The Lost Treasure of the Confederates Multi-cache
The Lost Treasure of the Confederates
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(large)
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The Lost Treasure of the Confederates!
In April 1865, Richmond had fallen to the Union’s brutal onslaught and was burning. Confederate General Lee’s proud Army of Northern Virginia succumbed to Union General Grant’s dogged pursuit and surrendered at Appomattox Court House. During the previous winter, Union Gen. Sherman’s forces had laid waste to a wide swath across the South – Atlanta, Columbia, and many other cities lay in ashes. New Orleans and Vicksburg had already been occupied by Northern forces, exposing the mighty Mississippi River to the Union’s strangling blockade. The Confederacy was collapsing.
The president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, and his cabinet left Richmond by train at midnight 2 April 1865 and headed south with the entire Confederate treasury riding with them. Their destination – Charlotte, North Carolina. They established headquarters at the Confederate Mint, considered to be the safest and strongest structure, but the Union army remained in hot pursuit. Davis held his last cabinet meeting, packed up his family, the Confederate treasury, and official papers, and continued south.
Somewhere south of Charlotte, Union forces eventually overtook Jefferson Davis and seized the Confederate treasure, but a sizable portion of the fortune was gone. Renegade soldiers from Davis’ entourage, perhaps with the blessing of Davis, had taken the gold and hidden it before they were captured. These determined soldiers knew that the South would eventually establish the industrial strength to rival the North and wanted the proper financing to be available for renewed ‘freedom fighting’. The location of this treasure and its mission has been passed down through the generations in this close-knit group. For them, the fires still burn; the flag still waves.
During one of our caching explorations, we stumbled onto an elaborate array of hidden passageways and intricate clues that lead to the location of the lost treasure. We pursued these clues, but collapsed several times from exhaustion and were unable to retrieve the treasure. We need help. If you choose to undertake this important mission, we must start you at the very beginning of the clue chain, since the clues appear to be sequentially located. We have discovered that the sons of these renegade soldiers are anxiously trying to locate this cache, since they feel that the time is right to resume secessionist activities. Please help us to capture this treasure and halt these activities that could lead to a terrible national conflict.
Do YOU have what it takes??? If you think you do, read on and beware - the journey will not be easy!
(Please note that the creators of this cache are in no way attempting to glamorize or condone the actions of the confederate army. This cache is simply attempting to incorporate historically accurate information into an experience where geocachers are able to 'stop' the confederacy. Be aware that this cache includes confederate imagery and flags, which are not intended to cause offense.)
*** You can prepare further by reading this background information ***
Article 1 and Article 2
The lost treasure is estimated to be worth ~$3,250,000 - in Gold!!!
THE TREASURE HUNT: This is a multi-stage Geocache hunt… you begin at the above listed co-ordinates. This will challenge you on every level. You will be looking for 'clues' that you need to collect and follow to get you to the next stage. This cache is listed as a 5/5 - but really it's off the charts for each! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Essentials
1) Bring at least one other person!!
2) Flashlight and extra batteries - Hands free are best
3) Pen & Paper
4) Compass
5) GPSr - do we have to even mention this???
Strongly Encouraged
1) Knee Pads
2) Waders
3) Camera
4) Gloves - good strong work ones
5) First Aid Kit
6) Good Map of Charlotte - specially for outa towners
7) Good warm clothes - that can get wet and dirty or even torn.
Optional
1) Snacks
2) Helmet
3) Machete
Do go on this treasure hunt if you are comfortable with uncertainty and you thrive for the challenge and don’t mind QUITE A BIT of discomfort.
If you intend to trade swag, please bring only theme appropriate items of $5+ value.
1) DO NOT GO ALONE! Also: PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS CACHE IN GROUPS OF MORE THAN 4 PEOPLE! DOING SO WILL ATTRACT MORE ATTENTION THAN YOU WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH!
2) DON'T GO IF... you are afraid or unsure of: heights; confined spaces; darkness; various wildlife - such as spiders, snakes, raccoons, beavers, rodents, birds, bats, and bees; or getting dirty, wet, cold, scratched/bit by briers/wildlife, bruised, tired, hungry and/or possibly lost.
(One or more of the above elements WILL happen to you on this hunt.)
3) DO NOT attempt this hunt during and shortly after periods of heavy rain or during thunderstorms.
4) DO NOT take young children - 12 and up should be fine - but you make the call.
5) IF YOU TAKE PICS, PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE... DO NOT POST "SPOILER PICTURES"!!!. We will be forced to delete your log immediately if you do! (DEFINITION-- "SPOILER PICTURES"-- Any pictures of clues, puzzles, entrances to major stages, etc... that reveal locations or difficulty levels... Also NO pics of final cache location unless picture is doctored... ANY questions, PLEASE email BigBendAddict or Madkiwiman... THANKS!) PLEASE GIVE EVERYONE ELSE A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE "WOW" FACTOR!!! WE WANT THIS TO BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO ALL HUNTERS!!! THANK YOU!!
STAGE 1 - ESCAPE FROM THE MINT!
Head to the listed co-ordinates above and start the adventure of a life time. Please be cautious about muggles and be discrete - Watch out for wild vegetation that itches. Please place everything back as found.
DISCLAIMER: You are attempting this Geocache hunt of your own free will; you have not been coerced in any way by "BigBendAddict" or "Madkiwiman" or anyone at Geocaching.com. If you are placed in any danger, sickness, compromising situation or are injured due to the actions of yourself, other people, wild or domestic animals or the natural and manmade environment around you, you must take care of yourself and your problems—we are not at fault...Remember, it was YOUR CHOICE to go on this hunt and it is YOUR CHOICE to participate in the sport of Geocaching.
A big thanks goes to IndianaLee & CrotalusRex & ShortRound who created one of the best multi-caches we have ever done - Tube Torcher II (GCWA47) and which inspired this cache a little closer to home!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Or Bofreinag bs jung lbh svaq naq gur beqre lbh svaq gurz... Lbh jvyy arrq nyy gur jvgf naq oenja lbh unir.
Gur pnaabaf ner ybnqrq jvgu qbhoyr pnavfgre fubg. Qb abg cebprrq cnfg gurz bs lbhe havg jvyy or evccrq gb fuerqf!