KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE SECRET EMPIRE, SOUTHERN SECESSION, CIVIL WAR

[Walker Colt]

New book on the KGC will be released Apr 2013. It is written by David C. Keehn who wrote the article "Strong Arm of Secession: The Knights of the Golden Circle in the Crisis of 1861". Details on the new book can be found here LSU Press :: Books - Knights of the Golden Circle

 

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[Rebel - KGC]

THANKS, "WC"... looks VERY interesting; WILL get it!

 

[Walker Colt]

Here is a link to the author's website. He is giving presentations on the KGC at several book signings. David C. Keehn ? Author of Knights of the Golden Circle

 

[Walker Colt]

There is a great picture of General Bickley in full KGC uniform in the book.

 

[cccalco]

Author David C. Keehn will speak before the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky on May 21st. Mr. Keehn, I believe, has written the most comprehensive authoritative book on the history of the Knights of the Golden Circle to date and if you are in this area I urge you to attend this meeting.


Reservations are required.


Filson Historical Society
1310 S. Third St., Louisville, KY, 40208


“Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War” – David C. Keehn


Based on years of exhaustive and meticulous research, David C. Keehn’s study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret southern society that initially sought to establish a slave-holding empire in the “Golden Circle” region of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Keehn reveals the origins, rituals, structure, and complex history of this mysterious group, including its later involvement in the secession movement.


David C. Keehn is an attorney from Allentown, Pennsylvania, with a history degree from Gettysburg College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.


Start: May 21, 2013 6:00 pm
End: May 21, 2013 7:00 pm
Venue: The Filson Historical Society
Phone: 502-635-5083
Address:
1310 S. Third Street, Louisville, KY, 40208, United States
Cost: $5.00 for non-members


The Knights of the Golden Circle: David C. Keehn will speak before the Filson Historical Society

 

[cccalco]

There is another presentation in Richmond, Virginia as well:


Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Secession, Civil War
Thursday, June 13 (noon)
By David C. Keehn
Banner Lecture Series


The Knights of the Golden Circle was a mysterious southern-based society that set out in 1859 to establish a slave empire in Mexico. In late 1860, it shifted its focus to supporting the secession movement and intimidating Unionists in the South. According to David Keehn, once the war began, the Knights helped build up the nascent Confederate army and carried out various clandestine actions, including an attempt to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he passed through Baltimore in 1861. Keehn, an attorney from Allentown, Pa., is the author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War.


Tickets are $4-$6


Virginia Historical Society
428 North Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia
23220


Tel: 804.358.4901
The Knights of the Golden Circle: Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Secession, Civil War by David C. Keehn

 

[Rebel - KGC]

There is another presentation in Richmond, Virginia as well:


Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Secession, Civil War
Thursday, June 13 (noon)
By David C. Keehn
Banner Lecture Series


The Knights of the Golden Circle was a mysterious southern-based society that set out in 1859 to establish a slave empire in Mexico. In late 1860, it shifted its focus to supporting the secession movement and intimidating Unionists in the South. According to David Keehn, once the war began, the Knights helped build up the nascent Confederate army and carried out various clandestine actions, including an attempt to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he passed through Baltimore in 1861. Keehn, an attorney from Allentown, Pa., is the author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War.


Tickets are $4-$6


Virginia Historical Society
428 North Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia
23220


Tel: 804.358.4901
The Knights of the Golden Circle: Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Secession, Civil War by David C. Keehn

GREAT! Maybe, he will come to Lynchburg, Va., near Roanoke; get the book by Peter Viemeister, CONFEDERATE TREASURE COVERUP: Duty, Honor, & Deceit.

 

[cccalco]

[h=2]Knights of the Golden Circle Traces Expansion of Nineteenth-Century Secret Southern Society[/h] Based on years of exhaustive and meticulous research, David C. Keehn’s study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret southern society that initially sought to establish a slave-holding empire in the “Golden Circle” region of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Keehn reveals the origins, rituals, structure, and complex history of this mysterious group, including its later involvement in the secession movement. Members supported southern governors in precipitating disunion, filled the ranks of the nascent Confederate Army, and organized rearguard actions during the Civil War.
The Knights of the Golden Circle emerged in 1858 when a secret society formed by a Cincinnati businessman merged with the pro-expansionist Order of the Lone Star, which already had 15,000 members. In 1860, during their first attempt to create the Golden Circle, several thousand Knights assembled in southern Texas to “colonize” northern Mexico. Due to insufficient resources and organizational shortfalls, however, that filibuster failed. Later, the Knights shifted their focus and began pushing for disunion, spearheading prosecession rallies, and intimidating Unionists in the South.
According to Keehn, the Knights likely carried out a variety of other clandestine actions before the Civil War, including attempts by insurgents to take over federal forts in Virginia and North Carolina, and a planned assassination of Abraham Lincoln as he passed through Baltimore in early 1861 on the way to his inauguration. Once the fighting began, the Knights helped build the emerging Confederate Army and assisted with the pro-Confederate Copperhead movement in northern states. With the war all but lost, various Knights supported one of their members, John Wilkes Booth, in his plot to assassinate President Lincoln.
Keehn’s fast-paced, engaging narrative demonstrates that the Knights’ influence proved more substantial than historians have traditionally assumed and provides a new perspective on southern secession and the outbreak of the Civil War.
David C. Keehn is an attorney from Allentown, Pennsylvania, with a history degree from Gettysburg College and a juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.
April 15, 2013
328 pages, 6 x 9, 41 halftones
ISBN 978-0-8071-5004-7
Cloth $39.95

Knights of the Golden Circle Traces Expansion of Nineteenth-Century Secret Southern Society | LSU Press Blog

 

[cccalco]

[h=3]Knights of the Golden Circle, David C. Keehn[/h]
"The Knights of the Golden Circle was a secret Southern society that sought to establish a slave-holding empire in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.
Join us on Wednesday, May 1, at noon as author David C. Keehn provides the first comprehensive analysis of the society and how they carried out clandestine actions to support the southern cause. Even with the war all but lost, various Knights supported one of its members, John Wilkes Booth, in his plot to assassinate President Lincoln.
(If you aren’t in DC, you can watch line on our Ustream channel. The program will also be archived later on that page.)
U.S. National Archives ? The Knights of the Golden Circle was a secret...
The public program is free and will be held in the National Archives in Washington, DC. Enter through the Special Events door on Constitution and Seventh.
A book signing will follow the program. "

The archived program is also available at:

The Knights of the Golden Circle: Knights of the Golden Circle, David C. Keehn

 

[cccalco]

Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War by David C. Keehn is now available via Project Muse. Project Muse is available only to select Universities for use by scholars, faculty and students and is accessed only by registered users at those Universities through verified IP addresses.


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Project MUSE - Knights of the Golden Circle


Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War
By David C. Keehn
Publication Year: 2013


Based on years of exhaustive and meticulous research, David C. Keehn’s study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret southern society that initially sought to establish a slave-holding empire in the “Golden Circle” region of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Keehn reveals the origins, rituals, structure, and complex history of this mysterious group, including its later involvement in the secession movement. Members supported southern governors in precipitating disunion, filled the ranks of the nascent Confederate Army, and organized rearguard actions during the Civil War. The Knights of the Golden Circle emerged around 1858 when a secret society formed by a Cincinnati businessman merged with the pro-expansionist Order of the Lone Star, which already had 15,000 members. The following year, the Knights began publishing their own newspaper and established their headquarters in Washington, D. C. In 1860, during their first attempt to create the Golden Circle, several thousand Knights assembled in southern Texas to “colonize” northern Mexico. Due to insufficient resources and organizational shortfalls, however, that filibuster failed. Later, the Knights shifted their focus and began pushing for disunion, spearheading pro-secession rallies, and intimidating Unionists in the South. They appointed regional military commanders from the ranks of the South’s major political and military figures, including men such as Elkanah Greer of Texas, Paul J. Semmes of Georgia, Robert C. Tyler of Maryland, and Virginius D. Groner of Virginia. Followers also established allies with the South’s rabidly pro-secession “fire-eaters,” which included individuals such as Barnwell Rhett, Louis Wigfall, Henry Wise, and William Yancey. According to Keehn, the Knights likely carried out a variety of other clandestine actions before the Civil War, including attempts by insurgents to take over federal forts in Virginia and North Carolina, the activation of pro-southern militia around Washington, D. C. and a planned assassination of Abraham Lincoln as he passed through Baltimore in early 1861 on the way to his inauguration. Once the fighting began, the Knights helped build the emerging Confederate Army and assisted with the pro-Confederate Copperhead movement in northern states. With the war all but lost, various Knights supported one of their members, John Wilkes Booth, in his plot to abduct and assassinate President Lincoln. Keehn’s fast-paced, engaging narrative demonstrates that the Knights proved more substantial than historians have traditionally assumed and provides a new perspective on southern secession and the outbreak of the Civil War

 

[cccalco]

David Keehn, author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War, is scheduled to speak at the following two venues this month.

RICHMOND, VA:

June 13, 2013 (Thursday) 12 noon.
Virginia Historical Society, Banner Lecture Series.
428 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220.
Phone: (804) 358-4901
Slideshow Presentation on Knights followed by Book Signing.
$6 for non-members.

GETTYSBURG, PA:

June 22, 2013 (Saturday) 2 p.m.-3:15p.m.
Gettysburg Civil War Institute [Enrollees only]
Concurrent session presentation titled,
“In Search of Northern Collaborators: Morgan’s 1863 Raid,”
followed by 5 p.m. Book-signing and Banquet.

Events | David C. Keehn ? Author of Knights of the Golden Circle

 

[cccalco]

CIVIL WAR BOOKS and AUTHORS: Keehn: "KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War"

Authors comments:
June 10, 2013
I appreciate the generally favorable and insightful review but would like to comment on two points. First, my book does not contend that KGC's power was dispersed to the castle level when they decentralized in May 1860 but rather to the state level under regimental leaders like Greer, Groner and Tyler. There is plenteous evidence presented that the Knights, which held a convention in San Antonio during Feb. 1861, operated on a coordinated basis and played a role in promoting that state's secession. With respect to other states like Virginia, my premise is admittedly based on circumstantial evidence (including the background of the Knights as operating as a core group within Henry Wise's Minute Men and observations of well-placed observers like William Edward) as a opposed to a definitive Knights document that sets forth their program for promoting secession. Knights at the higher level such as Henry Wise (like good lawyers today) instructed their compatriots to keep everything oral. If there were such documents created, they were likely destroyed when the Knights were labeled as a treasonous organization during the Civil War. To require a strict application of the historical method when dealing with secret societies would, in my opinion, cover up the true history rather than advance it. I'd appreciate hearing what others might think on this point.
Dave Keehn

 

[Rebel - KGC]

CIVIL WAR BOOKS and AUTHORS: Keehn: "KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War"

Authors comments:
June 10, 2013
I appreciate the generally favorable and insightful review but would like to comment on two points. First, my book does not contend that KGC's power was dispersed to the castle level when they decentralized in May 1860 but rather to the state level under regimental leaders like Greer, Groner and Tyler. There is plenteous evidence presented that the Knights, which held a convention in San Antonio during Feb. 1861, operated on a coordinated basis and played a role in promoting that state's secession. With respect to other states like Virginia, my premise is admittedly based on circumstantial evidence (including the background of the Knights as operating as a core group within Henry Wise's Minute Men and observations of well-placed observers like William Edward) as a opposed to a definitive Knights document that sets forth their program for promoting secession. Knights at the higher level such as Henry Wise (like good lawyers today) instructed their compatriots to keep everything oral. If there were such documents created, they were likely destroyed when the Knights were labeled as a treasonous organization during the Civil War. To require a strict application of the historical method when dealing with secret societies would, in my opinion, cover up the true history rather than advance it. I'd appreciate hearing what others might think on this point.
Dave Keehn

If "connected" to the CSA; PROBABLY...

 

[cccalco]

David Keehn was interviewed in Richmond, Virginia as he was there to give a presentation on the Knights of the Golden Circle.

VIRGINIA THIS MORNING:

Author David Keehn

Posted on: 12:49 pm, June 13, 2013, by Virginia This Morning

Click on the link below for the interview.
VIRGINIA THIS MORNING: Author David Keehn | WTVR.com


RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) – The new book, ‘Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Secession, Civil War’ is filled with mystery and intrigue and looks at a secret southern society in the mid 1800′s that set out to establish a slave empire in Mexico. Author David Keehn shared more details. You have the chance to meet David, Thursday, June 13th at 12pm for his signing at The Virginia Historical Society, 428 N. Blvd.
www.davidkeehn.com/

 

[cccalco]

Perhaps thanks to "Copperhead" and a few recent books on the Knights of the Golden Circle we may soon think the terms Copperhead and KGC are terms that will not be unknown to our contemporaries. Ron Maxwell, the director of "Gettysburg" (1993) and "Gods and Generals" (2003) has a new movie which will be in theaters this weekend. "Copperhead" is the story of an upstate New York family which comes under persecution for their support of the Constitution and opposition to the war.
Here is a link to the movies website,
Copperhead - The Movie
and be sure to see the trailer on youtube,
"Copperhead" -- Official Trailer - YouTube

Indiana Congressman Daniel W. Voorhees was being described in the following excerpt but could also be descriptive of fellow Copperheads of the period as well. "....against protective tariffs and national banks, his intense race prejudice, his suspicion of the eastern Yankee, his devotion to personal liberty, his defense of the Constitution and State's rights faithfully reflected the views of ...Jacksonian agrarians, he resented the political and economic revolution then in progress... idealized a way of life which he thought was being destroyed by the current rulers of his country.."

 

[XLTer]

I thought I recently read a story of a highway construction crew uncovering a cache from the KGC ? I can't seem to find the article anywhere .

 

[cccalco]

Here is a link to a recent newspaper article giving some history on "Copperheads"
Not snakes, but ?Peace Democrats?: Copperheads explained | Rappahannock News

 

[Big Bad John]

All of this is old news.

Old news are new news for me. Very interesting too.

 

[Big Bad John]

THANKS, "WC"... looks VERY interesting; WILL get it!

How was the book my friend?

 

[twoauers]

The KGC, I have read about, and it has some very very deep roots from The post American Revolution up and thru the Civil War. From College at UT Austin and all thru my radical years I looked at guys like them as bad. Now Older- and I have to say this - at 62 and after some life experiences to really reflect on the True History we have, maybe not bad at all! We have lost more that we will ever know I think


Jon in nashville