Skip to content

He Rode with Custer Multi-Cache

Hidden : 10/11/2006
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

This cache is located not too far from the grave of one William Trout, which you will need to locate in order to find the cache. The coordinates are for his headstone. The cache container is slightly smaller than a small ammo case. Please close all gates, even if found open. Old Bill’s grave is on the northeast edge of the cemetery. The cache is located away from the cemetery.

WARNING: County Road D, which runs east-west on the south side of the cemetery, is a minimum maintenance road. That means no gravel (very muddy following rains) and no plowing (it drfts shut in winter). It's easier and faster to avoid that road. Old Bill, as he was known, was a local bachelor farmer in the new state of Nebraska shortly after the Civil War. He was one of the founders of this rural church in 1878. It is a Methodist church, which explains the church’s ME inscription. In 2005 the church was re-roofed and minor repairs completed. Reportedly Bill never tired of telling stories of his adventures with General Custer during the Civil War. As a member of the Sixth Regiment (Colonel George Gray commanding) of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade (General George A. Custer commanding), he was one of “Custer’s Wolverines”. The regiment participated in battles in and around Gettysburg and saw action throughout the War under Custer. After relocating to Nebraska, Bill was active in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Chapter in Nebraska City. (An interesting side note, during the war, the Sixth Cavalry lost 75 men from battle wounds, but 247 from disease.) TO FIND THE CACHE: take the last two digits of the year of Bill’s death and subtract 15. Step off that many feet due north of Bill’s headstone. Then pace off a little more than ten feet due west. Watch out for the decrepit outhouse (careful, don’t fall in the hole) and the barbwire fence. The cemetery property extends approximately ten feet beyond the fence, so there is no problem if you really want to cross it. My family and their neighbors are buried on this peaceful hill. Please treat this sacred site respectfully.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qba’g trg fghzcrq haqre gung ovt gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)