BRADLEY COUNTY TENN LOST CONFEDERATE PAYROLL

[gldhntr]

In the spring of 1864, a Confederate train was reported to have
chased a Union train near the community of Tasso, which was origi-
nally known in Cherokee as Chatata or Clear Water. Tasso is located
about five miles northeast of Cleveland, Tennessee, on the border of the
Cherokee National Forest. The Confederate train consisted of a loco-
motive, five cars with guns and supplies, and one car with a payroll of
gold and silver coins for Confederate troops in Charleston.

The Confederate train exchanged fire with the Union train as the two
trains approached the Confederate Army's Tennessee troops camped
near Chatata. Confederate officers in the camp are said to have ordered
Private Isaac Griffith to get explosives to blow up the Union train when
it reached their camp. Griffith set the charges as ordered, but the Union
train passed harmlessly over the charges while the Confederate train exploded.

 

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[silverspur]

I actually live in Bradley County, their is also a cannon or two that was left in a creek crossing close to this explosion. Story goes Gen Shermans troops were crossing little chatta and left the cannons due to weather, mud, etc. I have a general idea were this cannon might be, I would like to take a gemni out there and see if I could get a signal. Do you know of any other local treasure stories, maybe some I could go look up in the historical library? Great post by the way.

 

[Jeff-TN]

I live in Cleveland and that spot is now under the new airport unless the railroad is still in it's original location, but I'm not sure it is. I believe it is still in the same general location, but I am not sure of the exact location it crossed the creek. Of course the creek has now been re-routed to accommodate the airport, so we may never know or find this spot. Also, that creek has flooded so many times over the last 150 years, that any gold or relics from the wreck are under many feet of silt. I have heard the story of a boy finding a sabre in the creek but I have never been able to verify that personally. The higher ground around that site might have produced some relics but it's under tons of dirt now. I was never able to gain permission to hunt that site before and always wanted too.

Jeff

 

[silverspur]

I live in Cleveland and that spot is now under the new airport unless the railroad is still in it's original location, but I'm not sure it is. I believe it is still in the same general location, but I am not sure of the exact location it crossed the creek. Of course the creek has now been re-routed to accommodate the airport, so we may never know or find this spot. Also, that creek has flooded so many times over the last 150 years, that any gold or relics from the wreck are under many feet of silt. I have heard the story of a boy finding a sabre in the creek but I have never been able to verify that personally. The higher ground around that site might have produced some relics but it's under tons of dirt now. I was never able to gain permission to hunt that site before and always wanted too.

Jeff

The airport is too far up for the old swamp/creek crossing, I have old maps drawn by the eye an eyewitness of the cannon crossing. Also I have spoke to the kid, who found the sword, he's no longer a kid of course he in his 50s. He's a nice guy by the way. No the cannons are not on airport grounds. Still a lot of good stuff out there waiting to be found.

 

[Jeff-TN]

I live in Cleveland and that spot is now under the new airport unless the railroad is still in it's original location, but I'm not sure it is. I believe it is still in the same general location, but I am not sure of the exact location it crossed the creek. Of course the creek has now been re-routed to accommodate the airport, so we may never know or find this spot. Also, that creek has flooded so many times over the last 150 years, that any gold or relics from the wreck are under many feet of silt. I have heard the story of a boy finding a sabre in the creek but I have never been able to verify that personally. The higher ground around that site might have produced some relics but it's under tons of dirt now. I was never able to gain permission to hunt that site before and always wanted too.

Jeff

The airport is too far up for the old swamp/creek crossing, I have old maps drawn by the eye an eyewitness of the cannon crossing. Also I have spoke to the kid, who found the sword, he's no longer a kid of course he in his 50s. He's a nice guy by the way. No the cannons are not on airport grounds. Still a lot of good stuff out there waiting to be found.

That's good to know. It would be good to save some relics around there. Should be some confederate stuff laying around
Jeff

 

[blackcap diggers]

The airport is too far up for the old swamp/creek crossing, I have old maps drawn by the eye an eyewitness of the cannon crossing. Also I have spoke to the kid, who found the sword, he's no longer a kid of course he in his 50s. He's a nice guy by the way. No the cannons are not on airport grounds. Still a lot of good stuff out there waiting to be found.

What is the chance of getting better a look at that map? I grew up in Charleston and now live in cleveland

 

[roaddust66]

I heard those stories all my life. I have made a sweep or two of that area myself through the years. Never found anything out there. I have found Union stuff back south where they call Michigan Ave. It wasn't much. Just a few drops. Do love the stories though. Your best map for the study of this would be the 1935 Blue Line topos. I believe they are of a scale of 1:125,000

 

[roaddust66]

This map pretty much shows the way the roads were. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/tennessee/txu-pclmaps-topo-tn-cleveland-1891.jpg

 

[blackcap diggers]

Thanks awesome map!