Ku Klux Klan

Ku Klux Klan

1909-01-01

Text

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Mrs. S. E. F. Rose

United Daughters of the Confederacy, Mississippi Division

97-84165-11

Rose, Laura Martin
Ku Klux Klan

West Point, IVIiss.

[1909]



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Box 733 Rose, Mrs. S E • P

The Ku Klux klan, by litrs. S, E, F, Rose.
iVfest -Point* Miss., 1909]
8 p«

Paper read during 13th annual convention of
thi Mississippi division, tftiited daughters of
the Confederacy* held in West Point, Hiss • ,
Ifey 4*9« 1909 «



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This paper was read on Historical Evening, May 5, 1909, during the thirteenUi annual con-
vention of the Mississippi Division. United Daughters of the Confederacy, held in West Point,
MIsSm May 4-9, 1909. A resolution was passed by the Division authorizing: its publication in
booklet form, to be sold and the proceeds to go to the erection of a monument at Beauvoir, Miss*
(tiie home of Jefferson Davis) to the memory of Confederate veterans. •



The Ku Klux Klan

" BY -

MRS. S. E. ROSE, HISTORIAN MISS., DIVISION U. D. C

The "Ku Klux Klaa"— the very name holds one spellbound. It

is strange, weird, mysterious, fascinating. Formed from the Greek
word Kuklos — meaning a circle — the name was prophetic of the great
mission of the Klan, for it indeed formed a circle of protection around
the homes and women of the South and brought them through the daric
shadows of Reconstruction days, safe and unharmed. Lst us think,
then, of the Ku Klux Klan as a great circle of light, illuminated with
deeds of love and patriotism, and holding within its protecting and
shining circlet the very life and welfare of our beloved Southland.

It is for the sake of the home that almost all things are wrought
and achieved. It was the home instinct that prompted the valiant Vir-
ginians, the persistent Puritans and the determined Dutch to dare the
waves of an unknown and uncharted sea and come to America where
they hoped to find an opportunity fxsit the estab&hment of that for which
their hearts yearned — a home; Upon these sacred principles — love and
protection of home — was founded the Ku Klux Klan, and no organiza-
tion ever held loftier ideas or nobler purposes. It was composed of the
soldiers of the Confederacy, who, for four years, had thrilled tiie world
with their deeds of courage and valor, and returning to their desolated
homes, were forced to confront the war penalty imposed upon the states
of the Confederacy — slave confiscation and reconstruction under African
rule.

In the midst of this dark drama, we behold a ray of light, the star
of hope gleams again through the clouds, by which it had been obscur*



2

ed. The Ku KIux Klan, the great, s2ent organization of the '60% ap-
pears upon the scene with its avowed purpose, to preserve and uphold
the white civilization of the South. It was a creation born of necessi-
tous times, of puse and patriotic icopulses, and to relieve a dire and
humiliating distress. The Ku Klux Klan has been justly called the salr
vation of the South and its history should be written in letters of light.
It has been said that the methods of the Night Riders are similar to
those of the Ku Klux Klan, but never was anything more erroneous.
There is no similarity except, perhaps, the secrecy, the moving at night
and the masked figures, and there it ends. The methods of the Ku
Klux Klan were generally peaceful and without undue destruction to
life and pi«V>erty, and when its object had been accomplished, there
was no pexsecution, nor pnllaging, nor hounding of any one. And when
tranquillity was restored to the land, the Elian ^^fdded their tents like
the Arabs, and as silently stole away."

Many outrages were committed in the name of the Ku Klux by
parties who did not belong to the Klan; reckless firebiands, with private
hatreds to appease, and having the audacity to call themselves Ku Klux.
Thus the impression was made that the Ku Klux were a set of vicious
men with no regard for la* or order; but these outrages were committed
by bands of thieving scalawags, who used the name as a cloak for their
evil deeds. No genuine Ku Klux would have been guilty of a deed or
an act that would bring the blush of shame to any brave or honorable
man. They belonged to the best class of citizens, once soldiers of the
Confederacy, who had only the best interests of society in view, and
would scorn to do a mean or cowardly act. Noching in connection
with the war, or rather the period at the close of the war known as Re-
construction days, is of greater interest than the Ku Klux Klan. Its
mystery was so fascinating that stories of this great organization were al-
ways listened to with eagoness and dehght. Those delightful books,
'The Clansman/' and its sequel, "The Traitor," given us by Thomas
J, Dixon, have a most intense and thrilling interest. "The Clansman"
places before us the real Klan, with its high and noble purposes and
shows the great good accompUshed by them, while "The Traitor," in
striking contrast, shows the bogus Klan and its many evil deeds, which
inspired such a reign of terror. Since these books have been dramatized
and presented in so many places, renewed interest has been awakened
and a deep impression has been made on the minds and the hearts of
the people, and they have done much to clear the atmosphere of the
many false stories told of the Ku Klux. In the play, the white robes
of ths original Klan, and the red robes of the spurious Klan leave a



3

deep, vivid and lasting impression. The colors were deeply significant*
White, the symbol of purity, was most appropriate for the real Klan,
organized to protect the homes and liberties of the South, while red,
always the badge of bloodshed, anarchy and disorder, was most fitting
for the bogus Klan, whose deeds were disgraceful and villainous.

There are many conflicting statements in regard to the origin of
the Ku Klux Klan. It has been stated that General N. Forrest was
the originator, but this is a mistake. The Klan had been in existence
nearly a year, and had spread so rapidly it embraced nearly the whole
South, so a leader was looked for, and all eyes were turned to the hero
soldier, who had so gallantly led the brave men of the South — General
Nathan Bedford Forrest— and he was made Grand Wizard of the Invisi-
ble Empire. Gen, George W, Gordon of Memphis, prepared the oath
and ritual for the Klan.

It seemed to me that nothing could be more interesting or more
valuable in order to preserve the facts for history than to have the story
of the organization from the lips of the survivors themselves. There are
now livmg only two of the little band of six Confederate soldiers, who, in
the little town of Pulaski, Tenn., in the winter of '65 and '66, organ-
ized the order of the Ku Klux Klan. These two are Maj. Jas. R. Crowe,
of Sheffield, Ala., and Mr. John B. Kennedy, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
I have letters from each of them, and will read them, giving the words
from their own pens; which is certainly the truth of histt>ry. Beiort
reading the letters, I will say a few words about the little town which
formed the setting for this great order, Pulaski, Tenn. I will quote
from Senator Bob Taylor in his famous speech before the Tennessee
Society in New York in 1907: ''When the Lord banished the gmlty
-psix from Paradise and closed the jasper gates behind them, loth to de-
stroy its beauties, he transferred them all to Tennessee. The foot of
man never trod the sod of any spot of earth where purer fountains gem
the hills and brighter streams, falling from loftier heights, wind their
shining way through greens, sweeter vales. The sun of l^ven never
shone upon a foirer land or a nobler people. It is said that Tennesseans
never sing 'There is a better land,' for they do notbeheve there is one."
I will state ju^t here that I am proud that my native town, Pulaski,
Temi., was the birthplace of the splendid organization that bore the
name ^'The Ku Klux Klan." The letters are as follows:

Sheffield, Ala., Oct. 25, 1908.

Mrs. Laura Martin Rose,

My dear Madam: Your letter in regard to the origin and object of



4

the Ku Klux Klan was received in due time. It affords me pleasure to
eompiy with your request. I am glad td see the U, D. C. taking so
much interest in getting a correct history of the eventful days of '61 to

'65. You would, no doubt, be surprised to know the number of letters
I receive from various parts of our country in regard to the Ku Klux
Klan. ^e order was orig^uuzedin Pulaski, Tenn., in the winter of
1865 and '66 in the office of Majcn* Thomas M. Jones, by the following
named men, all of whom had honorable records as Confederate soldiers:
Richard R. Reed, John B. Kennedy, John C. Lester, Frank O. McCord,
Calvin Jones and James R. Crowe.

Frank O* McCord was the first Grand Cyclops, I was the next offi'

cer in rank, which was Grand Turk. We held several meetings at the
office of Judge Jones; then we held several meetings at the home of your
gfandHfather, Mr« Thomas Martin. Afterwards our regular den was nude
in the old residence of Dr. Benjamin Carter. The house had been
wrecked by a tornado, only one room left and that was hidden by the
debris of the large building. The house was supposed to be haunted.
This served our purpose well, as we played upon the superstitious and
made them believe we were the spirits of dead Confederates. The word
Ku Klux was coined by us. We chose the Greek word for circle — Ku-
klos, as the name of our circle and afterwards called it Ku Klux, then
added Klan, and made it from that day historical. The younger gener-
ation wiU never fully realize the risk we ran and sacrifices we made to
free our beloved Southland from the hated rule of the **carpetbagger,"
the worse negro and the home Yankee. Thank God, our work was re-
warded by complete success. ^ After the order grew to large numbers,
we found it was neces^oy to have some one of large experience to com-*
mand. We chose Gen. N. B« Forrest, who had joined our number.
He was made a member and took the oath in room number ten of the
Maxwell House at Nashville, Tenn., in the fall of 1866, nearly a year
after we organized at Pulaski. The oath was administered to him by
Capt. John W. Morton, aftexwuds Secretary of State, Nashville, Tenn.
There is only one besides myself of the original six who organized the
Ku Klux Klan, Mr. John B. Kennedy, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. If you
will write to him he could give you more information. Trusting the
sketch I have given will help you in your work, I am,

Sncerely, your friend,

James R. Crowe.



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Lawrenceburg, Tenn,, March 15, 1909.

Mrs. S. E. F. Rose,

Dear Madam: Ycur kmd letter reached me yesteidi^, and I hasten
to reply, for we oU Ku Klux appreciate any interest manifested in our
order. The Ku Klux Klans were composed of the very best citizens of
our country; their mission was to protect the weak and oppressed during
the dark days of reconstructicHi- To protect the women of the South,
who were the lovcUcst, most noble and best women in the world. The
survivors ate all old men now, old with their memories of other days
long past, to cheer them during life's twiUght. They are proud they
were "Ku Klux and could give aid to those dear Southern women again
during the reconstruction period, for it was a dark and distressing era
in our beloved Southland* We did nothing to make us ashamed; our
acts were always for the good of our countiy and those we loved. After
the lapse of all these years, the survivors of the Ku Klux Klan are gra^
ified to hear the verdict of many who say to us, ' WeU done; you un-
doubtedly saved the beautiful Southland durmg the reconstruction era."
It is pleasing to us, for we did our duty as we saw it then; we are grate^
ful for the kind appreciation and mterest <rf our people now- F^on
me for speaking once again of the- dear. Southern women, the heroines,
who so bravely bore the heavy burdens and hardships of those long years
of war. The world has never known tovelier, braver women than they
were. They were ministering angels to the soldiers. They were our
inspiration then and will Uve in our hearts forever. Their memory is a
sweet benediction to our lives as we near the hist river. Wo would say
to you younger women, teach your children to love and honor the mem-
ory of those noble women of the South, the women of the Wvsbr
ing you much success in securing facts and truths for your history, T
am willing to give any information possible.

Yours truly,

JOHN B. KENNEDY*

From these letters we see that at first this circle was formed for so-
cial pleasure and recreation, and on discovering that the queer costumes,
the great secrecy and weird mystery operated on the minds of the ig-
norant and vicious negroes and undesirable whites, they turned their ob-
jects into more useful channels The clement of superstition in the
negro and the bjld villainy of the depraved white man were appealed
to and the one was scared nearly to death, while the other gradually
disappeared. The Ku Klux knew the character of the whites and blacks
with whom they had to deal, and with each they used the needed treat-
ment. Initiation into this order is said to have tried the souls of men
and tested their courage as no other secret order before, or since, has
done. They bound Uiemselves to allegiance to the laws of the United
States. The question then arises, Why a secret organization? Be-
cause ex-Confederates were denied the right of ballot, the right to tea-



6

tify in court or to carry fire-arms. There were negro soldiers, legisla-
tois and m«gistiates, md as negroes held all offices, the white men were
• completely at their mercy, and they could tie them up by their thumbs
whenever they chose- The only thing to do in order to preserve some
form of just goremment and have sbme degree of freedom was to or-
ganize a compact secret body to do what openly they could not do.

There is a copy of the oath and ritual in the possession of a lady in
Tennessee, wnose husband was an honored member of the Klan. She
said he gave it to her when she was a girl-bride, telling her to preserve
these papers, fm some day they would be history. I wrote asking her
if she would not, fo? the sake of history, give me a copy* She replied
that she regretted not being able to comply with my request, as she was
not able to write it herself, and inized the papers too highly to permit
them out of her possession for even one hour, in order to have a type-
written copy mader She said that her Ku Klux papers together with her
husband's sword and parole of honor, obtained at Appomatox, Va., were
to her, treasures whose price was far above rubies.

The peculiar fascination ever attendant upon things mysterious^
was always in«sent with everything connected with the Ku Klux Klan*
The Invisible Empire, as the territory under the control of the Klan was
called, extended from Virginia to Texas and embraced about fourteen
states. The Empire was subdivided into Realms; Realms into Domin-
ions; Dominions into Provinces and Provinces into Dens — mnespondins
respectively to states, congresdonal districts, counties and towns.

Each department had its head officer, their duties being definitely
designated — except those of the Grand Wizard, the supreme officer —
whose control was absolute.

The following is a list of officers and their departments in regular
order: The Grand Wizard of the Invisible Empire, assisted by his ten
Genii; the Grand Dragon of the Realm and his eight Hydras; the Grand
Titan of the Dominion and his six Furies; the Grand Giant of the Prov-
ince and his four Goblins; the- Grand Cyclops erf the Den and his two
Night Hawks. A Grand Turk, &and Monk, Grand Exchequer, Grand
Scribe and Grand Sentinel were officers in the local Dens. The Genii,
Hydras, Furies, Goblins, Night Hawks were stafi officers, and the pri-
vate members were ciOled Ghouls.

Many instances could be rehted of the good done by the Ku Klux,

for in every instance they protected the just rights of the negro as well

as the whites, and they stood always for the protection of the menaced
life liberty and property of all innocent men. The record of the Ku
Klux Klan teaches forcibly two lessons, which a^e so plain that he who



7

Tuns may read. First, the inevitability of Anglo-Saxon supremacy, when
liaiassed by bands of outlaws, thugs, carpet-baggers and guerillas, turn-
ed loose on the South and upheld by political machinery, during the re-
construction period, the sturdy wlutemen of the South, against all odds,
maintained white supremacy and secured Caucasian civilization, when
its very foundations were tlireatened within and without. Second, a new
Tevelation of the greatness and genius of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest,
the '*Wizaxd of the Saddle," the great Confedemte Cavalry leaden As
Grand Wizard of the Invisible Empire, to his splendid leadership was
due, more than to any other one thing, the successful canying out of
the high and noble puq^oses of the real Ku Kiux Klan.

How delightful and eachuiting were the tales ci the Ku Klux, as
told by some old black negro Mammy, before a bhaing wood fire, and
told in a sepulchral whisper, that made the cold chills play up down the
back and the marrow almost freeze in one's bones. She would tell you,
"'These silent riders were sixteen feet tall, with fiery eyes, and un-
quenchable thirst, never being satisfied with less than two buckets of
water for a drink, and honey-chile, dey wuz de awfuUes' sight you ever
seed in yo' life; and lioney-lam', be good, if you don't de Ku Klux will
^tyotu"' The grotesque costumes, masks, high, conical hats, robes all
of white, with red crosses on their breasts, and seen at the dead hour of
midnight was enough to frighten anyone, white or black, and the dark-
ies just declared, "'Fore Gawd," the Ku Klux came straight from the
bad place. "Old Wash," always interesting in the Taylor-Itetwood
magazine, gives in a recent issue the story his first vision of the Ku
Klux, "De niggers wuz all down to de meetin* house, holdin' one o'
dese heah detracted meetins. De moon wuz a sliinin,' when we seed
fm de church winders some ghost-men on some ghost-hosses comin'
outen de woods, one behin' de yudder. Dey, come slow an* solum-
like, an' dat night I seed my fust Ku Klux, an' ebery nigger dar seed
um, too, an' dey nebber will forgit um. Dem black niggers wuz skeer^
ed so bad dat night, dey skin turned white, an' de kinks all come outen
dey har. Den de leader, he ride up to de chu'ch do' and de niggers
all said, 'Hit's de angel on de fiery steed,' but I said, 'No, hit's Ole
Massa dat woz kilt in de wsv.' Den de ghost-man, in a low, deep
voice^ an' pintin' wid his long, bony finger at de watah-bucket, said,
*A drink, please, I haint had nowatah since I wuz kilt in de fustl)attle
of Manassas.' 'Gawd, I sed so, hit's Ole Marster done riz frum de
grave. N^^K^i^ 7^' 3^' meanness, an' prepare to meet

yo' GawL' "



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I believe the younger generation should be told the true history of
the Ku Klux Klan, and be taught to have the proper respect for this or-
ganization, which did so much for the South in her dark days. Our
children will be toM all the false things concerning it* Let us see to it
that they are told the truth. Encyclopedias, books of reference and
some histories are full of false statements about the South, and informa-
tion about the South' s part in the war between the States is very mea-
ger and unsatisfactory. I plead for a true history of the South — our
Southland, so conscious of her rectitude, so firm in her belief that she
was ''constitutionally and eternally right," and so proud of the heroism
of her sons, has not felt the great necessity of vindicating her acts, but
it behooves us now to see that the searchlights axe turned on her part
in the war, and let the world know the truth of her history. And as
loyal Daughters of the Confederacy we stand pledged to see that this is
done.

Some day when the South comes to her own, when her magnificent
resources have been developed and the riches of her mountains and her

valleys drawn forth, there will be many great and good things to be said
of her history. Men will never tire of speaking of this land of romance,
so different in many essential respects from the rest of the country; and
women will read with joy and tears the story of her long fought battle
for supremacy. But when the tale is all told and the history of her la-
bors in war and peace has been recounted, no brighter chapter in all
her history, no fairer page will ever be read, than that which tells of
the illustrious and glorious organization, called the '^Ku Klux Klan.''
Let us ever regard our history as a priceless heritage, let us cherish and
keep green the traditious of the old South, let us keep alive its chival-
rous spirit, and never tire of telHng the story of those lion-hearted men,

who made this history for us and around whose names cluster some of
the greatest events of the past. Gladstone, the great Enghsh states-
man, said, "No greater calamity can befall a people than to break ut-
terly with its past; and if we forget our ancestors we ourselves are un-
worthy to be remembered." When the great Napoleon had landed
his force? on Egyptian soil and formed them in battle array, lifting his
hand high in air and pointing to the Pyramids, he exclaimed: "Sol-
diers, forty centuries behold you," and wh'^n we realize today, the valor
of our sires and grandsires, the beauty and culture of our mothers and
grandmothers are beholding us, do we not feel that we are indeed tread-
ing on holy ground? Is not the history they have made for us our
most precious and priceless heritage? To the glorious history of our
fair Southland, and especially of our own great Mississippi, and more
especially of that remarkable and splendid organization, the Ku Klux
Kbm, I p^y tribute tonight.