New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06
IN 4 W4RTIME CAVE.
Uhere Women Deceit During Siege
of Vicksburg.

,-,.,,,n,,-r Miss March CspeciaD.-of the thou
sands Of acres Of national parks ana military rs
e-vations owned by the government the one mere
is the only one which has large cave. an under
.--ou,d home which was used by citizens as a
place Of refuge during the Civil War
There were others OF these caves in whlch
families ;.--ed during the siege. but they nave us
anneared with the growth Of the city, ana TINS one
in the Military Park is the only one remalnine'
or, now that It has fallen into the hands OF the
government II will unquestionaby be 1or ages
relic of the war. Surrounded as the cave Is uS
some Of the old intrenchments ana iorhhc'itAoi9'
Il is made doubly attractive 10 the VISITOR 'ne "
door cut into the stone and earth and neatly III
close5 with Uirevork screens. extending out ana
under dense masses of underground anu WINS si'-
ing Il an inviting appearance flieu ." IN.
side OF the door are number OF cannon ud'iS anu
shells which were picked UP and saved from the
thousands which fell from the guns OF the Union
Army during the two months siege in 1865 There
were many more of these. but they were earrieu
off bv visitors and in recent years James Lewis
who owned the land and the cave, rounu IL heces-
sorv 10 have a close watch kept over the cave ana
the relics The passageway to the cave Is fuHy
,bree feet wide and twelve feet long. and AFTER
getting into the main room. which Is ABOUT Twelve
by sixteen feet. one enter smaller one WHICH
was used as a store-al closet during the occupancy
Of the cave The floor and walls are smooth ana
the ceiling about nine feet from the floor but there
Is no ventilation save from the door entrance and
there Is no light.
1t is IN far better condition now than when used
as an emergency home for the safety OF women ana
children during the war and it is difficult to realize
that families spent week. and months within TINS
dark place. OF course. Il was necessary TO DO
most of the cooking outside of the cave. as there
was no outlet for the smoke. and the work OF the
culinary department was performed in a nttIe
shut-in cove Just to the east OF the cave one OF
the young women who found home In the cave
had her piano removed 10 IL. and II served not ony
10 give forth music. but dining table ana
bed. on this same piano. while In the cave i,,a
child was born and another died. and TINS WINE
The pafriot shot and shell fell and exploded
throughout the city and hundreds OF women ana
children sought shelter In this and other caves. 80,
AS John Allen says" said an old reb. II
was the most awfuest times Mississippi ever Wiz
messed This old cave could tell stories OF those
davs which would I'LL books While our boys were
ont there trying hold the Union forces down Tor
nearly six months our women folks ana chidren
uers here Jumping from one place 10 another try
ing to find a place of safety. We held the boys In
blue back as long as coIld. and We might have
been lighting yet II we'd had more grub and-sev-
ersl million more men To the victOrs belong the
spoils' and OF Grant and his men got every
thing worth having but left us this cave ana
number OF others, and now, by CAD, sab. the Union
got this last cavel But I'm glad It's In good hands.