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Table of Contents

TRAITOR KNIGHTS—ORGANIZATION OF REBEL SYMPATHIZERS IN

INDIANA AND ILLINOIS—SIGNS AND SECRETS—GEN. ANDERSON'S

TOUR OF INVESTIGATION—THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.

“O, Conspiracy, shame'st

Thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,

When folks are most free? O then, by day,

Where will thou find a cavern dark enough

To mask thy monstrous visage?

Seek none, conspiracy.”

—Shakespeare

“Several days elapsed before Gen. Anderson felt that he could undertake the journey contemplated. Finally he concluded that he would make the effort. He thought it best for him to pass into Illinois first, as he would not be known in that State. After arranging his matters and leaving word for Jackson to remain at my house, (on his return from Washington, should he succeed in obtaining the desired appointment,) until he returned from his tour of investigation, he started.

“The first stopping place of the General was at Colestown, in Charles County. There he remained several days, and found the most bitter feeling existing between the political parties. He passed very easily among the anti-war people for a Southerner and rebel. He made the acquaintance of one Maj. Cornell, who was home on leave of absence. The General, finding him a very intelligent and apparently an honorable, high-minded gentleman, explained to him that he was not a rebel, but on a mission for the Government. This made him all right with the loyal element, that could be privately communicated with and trusted.

“He had noticed a gentleman, rather fine-looking, with the movements and general appearance of a Southerner. He managed to get a good look in his face, and recognized him as Mr. Jas. Walters, of Arkansas. He spoke to him. The recognition was mutual; the General invited him to his room, and there the knowledge of the Golden Circle was at once manifested. Neither disclosed at first anything about himself, but finally the General told Walters that he was up here North for his health, and to spy out the situation and report the same. They soon became very confidential, and Walters unbosomed himself to the General. He told him that he was traveling under the guise of a real-estate agent, selecting land for some large and wealthy firm, but in reality he was organizing the Knights of the Golden Circle; that he had organized, some ten miles southeast of the town, a lodge of sixty members. He gave all the names. In Colestown he had another lodge, seventy strong, with Col. O. B. Dickens as Chief of the Order for that Congressional district.

“During that evening he showed the General his lists and gave him the names of men to go to in Vernon County, Jeffersonville, Fayetteville, Franklin, Perryville, Fultonville and many other places in the state.

“Chicago being the main headquarters, he directed him (if he should go there) to Morrison Buckner, John Walls, N. Judy Cornington, C. H. Eagle, and many other prominent men who belonged to the organization and were in direct communication with Windsor, Canada, where a portion of the main directors and managers were stationed, and from whence they were sending out organizers for the West. Walters told him that Indianapolis, Ind., was one of the 'Head Centers,' and that Dodgers, Bowlens, Millington, Dorsing and Byron were the Chiefs, with several so-called Agitators, and that Mr. Strider was Supreme Counsel; that the organization was spreading rapidly; that in Ohio, at Dayburg, was the Head Center; that along the great river there were very many lodges and quite a number of members, but that it had not been so long at work in Ohio as in Illinois and Indiana. Also, that the Supreme Commander lived in Dayburg, O.; his name was given as Valamburg; that in Kentucky and Missouri nearly all the people were joining the order and sending men as fast as they could to the rebel army, and at the proper time, when things were ripe for the people to rise, one of the most popular officers in the rebel army, who lived in Missouri, would be sent there with enough troops to protect himself until the Knights could join him.

“He went on to say that Col. Burnett, of St. Louis, was Supreme Commander for Missouri, and Marmalade was Chief Agitator; John Morganson was Supreme Commander in Kentucky; that he was gathering men from there all the time; that he was not only Supreme Commander of Kentucky, but appointed to make excursions and raids into Ohio and Indiana, whenever the organization should be considered strong enough to protect him. This, he said, was considered one of the measures to be resorted to in order to frighten the property-holders of the North, and thereby drive them into a peace-policy; that if the North could be once thoroughly alarmed about the safety of their property, the anti-war party would then carry an election, and that would secure the recognition of the Southern Confederacy; that a perfect understanding of this kind existed with the leaders of the Confederacy and the leaders of the anti-war party North. He told the General that this organization was first started in New York city by a man by the name of McMasterson and some gentlemen from Richmond, who had passed through the lines and gone there for this purpose; that there were at that time 100,000 Knights in the State of New York; 80,000 in Ohio; 75,000 in Indiana, and 50,000 in Illinois.

“He said it was thought that it would require about one year yet to get the organization perfected and in good working order; that they had to work very cautiously, and would have considerable trouble getting the right kind of arms into their hands. There was no trouble, he said, in having them all armed with pistols; 'for,' said Walters, 'these Yankees are so fond of money that you can buy arms anywhere, if on hand. You can get them made at some of the private arsenals, if you could assure them against discovery. The intention, however, is to get all things ready by the time of the next Presidential election, and if we do not whip them before that time we will resort to such methods as will insure the election of one of our friends, or one who believes that we can never be subjugated.'

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