Civil War Gold in Pennsylvania

[starsplitter]

Greetings Old Hands:

In Lost Gold and Buried Treasures, the author relates a story about gold being transported from Wheeling, West Virigina in 1863. He give names, two of which I found in the federal registry of soldiers. He also states that Pinkerton investigated the disappearance of the bullion.

According to the writer, Pinkerton detectives actually found about a quarter of a hacked bar inside a hollow tree. They determined that the gold had been stolen and divided. The trove is supposedly located in a defined area in or around the Alleghany National Forest.

I am suspicious of just about anything in a book, especially if it's hard to divine fact from fiction. Before I go diggin any further, has anyone heard of the above? Thanks.

Starsplitter​

 

[Skrimpy]

Greetings Old Hands:

In Lost Gold and Buried Treasures, the author relates a story about gold being transported from Wheeling, West Virigina in 1863. He give names, two of which I found in the federal registry of soldiers. He also states that Pinkerton investigated the disappearance of the bullion.

According to the writer, Pinkerton detectives actually found about a quarter of a hacked bar inside a hollow tree. They determined that the gold had been stolen and divided. The trove is supposedly located in a defined area in or around the Alleghany National Forest.

I am suspicious of just about anything in a book, especially if it's hard to divine fact from fiction. Before I go diggin any further, has anyone heard of the above? Thanks.

Starsplitter
​

If you can detect the forest, I would get out an 1870 census and find the two soldiers town of residence and then get a beers map to find out where they lived. If it was anywhere near the forest I would detect the part of the forest closest to their homes...while your at it look for large depressions where the dirt may have settled into dug holes...​

 

[starsplitter]

Skrimpy:

Thanks for the advice. It is logical. However, according to the story, they didn't live there, they were passing through. I followed up a bit, but nothing concrete has appeared. I checked West Point register of graduates - no dice, but I'm going to try a variation next time. I tried the Civil War registry of soldiers - there are matches for the names, but it doesn't necesarilly mean anything. The Library of Congress did a search also - again, zip. Hmmm.

If there is anything at all to the story, Pinkerton archives should have it. Otherwise, it is most likely one more yarn designed to sell treasure books.

Starsplitter

 

[Skrimpy]

Skrimpy:

Thanks for the advice. It is logical. However, according to the story, they didn't live there, they were passing through. I followed up a bit, but nothing concrete has appeared. I checked West Point register of graduates - no dice, but I'm going to try a variation next time. I tried the Civil War registry of soldiers - there are matches for the names, but it doesn't necesarilly mean anything. The Library of Congress did a search also - again, zip. Hmmm.

If there is anything at all to the story, Pinkerton archives should have it. Otherwise, it is most likely one more yarn designed to sell treasure books.

Starsplitter

Civil War soldiers and sailors system will get you the state and unit they fought in. If it is a voly unit it will most likely come from a specific town and I would still track that town in the census and find out where they were living. If it were me I would have kept as much as I could carry and stash it near my home. So I think it would still be worth it to track down their residences and give them a go. Otherwise, you might try looking at a old map and try to guesstimate where it was most plausible for a unit to move through and hunt that portion of the forest, or better yet try to get a history of their specific units and find out exactly where their units moved close to the forest...don't go buying any more books to track the story when you already have what you need at the library.

 

[starsplitter]

Skrimpy:

As the story goes, this wasn't a unit. Rather, a detachment. I like a treasure story as much as the next guy, but I think this one is most likely bogus - pedigree or not.

Starsplitter

 

[Skrimpy]

Skrimpy:

As the story goes, this wasn't a unit. Rather, a detachment. I like a treasure story as much as the next guy, but I think this one is most likely bogus - pedigree or not.

Starsplitter

Most of them had to either be buddies from home or in the same regiment. Start with the civil war soldiers and sailors system looking for the two names. I bet you will find the two names in the same regiment, or two different regiments recruited out of the same town. Whether or not the story is true is one thing, but the story had to come from somewhere.

 

[Potter Poker]

Starsplitter...I think the focal point of the issue you are discussing is the "lost treasure of Dent's Run," near Emporium, Pa. Look under Lost Treasure in Pa. for posts about this issue.

 

[starsplitter]

Potter:

Yes, that is the one. I will follow up on your suggestion. My preliminary research is not encouraging. I prefer to use primary or contemporary accounts as sources. So far, there is no evidence whatsoever (besides the legend) the story is based in fact.

Starsplitter

 

[Connecticut Sam]

Any updates?