John P. Sanderson

For the political leader in Florida see John Pease Sanderson John Phillip Sanderson (February 13, 1818 – October 14, 1864) was a soldier, influential politician, lawyer, author, newspaper editor, and member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He is probably most well known for his exposé of the secret political organization known as the Knights of the Golden Circle, which led to its demise.

Lawyer Sanderson was admitted to the bar in 1839. He practiced law in Philadelphia from about 1848–1861.

Author and editor Sanderson was the author of Views and Opinions of American Statesmen on Foreign Immigration (Philadelphia, 1843), and Republican Landmarks (1850). He edited & published the weekly Demokratischer Whig starting in 1843, and the Anti-Masonic weekly, Der Libanon Demokrat from 1844 to 1848. He was then the editor of the Philadelphia Daily News from 1848 to 1856.

Politician Sanderson was elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1845 and to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1847.

United States presidential election of 1860 Sanderson was one of the Pennsylvania delegates to the 1860 Republican National Convention at Chicago. He was one of Simon Cameron's confidential advisers. Sanderson, in conference with Judge David Davis, who most prominently represented the Lincoln interest, came to a practical agreement on the night before the balloting that Pennsylvania's vote after a complimentary ballot for Cameron be cast for Lincoln, and that Lincoln should give Cameron a cabinet position. The casting of Pennsylvania's vote for Abraham Lincoln on the second ballot was one of the facts that contributed most toward Lincoln's nomination for the 1860 United States presidential election.

Soldier When Cameron was named Secretary of War in President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet, Sanderson was appointed chief clerk of the War Department on March 4, 1861. He resigned from that position to become lieutenant colonel of his son George K. Sanderson's regiment the 15th U.S. Infantry on May 14, 1861. He reported to Newport Barracks and assumed command of the regiment's headquarters.

Sanderson was appointed colonel of the 13th U.S. Infantry on July 4, 1863, l

Colonel Sanderson served in this position until his death after a month's illness at St. Louis, Missouri on October 14, 1864.

Sanderon's most important public service was the full exposition that he made during the civil war of the secret political organization in the northern and western states, known as the "Knights of the Golden Circle" or the "Order of American knights." His exposure of this organization led to the breaking up of that order.