From the Richmond Dispatch, 7/25/1864, p.1, c 5

Destruction of a Railroad Car by Fire, with a Large Amount of Treasure on Board. – About half-past twelve o’clock on Saturday, after the train on the Danville Railroad coming to this city had gotten a quarter of a mile this side of Clover Station, distant about ninety-two miles from this place, the local express car was discovered to be on fire. Immediately the train was stopped, and every effort was made to extinguish the flames, but they had gained too much headway, and in a short time the car was destroyed. Inside were several boxes of gold, bank notes and papers, which had been removed from the banks at Staunton for safe-keeping, previous to the occupation of that place by Hunter’s forces, besides some bacon and two barrels of apple brandy, shipped on account of the express company, and twenty trunks belonging to passengers on the train. With the exception of the gold, everything else was destroyed, and so intense was the heat from the fire that some of the treasure melted and ran down on the track. After the flames had subsided, two flour barrels full of bullion and coin were gathered up and brought to this city.

The origin of the fire is not definitely known, though it is supposed to have proceeded from the sparks from the engine falling through the cracks in the top of the car among the bacon and dry boxed in which the gold was packed.

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