Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-01
CAVE LIFE IN yICKsBURG.
A Reminiscence of Our Late I'm
@ pleasantness."

A Reminiscence of Our Late Un'
Aa pleasantness."
The wife of Confederate officer who
was confined within the wall of fire y
which surrounded Vicksburg during the
memorable days of April and June, has
written an entertaining volume on the
scenes and incidents which there trans.
pired. Like most Of her companions,
she was compelled to seek shelter from
| the deluge Of iron hail in the caves so
often alluded to.
Caves were the fashion-the rage
over besieged Vicksburg, Negroes who
understood their business hired them
selves out to dig them at from thirty to
| 6fty dollars, according 10 the size. Many
persons considering different localities
unsafe, would sell them to others who
had been less fortunate or less provi-
dent; and so great was the demand for
cave workmen that new branch of in
dustry sprang up and became popular
particularly as the personal safety of
the workmen was secured, and money
withal.
Her faithful servant, George, who al
ways remained with her, was very near
being killed at one time by Yankee
she'll. She says: One night ! could
scarcely sleep, the explosions were so
loud and frequent Before we had re-
tired, George had been lying without the
door. / had arisen about twelve and
stood looking out at the different courses
of light marking the passage of the
shells, when / noticed that George was
not at his usual place at the entrance.
On looking out saw that he was sleep
ing soundly some little distance of, and
many fragments Of shells falling near
him. aroused him, telling him to come
to the entrance for safety. He had
scarcely started when huge piece Of
shell came whizzing along, which fortu
natsly George lodged in time, and it
fell in the very spot where he had so
lately slept,
On another occasion a shell pene
trated the cave to the great horror of
the occupants: 1T was about four
o'clock one Wednesday evening THAT
shelling throughout the day had gone
on about as usuaD. | was reading in
safety, | imagined, when the unmistak-
able whizzing Of Parrot shells told us
that the battery we had so much feared
had opened from the intrenchments. l
ran to the entrance to call the servants,
and Immediately after they entered a
she'll struck the earth few feet from
the entrance, burying itself without ex-
ploding. / ran TO the little dressing
room, and could hear them striking
around us on all sides crouched
closely against the wall for ! did not
know at what moment one might strike
within the cave. A man came IN very
much frightened, and asked to remain
till the danger was over. The servants
stood in the little niche BY the bed, and
the man took refuge in the small cell
where | was stationed. He had been
there but a short time, standing IN 'front.'
of me and near the wall, when
a Parrot shell came whirling in at
the entrance and fell in the center Of the
cave before us all, lying there smoking. |
Our eyes were fastened upon it, while |
we expected every moment the terrific
explosion would ensue. | pressed my
child closer TO my heart and drew nearer
to the Wasl. Our fate seemed almost
certain. The PeoT man who had sought |
refuge within was most exposed of all
With a sudden impulse seized 5 large |
double blanket that lay near and gave |
it to him for the purpose Of shielding |
him ffor the fragments; and thus We |
foF : moment with our eyes |
fixed in terror on tbe wissile of death,
when George, the servant bey, gushed |
forward, seized the she'll, and threw it |
into the street, running swiftly in the |
opposite direction. Fortunately the fuse |
had become nearly extinguished, aud /
the she'll fell harmiess-renaining near
the mouth Of the cave as 3 trophy Of
the fearlessuess Of the servant and our
remarkable escape.