The Legend of the Confederate Gold

Please welcome guest blogger, Jennifer Purcell. She is the author of A Different Kind of War and Social Media Manager for Spark Flash Fiction.

As a born and bred Georgia girl, I love learning tidbits of Georgia history. But there are some things they just don’t teach you in history class.

One of those is the legend of the Confederate gold.

According to history, when Confederate President Jefferson Davis received news that General Lee surrendered, he packed up the Confederate treasury and left Virginia. Rumors began circulating that he had over a million dollars with him, mostly in gold coins and bullion. But when Davis was captured near Irwinville, GA, and the Union soldiers confiscated his load, he had nowhere close to the rumored amount with him.

Some Union soldiers took the confiscated money and headed to a railhead in South Carolina. When they stopped for the night in Lincoln County, GA, bandits stole the money. Some of it was later recovered, but much of it is still missing.

This led to questions about what happened to the gold. Some scholars say that all the money stolen from the Union soldiers was recovered and that much of what Davis left Virginia with was used to pay Confederate soldiers. They also say that the rumors exaggerated how much Davis was actually carrying. But one scholar has said that James A. Semple was entrusted with some of the gold before Davis’s capture and was tasked with making it to Mexico. He never made it there, though, because he spent much of the money on his affair with Julia Gardiner Tyler.

But the ensuing search for the gold created a lot of trouble for the Union Army. A general named Edward A. Wild led a search in the area where the bandits struck. He accused the Chennault family of hiding gold and tortured them for answers. This caused a huge scandal, and General Ulysses S. Grant ended up removing Wild from his command.

Today, people still search for the missing gold, and the questions surrounding it are the perfect breeding ground for a writer’s imagination. I had just learned of it and was beginning to brainstorm ways to incorporate it into my debut novel when I read Turn to Me by Becky Wade. She used it as an important plot point, so I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t read it. But the part it played in the story just goes to show how many of us are intrigued by the idea of hidden treasure. 

What do you think happened to the missing gold?

Jennifer Purcell is a Georgia native who loves to write about

faith, family, and romance. She is an ACFW First Impressions contest winner and a semi-finalist in the ACFW Genesis contest. Her debut historical romance, A Different Kind of War, released September 2023. Visit her online at justjenniferpurcell.com.

If you love small towns and heartwarming romances that don’t shy away from real-life struggles, then you’ll love Jennifer's debut novel: A Different Kind of War.

The war isn’t over for everyone. Will these two weary hearts ever find peace? After Marjorie Willoughby lost her father and brother in battle and her mother to a fever, she cobbled together a new family. But a lingering debt endangers their future. Gregory Cartwright’s Union allegiance and pacifist beliefs forced him to leave his home, and now he’s looking for a fresh start among his fellow Unionists in Bradford, Georgia. But first he needs a piece of land. Is there a possible solution that benefits them both, or are these battles they cannot win?

Black Gum Toothbrushes and Nightcaps

 

Supplies. Organization. Funding. Three key pieces to the war machine that didn't exist in the early days of the territory that would become the United States and shortly after. Due to this lack, soldiers often furnished their own needs. For example, dog tags were not provided until World War I. If a soldier wished to have a form of identification during the Civil War, they had one made or created it themselves. Notice the brass tag in the photo at right.

Another essential was what we might refer to as a dop or toiletry kit. During the Civil War, this was dubbed, "The Housewife." 

I learned about these lifelines when I visited the Tabor House in Ellijay, GA. You can read the prior post to learn more about the museum. I'm grateful to the docent volunteers who shared their time and their knowledge. One dedicated individual is featured below with his nightcap. 

This is a short fun post today to learn about some of the contents:

Toothbrush and tooth powder - In North Georgia, the preferred toothbrush was crafted from Black Gum tree twigs. Soldiers removed the bark and chewed the end of the twig. This made a bristle type brush. Funny, in watching the Lost in Austen movie, I wondered what Jane meant when she showed Amanda the implements to clean her teeth. I couldn't imagine how they worked. Did you see that movie and wonder the same? Now we know. The other type of toothbrush had a bone handle with pig hair. Don't those options sound delightful?

Comb

Personal lantern and spare candles – A candle stood inside a folding tin container to reflect the light. How neat is that?

Pocket knife

Coffee pot

Notebook, Bible, Prayer book, paper, pencils

Fishing kit (see photo above at right)

Medicated paper for the water closet. I’m surprised they carried this luxury at all.

Soap

Fork, spoon, knife - These had many variations depending on what was available. Some resemble modern hiking kits. Some were individual utensils.

Plate and tin mug

Sewing kit – This could be the reason behind the entire kit name of “Housewife.”

Sleeping cap – Think, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” but a bigger/longer version. The men pulled the cap down over their noses, either due to cold or bugs.

Mittens and socks - “Why not gloves,” you ask? Mittens were much warmer for the troops on the ground out in the cold. In fact, instead of gloves, they had mittens that allowed them to shoot a gun with the mitten on. Trigger finger isolated.

                

Canteen – Did you know the best or favored canteens were made of wood? The soldiers preferred that type because they kept the water cooler, and the taste was better. These canteens were often some of the first pilfered items by the Northern units when they overtook their Southern counterparts.

The country made great progress in all three areas over the years. During WWII soldiers had more resources available. I photographed these items at the Airborne Museum in Normandy, France. 

I never thought about the logistics of the military until a family member joined. Stop and consider all that must transpire to keep the wheels turning. Perhaps I'll share more in the future. We did visit an interesting transportation museum. Have you ever considered what the daily life components were/are like for the soldier in each of the battles and wars?

      

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 100 Plans on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. If it were up to her, she would be traveling - right now. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, Rebecca learns the craft of fiction while networking with a host of generous writers. She is working on her first fiction novel. This story unfolds from the 1830s in Northern Georgia.

Connect with Rebecca: Clubhouse Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest Twitter

A Snapshot of the History of Archery: The American Civil War to The Hunger Games

Robin Hood, Brave, Avengers, The Hunger Games, and Confederate Civil War veterans all have one thing in common...

Archery.

I enjoyed reading about how bows and arrows have been used from the beginning of time, all across the globe, for hunting and military maneuvers. Hunters and warriors from the Stone Age, through the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and into the Middle Ages relied heavily on the sport of archery for survival. One interesting tidbit according to one article was that historically bows were used as weapons on all continents except Australia. I haven’t been able to confirm that notation from other sources though. But it is still interesting, and begs the question of why.

The advent of firearms changed history. Regardless of the fact that early firearms were undependable, and susceptible to wet weather, firearms became the first choice for survival. Despite the drawbacks (pardon the pun) early firearms were more accurate, could penetrate armor more effectively, and were superior for shooting at a target from concealment, so the preference was understandable.

Some far flung regions still use bows and arrows for hunting and defense. A remote group in Brazil, recently photographed from the air, aimed bows at the airplane as it flew overhead. Bows and arrows saw considerable use in the 2007-2008 Kenyan crisis. But generally, archery is a sport these days and not a matter of survival.

With archery harking back to the beginning of time, I won't attempt to give a blow by blow description of its uses in every century, so today’s post will offer an interesting snapshot of archery today as well as an interesting incident that happened after the American Civil War.

In some cases, Ex-Confederate soldiers were not allowed to own guns after the war, so naturally the men turned to other modes of survival such as trapping, fishing, and archery to provide food for their families.

Two Confederate veterans, brothers Maurice and Will Thompson, honed their skills as archers in the wilds of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. Thomas Williams, a former slave who lived near the Thompsons, had knowledge of English-style archery (the longbow) and helped the brothers become proficient with the weapon.

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood

Later, Maurice Thompson wrote a book, The Witchery of Archery, and people once again became enthused with the sport of archery. In 1879 the National Archery Association was formed, and Maurice Thompson became its first president.

Public interest in archery soon subsided, until 1911 when Ishi, the last of the Yahi Indian tribe came out of hiding in California. Ishi died in 1916, but not before he willingly passed on many aspects of his culture, including how to hunt using a bow and arrow, to Dr. Saxton Pope of the University of California at Berkely Anthropology Museum.

Soon, Dr. Pope was joined by archery-enthusiast Arthur Young and the two men hunted in Alaska and Africa and took several large game animals. In the 1920s, engineers (as opposed to craft experts) took an interest in archery and this led to new and improved bows such as the recurve and compound bows that dominate modern Western archery today.

Katniss, The Hunger Games

It’s interesting to note that the prowess of Katniss in the Hunger Games, and box-office hits such as Brave, Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe (to name one of many Robin Hood adventures), and Avengers has resulted in a resurgence of interest in traditional and modern archery.

In an article dated August 2, 2012, the Miami Herald states, “USA Archery said membership is up 20 percent from last year, and the organization sent a letter to The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, thanking her for making archery cool with the younger generation.” Miami Herald, Archery Gaining Popularity, August 02, 2012.

When I was a kid, we made our own bows and arrows out of whatever came to hand (yes, I was a tomboy). I honestly can’t remember if I hit anything with the ones I made, but I do remember stringing bows and sharpening sticks, and practicing my skills for many, many hours. And I’ve shot my sons’ compound bows. At least the ones they had when they were first learning archery. I’m not strong enough for the big guys! It’s a good feeling to hit the target, and makes me want to try harder next time.

So, what’s your experience with archery? Have you ever shot a bow? Do you have family members who enjoy the sport? If not, surely you watched Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner, or more recently, one of the movies mentioned above?

Pam Hillman was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn’t afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove the Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn’t mind raking. Raking hay doesn’t take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that’s the kind of life every girl should dream of! Pam's second novel, Claiming Mariah is currently available in digital format even though it includes not ONE bow and arrow. Rats! www.pamhillman.com