Morristown National Park @ Jockey Hollow Mystery Cache

This field puzzle cache is located near the entrance to the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center, Morristown National Historical Park. There are two plaques to locate, first one is as you approach the entrance, the other is at the entrance on the same pathway.

This Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental army’s winter encampment of December 1779 to June 1780, where they survived through what would be the coldest winter on record. The park also maintains a museum & library collection related to the encampments & George Washington, as well as items relating to pre- and post-Revolutionary America.

Please note that the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center operates on a seasonal schedule. Please visit the park's website for the most up to date information

The park grounds are open year-round, with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, December 25 and New Year's Day. The grounds open at 8am and close at different times through out the year. Park buildings are generally open 10am - 4pm Wednesday through Sunday, with expanded days and hours during the summer. NOTE: Visitor Center is closed Monday Closed and Tuesday and this cache is not available.

Jockey Hollow, also known as the Wick House was the traditional Wick family estate in New Jersey. Throughout the Revolutionary war it was used by the Continental Army as its main winter encampment, and it housed the entire Continental Army during the Winter at Jockey Hollow, the harshest winter of the War, from December 1779 to June 1780.

During the Revolutionary war, Henry Wick owned Jockey Hollow, which by then consisted of 1400 acres of timber and open field. He was also the Captain of the Morris County Cavalry, whose duty it was to protect Governor Livingston, the Privy Council, and the New Jersey government. For this reason, the Wick family was considered the ideal family to house the Army. The Wick estate was considered the ideal location, because the elevation of Jockey Hollow was several hundred feet above the British to the east. The mountainous range also allowed soldiers to detect British movement. During the winter of 1779-1780, nearly 600 acres of timber on Jockey Hollow were cut down by the soldiers to be used for the construction of huts and as firewood.

Strategically, the Wick family were considered by the officers of the Continental Army to be one of the most reliable and patriotic families in America, so the Army never had any trouble quartering there, nor did the Wick family ever require compensation for the use of their land, which was especially important to Congress. The Continental Army had wintered there in 1776-77 following George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River and the subsequent American victories at Trenton and Princeton.

One fourth of the Army died from smallpox or dysentery. During that Winter, the Wicks hosted Captain Joseph Bloomfield.Jockey Hollow had hosted prominent officers before the winter of 1779-1780. Alexander Hamilton was likely quartered at the Wick House at least once during the War. The Wicks would use one side of the house, and gave the other to the officers who were quartered with them, and the Wicks would share the kitchen and dining room with the officers.

During the Winter of 1779-1780, the Wicks housed General Arthur St. Clair, who was then commander of the Pennsylvania Line, and several of his aides.

On October 17, 1779, the entire Continental Army, consisting of 13,000 men, encamped for the winter at Jockey Hollow. Soldiers camped at this location until June 1780, during which time they endured some of the harshest conditions of the war. Another reason why the location was chosen was because the surrounding area held citizens, like the Wick family, who were the strongest patriots in the region and the most sympathetic to the rebel cause.

The Winter at Jockey Hollow was the worst winter of the war, even worse than the Winter at Valley Forge two years before. Twelve men often shared one of over one thousand simple huts built in Jockey Hollow to house the Army. Desertions were frequent. The entire Pennsylvania Line successfully mutinied, and later 200 New Jersey soldiers attempted to emulate them. Several of the ringleaders of the latter were hanged.

"Locate the picture A of "George Washington" for the following questions:

A = "What is the 7th word of the first paragraph on the plaque?"

Army = (5) Snow = (8) Inclement = (7) Suffering = (6)

B = "What is the 7th word of the second paragraph on the plaque?"

Winter = (60) Snow = (59) Camped = (63) Shelter = (71)

"Locate the Jockey Hollow picture B of the "Winter Soldier" plaque for the following questions:

C = In the first paragraph, how many times does the word "army" appear?

1 = (4) 2 = (5) 3 = (6)

D = "The New Jersey Brigade Troops arrived when?

First = (81) Second = (79) Last = (86)

This geocache is approved by Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown NJ. Meeting historic and educational guidelines providing information about the American Revolution.

These educational "Jockey Hollow's Morristown National Park geocaches" are in conjunction with the upcoming "New Jersey American Revolution Geo~Trail" which will be located throughout New Jersey. The Geo trail geocaches are hidden at historic locations which have a connection to important New Jersey's American Revolutionary War history.

The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC is about promoting a quality caching experience in Northern New Jersey. For information on The Northern New Jersey Cachers group you can visit: www.nnjc.org.