s of the Golden
Circle" opens up a portion of the history of the Civil War which may be
almost unknown to our younger readers. During the war the whole North was
honeycombed with secret societies, whose members denounced Lincoln as a
usurper and a bloody monster, and maintained that the government had no
right to coerce the South. They resisted the draft, encouraged desertions,
and embarrassed the Federal Government in every way possible. In secret
many of the leaders plotted armed rebellion, the liberation of Confederate
prisoners, and the burning of Northern cities. They held out inducements
to the South to invade the North, and there is but little doubt that
Morgan was lured to his destruction by their representations.

Shortly after the close of the war the author met a gentleman who had
served on the staff of General Breckinridge. This officer affirmed that he
carried a message from Breckinridge to Morgan, saying that the former had
positive information that forty thousand armed "Knights" stood ready to
assist Morgan if he would invade Indiana. Everything goes to show that
Morgan relied on these reports, and it was this belief that induced him to
disobey the orders of General Bragg.

It is an interesting question whether General Breckinridge was really
privy to the plans of the "Knights," and whether he secretly encouraged
Morgan to disobey orders, hoping that the appearance of a Confederate
force in the North would lead to the overthrow of the Lincoln Government
and the independence of the South. The author has taken the ground that
Breckinridge was fully cognizant of Morgan's intended move.

This volume mentions only the greatest of the General's raids, and the
author has tried to narrate them with historical accuracy as regards time,
place, and circumstances. In stating the number of his men, his losses,
and the damage he inflicted on the Federals, the General's own reports
have been followed; these, as was to be expected, differ widely in many
cases from those of the Federal officers.

The tale of the exploits of Calhoun is substantially true, though the hero
himself is fictitious, for every one of his most notable feats was
accomplished by one or other of Morgan's men. It was Lieutenant Eastin, of
Morgan's command, who killed Colonel Halisy in single combat. Calhoun's
achievements in the escape from the Ohio Penitentiary were actually
performed by two different persons: a sharp dining-room boy furnished the