Indiana Spirit Quest #485: Geronimo! Multi-Cache

The Indiana Spirit Quest series of geocaches will take you to a number of historic cemeteries built by Hoosier Pioneers. In just two years, the quest has grown to over 500 caches hidden in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, and the hiders have grown to over twenty-five cacher teams, most of which are comprised of Dogs and their Humans. Over 1,000 cacher teams have logged over 16,000 finds!

(Lakeside Park photos by Che K)

Welcome to Lakeside Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and our first ISQ!

3-dog night and I are pleased to join the teams of dogs and their humans involved with the Indiana Spirit Quest series of caches. We were told that this is the 500th Spirit Quest published. A big thank-you to SixDog Team and all those who have made this series of caches possible.

This cache is not your traditional ISQ in that it will not take you to a cemetery. It will not even take you to a historical location. But it will teach you about a historical figure (not even a native Hoosier) who was a beloved son of Fort Wayne.

Major General Henry W. Lawton

Meet Major General Henry Ware Lawton. Until I was asked to do this ISQ, I had no idea who Henry Lawton was, though I had heard of Lawton Park. His statue has stood in a corner of Lakeside Park for eighty-five years.

Henry Ware Lawton was born on March 17th, 1843, in Ohio, coming to Fort Wayne in 1858 with his father following the death of his mother. At the age of 18 he joined the 9th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and his military service began. By the end of the Civil War he had attained his highest rank of Lieutenant Colonel. For his action and bravery during The Battle of Atlanta, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor – all of this by age 22!

After the war Lawton studied law at Harvard, but when the Army was reorganized, he rejoined in 1867 and served throughout the Indian Wars. In the spring of 1886, he was selected by General Nelson A. Miles to lead B Troop of the 4th Cavalry into Mexico in pursuit of the Apache Chief, Geronimo, whom he captured in September, along with a small band of his followers, after three months on his trail.

Lawton also served in the Spanish-American War and was sent to Cuba as a brigadier general, distinguishing himself and providing support for Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in their charge up San Juan Hill.

In March of 1899, at the close of the Spanish-American War, Lawton was sent to the Philippines where he commanded the 1st Division of the 8th Army Corps, capturing Santa Cruz and San Isidoro in his first three months. He was killed in action while overseeing The Battle of San Mateo (wearing a yellow rain slicker that made him an easy target for a sniper) on December 19, 1899. It is ironic, perhaps, that Lawton died at the hands of troops under the leadership of a Filipino General named Licerio Geronimo.

Lawton's body crossed the country by train. When it reached Fort Wayne it was carried on a gun carriage to the unfinished Allen County Courthouse where it was placed on pedestals, surrounded by an honor guard. His final resting place is at Arlington National Cemetery.

A very popular leader, Lawton has had at least three statues erected of his image. Beside the one in Lakeside Park, there are also statues in Indianapolis and Manila. Teddy Roosevelt spoke at the dedication of the one in Indianapolis.

The Fort Wayne statue was sculpted by master sculptor Frederick C. Hibbard, whose works stand at significant historical sites throughout the country.

Lakeside Park statue

History lesson over, it is time for the test!

The coordinates above will NOT take you to the cache. They will take you to Hibbard’s excellent likeness of General Lawton at Lakeside Park. Answer a few simple questions from information you will read on the plaque and you are on your way to the cache!

N 41° 05.ABC W 85° 07.DEF

1) The first digit in the number of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry Unit Lawton was with when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel during the Civil War = A

2) The last digit of the year the Spanish-American War began = B

3) The number of times General Lawton’s “full” middle name appears on the plaque = C

4) The number of children General Lawton had that are mentioned on the plaque = D

5) The number of different Wars and Insurrections mentioned on the plaque that General Lawton participated in = E

6) The number of letters in the word on the plaque that denotes General Lawton’s command position in the United States Army at the time of his death = F

The cache container is a cammo'd spice bottle. There is room for very small trade items. BYOP. You must sign the cache log to claim a find. Park hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. As always, please be respectful, and cache in, trash out. Please do NOT destroy any foliage in the area while looking for the container!

Say a prayer for our brave troops, fighting overseas. God Bless America!

"Indiana Spirit Quest" is brought to you by the following fellows of GEOISQ*: SixDogTeam (Earthdog Patrick, Lead Dog, Wheel Dog) , Kodiak Kid, *The Shadow*, Team Shydog, Rupert2, Torry, ~Mystery Dog~, Team Tigger International, bbsurveyors, DoverDuo, -{LoS}-Xile, Prairiepartners, WilliamsFamGC, Team Itchy & Scratchy, Bean Blossom Gang, Wishbone86, krisNjoe , bikinibottomfeeders, 501 Gang , Awsome Ev , Lord Elwood, Donsdi, Doobies, and Che K. If you are interested in spreading the Quest to your neck of the woods AND WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, email SixDogTeam.

*Grand Exalted Order of the Indiana Spirit Quest

** THIS IS A GENUINE INDIANA SPIRIT QUEST CACHE** place your secret message here, but it will print out .