NEW BOOK: FINDING THE FORT

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 10, 2026, Article 2

A new book with some interesting numismatic content discusses the rediscovery of an important 1850s U.S. Army post in present-day St. Lucie County, Florida. The numismatic connection is a payroll consisting of some 3,500 gold coins that was lost in 1857 when a boat capsized near the mouth of the old Indian River. The hoard sat underwater and undisturbed for over a hundred years until discovered in 1963.

Part four of the book, written by Ben Costello, discusses the history of the lost payroll and its finding and disposition. A portion of the hoard was sold into the numismatic market in the 1970s by World-Wide Coin Investments, Inc. Another portion of the hoard was kept by the State of Florida and these are enumerated and pictured in the book's Appendix 1. This represents the first time that these coins were made available for public presentation. Ben passed along this announcement. -Editor

Finding the Fort is a comprehensive investigative study into one of Florida’s most elusive and poorly documented frontier military installations. Drawing from historical records, oral histories, archaeological evidence, and material culture, this volume seeks to reconstruct the story, location, and significance of Fort Capron with a level of rigor not previously applied.

First, it documents the surviving body of evidence associated with Fort Capron. Unlike nearby Fort Pierce, Fort Capron has left behind a sparse historical footprint. This section assembles and evaluates written accounts, personal recollections, interviews, and known artifact assemblages in order to preserve and contextualize the remaining traces of the fort’s existence.

Second, the study evaluates potential structural remains linked to Fort Capron. Using compiled documentation and physical evidence, the book examines previously unrecognized or undocumented features that may represent fort-related structures, assessing their plausibility and historical relevance.

Third, the volume proposes a more precise location and scale of Fort Capron. By synthesizing all collected data—historical references, landscape analysis, and archaeological indicators—the book presents a reasoned interpretation of where the fort stood and the extent of its footprint.

Finally, the book provides the most detailed treatment to date of the lost Fort Capron payroll. This section examines the historical incident surrounding the missing funds intended for the fort and includes a comprehensive illustrated catalog of coins from the event that are now preserved within the Florida Collection.

Together, these sections establish Finding the Fort as both a historical record and a reference work—preserving evidence, advancing interpretation, and contributing meaningfully to the understanding of Florida’s frontier military history.

About the Authors
Sal Guttuso is currently the Operations Director of 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC, and an avocational historian. He recently authored and compiled two books on the 1715 Fleet that have since sold out. Ben Costello is the president of the nonprofit 1715 Fleet Society and Terry Howard is an established author and longtime resident of the community where the Fort once sat.

The books are offered on a sliding price scale from $75 to $400 plus $10 postage, with low numbered copies at the highest prices. To order a low numbered copy, contact Sal at sal@historyhunts.com . -Editor

For more information, or to order online, see:
Finding the Fort - Limited Hardcover First Edition (https://1715treasurefleet.myshopify.com/products/finding-the-fort-limited-hardcover-first-edition?variant=44788628390095)