In the dying days of the Civil War, an assassination attempt is made on Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Faced with this ongoing threat, the decision is made to evacuate the Southern capital of Richmond, Virginia. Everything must be moved, including the Confederacy's substantial gold and silver reserves, which must be kept out of Union hands. Thus, a covert plan is devised to transfer it to a secret location. However, during the move, the treasure vanishes without a trace. One hundred and fifty years later, two historians, Des Cook and Madison Callum, stumble upon clues that could solve one of the war's greatest mysteries while leading them to the richest and most significant find in American history. But others are searching for it too and will do anything to obtain it. Now, Des and Madison find themselves entangled in a race that, if they fail to win, would not only result in their deaths but also change the very future of the country.