In December of 1862, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest crossed the Tennessee River in Clifton, TN and led his first raid into West Tennessee. His forces fought engagements in Lexington, Jackson, Humboldt, Trenton; raided Union stores in Union City, Dresden and McKenzie and fought a battle at Parker's Crossroads.
According to Dr. Lonnie Maness' book "The Untutored Genius", Forrest's cavalry destroyed Union stores in Dresden, looked for Sen. Etheridge (a state politican who remained loyal to the Union) and destroyed the railroad bridge in Dresden.
The raid deep into Union occupied territory caused Union General U.S. Grant to rely on the Mississippi River for supply instead of the railroads as his forces moved futher south towards Vicksburg, MS.
What remains today of the raid are stumps of the bridge with axe marks from the Confederate cavalrymen. The soldiers obtained axes from the community of Dresden. In the 1970's, my father was working on the farm and found the head of an axe on the old Dresden-Gleason roadbed that ran parallel with the railroad. It is likely the axe was dropped by Confederate soldiers during the raid.
The cache is located on land owned by the Industrial Board and the City of Dresden. Permission is granted for the cache by the Chairman of the Industrial Board. The area has also been timber harvested and will be difficult to navigate.
One will be seeking a .30 caliber ammo can. The container is secured to its resting place, please replace as found. Park at the coordinates provided. It is best to approach the parking coordinates from the north (Dresden) and pull over to the right (west of Evergreen Extended). DO NOT park on the east side, that is private property.
Also, coordinates are provided for the entrance of the tunnel that runs under the railroad bed. One can walk through the tunnel, but be warned that it is a route for running water.