There is nothing to find at the posted coordinates except a walk through history. This is the bonus cache for the Adventure Lab, "The Lower Raritan in the Revolution." Everything you need to have the log in your hands is at the cache location and no additional tools are needed. There is no need to remove the outer container from its location at GZ. Feel free to message me if you're having trouble.
If you were standing here on July 4, 1778, at 5:00 p.m. and facing New Brunswick, you would have been staring straight at thirteen cannons and 11,000 colonial soldiers shooting over the Raritan River in your direction. This was the first official celebration of American Indepdendence Day.
On July 3, General George Washington was engaging in the type of shrewd political manuevering for which he is famous. Washington was fervently claiming victory at the Battle of Monmouth the week before on June 28 and doing everything he could to ensure that was credited with the British retreat back to New York City. In reality, the battle was a strategically significant draw, and the British were retreating because the French had entered the war and they knew they could no longer occupy all of New Jersey while similtaneously defending New England from the French. In fact, the British were authorized to retreat all the way to Boston if necessary.
Washington was also dealing with his own internal problems. Several high-ranking military officials were questioning Washington's entire military strategy and undermining his authority. Most notably, General Charles Lee's court martial was set to begin hearing witnesses on July 4 in New Brunswick--a failure to convict Lee would have effectively been a vote of 'no confidence' in Washington's leadership. Incidentally, that court martial was overseen by Lord Stirling. Geocachers in the area may have heard of him.
With all of this as a backdrop, Washington issued the following orders on July 3:
Tomorrow, the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, will be celebrated by the firing thirteen Pieces of Cannon and a feu de joie of the whole line: The Army will be formed on the Brunswick side of the Rariton at five o’Clock in the afternoon on the ground pointed out by the Quarter Master General. The Soldiers are to adorn their Hats with Green-Boughs and to make the best appearance possible – The disposition will be given in the orders of tomorrow – Double allowance of rum will be served out.
Beginning at 3:00 p.m., the troops, who were from all thirteen colonies, were ordered to muster at what is now the confluence of Hoes Ln and River Rd. They were to march across the Bridge on Landing Lane. The line on the Raritan was two-men deep, and stretched for two miles. At 5:00 p.m., the thirteen cannons fired over the Raritan and the entire line fired their muskets in unison.
The commotion was so loud that the retreating British army heard it at Sandy Hook.
This cache is your opportunity to participate in the First Fourth of July celebration. Find your musket and shoot your shot to celebrate independence. Since you probably weren't a soldier on July 4, 1778, you'll be viewing from the opposite banks and firing your shot back in appreciation, rather than taking part directly with the troops.
There is a micro FTF coin for the First to Find, but there is not much else that will fit in this cache, so BYOP. No swag except what might fit in a musket ball, please.
New Jersey could do a much better job of promoting our history! If you, like me, had no idea of the historical significance of this area without doing some digging, feel free to read more here.