A Hard Nut to Crack Mystery Cache
vesole: Time to put this one to rest Thanks to all that found it
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
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all stages easily accesable first 6 part of historic walking tour Part of Decatur Passport series
To obtain your Decatur Passport go to: (visit link)
down load your passport and stamp it at the appropriate caches. Return it to DCVB for a prize
This quest will take you to several points of interest of the battle of Decatur of 1864. All clues will be on signs by the coordinates. Enjoy the tour find the cache, sign the log and trade an item. The first six stages are part of a walking tour of the Old Decatur area. Take your time do the walk and enjoy the shops and history. The cache itself can be walked to but that would be a long walk you might want to drive
In 1864, Union General William T. Sherman launched a bold plan in an
attempt to deliver a fatal blow to the hard fighting Confederate States
of America. The now famous "march to the sea" had scorched through
Atlanta after three months of struggle and by October of that year was
poised for its final thrust deeper into Dixie.
Meanwhile, far behind the front lines, a little known battle was taking
place in a North Alabama city of Decatur that would play a pivotal role
in deciding the ultimate success of Sherman's campaign and the life of
the Confederacy.
On August 31, 1998 the City of Decatur unveiled 11 historic markers
along its new Civil War Walking Tour that traces the 1864 clash between
Union and Confederate forces at this key transportation point. The 13
block stroll is a free self-guided tour through the Old Historic
District. Similar to markers at national parks, the plaques on the
Decatur tour carry the reader through important events of the four day
battle and in the overall history of our community.
During the Civil War, Decatur was a strategic location for the South
because her the Memphis and Charleston railroad crossed the Tennessee
River. While Sherman's juggernaut was driving deep into Georgia in 1864
its lifeline ran back to Nashville, Tenn. , where a union depot
supplied all of the ammunition, food, reinforcements, and medical
supplies for his army.
Confederate General john bell Hood, known as a hard fighter because of
the devastating attacks he delivered, had held Sherman's troops out of
the gates of Atlanta for three months before being forced back in
September. Hood now felt like a strike at Sherman's supply lines would
force the federals to retreat.
In a bold plan, the gallant Southern commander believed a quick victory
at Nashville could reverse the course of the war for the Confederacy,.
But to get to the Union depot in Tennessee capital, Hood would have to
cross the Tennessee River. Decatur, Ala., would be the attempted point
of that crossing for north of the city was a railroad and the
relatively well-maintained national Road (now U.S. Hwy. 31) that would
provide speedy advance.
Large 36-by-24 inch markers tell of Decatur's involvement in this
campaign and how Confederate general Hood, wrapped in a fierce four day
battle involving mounted troops, gunboats and scores of infantrymen,
said Decatur was, "a hard nut to crack."
Eventually, Hood was forced to abandon his attempt to forge the shallow
waters at Decatur, and instead, moved 45 miles westward to cross the
river at Florence, Ala. However, because the river was overflowing at
Florence, Hood and his men had to wait three weeks for the water to
subside before crossing and marching toward Nashville.
The fateful delay allowed slow moving Union troops to occupy blocking
positions in the Franklin area south of Nashville and thus, stop hood's
attempts to destroy Sherman's supply base.
Start your quest at the Old State Bank:
34 36 844N, 86 59.022
Second stage 34 36 xxx N, 86 59 13x W
add 263 to the last three digits of the cost of the bank for the seconds of the north coordinate
the missing number for the seconds of the longitude is the missing number to make the sum of the seconds equal one less than the first digit of the cost of the bank
Third stage no plaque but there is one not far to the west can be seen from here. You do not want to meet the requirements to entry here quite yet. To get the coordinates of the third stop
34 xx xxxN, 86 59 123W
To compute the minutes north add 19 to the number of pieces of artillery in Decatur
to compute the seconds north add 4 tot he last 3 digits of the number of troops in Decatur
The fourth stop in your historic tour has a very interesting history and “bad dogs” in the back yard to keep you on your toes. No need to go in the yard
34 xx 883 N, 86 59 xxxW
To calculate the minutes multiply the first two digits of the year on the sign by 2
To calculate the seconds subtract 707 from the last three digits of the year on the sign
The fifth stop on your tour is similar to number four but is still in private hands
34 37 xxx N, 86 59 xxx W
add two to the number of words in quotes from Frank James for the seconds in the north latitude
add 50 to the sum of the digits of the “circa xxxx” for the seconds of the longitude
The final plaque in your quest is located at:
34 xx 814 N, 86 58 xxx W
to compute the minutes of latitude add 6 to the date in the month of June that yankee troops last occupied Decatur
To compute the minutes of the longitude multiply the sum of the digits of the year the yankee troops last occupied Decatur by 40 and add 12
On to the cache itself a smiley a log book and trade items. Parking nearby no need to go under the out building or tear up the shrubs. The ladies inside are aware of the cache, go in and say hi
34 xx 812 N, 86 58 xxx W
add 21 to the number of the charging brigade to obtain the minutes of latitude
add 470 to the number of enlisted men at right shoulder arms to obtain the seconds of longitude
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
nyy vasb ba fvtaf be cyndhrf qba'g arrq gb tb hc gur fgnvef gb trg gur pnpur
Treasures
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