 |
Lost Treasure Anthology - FLORIDA Treasure Stories Volume-I
(digital downloadable book)
This digital book contains 25 different stories -- over 100+ pages -- all dedicated to
Florida Treasures!
Anthology: This Anthology is a collection of published stories, by multiple authors, in a book format. It was compiled from the Archives of one or more of our six publications: Lost Treasure – Treasure Cache – Treasure Facts – Treasure World – True Treasure – Rockhound.
|
Treasure Tales and Treasure Stories About Florida from the Archives of Lost Treasure Magazine
Another Lost Payroll
From State Treasure Tales
By Michael Paul Henson
From page 44 of the November 1986 issue of Lost Treasure magazine.
Copyright ©1986, 1998 Lost Treasure, Inc.
Wherever the U.S. Army has fought, there seems to be a story of a lost payroll, and Florida is no exception.
In 1839, a small caravan of soldiers led by a lieutenant and sergeant were transporting a payroll to Ft. Macon along a military road. They were attacked by a party of Seminole Indians east of Indian Springs in what is now Lake County. Being outnumbered, the patrol made a dash for the Springs in the hope they could set up some kind of defense.
During the battle, the lieutenant buried or hid the payroll of approximately $15,000 in gold and silver coins. After about an hour of fighting, the lieutenant realized the position could not be held, so he ordered a retreat with every man for himself.
The Indians ran the soldiers down and all but one was killed. This was a soldier who had fallen from his horse. He hid in the brush and the Indians didn't see him. The man managed to reach Ft. Maron and make a report of the battle. All he knew about the payroll was that the lieutenant had hidden it during the fighting, but he did not know how or where.
A patrol was dispatched to the Springs to look for any wounded soldiers and the payroll. No men were found alive and the money was not recovered. After burying the dead and scalped soldiers, the patrol returned to Ft. Macon.
When the story of the lost payroll was learned, local residents made several unsuccessful attempts to locate the money. But because of the Indian threat and not knowing exactly where to look, these searches were soon stopped. It is certain the lieutenant didn't bury the payroll too deep. Also, it is possible that he could have dropped it into the Springs. Army records of this period of the Seminole War. could help a treasure hunter locate this over 145year-old cache.
|
