The Treasure of Glynn County

This story happened when I was back at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. The year....1992.
The place.....the deep old back woods of rural Glynn County.
The mission.....to find civil war relics.

Here's what happened. I had brought my Whites 6000DI metal detector with me to the traing course for the purpose of looking for old civil war relics. Since we usually did not have training on weekends.....I would jump in my truck and head out to parts unknown to do my searching. One day, while at a samll general store about 10 miles away......I asked one of the older local resident's if they knew where there could be any good places to look for old war relics. Not expecting much help because of my "yankee" accent....I was surprised when this person told me where to go.

I was directed about 5 miles up a little used country road....where I had to look for old growth oak trees. I did as directed and then I saw it. Hardly visible.....but there it was. A small path leading off the road and deep into the oak forest. I parked my truck, grabbed my gear and headed on that narrow pathway. Besides my metal detector, I had several small digging tools.

About a mile into the woods, I started to see remains and foundations long since used. The old trees were huge and grotesquely shaped.....with long strands of spanish moss draped over their limbs. I checked around the old ruins and recovered several bottles, metal objects and a button. It was then that I noticed it.....maybe 50 yards away. It was a very old and weathered oak tree. I saw that it had been burned long ago in some fire....but was still clinging to life. I approached it with trepidation.....as the noises about me seemed to harken some long lost spirits of times past. I looked on the other side of the tree and at the base.....was an opening in the trunk. It looked as if it had been hollowed out for decades....if not longer. The opening was maybe 5 inches wide at base. Inside I could see that there was a circular space maybe 3 feet across.

I then took the head of my metal detector and worked it through the small opening. Sure enough....I received a good strong signal. The taget area was about 2 feet by 2 feet. Each time I passed the coil over that spot....it souded off loud and clear. Something was definately buried in there. I could not get my shovel in there to dig it up.....whatever it was. But as I struggled to get in there....thoughts were racing about my head. Was it money, guns, ill gotten booty.....or maybe confederate gold!

I worked at the trunk of that tree for several hours.....using my small shovel to try and chip the bark away. Unfortunately....this was an old hardwood tree and the bark would not yield. I struggled and worked.....but still to no avail. The dirt inside the tree trunk was extremely hard and compacted....and was virtually impossible to move with what scant tools I had. I was going crazy to find out what it was. But it started to get late and I heard twigs snapping off in the distance. My clue to get going while I could....as that tune from "Deliverence" played in my mind. By the time I got back to the truck....it was almost dark. Just in time....because I didn't have a flashlight and probably would have gotten lost. And those dueling banjos played even louder in my mind.

I went back once more before the training had ended....but could not find the same tree with it's hidden secrets. To this day....I often wonder what was buried in the middle of that old oak tree. I can just imagine the treasure it held.....so close to being mine....but still unattainable. I am sure it is still out in the middle of those old Georgia woods.....keeping its secrets safe from prying eyes like mine. What I wouldn't have given for a good chain saw back then.