K. G. C.—A Tale of Fort Alcatraz, Chapters I - VI [pp. 238-248]

K. G. C. -A Tale of Fort Alcatraz.
the strength of the Confederacy instead; and
who can say the war would not have termin ated differently?
It was long before there was a perfect
adjustment of the political lines from which
those of society were also mainly determined.
In the sparsely settled sections of the inte rior, many who had been friends and neigh bors watched each other suspiciously. In
the cities, men, and not unfrequently even
women, denounced and insulted each other
personally. The press was especially vio lent; while events at the East were watched
with an anxiety and eagerness that was sig nificant. It was certain that had the Con fetderates met with a series of victories, the
standard of rebellion would have been raised,
and California would have been in the midst
of a civil strife; to what extent it might have
been carried can now be only a matter of
conjecture.
' Most of the regular army was ordered East,
and nearly sixteen thousand Union volunteers
were raised in California, beside others in
Oregon, Nevada, and Washington Territory.
But the authorities at Washington dared not
remove a single regiment of these to the
scene of hostilities in the Atlantic States. To
preserve peace on the Pacific Coast was
admitted to be of vital significance. The ser vices of these Union soldiers can never be
over-appreciated. To their never ceasing
vigilance California was indebted for that
period of peace and remarkable prosperity
that it enjoyed during those years, notwith standing the constant anxiety and apprehen sion that was experienced by those who were
best informed.
In spite of the apparent security that
existed, both elements were constantly on
the alert and active. The Union League held
its secret meetings all over the State, with its
grips, pass-words, and alarm signals. At
these meetings the names of all known or sus pected sympathizers with secession were re ported "for observation," and thereafter kept
under careful surveillance, so that no promi nent individual of this class could make an
important move that did not become at once
known. At such points as there seemed
cause for apprehension, the ubiquitious Un ion soldier would appear upon the scene as
if by magic. Frequently the disaffected local ities would awake in the morning to find a
troop of Union cavalry encamped in their
midst, although people had gone to bed with
the belief that the detested blue coats were
far away.
The Secessionists were not less active,
though necessarily more careful and secret
in their movements. The "K. G. C.," or
"Knights of the Golden Circle," was a pow erful secret organization which numbered
many thousand, all of whom were sworn to
the Southern cause, and were constantly at
work by methods that quiet citizens would
have been surprised and alarmed to know.
The leaders of this order were in regular
communication with the Confederate chiefs
at Richmond; the organization itself was said
to be in a thorough state of discipline, and
had its ramifications in the most remote and
and unexpected places. It only waited a
favorable opportunity to proclaim itself
openly, when it was believed thousands of
unorganized Southerners would have flocked
to the standard of disunion.
Plans were again made to seize the fortifications in San Francisco harbor, and blow up
the arsenal at Benicia, after first obtaining
possession of the arms and ordnance stores;
which plans failed through the vigilance of
the troops. To w atch and guard against the
conspirators was not an idle task, and those
whose duty it was could tell of many plans
that were frustrated while still in their incipiency. The streets of San Francisco and
Sacramento bore a martial appearance. A
provost guard was constantly on duty in San
Francisco; its headquarters near the foot of
Market street. At Camp Union, a few miles
fromt the center of Sacramento, a very considerable body of troops was stationed during
all the years of the war. The celerity with
which detachments were dispatched to
remote points was remarkable.
Prominent secessionists were never lost
sight of; nor were those localities where that
element was considered strong. Los Angeles
was thought to be one of the most dangerous
1888.]
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