French Treasure in South Texas

There is evidence to suggest that "a portion" of the treasury may have been sent to the U.S., but certainly not the entire treasury. We know that his brother Joseph looted the Spanish treasury and that he brought part of it over here with him, even sending people back to Switzerland to collect more of it after he was in the U.S. Documents do exist regarding discussions about possibly sending a portion of the treasury to the U.S. but they do not conclude that the event actually took place. However, keep in mind that when Napoleon was captured he was in fact in route to the U.S. and he would have made it had it not been for his own vanity as those he was escaping with did make it. After his capture many schemes were created to free him and vast amounts of money were spent along the way with many of these schemes involving a lot of prominent and influential people. Was a portion of the treasury sent to the U.S.? One can never say for sure but it is very likely that during his failed escape steps were put into motion to also transfer adequate funds at the same time. As Reb said, "Have fun" as you have years of research ahead of you just to gather a solid understanding of what all was taking place and the many possible people involved.
 

Very, very doubtful. I have discussed Padre finds on here before. Spent our lives up and down north and south padre(1954-2012). Found buckets of coins, some decent jewelry, silver bars. French? Probably a Port Isabel tourist gimmick. I gave all info to a young lady from the Dallas area so she can find what's left, including one of our half filled buckets full of coins that I (about age 10) was to carry back to the vehicle, but since it was heavy, I buried, marked and lost it. But there was so much that we never cared. Just beachcombers who gave a lot of stuff away, usually to friends or chicks, had a graet time, camped, fished, played, lived and as we got older loved. Sorry...
 

It's funny that you so quickly doubt BigScoop. Do some research and start with Stephen girard, then add in the lallemande brothers who served napolean. If that doesn't lead you somewhere I'm not sure what will. Also look at the insurgents that were involved in those areas.

I've spent countless hours on the French, Spanish, and the area that you speak of. I'm currently doing this so I have fresh info as does BigScoop. There is something big that happened there and the details are pouring in and coming to light. Your areas of research will take you to many cities ( online ) to get the info needed. But it's there. Good luck and if you have any questions send me an PM

HH Jay
 

It's also interesting to note that "several" homes were built in the US with the sole purpose being to house Napoleon when he arrived. Granted, most of these homes were built by the schemers who were also entertaining the plots to free him, but none the less these homes were built with serious intentions. Which brings me to the plushly furnished home that Laffite had built on Galveston Island that was surrounded by a moat, a home Laffite or anyone else ever stay in. So what was up with that? Who, perhaps, was this home built for?
 

Once you understand the ties between Girard, the refuges here in the US, Joseph Bonaparte, and the French banker Laffitte, then what appears in the following is probably the most suspected source of a French treasury in the US, this having been done just prior to Napoleon's departure from France for what was likely to be an already defeated cause.

"Laffitte was born at Bayonne, one of the ten children of a carpenter.

He became clerk in the banking house of Perregaux in Paris. He was made a partner in the business in 1800, and in 1804 succeeded Perregaux as head of the firm. The house of Perregaux, Laffitte et Cie. became one of the greatest in Europe. Laffitte himself became regent (1809), then governor (1814) of the Bank of France and president of the Chamber of Commerce (1814). He raised large sums of money for the provisional government in 1814 and for King Louis XVIII of France during the Hundred Days. It was with him that Napoleon deposited five million francs in gold before leaving France for the last time."
 

Beware of the rabbit hole that takes you to the yellow brick road and onto the lost highway and then back to the rabbit hole on a never ending mobius trip.
 

ECS said:
Beware of the rabbit hole that takes you to the yellow brick road and onto the lost highway and then back to the rabbit hole on a never ending mobius trip.
Click to expand...

This is true. Pursue only what has been documented. Of course, this leaves and endless mountain of sources that has to be researched before any knowledgeable conclusions can be reached. If only these things were easy......:laughing7:
 

Another 'true' story. A geese hunter was crawling through a marshy area near the Gulf in heavy fog.
He felt some rounded objects which he stuffed into his vest. He was more interested in geese. Later
he found the objects were French gold coins. As they say in the TH business the hunter could never
find the exact spot afterwards. Circa late 1960s.
 

lastleg said:
Another 'true' story. A geese hunter was crawling through a marshy area near the Gulf in heavy fog.
He felt some rounded objects which he stuffed into his vest. He was more interested in geese. Later
he found the objects were French gold coins. As they say in the TH business the hunter could never
find the exact spot afterwards. Circa late 1960s.
Click to expand...

But did he get any geese? Or did he just get they're goose? :laughing7: And why are there no geeses in this mystery? :icon_scratch:
 

I would think a treasure with a value of this magnitude wouldn't be hidden on a coast prone to devastating storms that are capable of changing the landscape to become unrecognizable. Another problem would be the heavy population of Spanish in that area. My thought would be a deep inland area that could be reached by ship with a heavy French population.
 

Too many eyes watching the Mississippi River. My opinion would be up the Atchafalaya River to the Red River then to Natchitoches, LA. or maybe before you get to Natchitoches but on the Red River or a tributary of the Atchafalata.
 

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