An Unfortunate First Traditional Geocache
Barthonis: I have decided that since someone has decided to target my caches for whatever reason, that I will not be replacing the missing caches. So whoever is doing this, congratulations....you've won. I'll not keep supplying you with camo painted ammo-cans and tupperware. You'll have to find another supplier. [:(!]
For those of you that enjoyed my caches......thank you. And for those of you that were planning on stopping by them, I apologize for someone else's rude and childlike behaviour.
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A microcache located near a stone roadside memorial just west of Benson, Iowa along highway 57.
The stone memorial here marks the former homestead of James Brownell, who was the first soldier from Black Hawk County killed during the Civil War. Mr. Brownell enlisted in Company K, of the 3rd Iowa Infantry Regiment from Black Hawk County on May 21, 1861. He was killed at the Battle of Blue Mills (also known as the Battle of Blue Mills Ferry, and the Battle of Blue Mills Landing) on September 17, 1861. A little history of the battle in which he perished is as follows:
Union Lt. Colonel John Scott led a force of approximately 600 men total (which included a detachemnt of 500 men from the 3rd Iowa Infantry Regiment, about 70 men from the Missouri Homeguards, and a squad of artillery with one six-pound cannon) from Cameron, Missouri on the 15th of September towards Liberty, Missouri. On that same day, Confederate General D.R. Atchison left Lexington, Missouri and proceeded to Liberty where he met the Missouri State Guard. His forces now totalled approximately 4000 (which included 5 regiments of state militia infantry, 1 regiment of state militia cavalry, 1 battalion of state cavalry, a battalion of state militia artillery, and another battalion of infantry led by Colonel Patton). On the night of September 16-17, General Atchison's forces crossed the Missouri River to the south side and prepared an ambush for the Union troops reported to be in the area.
Lt. Col. Scott and his Union troops left there camp in Centerville, Missouri at 2:00am on the 17th. He arrived in Liberty, sent scouts out to find the enemy, and, about 11:00 am, skirmishing began. At noon, Scott marched in the direction of the firing, approached Blue Mills Landing and, at 3:00 am, struck the Confederate pickets. The Union force began to fall back, though, and the Rebels pursued for some distance. The fight lasted for an hour. It was somewhere during this fight/retreat that James Brownell was killed in action. After nightfall the battle ended and both sides consolidated. The total Union dead was 56 men, the Confederates lost 70 men, and the number of wounded for both sides was far more.
I have driven past this memorial many times, but never knew the history behind it until just recently. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
oruvaq gur znexre