Surratt Courier

[L Verge]

Here's another kudo for you, Jill, from David Keehn, author of the book on the Knights of the Golden Circle. I am putting the two of you in touch with each other to see what other goodies you might come up with.

Hi Laurie,

Congratulations to Jill Mitchell for her excellent article "George Alfred Lawrence's Ill-Omened Adventure" that appeared in the June 2014 Surratt Courier. In response to the editor's comment about needing more investigation regarding William Wilkins Glenn, I heartily agree.

I want to reference pp. 27-29 of Between North and South which indicates that Glenn attended a secret meeting of Baltimore secessionists on April 17, 1861 (just before the Pratt Street riots) at which a group of thirteen considered a plan for "armed resistance to the passage of troops through Maryland." At the meeting, Mr. Norris references J. V. L. McMahon (the political leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle in Baltimore) as well as other leading Baltimore secessionists. Glenn then followed-up by publishing a protest to the passage of troops from the North through Baltimore in his Daily Exchange. Since the Knights' local political leadership was often spearheaded by a Committee of Thirteen, I've wondered whether this April 17 meeting might have been such a KGC conclave.

This is also covered at pp. 142-143 of my book Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War (for which a second printing has recently been finalized).

Best wishes, Dave Keehn

And congratulations to David with the second printing of his excellent book.