Confederate Secret Service Gold & The Last CS Order

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Came across a very interesting article in the Confederate Veterans Magazine Feb. 1893 concerning CS Secret Service Gold and the last official Confederate order. It seems Jeff Davis wasn't quite thru yet. It seems that there was still a fair amount of CS gold laying around for the CS Secret Service to work with.


SECRET SERVICE FUND
CONFEDERATE GOLD PAID To UNCLE SAM BELONGING TO THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT.​

The editor of the Confederate Veteran had occasion to call on Capt. Ernest Cucullu, of New Orleans, and the conversation disclosed the fact that the last official Confederate order was issued to him. He had been on the staff of Gen. E. Kirby Smith from the time that officer was able to resume command after his terrible wounds at Mannassas. Mr. Davis had communicated to Gen. Kirby Smith the fall of Richmond and the surrender of General Lee, and that hi' would endeavor to get to Cuba, and thence cross over to Texas, when', with 37,000 men west of the great river, they would make a stand at
Hempstead, Tex. It was understood that in this last rally the best terms possible for capitulation would he made. Captain Cucullu was directed to take $10,000 in gold and go to Cuba, SO as to aid Mr. Davis in his plans. The Captain suggested that $5000 in gold would be Sufficient, and he only took that amount. Gen, Kirby Smith's headquarters were at Shreveport. but he had gone to Galveston with his aide, and the money sachel had been taken on board tie Grayhound, which was ready to run the blockade. While they waited, a flag-of-truce boat hove in sight. It brought the news that General Buckner had surrendered at Shreveport. Then there was nothing to do by the man whom Mr. Davis entrusted with "greater power than" he "due give in writing" but to surrender, and turn over the Confederate gold in his possession, A plea was made in behalf <>( several general officers, and it was agreed that they he paid in the aggregate $1,700. The general commanding had due him thousands of dollars salary, hut declined to take any part of it. Here is the order, which i- certainly the last one ever issued :
Galveston Harbor, June 3, 1865, Captain: When you reach New Orleans you will, after deducting your necessary traveling expenses, turn over to Major-Gencral Canby, United States Army, commanding, etc.. S".. 300, being the secret service funds Confederate States, remaining in your possession. Respectfully, your obedient servant. E. Kirby Smith. General. ( 'apt. Ernest Cuculu. After taking the money to General Canby, and getting his receipt, Dr. David Yandell. of Louisville." and another officer were found to be destitute, and General Canby gave them $270, and allowed $1, which was charged by Captain Cucullu for a carriage in New < >rleans. General Canby's receipt is as follows: Headquarters Department of the Gttlf—New Orleans, June 6. 1865 -Received of Capt. Ernest Cucullu, aide-de-camp on the stall' of General E. Kirby Smith, the sum of $3,029 in specie, being the balance in his hands of the " secret servicefund" of the TransMississippi Department. Ed R. S. Canby.
General Canby seemed surprised that such a fund was turned over to him, but said: "It is just like Kirby, the soul of honor." They were fellow-students at West Point.
 
Came across a very interesting article in the Confederate Veterans Magazine Feb. 1893 concerning CS Secret Service Gold and the last official Confederate order. It seems Jeff Davis wasn't quite thru yet. It seems that there was still a fair amount of CS gold laying around for the CS Secret Service to work with.


SECRET SERVICE FUND
CONFEDERATE GOLD PAID To UNCLE SAM BELONGING TO THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT.​

The editor of the Confederate Veteran had occasion to call on Capt. Ernest Cucullu, of New Orleans, and the conversation disclosed the fact that the last official Confederate order was issued to him. He had been on the staff of Gen. E. Kirby Smith from the time that officer was able to resume command after his terrible wounds at Mannassas. Mr. Davis had communicated to Gen. Kirby Smith the fall of Richmond and the surrender of General Lee, and that hi' would endeavor to get to Cuba, and thence cross over to Texas, when', with 37,000 men west of the great river, they would make a stand at
Hempstead, Tex. It was understood that in this last rally the best terms possible for capitulation would he made. Captain Cucullu was directed to take $10,000 in gold and go to Cuba, SO as to aid Mr. Davis in his plans. The Captain suggested that $5000 in gold would be Sufficient, and he only took that amount. Gen, Kirby Smith's headquarters were at Shreveport. but he had gone to Galveston with his aide, and the money sachel had been taken on board tie Grayhound, which was ready to run the blockade. While they waited, a flag-of-truce boat hove in sight. It brought the news that General Buckner had surrendered at Shreveport. Then there was nothing to do by the man whom Mr. Davis entrusted with "greater power than" he "due give in writing" but to surrender, and turn over the Confederate gold in his possession, A plea was made in behalf <>( several general officers, and it was agreed that they he paid in the aggregate $1,700. The general commanding had due him thousands of dollars salary, hut declined to take any part of it. Here is the order, which i- certainly the last one ever issued :
Galveston Harbor, June 3, 1865, Captain: When you reach New Orleans you will, after deducting your necessary traveling expenses, turn over to Major-Gencral Canby, United States Army, commanding, etc.. S".. 300, being the secret service funds Confederate States, remaining in your possession. Respectfully, your obedient servant. E. Kirby Smith. General. ( 'apt. Ernest Cuculu. After taking the money to General Canby, and getting his receipt, Dr. David Yandell. of Louisville." and another officer were found to be destitute, and General Canby gave them $270, and allowed $1, which was charged by Captain Cucullu for a carriage in New < >rleans. General Canby's receipt is as follows: Headquarters Department of the Gttlf—New Orleans, June 6. 1865 -Received of Capt. Ernest Cucullu, aide-de-camp on the stall' of General E. Kirby Smith, the sum of $3,029 in specie, being the balance in his hands of the " secret servicefund" of the TransMississippi Department. Ed R. S. Canby.
General Canby seemed surprised that such a fund was turned over to him, but said: "It is just like Kirby, the soul of honor." They were fellow-students at West Point.
There is or was a little cattle ranch called the King's ranch in Texas that was supposedly have been built with the gold of the Confederacy .Then that would fall into the legend of Jesse James and his hidden gold.When Davis and company fled Richmond ,did he or any of the members of his crowd happen to take the gold or bonds from the treasury or some group of cavalry which went with them ? This all could be the same legends as with the treasures of the Astex .or Lost Dutchman's mine.
 
My sister in law had a cousin that searched for CS gold that was supposedly on a steamer headed for Cuba when the ship was intercepted by a Yankee gunboat that gave chase. The steamer is said to have ran up the coast of FL and turned into the Suwanee river and was scuttled there somewhere. He went so far as to hire a man that had a magnetometer that later helped Mel Fisher in the search for the Spanish treasure ship Atocha near Key West. Alas, Mel had more success than did the in- law.
 
A lot of stories concerning lost Confederate gold exist. I think many if not all of them have a basis in known facts. I mean there is a certain amount of facts known. After that there is a lot of speculation. Episodes of shows on TV have been show regarding Confederate treasure. Brad Meltzer's episode concerning gold was one of the better ones. Who knows about the new one showing on Tuesday. River's and lakes are big places to hunt. OCstly hunting at best, then if you have a show at least some of the cost of the search can be recouped. The only thing lost then are one's time. That is what TV does best. As all stories of treasure have some basis in fact, many others are mostly legends unless new facts are uncovered concerning gold and silver.
 
Regarding the Suwannee river gold; the legend is well known in the area. A farmer I knew said he remembered a dredge working in the river in the late 60s in search of the gold. The cousin in law I previously mentioned purportedly had located the descendant of the steamers captain that had in his possession the ships log. I have no way of knowing how much of that was fact or fiction and as fascinating as it would be to believe it and search for it, I would hate to invest time and money searching for a will o the wisp :wink:
 
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