The total amount of money and gold that left Richmond with Davis is unknown. Davis then deposited the reserve gold in a vault in Washington, Georgia, before continuing on. She would then sail the goods back to France. One treasury clerk in particular, Micajah Clark provided a detailed accounting of the disposition of the funds. He waited there until spring and set off to sail back to France at the beginning of April 1725. The Confederates got away or won the little skirmish or what have you but the men who hid it had been killed. He was worn out, saddened by the devastation that existed in his part of the state, and the difficulty he and his neighbors were having in restoring their lives and properties. In an account he made to a Richmond newspaper in 1893, Parker recalled that the government funds placed in his charge totaled only about $500,000 in gold, silver and bullion. Still, rumors of the millions persist. Hardy Clemens died in 1863 leaving no trace of where he hid his treasure. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. A message was sent to the Justice Department seeking comment on the suit, which asks a judge to order the FBI to immediately turn over the records. Generally, it went like this:An individual or his friends would get a tip or a hunchthat some vacant plotheld the secret wealthand out would come the shovels. The folk ballad by Lonnie Donegan was named after him. If you ever get out to Dauphin Island speak with the natives there and they will tell you about all the history and treasure stories that went on on the island. Henry Allen Nunez was an early-day entrepreneur. The trapper ended up not marrying the chiefs daughter and he went away freely although he killed two braves to make sure he was able to leave. One of the clues to the former Navy paymaster and his survival after the events of May 4 were documented by Robert Seeger in his 1962 book, And Tyler, Too, which provided an in-depth look at the presidency of John Tyler and his family. From lost confederate Civil War gold to lost Indian gold to plantation owners and their lost treasure we have a little bit of everything in these stories. One theory suggests it was stolen by the Michigan Cavalrymen. For Semple, as with Tidball, history is mute on the activities of both men. The officer brought troops to Henrys home in the hopes of getting Henry to tell them where his treasure was hidden. At the time no one questioned his integrity or his simple explanation. There are rumors that caches of coins and silverware are buried on and around the plantation ruins. Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? Much of the mystery was engendered by Union officials, who greatly inflated the value of the Confederacys treasury to several million dollars. Under the headline"What Became of the Confederate Gold," Moses told the newspaper a small portion of it went to buy food for returning soldiers, while the bulk of about$40,000was turned over to the federal authorities. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But, the first story sounds very familiar with a post I put on Treasure Legends-"swamp gold." He came to Alabama in 1815 and set up a ferry for crossing the Perdido River that has banks of the Alabama and Florida side. It is said that some of those wine casks of gold and silver coins are stilled buried near his home. There is no record that anyone ever found the gold, sowhat happened to it? Knowing that he was wealthy and owned half of the town the legend has it that the gold could be buried anywhere in Fort Payne. Two trains left from the capital that night. When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally. But this time Henry died from being beaten. C.E. The lost gold also played a key role in the legendary 1966 Western film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. [6], Last edited on 31 December 2022, at 01:37, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Confederate States Secretary of the Treasury, "The Georgia Odyssey of the Confederate Gold", "OUR ARMIES. Jefferson Davis, a Congressman from Mississippi and former Secretary of War, was named its president. In the film, a thief goes back in time to hijack the money using advanced technology. Davis was on the run for much of April 1865. He received a pardon in August 1865, and in 1872, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Simply putting food on the table became an essential concern. Young refused to release it, but was compelled to do so by force. That is a crazy amount of money even by todays standards. It was never recovered. There are a few instances of the plantation ruins that still remain to this day including the spring where the cotton gin was. His train, however, encountered some expenses. According to local lore, the gold was lost or stolen during the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg . Plus, as others have pointed out, gold weighs alot. Some believe it was stolen by the Union soldiers who arrested Davis, while others speculate it was hidden long before his arrest, with the aim of keeping it out of the Norths hands. He didnt even tell his son. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In June 1863, President Lincoln ordered two wagons with false bottoms to carry anywhere from 26 to 52 gold bars weighing 50 pounds each from Wheeling, West Virginia, 400 miles north to Pennsylvania to pay the Union troops . A member of the society said there is no historical evidence that gold is buried in the area. It is said that John Buried $100,000 worth of gold there. General Dukes Brigade. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! During the autumn of 1862, the mint turned $40,000 in gold and silver from New Orleans, Louisiana, into bars for shipment to Augusta. One night two braves took the trapper, tied his hands and feet, and blindfolded him. And such rumors werent confined to the South. It would have taken a large amount of troops to dig and hide all the treasure, and as poor as alot of those soldiers were after the war, why not go back and dig up the treasure? The gold (or some of it) in their treasury came with them. The ruins of the plantation still remain to this day. He wanted to trap game on the tribal land so he asked the chief permission. Confederate Pots of Gold . The brakeman subsequently threw him off the moving train. Long story short it is said that Levi Colbert buried some of his savings from the inn and ferry operations in what is now Colbert County Alabama. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Several legends, actually. "From the outset, it seems as if the FBI is doing everything it can to avoid answering the question of whether they actually found gold," Weismann said. Davis was arrested on May 10 by members of the 4th Michigan Cavalry. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, Onto the second were loaded all the cash reserves of the Confederacy (including gold, silver and other coins), as well as the gold reserves owned by Richmonds banks and a large amount of jewelry donated by Confederate women to the cause. Wesley Millett and Gerald White are the authors of The Rebel and the Rose. The troops were trying to keep the gold and silver away from Union soldiers. So Hardy decided to bury the treasure late at night when everyone was asleep. Going to war can be incredibly expensive. Keel Mountain is located in Madison County in Alabama not in Belleview, Tenn. When Davis and his party were arrested on May 10 in Irwinville, Ga., leaders of the 4th Michigan Calvary only found a few worthless Confederate banknotes on his person, and there was no gold stashed away in the wagons. I have not heard of both of these stories. A town was named after her that once was one of the largest towns in Randolph County Alabama. Finders Keepers filed a federal lawsuit against the Justice Department over its failure to produce. buried near what used to be his house on the Alabama side of the river. After the War Between the States,many not only spent time rememberingthe "Lost Cause," they also stayed busy searching for its lost gold. Many of these treasures are now on private land or owned by the federal or state government. WATCH: Full episodes of America's Book of Secrets online now. In 1865, the Confederate government crumbled and its leaders fled through Georgia, pursued by federal authorities. More information on where and how to research for lost treasures. I have hunted the area with only minor finds but there was alot of activity in the area. The FBI says it came up empty at the rural Pennsylvania site where Civil War gold is rumored to be buried. The Confederacys capital city was initially located in Montgomery, Alabama, but soon changed to Richmond, Virginia. This made Grady think that his uncle was burying the sack full of presumed gold coins in various places in the woods. Have fun in your search for Alabama treasure. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Almost every Southern state has a legend of Confederate gold lost/stolen/buried in the chaos of the Civil War's end. Those products, whether pictures of a service or a product contain links to the seller.What companies do I work with and promote?I work with Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Clickbank, and MyTopo, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to these websites.I also promote Solo Build It Site Built It, because it's the product I used to build this website. In the Cumberland mountains of central Tennessee a small Confederate detail had hidden the gold in a mountain cache. He was then valued at $300,000 which made him a wealthy man, to say the least! Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! After meeting with the treasure hunters in early 2018, the FBI brought in a contractor with more sophisticated instruments. CBS News affiliate WTAJ-TVreported members of the Elk County Historical Society say they believe the gold is just an old wives' tale. Davis had nothing on him when he was captured in the end on May 10 in Irwinville, Georgia. was the operator of a ferry during the Civil War, on the Perdido River. They ended up in a large cavern and when they took the blindfold off of the trapper he saw that the cave was filled to the ceiling with gold and silver bars, coins, and jewels. var FIX=FIX||{}; Several legends, actually. Perhaps the city will ultimately change its mind and enrich its coffers with the largest portion of the estimated $16 million in value. Apparently in 1865, $100,000 of gold and silver was put into two large metal boxes by Confederate troops, and then thrown into the swamp. In 1720 there was a trapper that came to the Chickasaw village. You see people didnt trust the banks back then because they were often robbed and the insurance programs of the Federal Government were not that good. Dauphin Island held many camps over the centuries including a British army camp, a Spanish army camp, a Federal army camp, and a French army camp. As fate has it the 3 men that buried the gold ended up dead after the attack. He immigrated here from Scotland. Henry refused and was subsequently strung up to a tree and whipped. The below mentioned George Trenholm incidentally, accompanied Davis on part of his flight but dropped out prematurely due to ill health, which was taken as circumstantial evidence by his Union accusers, when they later accused Trenholm of theft. While sitting at the store Morris Slater was gunned down by Constable Leonard McGowin and some other posse members. In the 1939 movie "Gone With The Wind," the Union Army believes Rhett Butler to have the missing Confederate gold, and they threaten to hang him. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The story begins in Richmond on Sunday, April 2, 1865, when Confederate President Jefferson Davis received an urgent message from General Robert E. Lee while attending a church service. The gold from the Richmond bank was accounted for, but was later stolen by around 20 armed men in Danburg, Georgia. Finders Keepers filed a federal lawsuit against the Justice Department over its failure to produce documents on the FBI's search for the legendary gold, which took place nearly four years ago at a remote woodland site in northwestern Pennsylvania. Keep in mind most of these lost treasure stories have been handed down by word of mouth over the centuries. Dr. Clive Cussler a historian attempted to find the wreck of La Bellone in September 1989. As for the rest of the money, little is known, and tales of money found in areas connected to the American Civil War have been told for more than 150 years. Captian Seigneur de Beauchamp was able to get her anchored in the harbor without any damage. All the merchandise including the gold and silver bullion and coins sank with the ship. Over the course of the next two years, he traveled between the U. S. and Canada in clandestine activities, often using the alias Allen S. James, his travels financed with the Confederate gold. She was a cargo ship that held deer hides, beaver pelts, tobacco, and 40,000 crowns of gold and silver bullion and coins. In this Sept. 20, 2018 photo, Dennis Parada, right, and his son Kem Parada stand at the site of the FBI's dig for Civil War-era gold in Dents Run, Pennsylvania. They took a small fortune in gold and silver with them when they fled Richmond, Virginia in April 1865. Lee warned Davis that his government should evacuate Richmond immediately, or risk being captured by Federal troops. Hansen then used the horses to trample the boxes deeper into the mud. He was specific about the state, but Bellview and Booneville are marked as being in Tennessee. With its rich history of lost treasure, there is no wonder that we have 15 stories pertaining to lost treasure in Alabama. No one else knew where the box was buried and it hasnt been found to this day. And like all good stories of lost treasure, this one has staying power. Valued at nearly half a million dollars, the gold was loaded onto wagons heading north, in the custody of U.S. government officials. One time in Montgomery, in the late '80s, or early '90s, I was finishing some sheetrock in a small business, in sort of a row of businesses in the same long building. Jefferson Davis fled Richmond with multiple wagons filled with gold and silver. Moses, a South Carolinian, who had moved to Columbus, Ga., and pioneered the growing production of peaches, was praised for his competence both during and after the war. The troops were trying to keep the gold and silver away from Union soldiers. This Metal Detector Has all the top features you would expect in a quality metal detector. The gold became a lost legend. The gold became a lost legend. They left Richmond with a bunch of money, and when [Davis group] was captured six weeks later, they didnt have it. In his early years, he was a sailor with the pirate Jean Lafitte. All Rights Reserved. He practically owned half of the town of Fort Payne. As the $450,000 in gold reserves didnt belong to the Confederacy, it remained untouched. Sharps had a nephew named Grady Sharps who witnessed his uncle go into his 100 acres of forest that he owned south of Whites Mill. Bushes envelop the pig farm, and the cemetery is wooded over. One of the first settlements of Alabama is called Dauphin Island. [OFFICIAL. The Union soldiers dug up the cask and went and spent the money in Mobile, Alabama. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Everyone thought Bob was bonkers . There are many different stories of where on his plantation the gold was hidden. The whereabouts of his home are under debate. Henrys wife gave in and told the soldiers where one of the wine casks was buried. Railroad Bill finally met his doom when a $500 reward was issued for him dead or alive. If anyone heard of a spot or location where a ghost was possibly seen (and there seem to have been several reported inThe Chronicle) suspicion was they were guarding the gold. If you are venturing on to State or Federal lands you should know the laws of that State. Like most Southerners, who strongly believed their cause was right, Semple was ultimately forced to admit that the Confederacy no longer existed and could not be resurrected, that nothing more could be done. The area was then abandoned around 1830. Those two boxes of gold could still be buried deep in that bog near Athens, Alabama. Now only Hansens one friend knew about the treasure but his friend was arrested and charged with harboring a fugitive. Nunez being a former pirate had plenty of money stored up so he was able to save most of the money earned from the ferry. In my opinion the Lost Confederate Gold myth is just thata myth. "There's been a pattern of behavior by the FBI that's been very troubling," said Anne Weismann, who represents Finders Keepers. In April 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and members of his cabinet evacuated the city by train and headed south. In any case, caches of the silver coins have reportedly been detected at several locations in the Danville search area. And peoples imaginations take over from there.. Then check out 14 Lost Treasures of Wisconsin. The phrase "Lost Confederate Gold" has a romantic ring. The question is, what happened? It was an E-mail he sent to someone and it found it's way to being an article on several sites. Louina was forced to leave Alabama during the Trail of Tears and sold her trading post Isham T. Weathers. Halleck stated that Richmond bankers estimated specie valued "from six to thirteen millions" were travelling south from Goldsboro, NC in wagons. This would be a nice area to use a metal detector in. If its there Im all for digging it up. De Soto demanded that the Chicksaw Chief who had a camp nearby furnish him with squaws for his trip into Mississippi. They filled two wooden boxes full. He would then bury the wine casks in various areas around his homestead. Maybe you could be the one who prospers from finding one of these lost treasure gems in Alabama! (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({google_ad_client:"ca-pub-0945725028962484",enable_page_level_ads:true}); Union soldiers were invading the countryside around Sherwood Forest, the Tyler plantation, and the safety of her young children was paramount. But with 100 acres to cover and now metal detectors back then it was never found. They also covered the boxes with straw and fertilizer to conceal the treasure within. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The ferry was used by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. He went to Fort Rosalie and told a friend about the treasure. So get your picks, shovels, and metal detector ready as we go through the 15 lost treasures of Alabama. The Chief agreed but he had other intentions as well. "[2], Amid the collapse of the Confederacy, General Henry Halleck, Chief of Staff of the Union armies, wrote on April 26, 1865, that Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, was fleeing with large quantities of specie. The legend of the Confederate gold is referenced in many films. She says that some Confederate gold was hidden there and some is still being found today.
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