Elrod's Tanyard Mystery Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The cache is NOT at the listed Coordinates. Please read below for clues for solving for the correct coordinates. All the information needed is located on this page.
Copied from "The Skirmish at Elrod's Tanyard"
by Judge David A. Rains
"On January 27, 1865, America had been at war with itself for almost four years.
Although DeKalb County, Alabama experienced no major military engagements during the Civil War, there were skirmishes in this county from time to time throughout the War, and on this date *one hundred thirty-five years ago, Union and Confederate forces engaged in hostile activity at Elrod's Tanyard on Sand Mountain.
Bridgeport, Alabama, in our neighboring Jackson County, had been occupied throughout much of the War by Union forces. From there, the Yankees were able to control much of the railroad and commerce throughout the region. From there, troops were often deployed to scout the countryside for enemy activity.
On January 26, 1865, Union Colonel Felix Prince Salm was deployed from Bridgeport to scout into Marshall and DeKalb Counties. He and his men moved downriver and ascended Sand Mountain in Marshall County. On their first day's march, the Union forces searched houses along the road and captured a "well known guerilla and bushwacker named Williams belonging to Butler's Company."
Colonel Salm and his soldiers resumed their march at daybreak the next morning, but it was not until 7:00pm that they came in sight of Confederate forces camped at Elrod's farm and tanyard near Town Creek, in DeKalb County. Salm and his men could see the Conferates moving about their fires unconscious of the Yankee presence.
The Union soldiers were directed to surround the Confederate troops, but in moving through the dark woods, the fight broke out before the camp could be encircled. Of the approximately forty Rebel soldiers camped at Elrod's Tanyard, one was killed, eight wounded, and three were captured.
Salm's troops included a detachment from the Eighteenth Regiment U.S. Colored under the charge of First Lieutenant Leander Martin. Lt. Martin is the only reported Union fatality.
The next morning Col. Salm and his men began their march back to the Tennessee River. They were followed by an estimated one hundred Confederate soldiers and "home guard". At about 5:00 pm, these enemy forces again engaged, but neither side suffered any fatalities. Salm reported that five Confederates were "disabled".
The Skirmish at Elrod's Tanyard is thought to be the last reported military engagement in DeKalb County during the Civil War. Two men lost their lives and several were wounded. They knew that only five months earlier the Union flag had been raised over Atlanta, and that the Confederacy could not long survive. These men of both armies made the ultimate sacrifice for the causes in which they believed.
Only two and one-half months after the Skirmish at Elrod's Tanyard, Lee surrendered at Appomattox and the War was over."
* 129 in original text
Substitute the answers to the following questions into the Coordinates below:
34 AB.CDB
86 ED.DAE
A. How many men lost their lives during the skirmish at Elrod's Tanyard?
B. How many Confederate soldiers were captured?
C. How many letters are in the name of the creek next to the tanyard?
D. How many Union soldiers were killed during the skirmish?
E. How many major military engagements occured in DeKalb County, Alabama during the Civil War?
You are looking for a camoflaged ammo container. Please take care and rehide carefully.
Shame, shame, shame on you if you fail to solve the puzzle and log the cache anyway.
Congratulations to David for FTF!
fyi - SCV Camp #1824 DeKalb Rifles is planning on erecting a monument at Elrod's Tanyard as soon as they raise enough money.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)