During the days of the Revolutionary War, the famed British military commander Lord Cornwallis was chasing the American General Nathanial Greene across North Carolina. In order to catch his elusive prey, Lord Cornwallis ordered that all expendable supplies be burned in an attempt to lighten their load and make their movements faster. Only salt, medicine, silver and gold, and ammunition survived.
When Cornwallis learned that General Greene was camped not far away across Abbott’s Creek. He made a daring move. He ordered that the barrels of gold and silver be rolled into the creek until they captured the American forces and squashed the revolution at which point they would return to collect the King’s treasure.
At least that was the plan. Cornwallis was captured eight months later and we all know how the war ended. What most people don’t know, is that the treasure is still there. But before you would be treasure hunters start for the creek, let me tell you of the guards of the King’s treasure.
Almost as soon as Cornwallis left the area tales of ghostly visits began to travel around the creeks residents. Most say the ghosts appear as orbs floating up and down the water and floating into the forest where the redcoats crossed that night.
The locals tell of headless ghosts appearing beside someone walking along the banks of the creek. In one story a man and his horse were walking near the area where the treasure was rolled into the water. Suddenly, something jumped on the animal behind the rider. Terrified, the man and his animal took off running. When they had left the area, the apparition vanished it’s job of keeping the treasure safe complete.
The ghosts guarding the gold and silver are not the only ones in the area. During the Revolutionary War before the treasure was resting at the bottom of the creek, an encounter took place near the existing bridge. A man on horseback came upon a man who would not move nor identify himself. Taking issue with this, the man on horseback swung a hammer and the man… and it passed right through him. The stranger then flashed a sinister grin and horrific stare before vanishing.
Of the countless ghost stories of Abbott’s Creek, a large part of them belong to the possum hunters in the area. well trained and experienced hounds have been stricken with so much fear that they refuse to leave the sight of their owners. One night, a hunter came across what he thought was a huge possum. Upon climbing the tree to shake the animal out, the hunter came face to face with something that was NOT a possum. No one knows what it was as the hunter will not speak about it to anyone.
So go after the treasure if you must, just know you’ll have to get by the guards of Lord Cornwallis and the other spirits of Abbotts Creek.
Happy Hunting!
