The Knights of the Golden Circle and their importance to Arkansas History

By Tommy Tabler
Fort Smith Military History Examiner


The Knights of the Golden Circle over the past few years have become an explored topic of military history that people are curious about. For most people when the KGC is brought up the idea of treasure is not far behind. The K.G.C 's definition is not as cut and dry as what encyclopedia's have made them sound. Encyclopedia.com refers to the K.G.C as being a "secret order of Southern sympathizers in the North during the Civil War." No doubt exist that their were men that were operating in the North to do to harm to the Union.

The next few articles this week will examine the K.G.C. The articles this week will also attempt to answer the question as to whether or not the K.G.C. were using the Fort Smith, Arkansas and surrounding areas to the South as places to leave money for what was the eventual plan of starting another Civil War. Recently, the History Channel performed a look over the K.G.C. that studied the question as to whether or not their is buried treasure throughout the former Confederacy. Names that have been linked to the K.G.C. will also have their own articles and it will be examined whether those men had key roles in attempting to store money so that the South could rise again. The names such as Albert Pike, Jesse James, and Frank James are worthy of study because their is simply too much smoke for their not to be a fire and evidence of those men having taken part in some K.G.C. activity.

The Knights of the Golden Circle are a group that did their best to not be found and remain hidden but over time evidence of their existence has come out. A large number of people think that their code has been cracked in how and where they hid their money for starting a new military and government to go against the Federal system that was put into place. The question as to whether or not John Wilkes Booth was a member will also be studied and examined this week. The articles that are written over the next few days are not just going to apply on a local Fort Smith front but will also expand a bit to both theaters of the Civil War in the West and the East. The people that love conspiracy and military history should enjoy the next week or so greatly. To the folks that are skeptical of the K.G.C we will both go on an interesting ride.

For more information on the Knights of the Golden Circle:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Knights_of_the_Golden_Circle.aspx

http://www.examiner.com/military-history-in-fort-smith/the-knights-of-the-golden-circle-and-their-importance-to-arkansas-history
By Tommy Tabler
Fort Smith Military History Examiner
Thomas Tabler is a regular guy that has received a BA in History from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. Thomas is also working on a Master's Degree from the American Military University with an emphasis in Military History. Thomas' Master's Thesis is over the Fort Smith Civil War Campaign. Thomas' family lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas and he is not working on finishing his Master's Thomas is enjoying a college basketball game or watching the remainder of the NFL season.