Swamp Gold

[Bigcypresshunter]

Near the end of the Civil War, a Confederate Army paymaster hid $200,000 in gold coins in the Everglades near present Hendry County. The location is said to be at the junction of two creeks where the land rises "like a camel's back." The gold is buried in the west hump. The location is supposedly between Alligator Alley and State Road 41, and near a present day Seminole Indian Reservation in Hendry County.

I think "like a camels back" refers to alligator nests. There are not many natural creeks in the described area. If this story is true it really should not be to hard to find with a metal detector. The biggest problem I see is that there is a barb wire fence along alligator alley.

Yes this is from a treasure book and can be taken with a grain of salt. Hendry County does not exist between Alligator Alley and State Road 41. (SR 41 is Tamiami Trail).

An alligator nest is just a clump of muck and rotting vegetation to incubate the eggs..

 

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[Jon Phillips]

Reposted for those who have recently joined in on the discussion.
As Jon has pointed out,there were many raids from Fort Meyers.
On an earlier post,I mentioned US LT James D Green(Fort Meyers),lead many raiding parties against the homesteaders,looting and in some cases,burned down homesteads(Willoghby Tillis & Thomas Underhills).A good reason for locals to bury to bury their valuables to keep it from the yankees,and the cracker cattle did bring a lot of coin currency into that area.
Cows were sold at $30.00 a head,400 head would amount to $12,000,or 50lbs of gold coin,or the 600oz of the Punta Gorda version of the legend.
Another area to search would be the corduroy roads built over "bogs" by cattleman,Moses Barber,that led to Summerlin's docks at Punta Rassa.(A 'bog" is also mentioned in the Punta Gorda version)

Fort Green is very close to Fort Meade. It was a Third Seminole War fort....basically just James Green's house that was fortified, and used as a militia fort. He sided with the Federals, and harassed his neighbors during the Civil War, but I doubt he spent much time at his house since it was so close to the Confederate controlled area. But it all still ties in to the theory of burying cattle payments...since he could return to the area after the war with less trouble, and being on the winning side....could throw his weight around and confiscate contraband and Confederate assets and such....

 

[nickmarch]

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[Bigcypresshunter]

Interesting stuff nickmarch. It shows Union troops were in the Fort Myers/Fort Meade/Fort Thompson/Everglades area in search of Confederates, cattle and provisions in 1864. Im sure they were interested in gold as well.

Its certainly plausible that a band of Confederates retreated south of Fort Thompson following existing trails down into Hendry County/Devils Gardens swamp and eventually down into the Indian Reservations where at some point they decided to go no further... Fort Shackleford was discovered on the reservation. I posted the story earlier from the Seminole newspaper.

Its interesting to read that the Indians were treated badly by the rednecks but they fraternized with the black Union troops. Evidenced today the black Seminoles.

 

[ECS]

Thats a very good possibility and it would be older than what I have. I wonder if he wrote the truth.

There is so much information and clues on this thread. Im sure its the best anywhere on the subject and it could take someone with a lot of time to sort it out and find the answers we need.

I would love to read the Collier county newspapers but Google stopped putting papers online and I dont think they go back that far but I could try or I could ask Bramblefind to try.

Charles Greenleigh McKinney's articles were used and quoted by Peter Mathieson in his "THE KILLING OF MR. WATSON".McKinney also included in this true story,of which he had played a part.
McKinney is also written about in "TRUE TALES OF THE EVERGLADES" by Stuart McIver.
BCH,I agree,this thread contains the best research concerning all the versions of the swamp gold legend,and,maybe,the answer is somewhere on here already.

 

[Bigdogdad]

Just for discussion-If the gold is on an Indian reservation, what would be the best thing that could/should happen?

 

[ECS]

SPECULATION ON THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT MAYBE DERIVED THE LEGEND

GOLD-A lot of gold came into SW Florida during the Civil War by way of the cattle trade.
FORT MEADE-was an established Confederate post,1st Florida Special Calvary Battalion.
CONFEDERATE PAYMASTER-CSA Commissary Agent for South Florida,Capt James McKay,Ft Meade
CAPT JOHN RILEY-CSA blockade runner,who did businees with Summerlin and other cattlemen.
UNION PURSUIT-US Capt Henry A Crane and the LITTLE BATTLE OF BOWLEGS CREEK,and the raids made by US LT James D Green on the homesteaders.
BURY THE GOLD-Because of Green,many homesteaders buried their valuables.
TAKING THE GOLD TO CUBA-A lot of gold from Cuba made it into the coffers of the cattlemen,but that part of the legend may relate to the Oklawaha/Ocala connection.
John C Breckinridge and Judah P Benjamin made their way to Ocala by way of a Hartline steamboat,down the St Johns and Oklawaha Rivers.Both had gold and silver specie from the CSA treasury,and Lola Sanchez,a CSA spy in Palatka recieved $500.00 in Mexican silver dollars from them for her services.Sanchez,also had relatives in Cuba.After Ocala,Benjamin went to Fort Meade and the Gamble Plantation,while Breckinridge was supplied by CSA Capt J J Dickinson,a lifeboat Dickinson captured from the USS Columbine (intell was provided by Sanchez),and sailed to Cuba.

 

[ECS]

Just for discussion-If the gold is on an Indian reservation, what would be the best thing that could/should happen?

That is a very complicted issue.
The assets of the Confederacy were surrendered to the United States-so the gold would belong to the US.
The State of Florida would also make a claim.
Then,its on the property of a native American sovereign nation.
A long court battle or the start of the 4th Seminole War.

 

[Bigdogdad]

So you are saying that all Confederate gold no matter where it is belongs to the United States? What if it is on private property? If it is on the property of a separate nation why would it not belong to them? My question was what could/should be the best thing and your answer is a long court battle or war?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You would have an Indian War.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have witnessed park rangers trying to enforce rules on the Miccosukee (cutting trees, killing gators, killing does, spearing fish etc) and guess who usually wins? Its like they are afraid of the Indian's lawyers and money.

 

[Bigdogdad]

I will be on the Micosukee's side. I will do everything I can to help them. Whose rules were the park ranger's trying to enforce? We cut trees all the time and burn them. We have stupid rednecks on their own TV shows killing gators all the time. There are TV shows where little kids are blasting deer with their guns. We have fishing shows where they catch fish for fun and probably kill them and then throw them away. Maybe the ranger's realize the Micosukee should be allowed to do whatever they want to do, especially if it is on their reservations.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I will be on the Micosukee's side. I will do everything I can to help them. Whose rules were the park ranger's trying to enforce? We cut trees all the time and burn them. We have stupid rednecks on their own TV shows killing gators all the time. There are TV shows where little kids are blasting deer with their guns. We have fishing shows where they catch fish for fun and probably kill them and then throw them away. Maybe the ranger's realize the Micosukee should be allowed to do whatever they want to do, especially if it is on their reservations.

Im not taking sides. The Park Rangers have absolutely no authority on Indian lands.
Of course the Miccosukis can do whatever they want on their reservation but Im speaking of the Big Cypress National Preserve where the Park Service seems to be afraid of them..

BDD if anyone breaks any fishing or hunting laws, they can be arrested....unless you are an Indian because they have traditional rights. I am not on anybodys side but there is a reason for game laws and a ban on cutting cypress trees..

Believe me BDD you will NOT cut a live tree in a National Park or Preserve, you will NOT kill a gator in a National Preserve, with or without a Nuisance Permit, you will NOT blast a deer out of season and you will abide by fishing laws. The Indians have traditional rights on the BCNP and most white man laws do not apply to them..

I have witnessed Park Rangers trying to enforce laws on the Preserve but are always told to "back off" or risk starting another Indian War lol. Believe me BDD, they dont need your help.

 

[Bigdogdad]

I am not interested in doing any of those things. I was just showing an example of how we white people don't exactly set a good example. I am going to try to help the Micosukee's find gold because they asked me to.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Ok I understand. I am just saying that the Miccosuki will certainly fight our government and they seem to sue every chance they get. The Indians are about the only group that can stand up to our Park Service.

I dont understand your "bad example" comments. Sure we have a few bad apples but I certainly dont know anybody that does the things you speak of. The Gator Boys on TV do not even kill nuisance gators. They relocate them. Gators can only be killed if they are a nuisance or under strict hunting regulations. Nobody "blasts deer" out of season without proper permits. Nobody cuts live trees in National Parks. Most fisherman practice catch and release. We have very strict rules in case you didnt notice on what fish can be kept and how many.

The Indians can hunt day or night, buck or doe, alligator or duck, anytime they please in the BCNP and the Park Service can not bother them..

Our people have however destroyed the environment, hunted as they pleased as well in the past and I am not proud of it. That is why we created Preserves and National Parks to try and offset the destruction.. The alligator was brought back from threatened and the panther from near extinction. Cypress trees can no longer be harvested. They are some things we (our people) can be proud of.

 

[ECS]

So you are saying that all Confederate gold no matter where it is belongs to the United States? What if it is on private property? If it is on the property of a separate nation why would it not belong to them? My question was what could/should be the best thing and your answer is a long court battle or war?

Yes,that was in the terms of surrender.
Consider Spain's claim on a discovered treasure ship,and the outcome.
Seriously.with what you have been told about your ROCKY BLUFF fiasco,do you really believe that you will be able to keep any of the gold if found?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yes,that was in the terms of surrender.
Consider Spain's claim on a discovered treasure ship,and the outcome.
Seriously.with what you have been told about your ROCKY BLUFF fiasco,do you really believe that you will be able to keep any of the gold if found?

You are correct but the Miccosukis never surrended and they seem to be successful in many of their attempts to fight our government.

Repos cannot even repossess a car on the reservation.

 

[nickmarch]

Ok you two lets get back to business. Squabbling doesn't help anyone! I want to see you two or someone find this treasure!

Assume for a second that the news article I posted is when the gold was burried. Is the location possible?

Worth checking out?

There is a Rt 41 near Rt 75 in the area.

Legend tales change with time as they did in the Michigan Gold thread I posted at:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/treasure-leads/306954-wabassa-lake-michigan-indian-gold.html
The current Michigan legend going around the internet is completely different than what was in the newspapers around the time of the event.

Prarie Creek...


Prairie Creek, Alachua, Florida 32667 - Google Maps

Someone in Louisiana or Texas should check out the paymaster safe thrown off the ship that is in the official records. It's posted at:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/treasure-leads/306994-paymasters-safe-official-records.html

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Could you state the link or source of the June 7 1864 article? I found this California Digital Newspaper Collection — Sacramento Daily Union 9 July 1864 — [BY OVERLAND MAIL] ATLANTIC INTELLIGENCE.--- Its the same but may have some additional information.

A very important note here in that June 7 is the height of the dry season in the Everglades and the rains may have not yet started. During a drought year a detachment of troops could indeed press very deeply into the swamp with absolutely no problem. However they would soon be bogged down and heavy rains would have most likely been forthcoming.

The story fits together like a glove but we still need the smoking gun.

 

[nickmarch]

Daily Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia, PA)
Thursday, June 16, 1864
Page: 1
Section: Front page