The first or lowest degree was called the Knight of the Iron Hand. They were welleducated, middle class, urban professionals, many whom held elected and appointed local, state, and national leadership positions. This military degree was organized into an army, and especially in Texas, attracted many veterans of the Mexican American War, who were accustomed to military campaigning. These veterans had problems finding employment, otherwise adjusting to civilian life, and were disgruntled for handing back Mexico after taking it.
The second degree or financial degree was called Knights of the True Faith. This class consisted of sutlers, commercial agents, paymasters, post masters, clerks, physicians, hunters, teachers, ministers and most important, newspaper editors. Besides collecting the $5 in gold for admission into this degree, these professionals were to supply the recruits provisions, and publish propaganda for the order. Southern ladies of wealth, means and influence were allowed to participate in this degree.
The third, highest, and most secret degree political degree was called the American Legion or the Knights of the Columbian Star. This was the governing body of Knight organization. It was divided into departments of agriculture, education, manufacture, finance, religion, police, war, navigation, law, and foreign relations.
The KGC’s dream of a Southern Empire extended in the shape of a circle from their proposed capital at Havana, Cuba, through the southern states of the United States, Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and eventually Central America. The KGC did not plan to bring Mexico into the United States, but instead hoped to create a transition territory between the Southern States and Lower Mexico called a protectorate. Later it would be divided into 15 new slave-holding states, which would shift the balance of power in Congress.
They envisioned the Golden Circle with potential benefits for themselves, the United Sates, and the people of Mexico. Through controlled emancipation, they believed this was a means to end slavery as painlessly as possible. Knights also believed slaves could be educated to accept the full responsibilities of citizenship, depending on their ability to “learn to do something well—learn to do it better than someone else.” The KGC was to be based on merit and achievement. Emphasis was placed on the education of all citizens and races of both sexes in the best interests of a bright future.
References and endnotes available upon request. To be continued.
Established in 1896, the SCV is dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of Confederate veterans. As the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, it is the oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate soldiers. Today, the SCV remains committed to ensuring the true history of the 1861-1865 period is preserved.