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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 123/340

The Era of Reconstruction

opposition to the Republicans of a more violent nature developed as
well. In Florida, as in other southern states, the first manifestation
of “Ku Klux” activity accompanied the onset of Republican re­
gimes during the Reconstruction era. In Florida secret groups
opposed to the Republicans were not affiliated in a formal manner
with the parent organization—the Tennessee Klan. Technically
such organizations were call Young Men’s Democratic Clubs, but
the term “Ku Klux” was commonly used and the Florida societies
differed in no essential aspects from the Klan. The first Young
Men’s Democratic Club was established in Tallahassee shortly
after the May 1868, election, and soon had branches throughout the
state. The constitution provided that each local club should divide
all adult white males in its territory into fifties and these into tens
each under a chief. Each chief of ten was to compile political
dossiers on every white and black voter in his jurisdiction. In
addition each local club had a secret “Committee of Observation
and Safety.” This committee consisted of the club’s president, two
vice-presidents, plus five others whose identities and activities
were kept secret from the rank and file.20
The Florida “Ku Klux” pulled off one of its most daring
exploits on the night of November 5, 1868. During the preceding
August the Florida legislature had passed a law authorizing the
creation of a state militia. There was concern among the Con­
servatives that an armed militia of freedmen was a threat to their
safety. To arm the proposed militia, Governor Reed had made a
personal trip to New York where he obtained some 2,000 muskets
and 40,000 rounds of ammunition. The arms were enroute from
Jacksonville to Tallahassee by train on November 5, when the
incident took place.

20 Allen W. Trelease, White Terror, The Ku Klux Klan Conspiracy and Southern
Reconstruction (New York, 1971), pp. 79-80; U.S. Congress Joint Select Committee
on Conditions of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States, House Report 22, 42nd
Cong., 2nd Sess., Vol. XIII, Ser. 1541, pp. 156-64. Hereafter referred to as House
Report 22.

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