I was born in Ohio on March 25, 1828. While I was still a child, my family moved to Iowa. In 1848 I married Jane Franks and we had 9 children between 1849 and 1865. I never saw my last child, a girl, as I was drafted in September of 1864 to serve in Lincoln’s army. They sent a group of us to Kentucky for training and then by rail to Vining’s Station, Georgia to join Gen. Sherman.
The Battle of Atlanta was over and the army was preparing to march to Savannah. With little rations and equipment I walked, along with 62,000 other Union soldiers, to Savannah. This army seemed destined for success. “We were ready for a meal or a fight, and don’t seem to care which it is”, said one soldier.
I fought at the battles of Griswoldsville, Ogeechee River, and the Siege of Savannah. In December our regiment entered the beautiful city of Savannah. I spent Christmas day with a group of friends from our small farming community in Iowa. We all wanted to go home.
In January our troops departed to invade South Carolina. They left me in Savannah with several others who had become sick and too weak to travel. We were placed in a field hospital that was, until Sherman arrived, a hotel. I was soon diagnosed with typhoid fever and died on February 24, 1865. My family was notified of my death, but they had no money after the war to have me sent home for burial. I was buried in the “Citizen’s Cemetery”, as it was called in the 1800s, next to three of my comrades.
When the Union Army came back to Georgia in 1867 to remove the bodies of all deceased Union soldiers buried in southeast Georgia to the National Cemetery at Beaufort, South Carolina, somehow we were missed. My grave was soon “lost in time.” In 1999, my descendants, who were still living in Iowa, for the purpose of locating my grave, contacted a researcher in Georgia. On December 26, 1999, he located me and notified my family. What a great Christmas present for all of us!
I invite you to also locate me!
PS: I asked the nice gentleman, who found me, to write, in my own words, this cache.
Part one: Travel to the cache coordinates. This is where I died. Sure looks different today, but the name is still the same as it was in 1865. Find the street number (address) and add 294. Use the answer to decode the coordinates for part two. Check out the inside before you leave.
N32 04._ _ _
W081 05.664
Part two: You found it! My general stayed in this nice place. I guess he deserved it. This home was declared a National Historic Landmark in the year_ _ _ _. Use the year, plus 4549 to find part three.
N32 03.860
W081 0_._ _ _
Part three: Silence is golden. These soldiers from the other side are buried near me. We have become great friends over the years. I really wish that the four of us could have been buried next to them, as we were all Americans. Yes, time did pass and the wounds of our nation healed. Next question: How many fingers does this lady have that are pointed up? Now add 7 to find the final cache.
N32 03._84
W081 06.591
Part four: Don’t feel sorry for me. In 1909 my wife joined me in heaven and we watched, from far away, our children and their children grow old.
Come back and visit my buddies and me again, as we all like visitors. Flowers would be nice!
 Available year-round  Restricted hours  Bicycles permitted on paths  Less than 500 ft. from car to cache
 Accessible in Winter
 Bring a pen or pencil  Historic Site |
|
|