Ntombi Battlefield Cache Multi-cache

This cache has been archived.

Fish Eagle: The cache appears to be gone, and it seems unlikely that it will be replaced soon, so I'm archiving it.

If the cache is replaced, then please contact me to re-enable this listing.

Regards,
Andy
Geocaching.com Cache Reviewer for Africa

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Hidden : 10/12/2008
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


This is the site of Ntombi Drift Battle, which took place on 12 March 1879. This battle, the most remote of the Anglo-Zulu War, is remarkable in that only the battles of Isandlwana and Hlobane cost more British and Colonial lives. The Ntombi River, a tributary of the Pongolo River, lay in an area south south-west from the town of Piet Retief. At that time, this territory was occupied by Zulus, a Swazi clan, German missionaries around Lüneburg, as well as Boer farmers. At the outset of the Anglo-Zulu War, Lt. Colonel Evelyn Wood's No. 4 Column and the No. 5 Column under Colonel Rowlands were in the Ntombi valley where the latter opposed robber clans led by Mbilini kaMswati, a renegade Swazi chief, and the Zulu induna Manyonyoba kaMaqondo. There was much fighting, burning of homesteads and stealing of cattle. On 7 March 1879, Captain D. Moriarty with his company, were sent on to the Ntombi River to meet a convoy of wagons and escort it across the river at Myer's Drift. They crossed the river on rafts and Moriarty and his men pitched camp among the wagons on the north bank of the river. On 12 March 1879, in the early morning, a thousand plus Zulus led by Mbilini attacked Moriarty's laager. Moriarty ran out of his tent and was stabbed to death. Some men from Moriarty's company on the north bank managed to escape the carnage, but 61 soldiers and a large number of camp attendants were killed during the battle.

This memorial was erected in honour of all those who lost their lives here.

The first clues can be found at the old church that is on the way to the Monument. This church was erected by German Missionaries. In the Greater Piet Retief area there are quite a couple of German churches which were all build according to a distinct architectural style which differs quite a bit from the typical old sandstone churches build by the Boers at around the same time. This church is still in use, so if you are attempting the cache on a Sunday, please show the necessary respect when you are looking for the clues. There is no need to enter the church to find the clue. You can park your car just outside the church yard at the coordinates below. The gate is usually close, but not locked. Please just close it again when you leave.
Coordinates for Parking area in front of church
S 27° 16.802
E030° 40.839
C and F = The year the church was build – 1C3F.

The other clues can be found at the Monument. The cache is not at the Monument as there are always lots of muggles around and I didn’t feel save hiding the cache here. For your own safety, please keep your eyes open when visiting the Monument.
Coordinates for the Monument
S 27° 16.393
E030° 40.804

B = The year the battle took place – 18B9
D = The day the battle took place HI March – where H+I=D
A = The day the monument was erected – A January 1911
E = The soldiers that fell were from the 8Eth Regiment
G = The year the monument was re-erected 198G

The final coordinates for the cache takes you to a location about 2km from the Monument. The roads leading to all the locations are dirt roads, but they are all accessible with a normal sedan and you can park quite close to all the locations.

The cache is actually a micro cache and doesn’t contain any tradables, but it is big enough to accommodate small Travel bugs and coins.

Final coordinates
S 27° AB.CDE
E030° FE.DAG

FTF honour goes to Friedrich Springhorn!!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Vs nyy ryfr snvyf va yvir, gel ybbxvat hc sbe n punatr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


Attributes

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