Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-15

nsvnosyotis Dorty into posoev, and was only un-
derstood to be political organization. Af
ty.,oarcls the officers informed the members
that it was military organization. The au
thorities who had control OF the Government,
were said to be tyranical; that they were
trampling us under foot, and that we should
have to resist by force of arms, and the mem
bers of the Order expected to rise to main
tain their rights. The o. S. l.. frequently
drilled, and have been drilling for year.
About two-thirds of the Order we're armed,
some with rifles, and others with revolvers
and shot guns. The muster-roll of their
township was over one hundred. Dr. Nc
Cartney, who is the Grand Seigneur of the
county, informed the members that there
were forty thousand in the State of Illinois,
well armed, and that they could depend upon
eighty thousand in that State. There were
about forty thousand in Missouri, twenty
thousand being in St. Louis and the vicinity.
The officers said that between May and June
there was to be an invasion at three points
into Ohio, to be led by Morgan or Wheeler !;
into Indiana, to be led by Longstreet, and
into Missouri, to be led by Marmaduke or
Price, and, IN case The rebels came into Illinois,
tie brethren Of the organization were to shake
hands and be friends.
An assessment was made on the lodges Tor
the purchase of arms. Their lodge was as
sessed for two hundred dollors. 1t was col
lected by a Col. Barry, or Barrett, of ST.
Louis The arms were to come from Nassau
70 Canada, and scere to be brought to the Can
ada line by the Confederate authorities, but the
Order was to pay the cost of transportation
from Nassau to the Canada line. 1t aCGs am
derStood IN tie Order that the signal for tie up
rising aCould be giren BIZ the supreme commander,
O. L. Valldndigham. Next to him in COM
mand was Robert Holloway, of Missouri
There were lieutenants and captains, or col
oneis, in the order, and a major-general for
each Congressional District. The penalty
for divulging the secrets of the Order was
death. Since the exposure Of tie Order IN 81.
Louis, and especially of tbs case, the Order 'ods
disposed to be quiet and do 6att little. The pres
ent invasion of Missouri was made known to
the Order in his locality by one of Guam
trelps men, 0to said that Price aUduldbe IN Ms
souri, By October LIST, and stag there until after
tie election, and as much longer as he could
The Order in Illinois made no effort to assist
him, if he came in. The late exposures had
stopped their operations Their Temples
met, but had quit drilling. The American
Knights were organized in Illinois by P. c..
Wright of Mississippi or Louisiana, who came
to Springfield, ILL.,, to a Mass Democratic
Convention, June II, 1863, and organized
Lodges and instituted a General Council,
which appointed two officers for each county,
to organize County Temples. Wright IS the
editor of tie New York Neacs non. He sent a
circular to our Lodge. A Autographed copy
of this circular, dated January Is, 1864, in
which he spoke of the Neaus as the o. S. LIS
especial organ, and asking their aid in circu-
lating it, was identified by the witness as the
same shown to the Lodge by DR.. Mccartney,
of Monmouth, Ills, the Grand Seigneur of
the Warren Comfy Temple. The witness
gave the mode of testing a brother in the
order.
Without closing his testimony the Com
mission adjourned to P. NJ, Monday.