The legend of the Cypress Creek Gold weaves a tale of war, betrayal, and a hidden treasure deep within the swamps of East Texas. This captivating story dates back to the tumultuous years following Texas’s independence, a period fraught with conflict between the newly formed Republic, a defiant Mexico, and the Native American tribes caught in the middle. The elusive Cypress Creek Gold represents not just a potential fortune, but a fascinating footnote in the complex history of the Lone Star State.
When Texas declared itself a republic in 1836, after a hard-fought and bloody revolution against Mexico, its independence remained stubbornly unrecognized by its former ruler. This state of limbo persisted for nine years, during which Mexico continually threatened invasion, refusing to acknowledge its defeat. It would take the United States’ annexation of Texas in 1845 and the subsequent Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 for Mexico to finally accept the loss of its northern territory. Throughout these volatile years, the Republic of Texas teetered on the brink, constantly under threat.
Mexican Strategy: Inciting Native American Allies
One of Mexico’s primary tactics to destabilize the young Republic of Texas was to incite Native American tribes to war against it. Mexico focused its efforts particularly on the Cherokee of East Texas. The Cherokee had begun migrating to Texas as early as 1807, and their numbers swelled dramatically following the United States’ Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forced many tribes westward.
The Mexican government, seeing the Cherokee presence as a strategic buffer against encroaching American settlers, welcomed them and initiated negotiations in the early 1820s to grant them permanent land. While Mexico ultimately made no formal land grants, their promises lingered, offering a glimmer of hope for stability that contrasted sharply with the land-hungry Anglo-Texan settlers who promised them nothing.
Cherokee Neutrality and Shifting Loyalties
As Anglo-Texans began protesting Mexican rule in 1832, leading to the Texas Revolution in 1835, the Cherokee initially declared themselves neutral. However, many within the tribe harbored strong loyalties to Mexican rule, partly due to the unfulfilled promises of land. Their position was complicated; they had not yet secured official title to their lands from Mexico, yet they viewed the incoming Texans with suspicion.
After Texas secured its victory over Mexico, Sam Houston, a figure known for his diplomatic relations with Native Americans, promised to establish a reservation for the Cherokee in East Texas. He initiated treaty negotiations in 1836. Despite the agreement significantly reducing their traditional landholdings, the Cherokee agreed, believing it would finally provide them with a permanent home. However, this crucial treaty, though signed, was never ratified by the Texas government, leaving the Cherokee’s land claims in a precarious state.
Escalating Tensions and Mexican Persuasion
In the interim, the Mexican government intensified its efforts to exploit the unresolved land issues and stir up revolt among the East Texas Cherokee. They specifically targeted militant factions within the tribe that remained pro-Mexican, promising both land and money in exchange for driving white settlers from the region. By 1838, several attacks on settlers in East Texas occurred, which were quickly attributed to a combined Cherokee-Mexican force, though specific details remain debated.
These incidents gravely complicated Texan-Cherokee relations and further jeopardized the unratified treaty. Sam Houston, attempting to preserve peace before his term ended, tried to establish a clear boundary line separating Cherokee territory. This action, however, only infuriated many Anglo-Texans, who coveted the land and increasingly viewed the Cherokee as allies of their Mexican enemies.
Lamar’s Removal Policy and the Cherokee War
Houston’s successor, Mirabeau B. Lamar, inaugurated in 1839, held a starkly different view. He swiftly announced a policy favoring the total removal of what he pejoratively called “Sam Houston’s pet Indians” and dispatched the Texas Army to forcefully expel the Cherokee. Cherokee Chief Duwali (also known as Bowles) bravely blocked the Texans’ advance, refusing to yield without a fight. Lamar delivered an ultimatum: his people would be moved beyond the Red River “peaceably if they would; forcibly if they must.” The Cherokee chose to resist, and the ensuing conflict became known as the Cherokee War.
On July 15 and 16, 1839, a force of several hundred Cherokee warriors led by Chief Duwali confronted Texas forces in the Battle of the Neches, near present-day Tyler, Texas. The battle was a tragic defeat for the Cherokee; more than 100 Indians, including prominent Chiefs Duwali and Bowles, were killed. Chief Bowles, an aged and respected leader, reportedly carried a sword gifted to him by Sam Houston into his final battle. The surviving Cherokee were then driven across the Red River into Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma.
The Retreat and the Hidden Cypress Creek Gold
As the Cherokee retreated, they were accompanied by their Mexican allies. These Mexicans carried a substantial amount of gold and silver coins, the promised payment for their efforts in driving out the white settlers. The heavy cache of treasure became a liability, hindering their escape and making them vulnerable. As the combined force passed through what is now Upshur County, many of the retreating Cherokee scattered into the dense swamps and underbrush along Little Cypress Creek, north of the present city of Gilmer.
Fearing for their lives and burdened by the heavy loot, the Mexicans made a crucial decision: they hid their cache deep within the banks and mud of Little Cypress Creek. According to legend, this is the origin of the famed Cypress Creek Gold. In no time, word of the hidden treasure spread, drawing dozens of prospectors and adventurers to the creek. One popular anecdote tells of two Irishmen who, during a particularly dry summer, discovered two enclosed vessels at different locations within the creek bed, though they were ultimately unable to unearth the precious silver or gold.
The Enduring Mystery of Cypress Creek Gold
Many still believe that the treasure of the Cypress Creek Gold continues to lie beneath the silty mud of Little Cypress Creek in Upshur County, waiting to be rediscovered. As for the Cherokee, the Battle of the Neches effectively ended significant Indian troubles in East Texas, as the vast majority of the tribe had been forced into Indian Territory. A few renegade groups continued to live as fugitives in Texas, occasionally engaging in skirmishes, but with little lasting success. Others found permanent refuge in Mexico.
When Sam Houston was re-elected for a second presidential term in 1841, he swiftly reinstated an Indian policy calculated to prevent future hostilities with immigrant tribes. His renewed peace initiatives resulted in the conclusion of treaties with the remaining Texas Cherokee in 1843 and 1844, bringing a measure of stability to the region. Yet, the story of the hidden treasure from that earlier, violent chapter of Texan history, the Cypress Creek Gold, continues to fascinate and draw treasure seekers to this day, a lasting echo of a turbulent past.
