Jesse James and the KGC: the Albert Pike Connection (Part 1)

(Albert Pike posing in Masonic regalia.)

Mysterious Looking Letter-Symbols

Thus far I've not made much mention of Albert Pike when discussing Jesse and Frank James and their possible involvement with the Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC). Pike was a highly intelligent and creative individual who was many things to just as many people.

Chief among these many talents was Albert Pike's ability to create his own pantheon of secret, treasure-related symbols. These are most often offshoots of Masonic Order symbols, but Pike created other mysterious letter-type symbols that were based on ancient writings and cultures.

Treasure Hunting

Who Was Albert Pike?

The very next question to enter your mind is probably "Who the hell was Albert Pike?" Although born and raised in the thoroughly "Yankee" state of Massachusetts, Albert Pike would eventually become a die-hard Southern sympathizer who served as a Major General in the Confederate States Army (CSA). In fact, Pike actually wrote the lyrics (Confederate version) to that timeless Southern anthem, "Dixie."

Albert Pike was an extremely literate and educated man (at one point early on he was accepted into Harvard University but declined to attend) who possessed an advanced Freemason's (or Masonic) degree. The truth of the matter is that Pike was a Knight Templar, a fact that should suggest to you how deeply he was involved in the Masonic Rite and ultimately, with the KGC.

"General" Pike

After serving in the Mexican War in the mid-1840s, Pike moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where he edited Little Rock's newspaper, the Arkansas Advocate. When the U.S. Civil War broke out, Pike was given command of mixed (Indian and partisan guerrilla) forces in the so-called Indian Territories (which included Oklahoma at the time) where he was victorious at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas.

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After Pea Ridge, things literally went "south" for Pike. He was taken to task by Confederate higher ups because some of his native troops had scalped fallen Union soldiers after they lay dead or wounded at Pea Ridge. To add insult to injury, he was also accused of mishandling large amounts of gold and silver coin entrusted to him for paying and supplying his troops. In the end, Pike resigned his commission and command, but never forsook the Southern cause.

Pike, Jesse, and the Youngers

Around this same time the James Boys and the Younger Brothers were riding with Confederate "partisan ranger" William Quantrill's guerrilla forces in nearby Missouri. After Pike's fall from grace as a Southern military commander it's a documented fact that he traveled extensively in the Indian Territories, Arkansas, and yes....Missouri too.

(Confederate reenactor at the modern-day Pea Ridge Battlefield.)

Is there a possible connection between Albert Pike (who would later be called the KGC's "Dark Prince") and Jesse James? In my own mind I believe that this connection is not only possible, but highly probable.

Questions Begging for Answers

What of those mysterious letter-symbols that Pike created? Why would Pike use so much of his intellectual brilliance, and time and effort on creating arcane lexicons of symbols that no one else could interpret? Most importantly, what were those letter-symbols used for and what did they really mean?

Metal Detectors

These are all very important questions begging for answers. I'll delve deeper in to Albert Pike and his letter symbols in my next post.

Good hunting to you until then.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "More Information on the Victorio Peak Treasure: the Spanish Link"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.) 2012

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com