William A. Bowles

Stidger was dropping off intelligence report on rebel guerrillas to Captain Jones when Jones gives him a letter. The letter is from General Carrington stating that a treasonous order called the Sons of Liberty were planing to setup lodges in the state of Kentucky. The man leading the charge was Doctor William Bowles. The Secret Service was wanting to infiltrate and get information on this group, and Jones asks Stidger if he would be interested. Jones gives Stidger one month to make contact with Bowles and accumulate some info - if he failed to gain any knowledge Stidger would be let go.

After accepting the mission Stidger was briefed on the little data the Secret Service had on the group and sent on his way to gain access to the order.

Jones gave the job to Stidger based on a reference from John Terrell the day before (the 4th)

When Stidger arrived in town Dr. Bowles was not there so he waited until he was back the next morning. In their conversation Bowles brags about how many troops the Sons of Liberty could muster, and take away union controlled confederate lands at any time.

Bowles give Stidger a history of the Knights of the Golden Circle, and it’s other names, and man named Dickerson who was able to go from Baltimore to the Confederate Capital of Richmond any time he liked.

Stidger stays with Dr Bowles for four days before returning to Louisville.

Dr. Bowles went to Indianapolis to meet with heads (Grand Commanders) of the Sons of Liberty from surrounding states.

Among the attendees were Harrison Dodd the Grand Commander of Indiana, State Supreme Chief Justice Joshua Bullitt the Grand Commander of Kentucky, and James Barrett of Missouri. The men pledged men from their prospective states to help the rebel troops. This is also where they called the special meeting for the fourteenth of June.

This intelligence was gathered by admissions of Dr Bowles to Felix Stidger when Bowles arrived back in Salem.

According to Dr. Bowles (Knights of the Golden Circle) the Confederate President Jefferson Davis said he would pay ten percent of any Union property destroyed by a Knights of the Golden Circle invention they called “Greek Fire”. This invention was really a Phosphorus and Carbon fire bomb.
Joshua Bullitt was one of the members of the Knights of the Golden Circle that knew how to make this bomb.

After returning to Louisville Stidger writes up his second intelligence report, but due to him gaining a high profile in the Sons of Liberty he did not wish to deliver the note in person. Instead he gives the report to his brother who then gives it to Captain Jones. Unlike the first report on the Sons of Liberty where Jones calls Stidger a liar the Captain is pleased with this report and the progress Stidger is making.

Stidger arrives in Paoli and finds Doctor Bowles there. He delivers the message that a initiate in the order named Coffin was a union spy and the Grand Commander had requested that Bowles get Coffin into his county and have Coffin murdered. Bowles relays that hew knew the man and had his own suspicions, but he gave the impression that he though Coffin was harmless. Despite this fact he promised Stidger that he would dispatch two men after Coffin to have him killed.