POSSIBLE K.G.C. LINK TO OAK ISLAND NOVA SCOTIA

L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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I have been wondering about the C.S.A.'s top gun spy and blockade runner Benjamin Ficklin. In his testament when he was questioned while in custody for suspicion of taking part in the Lincoln assassination Ficklin avoided answering what ever he didn't want to answer, but he admitted to running the blockade and being in and out of Halifax and other ports while he was running the blockade. Now knowing his links to the K.G.C. can be traced clear back to 1853, I can't help but think that this independently wealthy rebel spy would have been the man that moved the suspected Rebel hoard if there was one placed in Nova Scotia. He was there on several occasions with a blockade runner which also makes me wonder about a possible connection. What do you guys think?

L.C.
 

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L.C. BAKER said:
I have been wondering about the C.S.A.'s top gun spy and blockade runner Benjamin Ficklin. In his testament when he was questioned while in custody for suspicion of taking part in the Lincoln assassination Ficklin avoided answering what ever he didn't want to answer, but he admitted to running the blockade and being in and out of Halifax and other ports while he was running the blockade. Now knowing his links to the K.G.C. can be traced clear back to 1853, I can't help but think that this independently wealthy rebel spy would have been the man that moved the suspected Rebel hoard if there was one placed in Nova Scotia. He was there on several occasions with a blockade runner which also makes me wonder about a possible connection. What do you guys think?

L.C.
Click to expand...

KGC was VERY active in Canada during the Confederate War; even Albert Pike was "up there"... :icon_thumleft:
 

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L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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I seen this question asked by someone in another forum. The fact that Ben Ficklin was in and out of there tells me the K.G.C. was in and out of there as well. You have got to wonder about some involvement with Oak Island.
 

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L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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ECS said:
CSA Capt John Taylor Wood, CSS TALLAHASSE raider, grandson of US President Zachary Taylor and nephew od CSA President Davis, also settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia after the War.
http://www.ns1763ca/hfxrm/woodtaylor.html
Click to expand...

I see that he actually settled there and became a merchant ECS. That is interesting, do you have anything that would connect him to Ben Ficklin, Judah Benjamin or any of the Canadian based K.G.C. members?

L.C.
 

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ECS

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CSA Sec of State Judah P Benjamin ran the Confederate spy and blockade operations, as well as securing "credit" deals with England and France. One of his purchasing agents in Europe was John Slidell, a member of New Orleans Pickwick Club KGC meetings, which also involved Albert Pike.
Benjamin F Ficklin, after serving as quartermaster for "Stonewall" Jackson, was sent to England by Benjamin as a CSA purchasing agent and intelligence gatherer. Ficklin also captained a side paddlewheel steamer than ran the blockade, bringing goods into Wilmington, NC, including the luxury items of cigars and brandy.
In 1864, at auction, he purchased Jefferson's Monticello for $80,000 in Confederate bills.
By the very nature of his work for the Confederacy, Ficklin knew and had contact with Benjamin and Slidell, both members of the KGC.
 

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ECS said:
CSA Sec of State Judah P Benjamin ran the Confederate spy and blockade operations, as well as securing "credit" deals with England and France. One of his purchasing agents in Europe was John Slidell, a member of New Orleans Pickwick Club KGC meetings, which also involved Albert Pike.
Benjamin F Ficklin, after serving as quartermaster for "Stonewall" Jackson, was sent to England by Benjamin as a CSA purchasing agent and intelligence gatherer. Ficklin also captained a side paddlewheel steamer than ran the blockade, bringing goods into Wilmington, NC, including the luxury items of cigars and brandy.
In 1864, at auction, he purchased Jefferson's Monticello for $80,000 in Confederate bills.
By the very nature of his work for the Confederacy, Ficklin knew and had contact with Benjamin and Slidell, both members of the KGC.
Click to expand...

The REBS owned Monticello, in 1864...? I did not know that! THANKS!
 

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10claw

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L. C. thanks for the question. I don't post much because I know little, BUT, I do read most of this KGC thread.
Those men were super smart in what they did, AND, it seems to me that they were everywhere. one thing that is sooo
intersting is how they communicated and kept things going. Our internet is slow compared to how they operated.
More questions,,,, more UNTOLD history coming to light of day.
 

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L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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ECS said:
CSA Sec of State Judah P Benjamin ran the Confederate spy and blockade operations, as well as securing "credit" deals with England and France. One of his purchasing agents in Europe was John Slidell, a member of New Orleans Pickwick Club KGC meetings, which also involved Albert Pike.
Benjamin F Ficklin, after serving as quartermaster for "Stonewall" Jackson, was sent to England by Benjamin as a CSA purchasing agent and intelligence gatherer. Ficklin also captained a side paddlewheel steamer than ran the blockade, bringing goods into Wilmington, NC, including the luxury items of cigars and brandy.
In 1864, at auction, he purchased Jefferson's Monticello for $80,000 in Confederate bills.
By the very nature of his work for the Confederacy, Ficklin knew and had contact with Benjamin and Slidell, both members of the KGC.
Click to expand...

That is all some good info ECS. He was a first class top of the line rebel spy and they used him to help with many things that were behind the scenes. The mail, the telegraph, the railroad, raising a regement for his good friend and brother John B. Floyd and eventually trying to corner the market on the sale of southern cotton. He was the man. A real "DAREDEVIL named Ficklin as John Hay described him in his diary.

L.C.:thumbsup:
 

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L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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10claw said:
L. C. thanks for the question. I don't post much because I know little, BUT, I do read most of this KGC thread.
Those men were super smart in what they did, AND, it seems to me that they were everywhere. one thing that is sooo
intersting is how they communicated and kept things going. Our internet is slow compared to how they operated.
More questions,,,, more UNTOLD history coming to light of day.
Click to expand...

What do you mean you don't know much 10claw LOL! you hit the nail right on the head. Communications was the key to winning the war. One good set of walky talkies could have change the outcome for sure. Ficklin was setting up a communications rout to the west clear back in 1853 when he met with Senator Gwin. The Walker Filibuster had just taken place in Baha and President Pierce and his sec of war Jefferson Davis were already preparing to succeed from the Union. Ficklin was able to hand pick the men and place them at each mail stop. Some went above the table and some went below the table.

Thanks for making that point 10claw, L.C.
 

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L.C. BAKER

L.C. BAKER

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They held Thomas Jefferson in very very high regards as the poster child of the Democrats. The whole time that Ben Ficklin was in possession of Monticello he kept the statue of the bust of Thomas Jefferson in it's original place to be viewed as you entered.
 

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ECS

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L.C. BAKER said:
I have been wondering about the C.S.A.'s top gun spy and blockade runner Benjamin Ficklin. In his testament when he was questioned while in custody for suspicion of taking part in the Lincoln assassination Ficklin avoided answering what ever he didn't want to answer, but he admitted to running the blockade and being in and out of Halifax and other ports while he was running the blockade...
Click to expand...
Ficklin's major contact in Nova Scotia, was Halifax merchant, Benjamin Weir. Weir would provide the Confederate blockade runners with safe docking and repairs. In exchange , Weir received cotton for his services, which he shipped to England.
CSA Capt John Taylor Wood, CSS Tallahassee raider, often used Weir's docks as a safe harbor, and had many Nova Scotia contacts which helped him after the War.
Wilmington's Wartime Canadian Connection
An account of service with Ficklin on a blockade runner and other blockaders by Virginian, John B Tabb, who signed on at age 16:
http://www.history.com/father-john-b-tabb-aboard-confederate-blockade-runner.htm
 

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