Castle Gap a Hot Spot for Lost Treasures

At least 8 treasures have been lost in the vicinity ranging from Mexican treasure buried before a massacre, to Coronado’s cache, outlaw loot, lost Army wagon train gold, a treasure from the Butterfield stage robbery, and a Forty-Niner’s buried gold. Explore More

Santa Anna’s Treasure Chest & The Battle of Gonzalez

Two miles south of Gonzalez, Texas near J.B. Wells Park and the Guadalupe River, the city maintains the Santa Anna Mound, also known historically as the DeWitt Mound – a prominent knoll that has now eroded somewhat, rising above the low flat dry surrounding landscape. It is a fact that after the Mexican cavalry marched from San Antonio to Gonzales in 1835 just before the Texas Revolution began, they positioned their camp at or near this mound which provided an excellent vantage point to keep watch across the river for approaching enemies. According to a newspaper report, a direct descendant of Santa Anna from San Luis Potosi Mexico came to town in the late 1800s to search for treasure left behind. He said that the Mexican Troops under Lieutenant Francisco de Castaneda were transporting and guarding one or more chests of Santa Anna’s gold and silver treasure amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The paper says he believed it was deposited at the top of the mountain (but there are no true mountains – just mounds or knolls, so likely a misinterpretation), and he hired a large group of men to help excavate the area, but nothing was found. Other stories say it was buried “near or on top” of the mound, and also records of the Battle of Gonzalez noted that while the Mexican dragoons waited at the river and camped near DeWitt Mound, a small band of 18 defending settlers grew into a heavily reinforced militia of over 160 armed Texans who outnumbered Santa Anna’s men, who then retreated from camp hastily in the early morning hours toward Bexar trying to avoid the battle as ordered, but the advancing militia caught up with them a few miles west, resulting in the Battle of Gonzalez, so they might not have been looking in the right location if they only searched the upper mound area. They could have buried the treasure at the base or in the side of the mound, or anywhere in between Gonzalez and the battle location to the west while they were being hotly pursued. The Army was noted to be very short on cash after the battle, which supports abandoning the valuables. Also, the DeWitt Family Cemetery is located on the knoll as the land later fell into the possession of Mr. DeWitt, but he died impoverished, so there is no evidence of any sudden wealth or treasure ever being found.