SSB - Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation & Preserve Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

YetAnotherReviewer: There has been no response from the CO. Without recent communication on future cache availability, we can't hold this area for you any longer and so we are archiving this cache. Please pick up any remaining cache bits as soon as possible.

Thanks for your understanding,

Thanks,
YetAnotherReviewer
Volunteer Geocaching.com Reviewer
Known Virginia Geocaching Guidelines

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Hidden : 2/26/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail
Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation and Preserve

During the first challenge along the Star-Spangled Banner GeoTrail, over 400 first edition SSB geocoins were awarded. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the Star-Spangled Banner GeoTour. We are currently out of geocoins but stay tuned for other opportunities along the Star-Spangled Banner GeoTour!



Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the dramatic chain of events, people and places that led to the birth of our National Anthem.

The story of the Star-Spangled Banner was shaped by the events of the Chesapeake Campaign during the War of 1812. From February 1813 until February 1815, the Chesapeake Bay was the center of a fierce struggle between the British and Americans. Places and landscapes still exist today that provide a touchstone to the past. The trail traces events and related sites that figured prominently in the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812 that have national significance, physical integrity, and the potential for contemporary recreation and interpretation.



Today, Hoffler Creek Wildlife Foundation and Preserve is a 142-acre sanctuary for native flora and fauna, providing food and cover for a diverse population, including deer, foxes, river otters, crabs, oysters, and over 200 species of birds. On June 22, 1813, however, Hoffler Creek played host to quite a different group, specifically a substantial landing party of British naval and marine forces. Also present were a number of Frenchmen, known as “chasseurs,” serving in Her Majesty’s military as an alternative to prison terms in Britain. Thousands of men, supported by 50 barges, came ashore that morning, seeking to attack the Gosport Navy Yard in Portsmouth and capture the frigate USS Constellation, one of the more substantial vessels in the small American Navy. The ship was trapped in Norfolk harbor, bottled in by a British blockade of Chesapeake Bay.

To reach their intended targets, the invaders needed to defeat American forces stationed at nearby Craney Island, a point of land about 2 miles east of Hoffler Creek, that guarded the approach to Norfolk. The island, home to significant defensive emplacements, including a fort and heavy cannon, was manned by close to 700 defenders, including militia, regulars and sailors from the USS Constellation. A flotilla of gunboats was also in place, blocking the channel leading to Norfolk, Portsmouth, the Gosport Navy Yard, and the anchored frigate.

Shortly after landing, the British forces were met with a barrage of heavy artillery fire, forcing them to retreat with heavy losses. On the eastern side of the island, the British launched another attack, led by the fifty-two-foot Centipede, a handsome craft with a three-pounder in its bow and dozens of barges. The strength of the American redoubts, along with difficult landing conditions, proved too great. The British retreated, their ships sunk and scattered.

The Battle of Craney Island was a victory for the Americans, saving Norfolk, Portsmouth, the Navy Yard and the USS Constellation from British capture. Hampton, though, would not be so lucky. On June 25, the invaders captured the less fortified city and brutally sacked it.

A historical marker erected by the state of Virginia right outside the entrance to the Preserve, reads, "On the morning of June 22, 1813, during the War of 1812, British naval and marine forces under the command of Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren landed here at Hoffler Creek. American armed militia under the command of Gen. Robert B. Taylor blocked the British advance, brought them under heavy artillery fire and caused them to retreat. Approximately 200 British soldiers were killed, four to five barges were sunk and the "Centipede" was taken along with 22 prisoners. Norfolk, Portsmouth and the Gosport Navy Yard, now the Norfolk Naval Yard, were saved from capture."

Visitors to Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve can experience four distinct habitats - a tidal creek and its expansive salt marsh, a riparian forest of pines and hardwoods, an open area of native wildflowers and grasses, and a 32-acre brackish lake. The Preserve offers interpretive trails, viewing platforms and blinds, and seasonal kayak rentals. Special programming for children and adults is offered throughout the year. For details on programs and events, visit the Hoffler Creek website at www.hofflercreek.org.


You are seeking a traditional hide. This hide will take you on a beautiful 0.5 mile walk through the nature preserve. The cache is just off of the Lake Ballard Trail.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Admission: Free Admission. Donations Appreciated.
Facilities and Restrictions:
Portable Toilet, Natural Hazards, Children must be supervised, and Pets are not allowed.
Cache placed with permission of the Hoffler Creek Foundation.




Thanks to Penguincacher for helping with this hide and the Maryland Geocaching Society for assisting with this project!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Purpx bhg gur ubyyl 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)


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