From:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloodybillandersonmystery
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While the KGC naysayers continue to rant and rave that the Knights of the Golden
Circle died "during the War", they never do provide a specific year or reputable
source to support this erroneous claim. Here is a newspaper article from August
3, 1864, that says "The numerical strength of this Order is said to be
considerably over half a million." This was in late 1864 so it sure doesn't
sound to me like a dying organization. The proven fact is that the KGC had
hundreds of thousands more members at the end of the War than it had at the
beginning.
~Jay~
***
From Richmond Daily Dispatch.
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2006.05.1135%2\
53Aarticle%253D6
Additional from the North.
From Northern papers of the 30th we get some additional intelligence.
The Yankees are considerably befogged about the whereabouts of Early, though
they state positively that be has retired beyond Martinsburg.
General Hunter, who has been relieved at his own request from the command of the
army in the Valley, is carrying on a contemptible and cruel prosecution of the
citizens of Maryland. He has exiled the secession citizens of Frederick.--Messrs
Bingham and Norris, editors of the Frederick Citizen, have been sent South.
The St. Louis Democrat publishes a long account of the conspiracy for the
erection of a Northwestern confederacy, referred to a few days since. The
organization engaged in this conspiracy is known as the Order of American
Knights, and their object is to embarrass the Government in the conduct of the
war, and to overthrow the Government, if necessary, for the supremacy of the
Order. Its professions and purposes are different in different States. It
proclaims a war policy in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other Eastern
States, while in the West it is for peace.
The Democrat's account says:
` The Order is of Southern origin, being erected on the ruins of the Knights of
the Golden Circle. Of the Southern organization General Sterling Price is
Supreme Commander. C C Vallandigham, while in Richmond, was made the Supreme
Commander of the Northern section or Order. A conspiracy, it is said, was
entered into between him and the rebel authorities to divide the East from the
West, and to thus aid the Southern rebellion.
' Vallandigham's time in Canada, it is said, was principally spent in furthering
this scheme. He had a conference with some of the leading spirits in the North,
and soon after his arrival in Canada arranged for the establishment of an Order
throughout the loyal States. The names of all who visited him at the Clifton
House are known to the Government. Among them the names of several prominent
politicians are published. The results of the conference are also known to the
Government.
About the 1st of January Vallandigham issued an address to the members of the
Golden Circle in the loyal States, in which he called upon them to renew their
vows, and said the time was fast approaching which will test their sincerity;
that the prosecution of the war is in violation of the rights of the States, and
President Lincoln is a usurper.
A meeting of the grand commanders of the different States was held in New York
on the 22d of February for the purpose of organizing an outbreak on the 10th of
March, the day fixed for the draft, but no definite plan was resolved upon. The
names of these conspirators are also known. The same commanders had a general
consultation with the supreme commanders at Windsor, Canada, early in April.
Amongst those in attendance were McMasters, of New York, Charles L. Hunt, St.
Louis, and Lafayette Devlin, of Indiana.
The programme adopted at those meetings was, that Vallandigham should represent
his District of Ohio in the Democratic National Convention, and there proclaim
the doctrine of the Order, viz: Pronounce the existing Administration of the
Government a power usurped, which the people had a right to expel by force, if
necessary. In fact, to inaugurate a rebellion in the North, in which he was to
be supported by the Order. Each Grand Commander was to have an armed bodyguard
at the Convention for the defence of Vallandigham. This, it was thought, would
precipitate the people of the Free States into armed conflicts and would be the
signal for the members of the Order to unite against the lawful authorities,
kill or capture the civil and military authorities, seize the arsenals, arms
public property of all kinds, and proclaim the Government overthrown.
The numerical strength of this Order is said to be considerably over half a
million. One hundred and fifty thousand of the whole are organized in New York,
and are called McClellan Minute Men.
There is the most convincing evidence of the truthfulness of this statement. The
reason of the sudden return of Vallandigham to Ohio was the fear of being
defeated as a delegate to Chicago, and it was only by his presence that his
election was secured.
The Grand Commander of Missouri is Charles L. , a nephew of James H. Lucas, and
many years the Belgian Consul, and the Deputy Grand Commander, Charles E. Dunn,
a city officer of St. Louis.
A long list of the names of the members of the Order of the different states,
together with full information concerning the whole scheme, is in the hands of
the authorities at Washington, and will probably be given to the public in a
short time.
The statements are based upon very voluminous testimony, taken during several
months past by the Provost Marshal General of the Department of Missouri.
Mrs. Mary E. Sawyer, of Baltimore, for corresponding with the Confederates, has
been sentenced to be confined in the female prison at Fritchburg, Massachusetts,
during the war, and "to be employed in labor for the benefit of the Union
soldiers"
Johnson S. Palmer, a blockade runner, of Loudon county, Va., has been sentenced
to the Albany (N. Y.) penitentiary for the war for trading with the
Confederates.
Charles L. Weller. Ex-Postmaster of San Francisco, has been arrested and
imprisoned at Fort Alcatraz, on the charge of using treasonable language at a
meeting of a Copperhead Club. --Weller is chairman of the Democratic State
Central Committee.
The Daily Dispatch: August 3, 1864. Richmond Dispatch. 2 pages. by Cowardin &
Hammersley. Richmond. August 3, 1864. microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mi : Proquest. 1
microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant provided
support for entering this text.
***
