The lost gold of John S. Mosby

The Claim

A Confederate ranger buried millions of dollars’ worth of loot at the end of the American Civil War

The treasure itself was believed to be worth around $350,000 at the time it was buried, but in today’s money, along with the historical value, it would be worth at least several million.

The man who buried it is called John S. Mosby, also known as the grey ghost. He was a ranger who served in the Confederate forces during the American Civil War of 1861 – 1865, where he received his nickname for his fast raid attacks on Union forces.

Mosby joined the army at the outbreak of the war and first served in combat in April of 1862, where he proved himself to be a skilled scout and intelligence gatherer, which didn’t go unnoticed by General J.E.B. Stuart, who formed the scout unit “Mosby’s Rangers”.

This guerrilla-style fighting unit would gain notoriety during the war for the level of stealth and speed with which they operated, and Mosby welcomed the attention, making him famous within the ranks of the southern army.

One night, he attempted a raid on the town of Fairfax, Virginia, which was 10 miles behind enemy lines. On March 9th, 1863, Mosby’s Rangers snuck through the town, snipping telegraph lines and quietly taking prisoners along the way.

Mosby himself managed to get into the bedroom of the commanding officer for the area, General Edwin H. Stoughton, whom he woke by slapping him. After informing him he was now a prisoner, he was escorted outside where the rest of the rangers were waiting, along with 58 horses and 32 other prisoners.

This is supposed to be the origin of his buried treasure, which was looted from the town by his men during the raid. It is said to be made up of about $350,000 worth of gold, plus a sizable amount of silver and various jewellery.

Mosby and the 29 men of his party left the town along with their prisoners and their stolen goods, but shortly after leaving, his own scouts informed him of a large Union force nearby.

As the treasure was slowing them down, and Mosby didn’t want to lose it to not only the Union side, but his own superiors, who would take their own cut, he decided to take his most trusted Sergeant and all the treasure and head into the woods while the rest of his unit moved on.

They buried it between 2 large pine trees and then rode around in twisting routes to confuse anyone following the treasure’s path.

After getting back safely to Confederate territory, he was hailed as a hero, and General Robert E. Lee even stated how he wished he had a hundred like him. For his service, Mosby was promoted to the rank of Captain just 2 days after he got back, on March 15th, 1863, and as if that wasn’t good enough, just 11 days later, on March 26th, he was promoted again to Major.

After the war ended in 1865, Mosby disbanded his unit and returned back to being a civilian. He even became an adviser in the United States government, serving people he had previously fought against. John S. Mosby died from complications during throat surgery on May 30th, 1916, in Washington, D.C., and is buried at the Warrenton Cemetery in Warrenton, Virginia.

But what about the treasure, dammit?

Ah yes, the treasure. Well, for some unknown reason, Mosby apparently never returned to claim it, and there are even claims of how he said “there’s a lot of valuable stuff in the Virginia countryside” and how he wished he had gone to get it.

Another story claims that he once sent the Sergeant who buried it with him and a few trusted men to recover it, but apparently, this happened shortly after the war ended, and the party was captured and hanged by Union troops.

As for whether it could be true or not, it seems entirely possible. The only way to hold loot if you weren’t already very rich would be to bury it. Even if you could put it in a bank, you’d lose everything if the enemy captured it or someone robbed it, so the only sensible option was the ground.

As for whether it was taken during the raid, it’s not only possible but probable. Looting the enemy was not only accepted, it was highly encouraged, if not only to rob the enemy of resources but also for massive personal gain.

Personally, I would say that the treasure is still out there buried somewhere, due to the size of the area, its no wonder it hasn’t been found yet, and if anyone’s interested in having a go to try and find it, people studying the case think it’s located somewhere between Reston, just outside the centre of Washington and route 522.