Fort Vinton was a short-lived United States Army outpost established during the Second Seminole War in what is now Indian River County, Florida. Originally designated Post No. 2, it was constructed approximately 18 miles northwest of Fort Capron near the Indian River Inlet, to support military operations against Seminole forces and secure supply lines. The post was abandoned, but reactivated and renamed Fort Vinton to honor Major John Rogers Vinton of the 4th Artillery, who was killed by a cannon shot during the Siege of Veracruz in the Mexican-American War. It consisted of basic fortifications including blockhouses and stockades but saw limited combat involvement before its final abandonment amid reduced hostilities. The site's precise location, (approximately 2 miles south, in what is now farm land) is marked today by this state historical marker on Florida State Road 60 near Vero Beach, and underscores its role in the broader network of temporary frontier defenses erected to facilitate U.S. expansion into Seminole territory, although archaeological evidence of the structures remains scant due to environmental factors and post-abandonment land use.
At the posted coordinates is the State Historical Marker. The information needed to obtain the coordinates for the geocache container is on the marker.
You are solving for N 27° AB.CDE W 080° FG.HIJ
A = The 3rd digit of the year the 2nd Seminole War began.
B = The 2nd digit of the year the 2nd Seminole War began.
C = "The 18C8-39 campaign of that war was planned..."
D = The 3rd digit of the year the marker was placed (bottom right corner).
E = The numerical month the outpost was abandoned a second time.
F = "The 1838-F9 campaign of that war was planned..."
G = The 3rd digit of the year the fort was abandoned a second time.
H = The 4th digit of the year the fort was abandoned a second time.
I = The 2nd digit of the year the marker was placed (bottom right corner).
J = The 2nd digit of the year the fort was abandoned the first time.
check sum N = 26 W = 25