Betrayed By A Mason? The Tragic Mission of Lt. Thomas Boyd

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
Greetings Brothers,

I'm pleased to share with you my newly published article titled "Betrayed By A Mason? The Tragic Mission of Lt. Thomas Boyd." This is an objective non-fiction article published in October 2010 issue of the The Plumbline, A Quarterly Bulletin of the Scottish Rite Research Society.

Essentially this is an in-depth assessment of one of the most heinous torture deaths in the American Revolution, but from a Freemason perspective because of what happened between enemy Freemasons. It's an exposé between the American scout Thomas Boyd, and his British adversaries Colonel John Butler and Chief Joseph Brant. It's one of those lost moments in history that I had heavily researched for my mystery thriller novel Crown of Serpents years ago and was asked by editor Michael Halleran to put together the true story in an objective historian approach. I'm hoping this article sheds further light on an extraordinary incident in both Masonic and military history between two nations in a most horrible time of war.

The PDF of the article can be downloaded here since it is too large to attach to this posting. LINK.
Do enjoy and feel feel to share the PDF or reprint for a lodge program. If you have trouble getting the PDF please email me at mkarpovage@gmail.com and I will email it back to you.

My novel Crown of Serpents is a present day mystery thriller set in upstate NY with the discovery of Lt. Boyd's campaign journal from the Sullivan Expedition of 1779. The book has been reviewed as National Treasure meets The Lost Symbol....or.... Indiana Jones meets The Godfather.

S&F,

Brother Michael
 

Yooperrider

New Member
Tragic Mission

Hi Mike, I've already saved your piece on T. Boyd off a Facebook link about the book. As a recently retired history teacher and aficionado, I really enjoyed learning about that incident. I actually had a high school teacher named Joe Brant who was a direct descendant of Chief Brant. Looking forward to your book, "Crown of Serpents".
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
Hey Brother, thanks for sending your reply. It truly was an astounding incident. Here's a quote from MQ Magazine's 2007 issue on Brant that really sums him up even though he was an enemy of the U.S. at the time in 1779: "Brant became a symbol for Freemasonry, his story being used as a metaphor for the Masonic bond, a bond which became greater than the bond of serving one’s country during wartime."
 

BuglerJay

Past Master
It's certainly not the first or last time that Freemasons have acted in a less-than-brotherly fashion to Brother Freemasons. Benedict Arnold was a Freemason when he attempted to betray George Washington. Santa Anna was a Freemason, who massacred fellow Freemasons Bowie, Travis, and Crockett at the Alamo. Gen Douglas McArthur and Grand Master of MO Harry Truman didn't exactly get along. We're human, therefore imperfect, though we strive for perfection.
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
BuglerJay, oh no doubt there are many examples of Brother vs. Brother conflict. Indirect or direct. You've cited some good ones. I happened to stumble across this Boyd, Brant, Butler 1779 incident when I first became a Mason in 2005 and dug alot deeper focusing my efforts on this one example because of the circumstances surrounding it. Somehow is stood out to me and pulled me in. ;-)

What I think is extraordinary in this case is that the American Freemason prisoner Boyd was supposedly under Masonic protection by his enemy Freemason Chief Brant after his capture. But Brant disappeared hours later. Why? Where? Who knows. And then the Freemason British Colonel Butler intercedes and gives Boyd up to be tortured to death AFTER he interrogated him gaining the intelligence he had sought.

The key questions surrounding Butler's supposed betrayal is did Butler even KNOW of the Masonic protection on Boyd when Brant disappeared? Was it truly a Masonic betrayal of an obligation or Butler simply being a brutal inhumane commander? Or did Butler in fact know of the obligation and NOT find Boyd "worthy" of upholding that obligation like Brant did? Butler and Brant pretty much hated each other but fought for the same side. Or did Butler, knowing of the obligation, simply put his King's loyalty above the Craft? That's what is so mysterious about this particular episode - that Masons were known to each other after the battle and fighting had ceased. This was a case of a Masonic prisoner in custody as opposed to Masons uknowningly fighting each other in the heat of battle.

I would love to have been there as a witness to history to truly find out what happened. My article's findings are only based on what historical evidence I could dig up some 231-years later. What is not in question is Butler WAS responsible for the horrible death of Boyd. Masonic or un-Masonic. He was the commander of all of those forces, was in control of Boyd, and ultimately gave him up to the Indians to enact their revenge.
 

Custer148

Masonic Traveler
This is a great thread, I have enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it.

Michael, I look forward to reading your book.
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
This is a great thread, I have enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it.

Michael, I look forward to reading your book.
Hey, thanks Brother! It's really astonishing - that incident in 1779. If you're into digital books I just made Crown of Serpents available on Amazon Kindle and Apple iBooks too. You'll love the prologue because I take you right back to 1779 at the moment Boyd was in the heat of battle with his troops being massacred. He then meets Brant on the battlefield. That's all I'll say as a teaser. But the rest of the novel is all in the present-day. Do enjoy!
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
I have also enjoyed this thread .

Michael , I think we have all found this interesting . If you have any more Masonic tid bits , which I am sure you do , please post them .
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
I do have more Masonic history tidbits. But just face value stories at this point. I'm trying to dig deeper into them for content for a sequel to Crown of Serpents. One I am working on is the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (specifically the 'Dead Angle') in north GA during Sherman's March to the Sea in 1864. What I'll do is post what was given to me in a separate thread in this History category.
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
Just posted "The Dead Angle" in another thread in History. I have heard of Morgan's Raiders, yes, but don't know of Masonic connections.
 

Michael Karpovage

Author, Crown of Serpents
Been a long time back on this forum. Wanted to update the link to my article titled "Betrayed By A Mason? The Tragic Mission of Lt. Thomas Boyd." This is an objective non-fiction article originally published in October 2010 issue of the The Plumbline, A Quarterly Bulletin of the Scottish Rite Research Society. The link in my first post is outdated. Can't figure out how to edit it. The link to can now be found HERE. The article is in PDF format. Use it for a lodge educational program. Many brothers have.

Also, I have since written two more books in my Freemason military historian series: The Tununda Mysteries. Masons all across the world love the books. Think National Treasure meets Indiana Jones . . . but Rated R. Check out the books at: https://www.karpovagecreative.com/novels

S&F,
Brother Karpovage
 
Top