Calling all arm-chair treasure hunters

[The Drifter]

I'm trying to dig up more info on the "The Caches" which is near the suspected hiding place of the silver. In 1823 the Baird/Chambers party hid trade goods there for a reason beyond me. If Martinez was a veteran of the trail i'm sure he knew of that place and if he wanted to carry the silver there he could have.

aerial view of The Caches
Santa Fe Trail Site Aerial Photo of The Caches

[Detector]

I can't tell you much about inferred cameras. While I did take Mr. Lupton's camera class in Junior High I seem to have lost the knowledge, and my Brownie camera.

I just found it odd that no mention was made of the fort or its ruins. I have read stories of other travelers and they almost always reference either the fort or its ruins. Also, news of the forts abandonment would have taken time to get around, yet there was no mention of the train trying to make it to the fort.

It could well be the Martinez story we know today is not direct from the source but from later in history long after the fort was gone.

I have read of another wagon train, mastered by a Fugate, that was heading to Santa Fe in the summer of 1853 that seems to have come across the Martinez disaster. His story says that in this same area they came across a train of massacred Spaniards. All were killed with the exception of one who they gave a ride back to Santa Fe.

The Fugate train was attacked by the same Indians but his train was much better equipped to handle the attack. I believe they even had an artillery piece. They drove of the Indians and say they buried the Spaniards and piled the Indian carcases on the plains for the coyotes.

I've always thought that those remains found a long time ago when they were building the Dodge House, which turned out to be Indian, might have had something to do with the Martinez train. The area just south of there would have been big enough to circle 110 wagons.

[Zeb]

<<<<I've always thought that those remains found a long time ago when they were building the Dodge House>>>>


Tell us more..... about what year was that? and was there any articles on that find?

curious

[Detector]

I'm thinking it was in the 70's when they were excavating the bluff that used to be there. I remember construction was halted when 6-7 remains were found and sent to Topeka for identification. It was determined they were not recent but at least 100 years old and they were Indian.

I'm sure a search of the Globe archives should turn up the story.