A FLORIDA KGC LEGEND

[Rebel - KGC]

All one has to do is search the blood connections of the early pioneer families post Seminole Wars of Florida and there ties to the KGC and service to the CSA during the War of Northern Aggression,and the flight after the fall of Richmond,April 2,1865.One will find blood relatives,relations by mariage,a son in law and nephew of a US general and future US President that was a commandant at Fort King(Ocala),families from Abbeville,SC who aided in the escape of Benjamin,Breckinridge,and Wood from the Union,And Jefferson Davis's baggage train that made it to Archer,Florida,but Davis was captured in Georgia.

YEP! Ocala is BEST place to start; look at OLD cemeteries, foundations of OLD OOF/IOOF & Masonic Lodge Halls; read back on these "threads".

 

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[lastleg]

But . . . but what if I do all that boring research and still wind up with zero? Just gimme Step 1.
I'll take it from there.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

But . . . but what if I do all that boring research and still wind up with zero? Just gimme Step 1.
I'll take it from there.

STEP 1: Read ALL "back posts"...

 

[ECS]

YEP! Ocala is BEST place to start; look at OLD cemeteries, foundations of OLD OOF/IOOF & Masonic Lodge Halls; read back on these "threads".

After the acquisition of Florida from Spain,the interior of that territory was dense forest,scrub,marshland and swamps that was controlled by the Seminoles,who were not fond of the whiteman encroachment onto their land.In 1830,President Andrew Jackson had Congress enact the INDIAN REMOVAL ACT to deport the Seminole to the west and open up Florida for safe white settlers.Forts were built throughout the Florida wilderness,and the longest,deadilest and most expensive of all the wars against native Americans began-the 2nd Seminole War(1835-1842).One of the commandants at Fort King(Ocala) was Gen Zachary Taylor,who was later elected President,was Jefferrson Davis's father-in-law(Davis first wife),and the grandfather of CSA Capt John Tayor Wood,who commanded the CSS TALLAHASSEE,a Confederate raider.
After the 2nd Seminole War,thoughts of a golden circle were being formed,as homesteaders move into Florida,many of which ties to an emerging KGC.

 

[ECS]

In 1848,Sen Jefferson Davis proposed an Amendment to the TREATY OF GUADALUPE-HIDALGO to annex most of northeast Mexico to the United States,but it was defeated 44-11.
Associates of Davis,Albert Pike,John Slidel,and Judah P Benjamin,met at the PICKWICK CLUB in New Orleans,1857,and a active KGC was born to pursue the "golden circle,as more settlers moved into Florida.
Two cousins of Benjamin,Simon and Solomon Benjamin moved into the Tuscawilla section of Ocala,and David Levy Yulee had a house in Fernadina and railroad company,and two plantations,Cottonwood in Archer Florida,and Margarite in Homosassa on the Gulf of Mexico,and docks and a railroad depot at Cedar Key.
Letitia Breckinridge,sister of John C Breckinridge(US vice President under Buchanan and CSA Sec of War)married Robert Gamble,of Gamble Plantation,Ellenton Florida.
Members of Abbeville,SC's Marshall family began a plantation on the Oklawaha River,a few miles away from Fort King in Marion county,and the Hendry's,also from Abbeville,moved to Gulf coast,near the Gambles.
The Sanchez family from Cuba,settled in Palatka on the St Johns River,while J J Dickinson had Sunnyside Plantation in Orange Springs close to neighbor,John W Pearson who ran a forge and machine shop.
When Ocala became a town and countyseat of Marion county,Edmund Davis Howse,whose farm surrounded Silver Springs became Marion counties first sheriff,and Hubbart A Hart ran a river steamship company from Palatka to Silver Springs,carrying goods from Marshall Plantation and Holley Farms on the Oklawaha up to the St Johns River and onto Jacksonville.
Many of these people would become involved with escape of Benjamin,Breckinridge,and Wood with the remains of the CSA treasury.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

GREAT INFO!

 

[L.C. BAKER]

In 1848,Sen Jefferson Davis proposed an Amendment to the TREATY OF GUADALUPE-HIDALGO to annex most of northeast Mexico to the United States,but it was defeated 44-11.
Associates of Davis,Albert Pike,John Slidel,and Judah P Benjamin,met at the PICKWICK CLUB in New Orleans,1857,and a active KGC was born to pursue the "golden circle,as more settlers moved into Florida.
Two cousins of Benjamin,Simon and Solomon Benjamin moved into the Tuscawilla section of Ocala,and David Levy Yulee had a house in Fernadina and railroad company,and two plantations,Cottonwood in Archer Florida,and Margarite in Homosassa on the Gulf of Mexico,and docks and a railroad depot at Cedar Key.
Letitia Breckinridge,sister of John C Breckinridge(US vice President under Buchanan and CSA Sec of War)married Robert Gamble,of Gamble Plantation,Ellenton Florida.
Members of Abbeville,SC's Marshall family began a plantation on the Oklawaha River,a few miles away from Fort King in Marion county,and the Hendry's,also from Abbeville,moved to Gulf coast,near the Gambles.
The Sanchez family from Cuba,settled in Palatka on the St Johns River,while J J Dickinson had Sunnyside Plantation in Orange Springs close to neighbor,John W Pearson who ran a forge and machine shop.
When Ocala became a town and countyseat of Marion county,Edmund Davis Howse,whose farm surrounded Silver Springs became Marion counties first sheriff,and Hubbart A Hart ran a river steamship company from Palatka to Silver Springs,carrying goods from Marshall Plantation and Holley Farms on the Oklawaha up to the St Johns River and onto Jacksonville.
Many of these people would become involved with escape of Benjamin,Breckinridge,and Wood with the remains of the CSA treasury.

Associates of Davis,Albert Pike,John Slidel,and Judah P Benjamin,met at the PICKWICK CLUB in New Orleans,1857,and a active KGC was born to pursue the "golden circle,as more settlers moved into Florida.

Good stuff E.C.S. but i am afraid that an active K.G.C. was born many years before that!...unless that statement pertains only to Florida and not this country.

Just my two cents L.C.

 

[ECS]

Associates of Davis,Albert Pike,John Slidel,and Judah P Benjamin,met at the PICKWICK CLUB in New Orleans,1857,and a active KGC was born to pursue the "golden circle,as more settlers moved into Florida.

Good stuff E.C.S. but i am afraid that an active K.G.C. was born many years before that!...unless that statement pertains only to Florida and not this country.

Just my two cents L.C.

L.C.,I am only writing about the Florida connection.It should be noted the connections between those I have mentioned that were Masons,Scottish Rite,and Odd Fellows that were or aided the efforts of the KGC.
Edmund Davis Howse,Marion counties first sheriff and later during the War of Northern Aggression,CSA Capt of the HOME GUARD,was a Templer/KGC,and his ceremonial sword is on display at the SILVER RIVER MUSEUM in Ocala.

 

[ECS]

After the Civil War began,a UNION NAVAL BOARD stated in 1861,"The southern Atlantic coast of Florida was hardly inhabited and of no great consequence except as a convient resort of pirates"-but the Union quicly learned that Florida had an highly organized active and effective blockading network.,and occupied Fernadina,Jacksonville,St Augustine on the Atlantic,Pensacola,Tampa,Fort Meyers,and Key West on the Gulf of Mexico,and Palatka on the St Johns River,concentrating of the blockade runners,leaving the central interior alone.
(*NOTE*)On the SWAMP GOLD thread,the activity of the CSA 'Cow Cavalry",CSA Fort Meade,and Union Fort Meyers has been discussed in detail,but this thread is about north central Florida,with a few crossovers into SW Florida during the War.
On Jefferson Davis cabinet was Stephen Russel Mallory from Florida,CSA Sec of the Navy,and Sec of State Judah P Benjamin,both had connections to those in the Florida shipping and slave trade,Benjamin's cousin David Levy Yulee,a US Senator from Florida before the War held a slave ship register and had built a railroad from Fernadina across Florida to Cedar Key.Cedar Key was a blockade runner port,shipping cotton and other goods to the Bahamas and England as trade payments on loans made to the Confederate government(John Slidel had become CSA COMMISSIONER TO EUROPE),and also was the site of a Confederate salt works.The Gulf coast of Florida became a major supplier to the Confederacy and a way to keep munitions,gunpowder,etc, coming from Europe .The Union would take notice and come down hard.

 

[L.C. BAKER]

That is some good supporting evidence E.C.S. As you can see by this link, one of the main K.G.C. members we have identified with the Nebraska City Castle who was also a blockade runner of the highest caliber and who bought blockade runner ships built over sees for Jefferson Davis, is also tied at the hip to John Slidel! This makes the full circle...no pun intended!

L.C.

The London Confederates: The Officials, Clergy, Businessmen and Journalists ... - John D. Bennett - Google Books

 

[ECS]

The Union's first target to end the flow of goods by blockcade runners,was Judah Benjamin's cousin,David Levy Yulee.Yulee's railraod and terminal at Fernadina was seized,and on Jan 15,1862,the USS HATTERAS entered Cedar Key and the Union landing party raided and looted ,then pulled down the telegraph wires,burned down Yulee's depot,warehouses,and 7 railcars loaded with cotton and turpentine,and set afire 5 schooners and 3 sloops-the blockade schooner,FANNY,managed to get away,sailed south to Crystal River and hide in King's Bay.
The USS ARIEL landed a crew at Homosassa,and after looting the main house, burned Yulee's Margarita Plantation and sugar mill.Yulee's Cottonwood Plantation remained untouched,due in part to the guerilla tactics of CSA Capt J J Dickinson,of Marion county,known as Florida's swamp fox,who kept the Union invaders from the interior of Central Florida.
The USS SOMERSET returned to Cedar Key on Oct 4,1863,and its landing crew destroyed the boilers of the Confederate salt works.
The Union patroled the Gulf coast-July 9,1863,the USS TAHOMA,under Lt Comm A A Semmes captured a flatboat loaded with sugar and molasses on the Manatee River,and sailed up the river to burn a grist mill and swamill owned by CSA Capt Lesley,and a sugar mill said to be owned by Jefferson Davis.
The Union also patroled the St Johns River,from Jacksonville through Palatka, into Crescent Lake,and down to Lake Monroe.
Lola Sanchez,a Confederate spy in Palatka,provided intel to CSA Capt Dickinson on Federal troop and gunboat activities,which aided the CSA Oklawaha River blockading runs that supplied goods to the CSA from Marion county plantations and farms.

 

[ECS]

That is some good supporting evidence E.C.S. As you can see by this link, one of the main K.G.C. members we have identified with the Nebraska City Castle who was also a blockade runner of the highest caliber and who bought blockade runner ships built over sees for Jefferson Davis, is also tied at the hip to John Slidel! This makes the full circle...no pun intended!

L.C.

The London Confederates: The Officials, Clergy, Businessmen and Journalists ... - John D. Bennett - Google Books

Let us not forget,that Albert Pike recuited Stand Watie of the Cherokee nation and John Jumper of the Seminole nation to the Confederate Cause(neither tribe had much love for the US government),all a part of the great circle.

 

[ECS]

The beginning of 1864 was not good for the Union army in Florida.
February 20,1864,The Battle of Olustee (Ocean Pond) was the only major engagement in Florida,and CSA Brig Gen won a complete victory over a larger Union force,keeping Florida safe from future invasions(Tallahassee is the only CSA state capitol not occupied by the Union during the WAR).In his retreat from Olustee,US Gen Truman A Seymour ordered 130,000rounds of ammunition dumped into a lake at Baldwin,which the Confederates were able to salvage,along with several cannons and 1600 small arms.About 10,000 troops fought at Olustee,with a total loss of over 3,000(killed,wounded,or missing),the battle lasted for 6 hours,and for its size,was one of the bloodiest battles of the WAR of NORTHERN AGGRESSION.
The St Johns River was the dividing line between Union and Confederate held territories,the Union controlled the St Johns with patrolling gunboats in an attempt to keep goods from Florida's interior reaching the CSA to the north of the state.
Lola Sanchez,a Confederate spy in Union occupied Palatka,provided information to Dickinson and others of the Union gunboat movements.The Union riverboat,Maple Leaf,hit a Confederate barrel mine off of Mandarin Point,south of Jacksonville,and sank in 26 feet under the St Johns with its 400 tons on cargo.
Marion county's,CSA Capt J J Dickinson,raided the Union from the Gulf coast of Central Florida to the St Johns River,was so well known to the Unuion,that they refered to the land west of the St Johns,as "DIXIESLAND" in homage.Supplied with information from Lola Sanchez,Dickinson's raids took place at night,departing from Fort Brook at Orange Springs were Orange Creek joins the Oklawaha,crossing the river with his horses on small flat bottom boats,then waiting in the forest edge of the St Johns.
May 1864,the Union commander at Fort Marion(Castillo de San Marcos)St Augustine,sent the USS Columbine and USS Ottawa with 600 men downriver to capture Dickinson and his cavalry.Dickinson and his men watched as the Columbine proceeded down the St Johns,then shelled the Ottawa with their two field pieces-the Ottawa then turned aroond and fled north.Dickinson's men lay in ambush at Horse Landing,some in the overhanging trees,others on the bank with the two small cannons.One of the first shells ripped the Columbine's wheel and she ran aground.A firefight commenced with Union loses of 20 killed,6 wounded,and 65 taken prisoner.After removing all the useful items from the Columbine,guns,ammunution,and her lifeboat,the vessel was burned and sunk on site.
This is the only time in US history where a calvary unit sank an enemy ship.
"DIXIESLAND" was free to continue running the river blockade of goods and supplies from Marion county for their Confederates brothers north of Florida-the Union would take notice and come calling 9 months later.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

GREAT info... TY!

 

[L.C. BAKER]

Let us not forget,that Albert Pike recuited Stand Watie of the Cherokee nation and John Jumper of the Seminole nation to the Confederate Cause(neither tribe had much love for the US government),all a part of the great circle.

Good point ECS. Have you ever studied Stan Watie's brother Ross Watie or the Ross Watie conflict ? It is funny that the most memorable thing the First Nebraska did was take Ross into custody. He and Stan didn't see eye to eye on the Rebels and using the Cherokees to fight the Union. The First Nebraska and the man giving the orders to them lends some explanation to Ross Watie's capture.

Great stuff! L.C.

 

[ECS]

The Union East Coast Blockade Squadron continued to patrol the Gulf coast.The last action of the USS SAGAMORE occured on June 7,1864,along with the USS CLYDE,traveled up the Suwannee river to Clay landing,and captured over 100 bales of cotton that were to shipped to England as a loan payment.(The Uss Sagamore was decommissioned,Dec 1,1864 at Philadelphia.)
Pearson's machine shop at Orange Springs made the cannons that CSA Major William Footman and 275 men of the Fort Thompson (LaBelle) "COW CAVALRY" bombarded Union Fort Meyers with on Feb 20,1865.Pearson had become a CSA Lt Col and was severly wounded at Cold Harbor,and died while returning to Marion county.He is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetary,Savannah.
Marshall Plantation on the Oklawaha continued to supply sugar,syrup,and whiskey to the Confederacy,being run by Elizabeth Anne DeBruhl Marshall after her husband,CSA Col Jehu Foster Marshall was killed in action,April 1862 at 2nd Manassas.
Across the Oklawaha river,William Holly's farm and grist mill provided salt pork,grits,and grain for the Cause,while the women of Marion county collected spider webs that were used as wound bandages.
CSA Col Hubbard A Hart ran the Oklawaha and St Johns river on his JAMES BURT streamboat along with Capt Richard J Adams on the SILVER SPRINGS-both riverboats were narrow,with an inboard paddlewheels which made them ideal to run the narrow and twisting Oklawaha.Hart was provided with safe run information from Lola Sanchez,the CSA spy in Palatka.
US Col Wilcoxon and his 17th Conn Regiment began a raid at Braddock Farm on Dunn's Lake(Crescent Lake),Feb 8,1865.CSA Capt J J Dickson and his calvary charged the Union,Dickinson,with pistol in hand,shot Wilcoxon in the head,and seeing their officer lying dead on the ground,the Union troops retreated on the run,north to Fort Marion.
This action convinved the Union that Dickinson,and the suppliers and blockade runners of Marion county needed to be put down,and plans for an invasion were made.

 

[ECS]

On March 9,1865,the 3rd Union Colored Infantry led by Sgt Major Henry James departed from Fort Gates,which was 4 miles south of where the Oklawaha met the St Johns,and about 1 mile north of Horse Landing,on an all night march through the pine,oak,and scrub of what was to become the OCALA NATIONAL FOREST,using old Seminole War military trails.
Early morning,on March 10,they reach the cypress swamps surrounding the banks of the Oklawaha.As a fog lifted from the river on that cold March morning,the Union infantry crossed the bridge,and procedded to loot Marshall Plantation.
US Sgt Major James and his men took four prisoners,whiskey,rice,85 barrels of sugar,300 barrels of syrup,loaded it onto two of Marshall's wagons,while taking 25 mules and horses and freeing 95 slaves.
After burning down the house and barns,James ordered his men across the bridge,burning it,and moved on to Holly's farm.
William Holly and son,Franklin watched the raid across the river,and gathered their livestock and valuables and hid them in the nearby cypress swamp.Mrs Mary Holly was sick in bed,and Franklin returned to help his mother,but was captured by the Union invaders,who then set fire to the house.Florence,still in the house with her mother,was unable to lift her from bed,but was able to drag her out on her mattress.
During this conflict,CSA Capt of the HOME GUARD,Edmund Davis,was the first to respond and engaged the Union in a firefight,with two of the Home Guard being killed.Word was sent to CSA Capt Dickinson,whose men were camped at nearby Silver Springs,who entered the skrimish,chased the departing 3rd Colored Infantry all the way to St Augustine,and recovering most of the looted goods and prisoners,including Franklin Holly.William Holly had returned with neighbors to help Florence,who had been throwing buckets of water at the house,put out the fire.
The Marshall/Holly Raid was another diaster for the Union,and would leave the west bank of the St Johns River free of Union presence,no longer venturing into "Dixie's Land".
A few weeks later,on April 2,1865,Richmond would fall,and Ocala/Marion county had one more role to play.

 

[ECS]

CSA Pres Jefferson Davis and his cabinet with the remaining Confederate treasury(boxes,barrels,and crates of gold and silver coin,bullion,and jewerlry donated to the CAUSE by southern women) arrived by train in Danville,Va,April 3,1865.CSA cabinet members included-Masons Sec of State Judah P Benjamin,Sec of War John C Breckinridge,Sec of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory,Post Master General John Henninger Reagan,and Davis's nephew,John Taylor Woodavis's personal private secretary,Burton Norvell Harrison,was a member of SKULL & BONES.Most had ties to the KGC.While in Danville,Benjamin gave CSA Major E S Hutter his personal copy of Vattel's LAW OF NATIONS,which was used as a Confederate code book.
April 10,Davis and company took a train to Charlotte,NC,and on the 12th,to Chester,SC.Everything was loaded onto a wagon,and transported to Abbeville,SC,and stayed at WHITEHALL, the Marshall family plantation.It was here that the plan to escape through Florida was made.
One wagon loaded with part of the CSA treasury was sent to the Plantation of Dionysius Chennault in Washington ,Ga,May 3.It was raided by unknown attackers,and it is claimed $250,000 was taken in that raid.
Davis's baggage and portion of the treasury departed in a sturdily built ambulance and 2 heavy wagons to Yulee's Florida plantation,COTTONWOOD,in Archer,Florida.Jefferson Davis's in laws,CSA Capt Watson Van Benthuysen,W S Van Benthuysen,J D Van Benthuysen were guards,along with M H Clark,Fred Emory,W E Dickerson,and J W Scott-they reached Cottonwood on May 22,but Davis,along with John Taylor Wood,and Strphen MALLORY were captured,May 10,at Irwinville,Ga.
Wood,was able to bribe a Union guard with $40 in gold coin,and went on to meet Benjamin and Breckinridge at an agreed location in Florida.
"The thirteen millions of treasure with which Jeff Davis was to corrupt our armies and buy his escape,dwindled down to the contents of a hand valise"-US Gen William T Sherman
But Sherman was not aware that part of the remaining CSA treasury was still in transit to Florida.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

CSA Pres Jefferson Davis and his cabinet with the remaining Confederate treasury(boxes,barrels,and crates of gold and silver coin,bullion,and jewerlry donated to the CAUSE by southern women) arrived by train in Danville,Va,April 3,1865.CSA cabinet members included-Masons Sec of State Judah P Benjamin,Sec of War John C Breckinridge,Sec of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory,Post Master General John Henninger Reagan,and Davis's nephew,John Taylor Woodavis's personal private secretary,Burton Norvell Harrison,was a member of SKULL & BONES.Most had ties to the KGC.While in Danville,Benjamin gave CSA Major E S Hutter his personal copy of Vattel's LAW OF NATIONS,which was used as a Confederate code book.
April 10,Davis and company took a train to Charlotte,NC,and on the 12th,to Chester,SC.Everything was loaded onto a wagon,and transported to Abbeville,SC,and stayed at WHITEHALL, the Marshall family plantation.It was here that the plan to escape through Florida was made.
One wagon loaded with part of the CSA treasury was sent to the Plantation of Dionysius Chennault in Washington ,Ga,May 3.It was raided by unknown attackers,and it is claimed $250,000 was taken in that raid.
Davis's baggage and portion of the treasury departed in a sturdily built ambulance and 2 heavy wagons to Yulee's Florida plantation,COTTONWOOD,in Archer,Florida.Jefferson Davis's in laws,CSA Capt Watson Van Benthuysen,W S Van Benthuysen,J D Van Benthuysen were guards,along with M H Clark,Fred Emory,W E Dickerson,and J W Scott-they reached Cottonwood on May 22,but Davis,along with John Taylor Wood,and Strphen MALLORY were captured,May 10,at Irwinville,Ga.
Wood,was able to bribe a Union guard with $40 in gold coin,and went on to meet Benjamin and Breckinridge at an agreed location in Florida.
"The thirteen millions of treasure with which Jeff Davis was to corrupt our armies and buy his escape,dwindled down to the contents of a hand valise"-US Gen William T Sherman
But Sherman was not aware that part of the remaining CSA treasury was still in transit to Florida.

NOW! To "add" to the above... Lynchburg, VIRGINIA & the BEALE TREASURE; Maj. ES Hutter (CSA) saved Vattel's LAW OF NATIONS from burning in Danville, VIRGINIA (1 of 3 SECRET books of CSA Gov't), told his brother, Maj. FC Hutter (CSA) of it; gave the book to his (ES) son-in-law (an attorney). Maj. FC is the author of the BEALE PAPERS... AND! Peter Viemeister, author of many books on the Beale Treasure was of the opinion that "BT" was PART of the CONFEDERATE TREASURY, being the "Richmond (VIRGINIA) stores" that were to be moved from Richmond, Va. to Lynchburg, Va. and "points" WEST... as Richmond fell; Lynchburg, VIRGINIA became STATE CAPITAL of VIRGINIA for about FOUR days in April, 1865. PV wrote of it in his book, THE BEALE TREASURE: NEW History of a Mystery, Chapt. 22: Mexican War & Confederacy, pg 168-172... AND! His last novel... a FACTION, FICTION based on FACTS; Confederate Treasure Coverup HH!

 

[ECS]

Expecting Davis and Benjamin to escape by way of the Gul of Mexico CSA blockade runners,on May 1,1865 Lt Commander William Gibson of the USS MAHASKA was ordered to patrol and picket the mouths of the Steinhatchee,Suwannee,Cryatal ,and Wacasassee rivers.Union patrols were doubled at Cedar Key and at Otter Creek,which led to Cedar Key.When word was recieved of the capture of Davis at Irwinville,Ga on May 10,the patrols and pickets were called off.The Union was not aware that Benjamin,Breckinridge,and Wood were on the other side of Florida,unloading a wagon with crates and kegs of gold and silver coins onto Hubbard Hart's JAMES BURT just south of Jacksonville on Black Creek,which met the St Johns river to the east.Once again,Lola Sanchez provided the information that the Union at Palatka had relaxed the gunboat patrols on the St Johns,and spent most nights in celebration that the Union won the War.
With agreeded upon signals,the JAMES BURT past Palatka without notice on its way to the Oklawaha River.Below Palatka,the James Burt pulled to the west river bank,and Benjamin gave Lola Sanchez 500 Mexican silver dollars from one of the kegs for her servive to the Cause.