📖 The Research Behind "An American Treasure"
Why write about a treasure in a country I’ve never even visited?
Picture this: I had just finished editing An Irish Mystery for what felt like the umpteenth time. I was happy with it, and I’d discovered that I genuinely loved letting these stories evolve from my head. But as I looked toward Book 2, I knew I needed a hook. I started looking into lost treasures around the world, and that’s when I found the legend of Mosby’s Rangers.
🗺️ Why Virginia?
I chose this specific treasure because of where the first book ended. Cedric has a house in Norfolk, Virginia, and while this legend is set further north in Fairfax and Fauquier County, it worked perfectly in my eyes.
The story started with an article I read about how John S. Mosby and his men seized the town of Fairfax without firing a single shot. The Union army was so deep in their own territory they never expected an enemy strike.
🕵️♂️ The Raid: 9th March 1863
Mosby’s actual target was Union Colonel Percy Wyndham, a man who had insulted Mosby by calling him a "horse thief". Luckily for Wyndham, he was away in Washington that night.
In the early hours of a cold, rainy morning, Mosby and 29 rangers sneaked past Union lines into the fortified town of Fairfax Court House. Mosby entered the home of Dr. William Gunnell and found Union Brigadier General Edwin H. Stoughton fast asleep.
As the story goes, Mosby woke the General with a slap to his bare back (some accounts say his backside) and asked, "General, did you ever hear of Mosby?" When the sleepy General replied, "Yes, have you caught him?" Mosby famously answered, "No, he’s caught you".
Without a single shot, they captured the General, two captains, 30 enlisted men, and 58 horses.
The Legend of the Missing Treasure
During the raid, the Rangers allegedly found a fortune in family heirlooms, including silver, jewellery, and coins that had been seized from Southern families. This treasure is estimated to be worth $350,000 in 1863—roughly $6 million+ today.
The "Truth" vs. The Fiction:
- The Burial: Legend says that while retreating, Mosby and a trusted sergeant buried the loot in a sack between two large pine trees to avoid being slowed down by Union patrols.
- The Mark: Mosby allegedly marked the trees with an "X".
- The Tragedy: He supposedly sent a party back to retrieve it later, but they were captured and hanged by Union troops before they could unearth it.
- The Secret: Mosby never returned for it. Some say he spoke of his regret for not recovering the treasure on his deathbed in 1916.
🖋️ The Author's Licence
As a fiction writer, the fact that the treasure is still missing gives me a "licence" to forge my own path. However, I’m "picky" about my facts. While some elements are hearsay, I research every chapter to ensure the historical elements are as true as possible. A real historian might pull my story to pieces, but that’s fine—if it were a 100% true historical record, the treasure would have been found by now!
🐎 More "Gray Ghost" Fun Facts
John S. Mosby was a man of dramatic contrasts. Here are a few more true stories I found during my research:
- College Rebel: At the University of Virginia, Mosby shot a bully in the neck with a pistol. He was jailed for a year but used the time to study law with the help of the prosecutor.
- Surprising Friendships: After the war, he became close friends with his former enemy, Ulysses S. Grant. He even helped Grant get re-elected, which many Southerners saw as a betrayal.
- The "Modernity" Grump: In his later years, he hated automobiles (calling them "buzz wagons") and couldn't stand the new "turkey trot" dancing or the sport of football.
- Diplomat in the East: He served as the U.S. Consul to Hong Kong from 1878 to 1885.
- The Nickname: While the "Gray Ghost" is his most famous moniker, it wasn't actually used during the Civil War—it became popular in the 20th century.
- On Slavery: Unlike many former Confederates, Mosby was blunt about the war’s cause, writing: "I never heard of any other cause of quarrel than slavery".
🎭 Creating an Antagonist: The "Spock" Connection
Stoughton was understandably embarrassed by the raid, and his military career never truly recovered from the humiliation. While looking into his family tree, I discovered a fascinating connection that links him to one of the most famous names in American history.
It turns out that Edwin had a brother, Charles Bradley Stoughton, who was also a Union Brigadier General. Charles’s daughter—and thus Edwin’s niece—was Mildred Louise Stoughton. In 1900, Mildred married a man named Benjamin Ives Spock.
They became the parents of the world-famous pediatrician and author, Dr. Benjamin Spock.
Now, most people hear that name and think of the famous doctor or perhaps a certain pointed-eared science officer! But for me, it was the perfect "seed" for a character. I took that historical surname, paired it with the name Lando, and suddenly I had Lando Spock.
It just sounded right—the kind of name that carries a bit of weight and mystery. Lando felt like the perfect name for an antagonist who was going to go toe-to-toe with Cedric and Hans. It’s funny how a bit of light reading about a 19th-century General's family can end up giving life to the villain of a modern-day treasure hunt!
🏛️ The Legend Lives On
So, there you have it. Hopefully, with this background, you can appreciate the reasons for some of the locations and historical figures used in the story. It was a fantastic tale to research, and I think it led to a great book.
If you’ve already read An American Treasure, I’d love to hear from you—did this blog post help shed some light on the "Gray Ghost" and his missing gold? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
📚 What I’m Reading...
(Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Supporting indie authors helps the whole community thrive!)
Thiago by Dante Coman
I have officially started my next read, and it's a book by a fellow indie author I found on Reddit. The author's name is Dante Coman, and the book is called Thiago. It’s Dante’s debut adventure novel, and the premise hits all the notes I usually love: hidden treasure, ancient art, drug smuggling, and a WWII secret buried deep in the jungle. Intrigued, I ordered myself a paperback copy.
I am currently up to page 60 in a book that is 207 pages long. Now, up to this point, there hasn't actually been any action or even a sniff of treasure—hell, we aren't even in Indonesia yet!
Despite the slow burn, it has kept me thoroughly interested and I’m genuinely wondering where the story is going. I know we are eventually going to end up in Indonesia searching for that long-lost WWII fortune, but the way Dante is introducing the other characters is making the buildup quite intriguing.
As usual, I will let you know my final thoughts once I cross the finish line!
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📚 The Newman Adventures
An Irish Mystery A fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession. The story that started it all.
An American Treasure The journey continues! Cedric Newman returns in a high-stakes hunt for the lost riches of Mosby's Rangers. Action, mystery, and a new enemy await.
Available in Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Hardcover
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