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********Cache is NOT at the listed coordinates! Read before Traveling.******* This cache is dedicated to all members of armed forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. This multi-cache requires you to travel to City Parks and the oldest cemetery in Kirksville, MO. It is a 5-step cache, 2 steps are optional, at the 5th step is a quart sized container. Use the following key to solve the following puzzle A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9. Step 1: OPTIONAL - PC Mills Park. This park once held monuments to POW/MIA soldiers, but, sadly, they have been removed. There are NO findables at this location. It is a lovely park which I encourage you to visit. Step 2: OPTIONAL - Brashear Park. This park has at least one monument to POW/MIA soldiers. However, the monument is is disrepair being merely propped up on a tree trunk. For this reason, it is not a required step. I encourage you to explore the park to find the monument and remember those who served. Step 3: Park at N 40 12.248, W 092 34.443, enjoy the park and explore the memorial. Find the date the memorial was dedicated on panel 10 of the curved wall of the memorial. In the name of the month there is one vowel and one consonant that appear in the key above. Add the values of these 2 letters together and substitute the sum into the following step. Step 4: Park at N 40 11.XXX, W 092 35.421 and make your way to the markers at N 40 11.X06, W 092 35.310, a mass grave for Civil War soldiers killed in August of 1862. Go to the newest of the 3 markers. You will find 27 names on one side and 17 names on the other side. On the side with 17 names, one of the soldiers died a day later than the other 16 (August 8). Use the first letter of his first name for the N coordinate and the last letter of his first name for W coordinate in the following and final step. Step 5: N 40 11.70X, W 092 3X.39X is the site for the container and the end of this quest. Update 5-1-05: I recently finished reading "The Civil War - Strange & Fascinating Facts" by Burke Davis and on the next to last page I found a reference to the Soldier from Step 4. Here is the account minus his name, which you will have to find on the marker: A bit of Missouri folklore, some of it embalmed in the Official Records, deals with the gallant death of the Confederate Colonel, (insert name here), a cavalry leader engaged in the bitter guerrilla fighting in that state. After a skirmish at Edina, in August, 1862, (insert name here), who was ill, remained behind his troops, declining the offer of a body guard. Federals caught him hiding, in Confederate uniform, court-martialed him,sentenced him to death on a charge of bushwhacking. (insert name here), called for a brief respite to write his wife a final letter and was given fifteen minutes. The Colonel scratched out one sentence as he leaned against a wall, and pronounced himself ready for the execution. By tradition, he asked that he be allowed to give the firing squad the signal for his death, and dropped a handkerchief which brought on the fatal volley. He lived for a few minutes, and as Federals bent over him, (insert name here), said, "May God forgive you for this cold-blooded murder." ** Placed with permission from the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Kirksville. **
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Svany vf ng tebhaq yriry naq znl or pbirerq ol fgvpxf naq yrnirf. Ernpuvat va znl or erdhverq.