Captain Kidd’s Treasures

    Here then are the simple facts of William Kidd’s descent into piracy.  Born in 1645, the son of a Scottish minister, Kidd became a merchant sailor.  In the late 1680's Kidd captained his own ship in the West Indies, attacking French shipping under the authority of a privateer's commission.  Some claim he was a pirate even at this stage, ignoring his status as a privateer and preying on the ships of all nations.  At least one legend suggests that Kidd even pirated in the China Sea during this period.  Whatever the truth of these rumors, Kidd's reputation in the colonies was excellent.  In 1691 he was employed by the Province of Massachusetts to pursue pirates off the coast of New England.  He was cited for reward and was awarded 150 pounds sterling.  Kidd's service in the West Indies the following year was equally distinguished.  Kidd had become a man of some reputation and substance in New York.

In 1695 he was visiting London when Royal officials were talking of taking steps to check the alarming activities of English and American pirates in the Red Sea.  Kidd was recommended as an able and dependable man to be sent out to round up pirates.  Kidd said he knew pirates from his "privateering" days and needed only a strong ship and good crew to master the problem.

The ADVENTURE GALLEY, a new ship of two hundred and eighty four tons and thirty four guns, was fitted out and a carefully selected crew of officers and men, nearly all family men, was put aboard.  This crew was almost immediately pressed into the navy by H.M.S.DUCHESS, which came along side in search of new crew members to refill its depleted ranks.  Kidd was forced to re-man his ship with a crew of rather dubious character.  He sailed from Plymouth in April, 1696, arriving in New York on July 4, with a French prize in tow.  Kidd stayed in New York for several months, sailing for the Red Sea in September.

Kidd cruised the waters of Madagascar and the Malabar Coast of India for months but was unable to make contact with a single pirate ship.  The crew, paid only on the basis of a percentage of the booty taken, began to grumble.  As conditions aboard the ship became intolerable through lack of food, medicine and water, the crew openly demanded that Kidd take any ships, pirate or not.

Ultimately, Kidd began pirating, seizing ships of every kind in the eastern waters.  On January 30, 1698, Kidd made his richest haul, capturing the Armenian ship QUEDAGH MERCHANT.  The captured ship was loaded with a cargo of silks, gold coins, gold bars, gold dust, silver bars, silver coins, pearls, ivory, spices, and rich cloth. 

If Captain Kidd really buried treasure in all of the places he is credited as having visited, he would have spent more time digging than sailing. Still, the legends of Kidd's treasures should not be dismissed lightly. On May 12, 1701, after sentencing, and while awaiting execution, Kidd made a desperate appeal to the House of Commons, offering to lead Royal officials to "goods and treasure to the value of one hundred thousand pounds" in exchange for a reprieve.

Legend places chests of Captain Kidd's gold in many locations in many states. In Connecticut these locations include:

-  Milford, New Haven County
- Charles Island off Milford
- Pilot Island off Norwalk
- Sheffield Island off Norwalk
- The Thimble Island group
- Near Middletown, Middlesex County
- Conanicut Island near old Lyme
- Clarke's Island
- On Kelsey Point in Middlesex County

In Maine:
- Wiscasset, Lincoln County

In Maryland:
- Druid Hill Park in Baltimore

In Massachusetts:
- Gold and jewels are buried near Turner Falls.

In New Jersey
- Cliffwood Beach on Raritan Bay
- Sandy Hook
- Red Bank
- Lilly Pond near Cape May Point

In New York:
- Gardiner's Island...in Kidd valley.
- Several Kidd legends center on the Hudson River:

Legends of Pirate Gold

Over one hundred legends of buried pirate treasures, and where to look for them. "...detailed descriptions of areas where treasures are thought to be buried...explanations of how the treasures originiated, and tales concerning the area of operation of the various captains. Most of the sites are in the U.S.....Legends of Pirate Gold could make that seashore vacation a new adventure." - Treasure Search Magazine

Legends of Lost Treasure

These are the stories of treasures great and small and of those who hunt for them. The book includes the world's most famous treasure cipher, sunken treasure ships, treasure caves, and tales of over fifty of the most famous lost treasures of the globe. For all who dare to go in search of golden opportunities and glittering prizes.

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Treasure Legends: The Tomb of Alexander the Great

Lost Treasures and Wonders

By the time he was thirty two, Alexander the Great had conquered almost all of the then known world and given history a new direction.  In 334 B.C., at the age of twenty two, Alexander crossed from Greece into Asia Minor at the head of an army of 35,000.  He defeated the Persian king Darius at Isus and then turned south toward Egypt.  In 332 B.C. he conquered Egypt.        

The Pharaoh Amasis had built a temple in Siwa in the western desert to the god Amun.  The temple's oracle became renowned throughout the ancient world.  Alexander went to Siwa to see the oracle and was declared divine, the son of Amun.  The oracle told him that he would conquer the world.  Alexander went on to fulfill most of the prophecy, taking the Greek army all the way to India before turning back to regroup and recruit a new army.  At this point the conqueror died under mysterious conditions. 

Rivalries immediately broke out among Alexander's generals and his body became a prize and source of dispute.  Where should he be buried?  Macedonia, the land of his birth; the great Egyptian city of Alexandria which he founded; or Siwa, where he was declared divine and given his worldly mission?       

Preparations for the funeral were magnificent.  The coffin was of beaten gold, the body within was mummified and embedded in precious spices.  Over the coffin was spread a pall of gold-embroidered purple, and above this a golden temple was built.  Gold columns supported a shimmering roof of gold, set with jewels.  The great edifice was drawn by sixty four mules each wearing a gilded crown and a collar set with gems.

Most historians, citing ancient Greek and Roman writers, believe Alexander was buried in a great marble sarcophagus in the Mediterranean port city he founded--Alexandria.  The Roman Emperor Augustus supposedly gazed upon the body three hundred years after Alexander's death.  Recently, the archaeological world has been rocked by a new theory regarding the last resting place of the great conqueror.      

The body of Alexander the Great may rest at the lonely oasis of Siwa.  An hour's drive from the Libyan border, the supposed tomb sits atop a desolate hill, a crumbling heap seen only by village farmers.  In 1995, a Greek archaeological team claimed to have found three crumbling stone tablets.  One of the tablets bears an inscription believed to have been written by Alexander's general Ptolemy, describing how he secretly brought the dead king to Siwa, "For the sake of the honorable Alexander, I present these sacrifices according to the orders of the god, (and) carried the corpse here...."  The second tablet says the shrine was built for Alexander.  The third tablet mentions some 30,000 soldiers who were appointed to guard the Siwa tomb.     

Alexander's tomb in Alexandria is thought to have been looted and destroyed sometime during the third century A.D..  The finds in the western desert bring in an element of mystery.  It is known that Alexander himself wished to be buried at Siwa and that alternate sites were considered only because of the political rivalries of Alexander's generals.  Ptolemy, one of Alexander's most loyal and beloved generals, may have built two tombs for Alexander, one in Siwa and another in Alexandria.  Is it possible that the mummy on display in Alexandria was not the real Alexander?   

Etched on tablet one of the Siwa find, Ptolemy supposedly writes, (in a very rough translation) "It was me who was caring  about his secrets, and who was carrying out his wishes.  And I was honest to him and to all people, and as I am the last one still alive I hereby state that I have done all the above for his sake."     

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Treasure: The Holy Grail

Lost Treasures and Wonders

In 1910, workmen digging a well in Antioch, Syria, spotted the gleam of shining metal in the sunlight.  Scrapping away the dirt, they unearthed a curious object, a set of two cups, one set within the other.  The outer cup was made of silver.  The inner cup was made of plain clay, and was the type from which a humble artisan might have drunk.  Excitement pulsated throughout the Middle East as the possible discovery of the Holy Grail electrified the world.            

Today, this artifact can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  It is called the "Antioch Chalice", and after extensive testing has been found not to be the Holy Grail.  Experts list the age of the Antioch Chalice as being fourth or fifth century, very early but not the Holy Grail.         

Just what is the Holy Grail?   The Holy Grail is the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper.   Besides being an archaeological artifact of unbelievable importance,  the cup is said to have certain powers, including:  (1)healing and restorative ability; (2) conveys knowledge of God; (3) invisible to unworthy eyes; (4)ability to feed those present (e.g. the miracle of the loaves and fishes);  and (5) it bestows immortality  on the possessor.        

What happened to the Grail?  The Grail supposedly passed into the hands of Joseph of Arimathea.   Joseph appears briefly in the Gospels as a wealthy member of the Jewish council in Jerusalem and secret disciple of Christ, who obtained the body of Christ after the Crucifixion and laid it in the tomb.

In the twelfth century,  non-scriptural writings began to appear telling how the hallowed vessel of the Last Supper came into Joseph's possession and had been conveyed to Britain.  Why Britain?  Some suggest that the wealthy Joseph made his money in the tin trade with Cornwall and had made frequent voyages to Britain in the past.

According to legend Joseph of Arimethea brought the Grail to England in 37 A.D. and founded an abbey upon the Island of Glass (present day Glastonbury).

Where is the Holy Grail now?  A great hill (tor) towers over the peaceful village of Glastonbury.   Atop the hill are the remains of St. Michael's church.  Legend says that the hill is hollow and is the secret entrance of the underworld.  There are numerous tales of disappearances into the Tor; usually in the form of people entering and returning mad.  In one of these stories thirty monks, engaged in chanting in the Abbey, found a tunnel opening up before them.  The monks bravely went inside.   Some great disaster befell them.  The full story could never be recovered from the survivors, two of whom were insane and one of whom had been struck dumb.  There are, in fact, large caves beneath the hill and at least one theory holds that the Holy Grail rests in one of these caves.    

Whatever the truth of the legends surrounding Glastonbury, it is, undoubtedly, the jumping off place for a search for King Arthur.  The historic Arthur was a Roman-British warlord who resisted the barbarian invasions as the Roman Empire collapsed.  The dates usually attributed to King Arthur lie between 460 -540 A.D.     

Cadbury Castle is thought to be the actual site of mythic Camelot.  In 1966 archaeologists found artifacts linking this site with the historic Arthur.  Excavations revealed a rich and powerful settlement.  A castle in name only, Cadbury has no moats or turrets.  It was an earthen hill fortress. Curiously enough, Cadbury (Camelot) is now privately owned.  The man who owns Camelot possesses what may be the most beautiful spot in England, where sheep graze sleepily upon rich green hills under an English sun and the only sound is the wind rushing through fields of wildflowers.         

It is possible that the historic Arthur could have been familiar with the legend of Joseph of Aramethea's presence in Britain, and sent followers in search of relics, the whole story being picked up and embellished by later Medieval storytellers into the now well known Quest for the Holy Grail.

   

Cadbury Castle is a thirty minute drive from Glastonbury.  It was to Glastonbury ("the isle of Avalon") that the wounded and dying Arthur was brought.  Legend says that Arthur sleeps inside Glastonbury Tor, until that time England shall need him most.  In 1191, a log coffin was found buried between two stone crosses in the burial ground beside St. Mary's chapel at the foot of Glastonbury Tor.  In the coffin, the monks found the bodies of a tall man and a delicate woman.  A leaden cross beneath the lid told them who there lay buried, "Here lies buried/The famous King/Arthur in the/Isle of Avalon."  Today the tumbled down walls of the abbey evoke thoughts of ruined Camelot.  Eyeless windows look out over Arthur's burial site, which is crossed reverently with red and white carnations.          

There are other possible Grail sites, including Roslin Chapel in Scotland.  The 3rd Earl of Orkeny built Roslin Castle during the 14th century.  Roslin Chapel, founded in 1446, was dissolved in 151l, and left in disrepair until restored in 1842.  The chapel is noted for a superabundance of ornament, and the famous Prentice Pillar, a beautiful, ornately carved work of art that graces the chapel.  In 1962, the famous Grail scholar Trevor Ravenscroft announced that he had finished a twenty year quest in search of the Grail and proclaimed Roslin Chapel to be its resting place.  Ravenscroft claimed that the Grail was inside the Prentice Pillar.   Metal detectors have been used on the pillar and an object of appropriate size is said to be buried in the middle of the ornate pillar.       

There are several alternate theories concerning the whereabouts of the Grail.  In the Caucasus Mountains of Russia there lives a small group of people who have stories of a magical cauldron called the Amonga.  This chalice has properties similar to those attributed to the Grail, serving food, giving knowledge and being able to choose those worthy to serve it.

Another theory argues that the physical cup of the Last Supper is gone forever but that it is an important metaphor for powerful universal energies that we can all tap into if we dare.  The "Silver Chalice", as disciples of this theory refer to the Grail, is the set of blood vessels in the neck and the base of the skull which feed the brain.  The "silver energy" can be used to increase the usefulness of the brain thus giving people able to tap into this energy almost superhuman powers.

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INCA GOLD

The Spaniards conquered Peru over the course of several decades in an atmosphere of civil war and chaos.  The Incas had just concluded a war between two brothers, Atahualpa and Huascar when the Spanish arrived on the scene.  Atahualpa had just captured Huascar and was heading south to enter his capital, Cuzco, when he himself was made hostage by the Spanish.  Atahualpa then had Huascar murdered.  After extorting the proverbial king's ransom, the Spanish, in turn, murdered Atahualpa.  The Spanish next marched on Cuzco, the capital and Holy City of the Inca Empire, installing a puppet emperor.  Throughout the period the Incas scurried about trying to hide the most sacred religious items from defilement.     

Gold and silver had no monetary significance to the Incas.   They were considered sacred, with gold regarded as the sweat of the sun and silver as the tears of the moon.  Religious items were made of gold and silver, but they had no worth, other than artistic, to the common man. 

Huascar's Chain: On the occasion of Huascar's weaning ceremony, his father decreed that a gold chain be cast for the dancers to carry as they went through their ritual dance.  The chain later disappeared, never falling into the hands of the Spaniards, and in all probability guarded somewhere in the remote mountains.  The chain is described as being seven hundred feet long, twice the width and length of the great Square of Joy in Cuzco.  The two hundred dancers were scarcely able to raise it.

Atahualpa's Mug:  One of the Emperor Atahualpa's favorite possessions was the head of an enemy general named Atoc.  One of the Spaniards, Cristobal de Mena saw this "head with its skin, dried flesh and hair.  Its teeth were closed and held a silver spout.  On top of the head a golden bowl was attached.  Atahualpa used to drink from it when he was reminded of the wars waged against him by his brother.  They poured the chicha (beer) into the bowl and it emerged from the mouth, through the spout, from which he drank."

Lost Treasures and Wonders

Where is the Lost Inca City of Paititi?

One of the enduring legends of Peru is the lost city of Paititi.  In 1533, fleeing the Spanish conquerors, some forty thousand refugees of the crumbling Inca Empire, laden with golden religious treasures, fled into the remote jungle of what is today Peruvian Amazonia, where they established a great city.  A Jesuit missionary named Brother Lucero wrote that the city lay behind the forest and mountains eastward of Cuzco in the general area of Madre de Dios.  The Spanish tried to pursue the fugitives, but turned back after being ambushed by the savage Chuncho Indians.     

Several attempts have been made to find the city in recent years.  In 1972 a Franco-American expedition led by explorer Bob Nichols disappeared and was never seen again.  It is believed that this expedition may have fallen victim to the Machiguenga Indians who, at the time, had never previously had contact with the outside world.  Many of the remote tribes of this region have the habit of killing intruders on sight. 

The region of Madre de Dios in Peru is one of the remotest regions of the Amazon.  The purported coordinates of Paititi are 71 degrees 30' minutes longitude West and 13 degrees latitude South.  If these coordinates are correct, the city lies in the heart of an area guarded by the ferocious Yaminhuah Indians.  

Paititi ( The Treasure of the Lost City )

Cusco: Temple of the Sun

"Know, whoever you may be who may chance to set foot in this land, that it contains more gold and silver than there is iron is Biscay."           

The Spaniards conquered Peru over the course of several decades in an atmosphere of civil war and chaos.  The Incas had just concluded a war between two brothers, Atahualpa and Huascar when the Spanish arrived on the scene.  Atahualpa had just captured Huascar and was heading south to enter his capital, Cuzco, when he himself was made hostage by the Spanish.  Atahualpa then had Huascar murdered.  After extorting the proverbial king's ransom, the Spanish, in turn, murdered Atahualpa.  The Spanish next marched on Cuzco, the capital and Holy City of the Inca Empire, installing a puppet emperor.  Throughout the period the Incas scurried about trying to hide the most sacred religious items from defilement.        

Gold and silver had no monetary significance to the Incas.   They were considered sacred, with gold regarded as the sweat of the sun and silver as the tears of the moon.  Religious items were made of gold and silver, but they had no worth, other than artistic, to the common man.              Because of their religious significance, gold and silver objects were well hidden and well guarded for generations, never being turned into cash to satisfy short term needs.         

Cuzco's Temple of the Sun, was the most revered shrine in the empire.  Only three Spaniards ever saw the Temple in its full glory.  These men were sent by the Spanish commander, Francisco Pizarro, to speed up the collection of the royal ransom.  The temple had gardens in which everything.....trees and grass and flowers, animals, birds, butterflies, cornstalks, snakes, lizards and snails were all made of hammered gold.  The main room of the temple held the high altar which was dedicated to the sun.  The four walls of the room were hung with plaques of gold, from top to bottom, and a likeness of the sun topped the high altar.  The likeness was made of a gold plaque twice as thick as those that paneled the walls and was composed of a round face, surrounded by rays and flames.  The whole thing was so immense that it occupied the entire back of the temple, from one wall to the other.  The disc was positioned to catch the morning sun and throw its rays into the gold-lined temple, filling it with radiant light.  

On either side of this enormous golden sun were kept mummies of former Inca kings, which were so well preserved that they seemed alive.  The mummies were seated on golden thrones and looked directly out at the visitor.

Paititi (The Treasure of the Lost City)

Blackbeard the Pirate: Lost Treasure

     THE NEW YORK TIMES reported the following incident in October, 1926 concerning treasure in Burlington, New Jersey:

      "A century old legend, telling how the pirate Blackbeard buried his plunder beneath an old black walnut tree as a marker, has gained so much credence that Miss Florence E. Steward…directed a group of laborers in digging for treasure on her property....

    

     According to tradition, Blackbeard buried a Spaniard upright over the treasure chest, then sailed away never to return.  In the course of time, the walnut tree on Miss Steward's property became known as 'The Pirate Tree'.

     A human skull unearthed by school children today gave renewed zest to the hunt for buried treasure.  Believing the skull might be that of the Spaniard whom Blackbeard is supposed to have buried over the treasure, Miss Steward asked police to guard her property against further digging by volunteers until she can personally supervise the work of her own excavators."

     No treasure was found at this excavation but the legend lingers on.

More Legends of Blackbeard's Treasure

Legends of Pirate Gold

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The Legend of Mosby’s Treasure

     When famed Confederate raider John S. Mosby rode out of Fairfax Court House in March 1863 he took with him a captured Union general, two captains, thirty privates, fifty eight horses, and legend says, $350,000 (now valued at several million) worth of gold plate, jewelry, silver tableware and gold coins that Union troops had looted from neighboring southern homes.  Mosby marched his prisoners to Culpepper, Virginia where they were turned over to General J.E.B. Stuart.

     About midway between Haymarket and New Baltimore, Mosby, accompanied by only one sergeant, James F. Ames (who was captured and hanged by Union General George Custer a short time later), buried the loot between two pine trees, marking the trees with carved crosses.

      Mosby continued his activities unabated right to the end of the war when he gathered his men one last time and disbanded, never officially surrendering to Federal forces.  Mosby went on to become a distinguished railway lawyer (and attorney to the father of George S. Patton).  Shortly before his death in 1916, at the age of eighty three, he told some of his close friends:

     "I've always meant to look for that cache we buried…. Some of the most precious heirlooms of old Virginia are in that sack.  I guess that one of these days someone will find it."

Mosby's Greatest Raid

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Treasure Legends of the Civil War

A lively history of the Civil War sprinkled with tales of over 60 buried treasure in sixteen states. History buffs and adventure seekers will enjoy this work.

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Hidden Treasure in Virginia

Treasure Legends of Virginia

The history of Virginia told through treasure tales about pirates, Indians, Revolutionary War heroes and Civil War raiders. The full text of the famous Beale Treasure cipher is included along with some sixty other legends.

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The Treasures of Jose Gaspar (Gasparilla)

The Pirate Jose Gaspar

Perhaps the greatest of Florida's pirates was Jose Gaspar. The memory of Jose Gaspar, or "Gasparilla", has been honored every year since 1904 by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, a society of Tampa business and professional men, who sail into Tampa Bay every February to capture the city, have a huge parade and stage a Pirate's Ball. Many people have lost sight of the historic Jose Gaspar amidst all the carnival revelry. The real Gasparilla was born near Seville, Spain in 1756 to parents belonging to the minor aristocracy. As a boy Gasparilla was high spirited. At the age of twelve he kidnapped a neighbor's daughter holding her for ransom. As a result of this escapade he was given the choice of prison or the Spanish navy. He chose the navy and spent six years learning the ways of ships, pistols and swords. Having risen honorably in the Spanish navy, Gaspar might have led a respectable life, but once again a woman proved his undoing. Spurning the affection of a noble lady, Gaspar became the object this powerful woman's wrath. Escaping her murderous desire for revenge Gasparilla went a-pirating; declaring war against Spain.

Gasparilla operated at a period favoring piracy; Spanish strength was at a low point, the new Latin American republics had no navies, and England and the United States were recovering from the Revolutionary War. By 1795 Gasparilla had captured and burned some thirty six Spanish ships. He was to continue making war on Spain for another quarter of a century.

Although Gasparilla was a man of polished manners, who liked fashionable clothing, and had a streak of nostalgic romance in his character, he was as cruel as the worst product of the London slums. As soon as a ship was captured the male prisoners were knifed in the back and tossed overboard. Many of the female prisoners fared no better. The old, ugly, and infirm were tossed to the sharks, as were any children. Those women that Gasparilla spared were divided among the officers and the crew.

After years of successful pirating Gasparilla felt the need for a stronghold where he could house his prisoners and warehouse his riches. Above all, he needed a place where he could live as a gentleman between voyages. He selected an island at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor on the wild, west coast of Florida.

After the War of 1812 the tide turned against the pirates of the Gulf. The United States began to send strong naval forces to patrol these waters. Merchant ships became better armed and manned. Many pirates started looking for easy pickings in Central and South America. By 1821 Gasparilla was the only major pirate still operating in the Gulf or Caribbean, and even he could see the handwriting on the wall. At age 65 he began dismantling his stronghold, intending to move to South America. But before he could make good his escape he fell into a cleverly laid trap.

On the very morning Gasparilla planned to leave Florida forever, a large ship was sighted from the watch tower. The ship was apparently a rich British merchantman. The prospect of taking this rich prize was too much for Gasparilla to resist. The pirates, in a vessel already heavily laden with treasure, bore down on the unfortunate merchantman. When they came in firing range, however, the false sides of the merchantman fell away revealing scores of U.S. Naval guns. The American flag was run up, and the ENTERPRISE raked the pirates with shot and chain.

Outsmarted and outgunned Gasparilla realized his mistake too late. As the pirate ship began to sink, Gasparilla wrapped the anchor chain around his waist and threw himself into the sea.

Gasparilla is said to have buried a treasure on Christmas Island near the mouth of Tampa Bay. Gasparilla's main base was on Upper Captiva Island, off Ft. Myers. In 1953 a treasure hunter dug up a chest containing $17,000 in silver and gold coins in this area. Gasparilla supposedly buried other such treasures on Gasparilla Island off Charlotte Harbor, north of Ft. Myers, and on Anastasia Island, near St. Augustine.

Link to: Legends of Pirate Gold

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HAWAII’S LOST ROYAL TREASURE

Few visitors to Hawaii realize that they may be only a few feet from a hidden royal treasure. On May 8, 1819, the doleful sound of the great conch sounded. The muffled thud of drums echoed across the seven islands. A small band of chieftains carried the body of Kamehameha the Great, together with his vast treasure trove, to a secret hiding place which has baffled historians and treasure hunters ever since.


The treasure was made up of rare Hawaiian artifacts, literally priceless today.

Kauai is one possible hiding place. This was the home of some of the most trusted chiefs. The coast, in places, is very mountainous making access difficult. The high cliffs and deep ravines are dotted with numerous caves which could house the treasure.

It is more probable that the king and his treasure were buried on the island of Hawaii, “the big island”. This was Kamehameha’s original home and site of his capital. One legend says that the treasure was placed in a cave in the lush and tangled rain forest near Hilo.

There is one theory daunting to even the most adventurous; that the king and his treasure were thrown into a live volcano to placate Pele, the volcano goddess.

Link to: Legends of Lost Treasure

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The Legend of General Braddock’s Lost Treasure

The Braddock Massacre

In 1755 war raged across the American frontier. The English colonies were locked in a death grip with the French and their Indian allies. In February, 1755, English General Edward Braddock landed at the port of Alexandria, Virginia with orders to march on the French Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) and destroy the main French army.

Braddock’s troubles started almost immediately. He could never get used to the terrain and distances of America. Heavy rains from April to June made the land between Alexandria and the fur trading town of Winchester a sea of mud. He began building a road westward. The pace was agonizingly slow. The heat and mud slowed the army at every step. Especially troublesome was the artillery that Braddock had brought from England (four howitzers, four 12-pounders, and four six pounders).

By the ninth day of the march, Braddock’s army had only traveled twenty seven miles to the village of Newgate (renamed Centreville in 1798). Here he turned northward, but the cannons and wagons became hopelessly mired in mud and clay.

In an act of desperation, Braddock took aside a small group of soldiers and buried two of the brass six pounders. The cannons were buried pointing skyward. Dismissing all but a few trusted officers, Braddock poured $30,000 in gold coins, money to be used to pay the troops, into the open ends of the cannons. The mouths of the cannons were then sealed with wooden plugs.

The General carefully noted the location of the treasure, “50 paces east of the spring where the road runs north and south.” The road of which he spoke is now called “Braddock Road”, where the road runs north to intersect U.S. Rt. 29-211 in Centreville, Virginia.

Braddock marched on to disaster in Western Pennsylvania. Ambushed in the thick forests, the red-coated British were easy targets for the concealed French and Indians. Braddock and the trusted officers who had witnessed the burying of the treasure were killed in battle.


Braddock’s papers were sent to England. Years later an archivist found the account of the buried gold located in Virginia. A special committee was dispatched to search for the gold, but returned to England empty handed. So, to this day, two brass cannons filled with gold are said to lie beneath the soil of Virginia.

Link to: Legends of Lost Treasure

 

Gold, Murder and Monsters in the Superstition Mountains

Arizona’s Superstition Mountains are mysterious, forbidding, and dangerous.  The Superstitions are said to have claimed over five hundred lives.  What were these people looking for?  Is it possible that these mountains hide a vast treasure?  

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