AMERICAN KNIGHTS—SONS OF LIBERTY.
Minneapolis, Minn.
Give some of the facts as to the origin and acts of the disloyal orders known during the war for the Union as “American Knights,” “Sons of Liberty,” etc.; and of the trial of Dodd for conspiring against the government.
Jas. Brewster.
Answer.—The treasonable organization known during the late war, at one time as the “Mutual Protection Society,” again as the “Circle of Honor,” or the “Circle,” or “Knights of the Mighty Host,” but more widely as “Knights of the Golden Circle,” first developed itself in the West in 1862, about the time of the first conscription, or draft of troops, which it was designed to obstruct and resist. An association under the last of these names had existed for some years at the South being one of the chief means used to foment the rebellion before the outbreak. Because of some exposures of the signs, rituals, etc., of the Knights of the Golden Circle, Sterling Price, the Confederate general, had instituted as its successor in Missouri a secret political order, known as the “Corps de Belgique,” in honor of his chief coadjutor, Charles L. Hunt then Belgian Consul at St. Louis. Its special object was to beat up recruits for Price and otherwise co-operate with him in his design of overrunning Missouri. This was afterward merged into another secret order, called the “Order of American Knights,” commonly known as the “O. A. K.,” organized in the autumn of 1863 by Clement L. Vallandigham, of Ohio, and P. C. Wright, of New York. It is believed that it was founded by Vallandigham in consultation with Jefferson Davis and other arch-rebels at Richmond, during his banishment within the rebel lines. At least, members of the order in Indiana boasted that the ritual was prepared by Davis himself, and Mary Ann Pitman, at one time attached to General Forrest’s command as a rebel spy, declared that Davis was a member of the order. In Indiana, in May, 1864, owing to the names of some of the leaders and the signs and passwords of the order having got into the possession of the Federal authorities, its name was finally changed to the “Order of the Sons of Liberty,” or “Knights of the Order of the Sons of Liberty,” and a ritual was instituted. These soon became general. Local branches of the organization used other names outside their lodges, such as “Peace Organization” in Illinois, “Star Organization” in Kentucky, “American Organization” in Missouri, “McClellan Minute Men” in New York, “Democratic Invincible Club” in Chicago, “Democratic Reading-room” in Louisville, and so on.
This order had a Supreme Council for the United States at large, of which the chief officers were a Supreme Commander, a Secretary and a Treasurer. There was a Grand Council for each State, whose chief officers were a Grand Commander, a Deputy Grand Commander, a Grand Secretary, and a Grand Treasurer, and a certain number of Major Generals, one for each of its “military districts.” There was also a “Parent Temple” in each county and subordinate temples in townships. The constitution of the order declared that “the Supreme Commander shall be Commander-in-chief of all military forces belonging to the order in the various States, when called into actual service.” There were four Major Generals in Indiana, each commanding “a military district and its army.” In Illinois, where its organization was at one time very complete, the members in each Congressional district constituted a brigade, under a “Brigadier General.” Those of each county a “regiment,” commanded by a “Colonel,” and those of each township a “company.” In Indiana companies were subdivided into “squads.” The McClellan Minute Men of New York were similarly organized.
The first Supreme Commander was P. C. Wright, editor of the New York News, who was subsequently incarcerated in Fort Lafayette, New York harbor, when he was succeeded by Vallandigham. Robert Holloway, of Illinois, is said to have acted as Supreme Commander in the latter’s absence in Canada. Charles L. Hunt, Grand Commander for Missouri, Charles E. Dunn, Deputy Grand Commander, and Green B. Smith, Secretary, being placed under arrest, divulged facts confirmatory of the above. H. H. Dodd, the Grand Commander for Indiana, was arrested and tried at Indianapolis before a military commission “for conspiring against the government,” “violations of the laws of war,” and other charges. He was finally turned over to the civil authorities and liberated.
Vallandigham declared in a speech at Dayton, Ohio, in the summer of 1863, that the order numbered 500,000 men; others claimed 800,000, and some still more. Statements of its officers at different times, represented its numbers in Indiana as 75,000 to 125,000; in Illinois as 100,000 to 140,000; in Ohio as 80,000 to 108,000; in Michigan and New York as about 20,000 each, and so on. In March, 1864, it was represented that the total force capable of being mobilized for effective service was 340,000. Green B. Smith and other witnesses testified to having purchased and shipped arms to various points to arm the order. Another witness, once a member of the order in Indiana, testified that there were 6,000 muskets and 60,000 revolvers, besides private arms in possession of the order in that State.
The members were bound by the most rigorous oaths. Its “declaration of principles” declared that it was the imperative duty of its members to resist the functionaries of the Federal Government, “and, if need be, expel them by force of arms.” The witnesses, former members, testified that the duties of members were: 1. To aid soldiers to desert and harbor and protect them. 2. To discourage enlistments and resist the draft. 3. To circulate disloyal and treasonable publications. 4. To communicate and give assistance to the enemy. 5. To recruit for the Confederate army. 6. To furnish the rebels with arms and ammunition. 7. To co-operate with the enemy in raids and invasions. 8. To harass loyal men and destroy their property when so ordered to do. 9. To assassinate officers of the government when so directed to do. 10. To establish a Northwestern Confederacy.
The above statements are compiled from the reports of the Hon. J. Holt, Judge Advocate General, to Secretary Stanton on “Secret Societies,” and other State papers. Unusual space has been given to this question because it has been asked repeatedly, and our attention is called to the fact that it is not treated in the popular cyclopedias and histories.