With them was the remainder of the confederate treasury, including crates of gold and silver coins, gold bullion from richmond bank reserves and jewelry that had been donated to the southern cause. State archaeologists say confederate treasure hunters shooting a television series last year dug up artifacts and caused damage to an old plantation site in southwestern pittsylvania county. Tales of missing treasure abound in pennsylvania news. For semple, as with tidball, history is mute on the activities of both men. It served as the last capital of the confederacy, and was one of the few southern cities with access to a. Treasure hunters say they have found new clues to old.
Allegedly, some of the confederate treasury was hidden in order to wait for the rising again of the south and at. Most people dont know these 12 treasures are hiding in virginia. On april 2, 1865 the union army faced tattered and battleweary confederate soldiers defending richmond, virginia under the overall command of general robert e. John stewart is the author of nonfiction books on a variety of topics including african states and rulers, antarctica, the british empire, moons of the solar system, italian movies, broadway musicals, the british circus, lord byron, jefferson davis, and confederate spies. History channel joins search for lost confederate treasure danville. Used books may not include companion materials, may have some shelf wear, may contain highlightingnotes. For this reason, the coins were almost certainly buried in danville, and. The mystery of the missing confederate treasure and its.
Albert atwell walks through the danville national cemetery beneath the tree that he claims contains etched clues that lead to buried confederate treasure. Semple, spent on his love affair with julia tyler, the widow of president john tyler. Confederate gold in wilkes county, georgia legends of. State preservation officials angry over excavation by tv. Frank carroll called me from danville, virginia wanting to give a program to our scv camp on his book confederate treasure in danville. 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 stationed there. One of the authors has a direct ancestor who supposedly was apart of the k. As recounted in part i of this threepart series, the mystery of the lost confederate treasure is one of the most enduring of southern legends. Tales have circulated about a vast treasure leaving richmond ever since confederate president jefferson davis left the city for danville by train in the last days of the civil war in 1865. Book of secrets is there buried confederate treasure in archer, fl. The president from danville proceeded to charlotte, n. In april 1865, confederate president jefferson davis and members of his cabinet evacuated the city by train and headed south.
Jefferson davis stated in his 1881 book, the rise and fall of the confederate. Hanna, the long surrender by burke davis in 1985, and in 2001, an honorable defeat. It starts with the imagination but ends with the pocketbook skelly607. Danville state archaeologists say confederate treasure hunters shooting a television series last year dug up artifacts and caused damage to an old plantation site in southwestern pittsylvania. The convoys treasure 15 tons of silver bars was hidden in a cave.
Some still hunt elusive confederate treasure of legend. Frank carroll confederate treasure in danville first edition first printing hardcover on. In their book the rebel and the rose 2007, wesley millett and gerald white tracked the path of that chunk of the confederate treasure, part of which they believe one of the navy officials, james a. The hunt for treasure is still on in south carolina news. Millions of dollars worth of gold was lost or unaccounted for after the war and has been the speculation of many historians and treasure hunters. Prepare to board the last train to danville, for a thrilling journey through u. Like many locals interested in the legend of the gold, atwell uses the book confederate treasure in danville by the late j. Led by lieutenant colonel, and later arizona governor, john r. Located in the last capital of the confederacy, danville, virginia, danville national cemetery is the final resting place for more than 1,300 union soldiers. The lost confederate treasure american civil war, civil. Depending on which information you look at or want to believe, this silver may or may not be in danville. Most of these civil war veterans died in one of the citys six infamous prisonerofwar camps, including confederate prison no. During the civil war, confederate raiders captured a union convoy heading from west virginia to the philadelphia mint.
From movies to books to the internet, stories and guesses abound as to what really. The hunt for treasure is still on in south carolina. Danville museum last capital of the confederacy youtube. But the truth is, the real fate of the confederate treasury still remains a. Frank carroll as a guide, since it explores theories of where the. Lees surrender at appomattox, the confederate government moved from richmond to danville, virginia. Treasure island gas, danville, virginia library of congress. The hardcover of the confederate treasure in danville by j.
Confederate treasure in danville signedinscribed by the author. It had good railroad connections, availability of wood, cheaper abundance of provisions, was a safe distance from union attack, and a short. Special emphasis is given to the contents of the confederate treasure and possible locations of this lost treasure. Don gannon is in for the ride of his life in this race to find the killer and to satisfy roths lust for gold. The confederate monument in danville, located between centre college and the first presbyterian church at the corner of main and college streets in danville, kentucky, is a monument dedicated to the confederate states of america that is on the national register of historic places. It covers oftrepeated tales about the treasure, identifies what was really in the cache and reveals the final disposition of the fortune. We chose the subject as history books do not discuss the final disposition of.
The monument was dedicated in 1910 by the surviving veterans of the confederacy of boyle county, kentucky and the. Over the years stories of the lost confederate treasure have become. Confederate treasure in danville is an intelligent history lesson told in an interesting way. The late john stewart was the author of nonfiction books on a variety of topics including african states and rulers, antarctica, the british empire, moons of the solar system, italian movies, broadway musicals, the british circus, lord byron, and the flight of the confederate government from richmond. Over the years stories of the lost confederate treasure have become ingrained in american culture and folklore.
The book, which is nonfiction but reads like riveting fiction, traces the missing confederate treasure and concludes that at least some of it still lies buried in danville. Mystery of lost confederate gold history news network. Confederate troops followed the thieves, and all 12 were killed in pursuit before revealing the location of the buried treasure. Rawlings included a chapter about the lost confederate treasure in his 2017 book the strange journey of the confederate constitution, and. The treasure train left danville on april 8th and davis and the rest did not. It also supports the findings with thirty photos including one of the horses and wagon that took the treasure to.
It is ironic that while the confederacy was in its dying throes. Danville, va the city of danville played an incredibly important role in the civil war. Winner of numerous reference book awards, he lives in west jefferson, north carolina. Evans hopkins recalls growing up in danville, virginia, and participating in efforts to desegregate public schools and the library. This may be a treasure that actually exists from the confederate treasury however. The most famous civil war treasure and one of georgias greatest mysteries are that of hundreds of thousands of dollars of the confederate treasury that went missing right at the very end of the civil war confederate president jefferson davis was attending church on sunday, april 2, 1865, when he learned that lees defensive line at petersburg, virginia had been broken and the fall of.
I think the title might be something like lost confederate gold. Dreams of confederate gold in danville discover richmond. Danny ricketts, a danville artist and historian, drew a map of the events of the fall of the confederacy in danville. From movies to books to the internet, stories and guesses abound as to what really happened. In the waning days of the confederacy, a guarded wagon train containing gold and personal effects of exiled president jefferson davis arrived at cotton. Some stories say the silver was transported out of danville along with a large amount of gold in april 1865.
It is ironic that while the confederacy was in its dying throes, the confederate treasure was only beginning to live. Realizing that his lines could not hold and that the fall of the confederate capital was imminent, general lee. Confederate treasure in danville signedinscribed by the author j. A recent book by john stewart jefferson daviss flight from. Blood and treasure tells the fascinating story of the confederacys ambitious plan to conquer the southwestern territories of new mexico and arizona. Civil war history and a presentday mystery tour with surprises around each bend. Lee suggested the use of danville as another place to hold prisoners.
Heres how this gold war began, according to a pittsburg postgazette article about a 1983 story in lost treasure magazine. Confederate 18631865 danville, virginia because of continued supply problems and overcrowding of the citys prisons, gen. Albert atwell points out specific signs and symbols on a huge, ancient tree in the danville national cemetery that he and his treasurehunting partner, ed bubba powers, say hold clues to the. The clint eastwood classic, the good, the bad, and the ugly revolves around a search for missing confederate gold. Many believe that the silver was buried in danville, va. The lost confederate treasure part i the facts seem simple enough. There is a small paperback or softcover book on the lost confederate gold written by two treasure hunters from warrenton, virginia. A confederate belt buckle krell found in the lowcountry. The treasure train followed a similar route, from danville south to charlotte, north. The most famous civil war treasure traveled by wagon to georgia with confederate president jefferson davis in the last days of the civil war. Winner of numerous reference book awards, he lived in west jefferson, north carolina.
From the moment confederate president jefferson davis train headed to danville as richmond fell during the civil war, tales have been spun about a vast treasure also leaving richmond. In their book the rebel and the rose 2007, wesley millett and gerald white tracked the path of that chunk of the confederate treasure, part of which they believe one of the navy officials, james. Carroll that our camp was only a few miles from the south carolina. Confederate gold refers to hidden caches of gold lost after the american civil war. The confederate cabinet commandeered to special trains on the only open line left to danville, virginia one carrying the cabinet and the other the confederate treasury along with the assets of six virginia banks. When president jefferson davis and the cabinet fled the besieged confederate capital of richmond, virginia on april 2, 1865, they carried with them nearly a million dollars in gold, silver and jewelry. Confederate treasure in danville signedinscribed by the. Jefferson davis stated in his 1881 book, the rise and fall of the confederate government, that the transfer of the treasure was made to mr. Details of the events surrounding the transfer of the treasure are included.
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