George W. L. Bickley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George W. L. Bickley
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| Born | July 18, 1823 Russell County, Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | August 10, 1867 (aged 44) Baltimore, Maryland or Virginia, U.S.
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| Occupation | Physician |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America (1861–1865) |
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Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1863–1865 |
| Rank | Surgeon |
George Washington Lafayette Bickley (born July 18, 1823 – died August 10, 1867) was an American physician and writer. He is best known for starting a group called the Knights of the Golden Circle. This was a secret society during the American Civil War. The group wanted to expand the Southern United States by taking over lands in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. They hoped these new areas would become slave states in the United States. Bickley was arrested by the U.S. government during the war.
Contents
Early Life and Career
George Bickley was born in Russell County, Virginia, on July 18, 1823. When he was young, his father passed away in 1830. After this, Bickley left home and traveled around the country.
Becoming a Doctor
By 1850, Bickley was working as a physician in a town called Jeffersonville (now Tazewell), Virginia. While there, he helped start a local history group. He also began writing a book about the history of Tazewell County.
In 1851, Bickley moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was offered a job as a professor at the Eclectic Medical Institute. This school taught a type of alternative medicine. Bickley claimed he had graduated from the University of London in 1842. He also said a famous English doctor had signed his diploma. However, the University of London could not find his name in their records. Also, the English doctor he mentioned had left the university before 1842.
Bickley's Writings
In 1853, Bickley published a novel called Adalaska. This book was about the ideas of the Young America movement and Manifest Destiny. He also wrote a book about botany, the study of plants. Bickley was also in charge of a conservative magazine called the Western American Review.
The Knights of the Golden Circle
In the late 1850s, Bickley faced financial difficulties and left Cincinnati. He traveled around the East and South of the United States. He promoted an idea to take over Mexico and create new territories for slavery. He found a lot of support in Texas. Soon, he had organized many local groups there.
In the spring of 1860, his group tried to invade Mexico from Texas. A small part of the group reached the Rio Grande river. But Bickley did not show up with the large force he promised. So, the plan failed. Some members of the group were unhappy with Bickley's leadership. They removed him from his position. However, Bickley held another meeting and managed to get back his leadership role.
When the American Civil War began, many members of the Knights of the Golden Circle focused on making the New Mexico territory part of their proposed "Golden Circle." In May 1861, some members attacked a pro-Union newspaper office in Texas and burned it down.
Later in the war, the Knights of the Golden Circle worked with politicians who wanted to end the war through talks. In 1863, the group changed its name. It changed again in 1864 to the Order of the Sons of Liberty. This group soon broke apart after some members were arrested.
During the Civil War
Bickley joined the Confederate States Army in early 1863. He worked as a surgeon, which is a type of doctor in the military. In July 1863, he was arrested in Indiana as a Confederate spy. He was held under arrest until October 1865. He was never put on trial for this.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1850, Bickley's wife passed away. He left his young son with another family. He later married a widow in Ohio, but they separated.
George Bickley died on August 10, 1867. He passed away either in Baltimore, Maryland, or in Virginia. The Knights of the Golden Circle later influenced other groups, like the Ku Klux Klan.
