[Tallguy]

Given that it was “Gold Bars” I’m guessing that they were making a break for Canada via the Great Lakes. Where you gonna fence gold bars?

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Yes, I think that is a pretty good explanation. Looking on the map, that seems to be where they were heading. And at that time, England (under whose dominion Canada fell) would not have been sympathetic to the Union side.

You make another good point, in that showing up with a gold bar in the US would have been a death sentence for treason at the least.