the chancei am glad you have been able to enjoy the links/info i posted.i have quite a bit of research links concerning these overly enthusiastic fellows.will get that to you also..g. Thank you, gldhntr. "Newcomb, James Pearson | The Handbook of Texas Online|", "California Naval History: The Pacific Squadron of 1861-1866", "Gold coins found by California couple unlikely stolen from U.S. Mint", "The great north-western conspiracy in all its startling details", "Watch Lincoln's Secret Assassins Full Episode - America Unearthed", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Knights_of_the_Golden_Circle&oldid=1150481115, Expansion of slavery in the United States, Proposed states and territories of the United States, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The KGC are the villains of the graphic novel, The KGC are portrayed as conspirators in the, The KGC and their potential involvement in President Lincoln's assassination are discussed in an episode of the, The KGC are the antagonists in a story which is featured in the, The KGC are referenced during a discussion concerning a potential assassination plot in the, The KGC are the subject of a historical fiction novel by, This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 12:45. Knights of the Golden Circle: Maps had an elaborate ritual with codes, signs, and passwords, and complicated plans for its military and governing operations. Copperheads Fernando Wood, former Democratic mayor of New York City, and Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio were reputed to be the chief officers. The 10 Most Elite Secret Societies In History - Elite Daily In the Northern states, the mysterious order had an even bigger impact. Their attempt was detected and they were seized on the night of their intended departure. The Street of the Knights is a historic cobblestone pathway located in the Old Town of Rhodes, Greece. WebThe 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. Furthermore, it has been alleged in the History Channel program 'America Unearthed,' (episode 'Lincoln's Secret Assassins') that the James-Younger Gang was the principal source of funds for a second U.S. Civil War that never occurred. Category:Knights of the Golden Circle members - Wikipedia Widespread publicity in Southern expansionist newspapers called attention to the new order, and Bickley soon claimed it had 65,000 members. It is one of the oldest student secret societies in the United States. Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas. Even before that, the K.G.C. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/knights-of-the-golden-circle. I find some of my best information about the KGC from old online newspaper articles. After the Souths surrender, the Knights eventually disbanded. The team's goal differential is ninth-best in the league at +42. } Reports of K.G.C. Knights Of The Golden Circle WebCategory:Knights of the Golden Circle members Tools Help Pages in category "Knights of the Golden Circle members" The following 5 pages are in this category, out of 5 total. It has even been suggested that the Skull and Bones club is an American branch of the Illuminati. Maybe the last Castle of Knights of the Golden Circle old school. Some supported slavery and others were worried about the power of the federal government. Jesse James, Leader of the KGC Both Baylor and Trevanion Teel, Sibley's captain of artillery, had been among the KGC members who rode with Ben McCulloch. Knights of the Golden Circle - Geni 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. From its earliest roots in the Southern Rights Clubs in 1835, the Knights of the Golden Circle was to become the most powerful secret and subversive organization in the history of the United States with members in every state and territory before the end of the Civil War. addthis_url = location.href; Secretive organizations such as the Knights create an atmosphere of conspiracy, of claims and charges that cannot be proven true but cannot be proven untrue either.. Chief among these is the groups fixation on the sexual, especially their teachings on the adoration of the phallus and the magic of masturbation. They were known for their extreme discretion in minimizing civilian casualties, as well as their penchant for using stealth to intimidate their targets. WebThe Knights of the Golden Circle (K. G. C.) was a secret society founded by George W. L. Bickley on July 4, 1854. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group. TW. Victory by the Union in the Civil War destroyed the cause for which the K.G.C. 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. Knights The Night of The Iron Tyrants (19901991), written by the novelist Mark Ellis and drawn by Darryl Banks, is a four-part comic book miniseries based on The Wild Wild West television series. 3: Master Mason, this degree is necessary for participating in most masonic activities. This https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_the_Golden_Circle, The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) were a pro-slavery secret society in the mid-nineteenth-century United States. Below are all the Halls that are listed on our lists. Made a few Return Trips to Places the last 6 days. Omissions? The most popular is that the group tries to steer the direction of public policy, financial markets, and media in certain prescribed directions of their choosing, perhaps even with the goal of forming a so-called one world government. These claims have been brushed aside by the group, which claims global understanding and the end of nuclear proliferation as its main goals. The Golden Knights rank 11th in total goals against, allowing 2.7 goals per game (225 total) in NHL action. Shadowy sentinels: Mysterious group fostered false claims, unrest before Civil War, UPDATE: Sirens sound in Temple after tornado touches down on North Fort Hood, Chargers select Temple's Johnston in first round of NFL draft, Two BISD principals named; other positions open, Extraco Tower in Temple may become executive hotel, Wendell Williams, former Councilman and banker, dies at age 75, Marks removed from courtroom briefly during foul tirade, ME: Scott, Swearingin suffered violent deaths; two witnesses see man in area where victims were buried, Vicki Jeannice Templin, age 65, of Salado, died Sunday, DA: 4 videos of key witnesses revealed; Marks objects to new evidence in capital murder trial. [8][9][10], In late 1863, the KGC reorganized as the Order of American Knights. ET, To Have and Have Another: The Life and Times (and Cocktails) of Ernest Hemingway, Byrdcliffe: An American Arts and Crafts Colony, The Cuban Missile Crisis: Re-examining a Moment of Extreme Danger. The fact that the Illuminati did not require a belief in a supreme being made them particularly popular amongst atheists. Warne and Pinkerton learned that they planned to kill The eventual goal of the plan was the annexation of all of Mexico to the United States. Street of the Knights Rhodes, Greece - Atlas Obscura It was founded in 1832 and membership is open to an elite few. According to the records of the K.G.C. Other conspiracy stories claim the Knights stole millions in U.S. Army payrolls and gold, buried across Texas. 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. Joseph Holt, Report of the Judge Advocate General on The Order of American Knights, alias The Sons of Liberty. A Western Conspiracy in aid of the Southern Rebellion (Washington, DC: Union Congressional Committee, 1864). LSU Press :: Books - Knights of the Golden Circle The order itself had little influence in the South and had few or no Northern adherents. Beneath the portrait are Lincolns initials and olive branches. [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. In most areas only a minority of its membership was radical enough to discourage enlistments, resist the draft, and shield deserters. 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). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. You are using an out of date browser. As anti-slavery agitation increased after the Dred Scott Decision was issued, the members proposed a separate confederation of slave states, with U.S. states south of the Mason-Dixon line to secede and to align with other slave states to be formed from the golden circle. That kind of secrecy, along with the intense security of the meeting sites, which often feature armed guards, police, and even fighter jets patrolling the skies overhead, has produced a number of conspiracy theories centered on the conference. 's roots went back to the Sons of Liberty of the American Revolutionary period. When Abraham Lincoln won the national 1860 election, alarmed Knights flooded local newspapers with propaganda touting the secessionist movement. 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. These seven industries would employ slave labor. This program is over. [17] When Confederate Maj. Gen. Jubal Early's infantry division passed through York County, Pennsylvania, they took what they needed anyway. while KGC members were still Cabinet officers and Senators". Be the first to know what's trending, straight from Elite Daily, I Tried Starbucks' Secret Coachella Sunrise Sip & Its So Refreshing, A #SwiftTok-Obsessed NYC Writer Tracks Her Screen Time For 1 Week, Are Last Crumb Cookies Worth $140? Samuel J. Richardson, farmer, businessman, Confederate officer, Texas state legislator, and police chief, was born in Virginia in 1826. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Signup today for our free newsletter, Especially Texan. Strong evidence suggests that Albert Pike (18091891) was the genius behind the influence and power of the Masonic-influenced K.G.C., while Bickley was the organization's leading promoter and chief organizer for the K.G.C. is its contribution to creating the emotional excitement necessary to persuading southerners to rebel against the United States. 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. Bickleys letters and commands were frequently published in the Democrat. The belief system of the Golden Dawn is largely taken from Christian mysticism, Qabalah, Hermeticism, the religion of Ancient Egypt, Freemasonry, Alchemy, Theosophy, Magic, and Renaissance writings. In late 1860, it shifted its focus to supporting I went first to our group's extensive Links section and looked through the following list for James Hall. WebThe board of directors of that insurance company included old man Armstrong himself, Charles Webb, Jr., James Webb, and retired ship captain John J. Mattison. Other Knights continued to serve in political and administrative roles in the Confederacy. Members meet every Thursday and Sunday of each week in a building they call the Tomb. This required the separation of Serbia from the monarchy of Austria-Hungary, which had annexed the country some years before. An 1861 book cover re the Knights of the Golden Circle and their purported flag. Both of the Bush presidents were members of the society while studying at Yale, and a number of other members have gone on to great fame and fortune. This doesnt mean that they dont still have some bizarre practices. You have permission to edit this article. [citation needed] Mexico and Central America had no interest in being part of the United States. The left panel is a portrait of George W. L. Bickley, the Head of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Above him is the word Theory. The central panel Practice shows Booth in profile holding a dagger. According to Judy Schiff, Chief Archivist at the Yale University Library, the names of the members were not kept secret until the 1970s, but the rituals always have been. The Spanish possessions of Cuba and Puerto Rico and the Empire of Brazil continued to depend on slavery, as did the Southern United States. It became strongest among Copperheads, who were Democrats who wanted to end the Civil War via settlement with the South. [19]. This organization is a distinct one, and is not just a higher degree of Masonry. [4][citation needed] In May 1861, members of the KGC and Confederate Rangers attacked a building which housed a pro-Union newspaper, the Alamo Express, owned by J. P. Newcomb, and burned it down. Floyd received instructions from the Order to "seize Navy-yards, Forts, etc. They often paid with Confederate currency or with drafts on the Confederate government. As far-fetched as the Knights theories were, many followers, including those in Bell County, were sucked into the rhetoric and promises of their wealth and control. The Effect is the death of President Lincoln, whose profile portrait at right is framed by swags of black drapery. 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. Project MUSE - Knights of the Golden Circle Baltimore Plot - Ford's Theatre (U.S. National Park Service) The Knights merged with the Order of the Lone Star with the expansionist goal of forming a slave-holding empire that operated like the East India Company by annexing Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America into the United States. For this reason, it is best to acquire information on as many as possible, research them in advance, and pick the most likely ones out before going out into This measure, which supported the goal of the KGC, failed to be adopted. The rival paper, the Independent, supported Sam Houston and his efforts to remain in the Union. I have reposted some of this to the yahoo forum at. Some rites (such as the Scottish rite) list up to 33 degrees of membership. Stuart also reported the alleged KGC tickets when documenting the campaign. Mason. (Texas): W.H. Donald S. Frazier, Blood & The Secretary of War, John Floyd and of Treasury, Howell Cobb, were members of the circle, in addition to Vice President John Breckenridge. Senate. [7], 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. If such a plot existed, nothing came of it, suggesting that the rumors were just that or that the K.G.C. Knights of the Golden Circle | History, Members, & Influence [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. By The Numbers: Golden Knights Use Team Effort to Beat Jets The KGC held numerous peace meetings. Knights of the Golden Circle: Maps. Shadowy sentinels: Mysterious group fostered false 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. Knights of the Golden Circle, This is one I found today. This unusual, three-part wood engraving published in 1865 blames Abraham Lincolns assassination by John Wilkes Booth on the influence of the pro-slavery secret society, the Knights of the Golden Circle. 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 (18191867) requested they come together. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the origins of these documents. This would extend pro-slavery interests. If successful, the Knights intended to reinstate slavery in their proposed empire. The Knights failed invasion of Mexico embarrassed Bickley and his movement. Even though there were some known Freemasons in the membership, it was not considered to be endorsed by Masonry.