You are looking for a small cache placed in the Winchester
Cemetery. The cemetery management has given permission for this
cache placement. Walking through and visiting the cemetery is
encouraged; please be respectful of other visitors and any service
that may be going on. Although the cemetery is open 24 hours a day,
every day, it is suggested that you search for this cache only
during daylight hours to avoid the suspicion of mischief.
Please replace the cache carefully just as you found it, put it
back in as far as you can reach. Cache is NOT on a
grave.
You will be visiting the gravesites of three American heroes,
one from the 18th century, one from the 19th century, and one from
the 20th century. Coordinates are given to help you locate each
grave, but you have to do the math to get the coordinates to the
cache location. The cache coordinates are N37 59.ABC W84 11.DEF.
Your first stop is the grave of Captain John Strode, N37
59.930 W84 11.285. A Revolutionary War veteran, John Strode
came to Kentucky in 1776 and inventoried the land for a possible
settlement. In 1779, Strode and a band of men from Boonesborough
built thirty cabins and a stockade making it the largest and most
important fortified settlement in Clark County. The settlement,
later called Strode’s Station, provided protection from both
the British and Indians, was the site of a Revolutionary War
scuffle, reared the first white child in Clark County, and
established Clark County’s first school. What are believed to
be the remains of Captain John Strode and his wife were unearthed
during the construction of the Winchester bypass in 1965, and
reinterred here.
AB = Year of Strode’s death
– Year of Strode’s birth + 14
The second stop is the resting place of General John Stuart
Williams, N37 59.882 W84 11.361. The General was often
referred to as “General Cerro Gordo Williams”, because
of his heroism during the Mexican War. A graduate from Oxford
University, Williams began his law practice in Paris, Kentucky and
later became a brigadier-general for the Confederate army during
the Civil War. Perhaps General Williams is most famously noted for
his brave ascent up Cerro Gordo, Mexico while leading the
Independent Company of Kentucky. While other companies were in
heavy retreat, Williams led his company to victory in what has
become known as “one of the most notable instances of
personal valor and prowess in the history of American
Wars”.
C = Number of the month of Williams’
death (e.g. January=1)
F = (Year of Williams’ death
– Year of Williams’ birth) ÷ 20
Your third stop is at the grave of Harold G. Epperson, N37
59.912 W84 11.328. While serving with the First Battalion,
Sixth Marines, Second Marine Division, against brutal enemy
Japanese forces, Private First Class Epperson went above and beyond
the call of duty by sacrificing his own life to save the lives of
his comrades. On June 25, 1944, while maintaining defense from a
steady stream of Japanese gunfire, a Japanese soldier assumed to be
dead sprang forward and launched a grenade into the emplacement.
Determined to save his comrades, Private Harold G. Epperson
selflessly threw himself over the grenade and absorbed the fatal
explosion with his body. By unhesitatingly giving his life for his
own country and fellow man, Private Epperson’s heroic actions
reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval
Service. Private First Class Harold G. Epperson was posthumously
awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman.
DE = Last two digits of
Epperson’s birth year + 10
CHECKSUM = A+B+C+D+E+F =
26
