KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE, a secret society in the United States, in the Middle West, the purpose of which was to bring the Civil War to a close and restore the "Union as it was." After the outbreak of the Civil War many of the Democrats of the Middle West, who were op posed to the war policy of the Republicans, organized the Knights of the Golden Circle, pledging themselves to exert their influence to bring about peace. In 1863, owing to the disclosure of some of its secrets, the organization took the name of Order of Ameri can Knights, and in 1864 this became the Sons of Liberty. The total membership of this order probably reached 250,000 to 300,00o, principally in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky and south-western Pennsylvania. Fernando Wood of New York seems to have been the chief officer and in Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio was second in command. The great importance of the Knights of the Golden Circle and its successors was due to their opposition to the war policy of the Republican administration. The plan was to overthrow the Lin coln government in the elections and give to the Democrats the control of the state and Federal governments, which would then make peace and invite the Southern States to come back into the Union on the old footing. The most effective work done by
the order was in encouraging desertion from the Federal armies, preventing enlistments and resisting the draft. Wholesale arrests of leaders and numerous seizures of arms by the United States authorities resulted in a general collapse of the order late in 1864. Three of the leaders were sentenced to death by military com missions, but sentence was suspended until 1866, when they were released under a decision of the United States Supreme Court.