Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-07
Cave Life in vIcksburE.

The wife Of Confederate officer, who
was confined within the aHall Of fire.
/ which surrounded Vicksburg during the
memorable days Of last April and June,
has written an entertaining volume on the
scenes and incidents which there tran
spired. Like most Of her companions she
Wss compelled to seek shelter from the
deluge of iron hail in the caves so often
alluded to.
Caves were the fashion-the rsge-over
besieged Vicksburg. Negroes, who under
stood the business, hired themselves out to
dig them, at from $50 TO $50 dollars, 60
cordiDg to the size. Many persons, con-
sidering different localities unsafe, would
sell them to others who had been less for
tunate, or less pr0vident; so that great
wss the demand for cave Workmen, that a
new branch Of industry sprung up and
became popular-psrticularly as the per
sonsl safety Of the Workmen was secured,
snd money Withal
Her faithful servant George, who always
remained with her, came near being killed
at one time by the " Yankee shells :"
"0ne night could scarcely sleep, the
explosions were 80 loud and FREQUENT
Before we retired, George had been with
out the door / had risen about Il o'clock,
and stood looking out at the different
courses Of ligh5 marking the passage of
the shells, when noticed that George was
not in his usual place at the entrance.
On looking out l saw thst he was sleeping
soundly come little distance off, and many
fragments Of shells falling near him.
aroused him, telling him to come to the en-.
trance for safety. He had scarcely start
ed when huge piece Of shell came whiz-
zing along, which, fortunately George
lodged In time, and it fell in the very spot
where be had 30 lately slept"
On another occasion, a shell penetrated
the cave, to tho great horror of the occu-
pants:
1t Was about four o'clock, one Wednes-
day evening-the shelliDg during the day
had gone on about as ususI-I was read
ing in safety, imagined, when the m
Unstable Whirring of PARROT shells told us
that the battery we so much feared had
opened from the intrenohments. 1 ran to
the entrance to call the servants in; and
Immediately after they entered, she'll
stru5k the earth q few feet from the en-
trance, burying itself without exploding
1 ran to the little dressing. room, and could
hear them striking around us on sll sides
l crouched closely against the wall, for I
did not know ct what moment one might
strike within the cave. A man came in
very much frightened, and asked 10 remain
until the danger was ov,r. The servants
stood in the little niche by the bed, snd
the man took refuge in the small room
where / was stationed. He had been there
but short time, standing in front Of me,
and near the wall, when PARROT shell
came whirliDg in at the entrance, and fell
in the center Of the cave between us all,
lying there smaking. Our eyes were fast
ened upon it, while we expected every
moment the terrific explosion would ensue.
I pressed my child closer to my heart and
drew nearer to the wall. Our fate seemed
almost certain. The poor man who had
| sought refuge within was most exposed OF
sn. With sudden impulse, l seized q
large double blanket that lay near, snd
gave it to him for the purpose Of shielding
him from the fragments; and then we re
mained for moment, with our eyes fixed
in terror on the missile of death, Wher
George, the servant boy, rushed forward
seized the shell, and threw it into thu
street, running swiftly in the opposjtI
DIRECTION. Fortunately the fuse had be
come extiDguished, and the shell Harmless
l-remsining nesr The mouth Of the cave
as q trophy Of the fearlessness Of the ser
want, and our remarkable escape.