Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia
The American Civil War, a period of profound division and upheaval, left behind not only scars on the landscape and in the hearts of its people but also a tapestry of enduring mysteries. Among these captivating enigmas, the tale of the missing Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia, stands out as one of the most alluring. This narrative revolves around a substantial portion of the Confederate treasury that vanished in the tumultuous final days of the war, leaving behind a legacy of speculation, treasure hunts, and local lore. It is a story intertwined with the desperate measures taken by the Confederate government to safeguard its assets and the chaotic aftermath that blurred the lines between soldier and bandit.
The origins of this legendary treasure trace back to the waning days of the Confederacy. On April 2, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, attending church in Richmond, Virginia, received the grim news that General Robert E. Lee’s defensive line at Petersburg had been breached. The Confederate capital, Richmond, was on the brink of falling into Union hands. Faced with imminent capture, Davis made the pivotal decision to evacuate the city and, crucially, to evacuate the Confederate treasury along with it.
The evacuation was meticulously planned, with the Confederate government and its precious financial reserves slated to depart Richmond on two trains via the only railway line still operational, connecting the capital to Danville, Virginia. The first train carried key members of Davis’s cabinet, while the second, departing shortly after midnight, bore the weight of the Confederacy’s hard currency. This second train, laden with the hopes and financial stability of the Confederacy, was placed under the command of Navy Captain William H. Parker. He assembled a dedicated military guard from the remaining available personnel to safeguard the immense value it carried.
The contents of the train were a testament to the Confederacy’s wealth and the sacrifices made by its citizens. Official records documented a diverse array of assets, including crates and barrels overflowing with gold and silver coins, precious bullion, and solid silver bricks. Adding to this wealth were significant donations of fine jewelry, generously offered by women across the South in support of the Confederate cause. Furthermore, the train held over $450,000 in gold reserves, carefully extracted from Richmond banks to prevent its seizure by the advancing Union forces. This vast treasure represented not only financial security but also the enduring hope that the Confederate struggle could continue despite mounting adversity.
Upon reaching Danville, the railway line came to an end. Jefferson Davis and his staff transitioned to horseback, continuing their southward journey. Captain Parker, responsible for the Confederate treasury, ordered the precious cargo to be transferred to wagons. His initial plan was to transport the treasure to the old U.S. Mint in Charlotte, North Carolina, a location deemed secure for the Confederacy’s assets. However, circumstances quickly changed. As Parker’s convoy moved, he received intelligence indicating that the U.S. Cavalry was operating in the vicinity of Charlotte. To avoid capture, Parker embarked on a series of evasive maneuvers, zigzagging his route across the state line between South Carolina and Georgia, desperately seeking to outwit the pursuing Union forces. The weight of the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia was heavy, and the responsibility for its safety was a crushing burden.
While Captain Parker and his men were engaged in this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, Richmond, the heart of the Confederacy, fell to the Union. The once-proud city lay in ruins, reduced to ashes by the fires of war. Federal troops occupied the city, solidifying the Union’s control over the former Confederate capital. In the weeks that followed, the Confederacy’s fortunes continued to plummet. General Robert E. Lee, the revered commander of the Confederate Army, surrendered his forces, effectively ending the major military resistance. Further compounding the devastation, President Abraham Lincoln, the leader of the Union, was assassinated, plunging the nation into mourning and uncertainty.
As the Confederacy crumbled around him, Captain Parker was instructed to rendezvous with Jefferson Davis near Washington, Georgia, to receive further directives regarding the treasury. Upon meeting, Davis ordered the Richmond bank reserves, amounting to approximately $450,000, to be deposited in a bank vault in Washington, Georgia, for safekeeping. The remainder of the Confederate assets had already been disbursed, primarily to pay soldiers and cover essential travel expenses. The fate of any remaining funds beyond the bank reserves remains shrouded in mystery, lost to the fog of war and the passage of time.
However, the saga of the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia, took another dramatic turn shortly after the bank reserves were secured. Northern troops, occupying the region, seized the Richmond reserves from the bank and prepared to transport the money to a railhead in South Carolina. During this journey, the Union soldiers made camp near Chennault Crossroads, a location that would soon become synonymous with the legend of the missing treasure. On May 24, 1865, while encamped, the Union convoy was ambushed by a group of bushwhackers, resulting in the loss of approximately $250,000. These bandits, believed to be stragglers from both the Federal and Confederate armies, had caught wind of the treasure’s transport and saw an opportunity for personal gain amidst the chaos of the war’s end.
Following the ambush, bank officials managed to recover approximately $111,000 of the stolen money, a small consolation given the magnitude of the loss. Union General Edward A. Wild launched an intensive search of the area in an attempt to recover the remaining gold. His efforts, however, were marred by controversy. General Wild gained notoriety for the arrest and alleged torture of the Chennault family, who he suspected of concealing the stolen gold. These actions, fueled by desperation and suspicion, further complicated the already complex narrative surrounding the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia.
Jefferson Davis himself was eventually captured by members of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry near Irwinville in south Georgia on May 10, 1865. At the time of his capture, the former Confederate President possessed only a few dollars, a stark contrast to the vast wealth that had once been at his command. The fabled riches of the vast "Confederate Treasure" remained elusive, seemingly vanished without a trace.
Despite the recovery of some funds and the capture of key figures, the legend of the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia, has persisted for over a century. Though the robbers seemingly made off with their ill-gotten gains, tales of Confederate gold buried in Wilkes County have persisted since the war’s end. The enduring allure of hidden riches has fueled countless treasure hunts and captured the imagination of locals and historians alike.
Over the years, numerous reports have surfaced of gold coins being discovered along the dirt roads surrounding the Chennault Plantation, situated at the intersection of GA 44 and GA 79. These discoveries, though often unverified and shrouded in secrecy, have served to reinforce the enduring myth of the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia.
The tale of the Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia is more than just a treasure story; it is a microcosm of the Civil War’s impact on the South. It speaks to the desperation, the lawlessness, and the enduring hope that characterized the era. Whether the bulk of the treasure remains buried beneath the Georgia soil or has long since been dispersed, the legend continues to captivate, reminding us of a tumultuous period in American history and the enduring power of myth and mystery. The elusive Confederate Gold in Wilkes County, Georgia serves as a symbol of the lost cause and the enduring legacy of the Civil War.