Then check out 14 Lost Treasures of Wisconsin. Lewis graduated from Thornwell High School in 1958 and then from Clemson University in 1962 before serving on active duty in Germany and Vietnam with the U.S. Army. The Army sent Pinkerton detectives disguised as prospectors and lumbermen to clandestinely look for the gold, but they obviously never found it. You are using an out of date browser. A man by the name of C.E. In the 1966 Spaghetti Western film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the . So if youre in Randolph County Alabama look up that old ghost town that was once called Louina. The Hero of Gettysburg Surveyed the Great Lakes. By the early 1800s, the gang set up a hideout in Rocky Springs and, supposedly, buried tens of thousands of dollars in stolen gold and silver between the church and cemetery at Little Sand Creek near Rocky Springs. Manage Settings Chilton County has gold in Coosa River, Blue Creek, Mulberry Creek and its tributaries, and Rocky Creek. Captian Seigneur de Beauchamp was able to get her anchored in the harbor without any damage. Keel Mountain is located in Madison County in Alabama not in Belleview, Tenn. Of treasure buried in the Florida sand during the civil war. Hello all, Any of y'all ever read or hear of the Confederates escorting $250,000.00 in gold to the east coast in 1864 being attacked about two miles east of Tallassee, Alabama near or crossing a little creek? An unknown amount of gold. Searching for more lost treasure? Here we go! Arriving in Washington, Georgia, Lewis reported that the Confederate treasury had dwindled down to about $43,000 in cash. Demopolis is an abandoned town on the Tombigbee River, near the intersection of rout 43, and 80. near a point where route 90 crosses the river. It was in Washington that the bulk of the treasure was captured along with Jefferson Davis and his staff. The location was described (by him) as being in northern Alabama, between the towns of Bellview and Booneville, at or near Keel Mountain. This Metal Detector Has all the top features you would expect in a quality metal detector. Sep 27, 2005. 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. Many names and records have been lost to time. As soon as they spent all the gold and silver they came back for more. I was born and raised in the area. So with Jesse James spending time and hiding out, its only natural that many believe that he would have buried treasure in and around these areas of Alabama. Mr. Sharps would take a shovel and sack with him on these treks into the woods. More Controversy on the Roswell Affair: An Alien Accident? rjcox / flickr. The legend states that DeSoto and his men cant to the Bay of Espiritu Santa which is now Tampa Bay Florida. William Pettits Buried Gold Coins: $80,000 worth of gold coins: A few miles from Lexington, Kentucky. If its there Im all for digging it up. This guard consisted of mostly young navy midshipmen from a training ship on the James River and some of them were only twelve years old. While sitting at the store Morris Slater was gunned down by Constable Leonard McGowin and some other posse members. Eventually the responsibility for the treasure was passed on to the Secretary of War, John C. Breckenridge, who then placed Brig. The bushwhackers were stragglers from both the Federal and Confederate armies who had heard of the treasure and the handouts being given to soldiers. De Soto and his men fled and left the treasure they had stolen from the Cherokees behind. He was a war hero, fighting in the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, and looked set for a long, happy career as a statesman. Approximately Four miles north of Athens, Limestone County, and about half a mile from a prominent stream crossing, two huge metal box's, containing $100,000 in gold and silver were dumped into a bog by Confederate soldiers to prevent their seizure by the Union Soldiers in 1865. If you are venturing on to State or Federal lands. 1. The treasure was placed into all kinds of containers that had once been used for sugar, coffee, flour and ammunition. The wreck of an unidentified wooden ship that was initially uncovered by Hurricane Camille in 1969 can be found about 6 miles from Fort Morgan along Alabama's Gulf . The legend of the Confederate gold is referenced in many films. Four years of research leads them to believe it's buried under Lake Michigan. Lost Confederate Gold As the end of the Civil War became imminent, Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled his capital city of Richmond, Virginia. Now only Hansens one friend knew about the treasure but his friend was arrested and charged with harboring a fugitive. It's the site where the treasure-hunting group, Finders Keepers, says as much as $55 million in lost Union gold could be buried. Finders Keepers asked the Justice Department for expedited processing, which can be granted in cases where there is widespread media interest involving questions about the government's integrity. The American Civil War may be about to start up again and not for any of the reasons you might think. There are a few instances of the plantation ruins that still remain to this day including the spring where the cotton gin was. Matthew Paulson / Flickr. Since the gold standard was abolished in the 1930s, gold coins, aside from their higher intrinsic value and demand as collectibles, no longer have any special worth as a standard of value in world trade. The belief that Confederate gold is buried in Wilkes County has persisted since the end of the war. C.E. Railroad Bill finally met his doom when a $500 reward was issued for him dead or alive. So do your due diligence before going on your treasure-hunting expeditions. He is said to have stored the gold and silver coins that he got from the Ferry goers in wine casks. La Bellone ran aground at the entrance of Pelican Bay in September of 1724 which is on the east end of Dauphin Island. The Curse of Oak Island. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Also, keep in mind whenever you want to go metal detecting make sure you know the laws of the state in which you are digging in and always ask permission before metal detecting on any private property. CSS Texas was the third and last Columbia-class (or Tennessee-class according to some sources) casemate ironclad built for the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War.Not begun until 1864 and intended to become part of the James River Squadron, she saw no action before being captured by Union forces while still fitting out.CSS Texas was reputed to have been one of the very best . Louina was forced to leave Alabama during the Trail of Tears and sold her trading post Isham T. Weathers. Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Library & Museum, William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, On Trees and Forests: Correcting Historys View of J. Wilkes Booth, President Lincoln on Emancipation Proclamation Day, January 1, 1863, General Burnside of Burnsides Bridge Fame Faced Infamy at Fredericksburg for Lack of a Bridge. A member of the society said there is no historical evidence that gold is buried in the area. Legend of the Lost Confederate Gold Posted on December 5, 2020 December 31, 2020 by Terry W. Platt Confederate gold refers to hidden caches of gold lost after the American Civil War. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. One night two braves took the trapper, tied his hands and feet, and blindfolded him. The war, and its various aspects . Bruce Wetterau is the author of Lost Treasure, A Clay Cantrell Mystery Adventure, a novel about the hunt for a horde of Confederate gold and the story of how it came to be lost in a cavern in the Allegheny Mountains. A town was named after her that once was one of the largest towns in Randolph County Alabama. Please enter valid email address to continue. All but about $70,000 was recovered and transferred to Augusta, Georgia, where ownership of the funds was tied up in court until 1893. So they filled a strongbox full of gold coins that the town had stored up as the treasury. He put the wagons back up to make it appear that confederate troops had come by and took the contents of the wagons with them. Indeed, no one who was an eyewitness to the events ever documented that the gold was actually lost. They picked 3 men to bury the box full of gold coins somewhere near the courthouse. So Davis took with him the entirety of the Confederate Treasury, a It was the summer of 1863, and Union Lieutenant Castleton and his men were lost. 3. The lost gold also played a key role in the legendary 1966 Western film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. La Bellone didnt make it and sank near the entrance to Mobile Bay near Dauphin Island. "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. In the movie, the characters are hunting for $200,000 worth of gold that is rumored to be . This is the tale of what happened to the Confederate Treasury. The church petitioned the court to expand the scope of the scholarships by including residents of counties which immediately surrounded Brantley and by defining an orphan as a child who had lost at least one parent. La Bellone was a French merchant ship that was in the area of Dauphin Island to pick up merchandise from the French Colonials in Louisiana. The story of this lost treasure dates back to 1540 when the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto was in this part of the New World. Probably. As the men transporting the money neared Athens, Alabama, the wagon became stuck in a muddy "bog hole." Supposedly, Nunez buried a treasure of approximately $200,000 somewhere near a point where route 90 crosses the river. Had he known that in April of 1865 he, his cabinet and about $700,000 in gold and specie would have to evacuate Richmond to avoid capture during the waning days of the Civil War, he might have elected to remain in Montgomery. Visit here for more information on State laws regarding relic hunting, treasure hunting, and artifacts. The Paradas accompanied the FBI to the site in Dent's Run, about 135 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, but say they were confined to their car while the FBI excavated. Several legends, actually. He tried to locate the treasure but the landscape had changed so much over the years. Egill Skallagrmsson 's silver. After a long day traveling Hansen ended up at a friends home. Please do not use this website if you disagree with any of the terms outlined here.Thanks for visiting!Thank You,Frank W. Pandozzi, Website Owner. Another treasure tale about hidden Confederate gold has the Confederacy moving money to Columbia, Tennessee. He ran an inn and Ferry that became known as Buzzard Roost in 1801. After exhaustive research, Lewis concluded that gold from the Richmond banks and the Confederate treasury had in fact been evacuated from Richmond and shipped south to prevent it from falling into the hands of Union forces. CBS News affiliate WTAJ-TVreported members of the Elk County Historical Society say they believe the gold is just an old wives' tale. Ill Trade You a Fredericksburg for a Winchester and a Pea Ridge. Jean Lafitte the pirate supposedly buried gold coins on a beach in what is now Bayou la Batre. What remained of the Confederate treasury, in the form of gold and other valuable coins, was disbursed as payroll to Confederate troops during its transport south. In recent years, the number of students receiving tuition assistance has fluctuated between ten and twelve. She was a cargo ship that held deer hides, beaver pelts, tobacco, and 40,000 crowns of gold and silver bullion and coins. Hes written for TV shows such as "The Tonight Show", "Politically Incorrect" and an award-winning childrens program. Do the Finders Keepers have a right to it, even though they didnt do the final digging? . General Basil Duke in charge. Morris was formerly a skilled circus performer and had an athletic build which made getting on off trains a breeze. In the movie, the characters are hunting for . They searched and searched for months coming up empty-handed so the trappers friend gave up and went back to Fort Rosalie. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Near Athens, Alabama, in Limestone County Alabama, there may be a Confederate treasure. Those two boxes of gold could still be buried deep in that bog near Athens, Alabama. So the treasure has never been found. With its rich history of lost treasure, there is no wonder that we have 15 stories pertaining to lost treasure in Alabama. One of the eight treasures of the Sasanian king Khosrow II. De Soto ended up dying of fever. The Missing Confederate Gold, Raid at Chennault, Georgia, May 24, 1865. He was very skilled at evading the police. De Soto and his army of men some 600 plus came to the Sacred mountain City of the Cherokees. Hansen and some other Alabama citizens raised quite a bit of capital in the form of gold and silver bullion and coins. WJAC and other Pennsylvania and national news outlets reported that dozens of FBI agents, along with Pennsylvania state officials had arrived in Dents Run, 27 miles from St. Marys. While they fought the commander detailed a couple of men to hide the gold. Its still hidden in a limestone cave called Red Bone. So Hardy decided to bury the treasure late at night when everyone was asleep. General Dukes Brigade. Just imagine if you were the one to discover all this loot! 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The attack happened in March of 1865. The two trains left Richmond at midnight and when the tracks ended at Danville, Davis and his staff began to travel south on horseback. I have also researched the legend of Keel Mountain, I agree the O.R. The Treasures of our past that still have yet to be found. You see the Civil War was going on and many plantation owners were worried that their wealth would be looted if Union soldiers came around. The ferry was used by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. Should Ken Burns start working on a new special? (Bibb Co.) buried a bag of gold to hide it from the invading Yankees. Because it was in a state park, they were told to stop looking. His anger turned to crime and robbing the L&N trains was the outcome. Deep in the Everglades is Lost City, a place where mobster Al Capone reportedly produced moonshine to keep a nearby saloon . Expand. She made her money by running a trading post and she was one of the only Indian women to have owned slaves. After some minor resistance from roving Confederate bands, on April 11, 1862, his Union troops marched into Huntsville and occupied the city. The chief wanted him to marry his daughter. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, Others suggest he buried it underneath his home or by the cotton gin. Initially, with one-third of her estate, the will established the Sylvester Mumford Memorial Endowment at the Thornwell Orphanage in Clinton, South Carolina, which was founded in 1875 and is now known as the Thornwell Home and School for Children. In April 1865, the Civil War ended for most Americans. There were , also, over 2000 Tallassee Carbines hidden and never recovered. A very prosperous merchant before the war, Mumford had established a cotton plantation near Waynesville. Hardy grew his small acres of land into whopping 9000 acres by 1850. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Gold and Silver Coins: Ohio River: Lost Confederate Payroll: Unknown: Small cave near Cumberland Gap, Kentucky! Unfortunately, Parker found the U.S. cavalry already in the immediate area and made alternate arrangements. It would be a great place to find all kinds of history and relics that might still be strewn about by all those army camps. The Confederacys Ferrous Stonewall in a Far East Civil War. His What in the World! podcast is a fun look at the latest weird and paranormal news, strange sports stories and odd trivia. Lost Copper Box of Gold Coins: $80,000 in gold coins: Somewhere in the Kiamichi Mountains: Confederate Treasure Near The Ghost Town of Scullyville: Unknown: Scullyville is located about twelve miles south of Fort Smith on the Arkansas River. Such is the legend of the Lost Gold of Keel Mountain told first by an old Madison County man named Jeremiah McCain, who had joined up with a renegade band of rebel guerillas in early 1862. . However, his business fortunes suffered great losses throughout the course of the war. With slightly less than a thousand men in his command, Duke transferred all the treasure into six wagons and began his journey south with eight of his veterans on each wagon as guards and the rest of his command, along with the midshipmen, as escorts. January 6, 2022 / 11:11 AM The troops were trying to keep the gold and silver away from Union soldiers. His wife sold the ferry and went to live with relatives in Georgia. The mountain I saw that looked like an overturned boat is just to the east of Belleville, off US 231. By Hans KuenziThe Cleveland Civil War RoundtableCopyright 2008, All Rights Reserved, In late May 1861, Jefferson Davis, the former Mississippi Senator and the reluctant president of the seceding Confederate States of America, moved the capital of the CSA from Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia to boost the morale of the Confederate troops and weld Virginia to the Confederacy. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. Legend of the Lost Gold of the Confederacy The main house of Chennault Plantation. A rich man named Hansen was a Confederate sympathizer who wanted to financially help the Confederate economy that was falling apart at the end of the Civil War. His nephew Grady tried to find the gold caches that his uncle had presumably buried in the woods. Levi and his brother George were interpreters and negotiators that worked with U.S. Indian Agent John Dabney Terrell Sr. of Marion County Alabama. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One day a rebel soldier came by and Hansen decided to lead him to the lost treasure so they could possibly retrieve it. Hansen now alone with the two wagons of treasure knowing that the soldier would soon return with more union troops decides to use the horses to overturn the wagons into the deep swamp. Henry knew he could make a fortune with his ferry because the Perdido River was a popular crossing spot for people going from Alabama to Florida and vice versa. The contractor detected an underground mass that weighed up to nine tons and had the density of gold, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed last year at the request of news organizations, including The Associated Press. Henrys wife gave in and told the soldiers where one of the wine casks was buried. More information on where and how to research for lost treasures. That was some years ago but since then the guy has found out from several old timers that the story they heard about this boat was that it was a grain or cotton barge that began taking on water and was beached. Having his ferry there solved this problem. However, somewhere in Wilkes County, Georgia, the wagon train was bushwhacked. All the merchandise including the gold and silver bullion and coins sank with the ship. Newton Alabama in Dale County came under attack by the 1st Florida Calvary that was led by former Confederate captain Joseph Sanders who lived in Dale County. If you ever dreamed of finding a treasure hidden by an outlaw, gangster, or a wealthy person, but was not sure where to start. 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. Looking For a Top Rated Metal Detector That Wont Cost You Thousands of Dollars but works like a $2000 machine? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The townspeople decided to defend Newton but were worried that if they got defeated that the towns treasury would be looted. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In Danville, the officials handed out a lot of the gold in exchange for Confederate money to help the soldiers when all hopes of saving the Confederacy were lost," Ricketts said. Apparently in 1865, $100,000 of gold and silver was put into two large metal boxes by . Many of these treasures are now on private land or owned by the federal or state government. I have not heard of both of these stories. 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 . Navy Captain William H. Parker was placed in charge of the second train and, knowing that the special cargo was comprised of gold ingots, gold double eagle coins, silver coins, silver bricks and Mexican silver dollars, he gathered the only available personnel to provide a military guard. The Ghost Town of Old Cahaba located on route 22 approximately 14 miles southwest of Selma, was used as a Confederate Fort during the Civil War. John Willismith was a rich businessman who lived in Fort Payne, Alabama. Near Demopolis is an area named White Bluff. My Special Bundle Package of digital books and the links to my TV series is loaded with information that will guide you toward treasures large and small. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. It may not display this or other websites correctly.