Union Soldier Caves in T.A.G now number fifteen

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UNION SOLDIER CAVES IN T.A.G. NOW NUMBER FIFTEEN

Marion 0. Smith
During movements of contending Civil War armies a number of caves were visited by
soldiers, particularily those from the Union: side... As of early 1994 Federal soldier

On nt a
Wee, recorded in fourteen Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia caves.

names
All of these except one were in the theatre of operations pertaining to either the
Chickamauga-Chattanooga or Atlanta campaigns or near supply lines, usually railroads.
The most famous of these soldier caves are Nickajack and Lookout in Tennessee, which
boast more wartime inscriptions than anywhere in T.A.G. .Long Island po bepctew Alabama,
is probably the cave with the third most signatures, with many soldiers visiting it
September 5, 1863, along with the commander fe saa inion army, Major General William S.
Rosecrans and members of his staff. Other spelean sites visited during the Chickamauga-
Chattanooga campaign were Eureka Cave and Talley Ditch Cave, both in Crow Creek Valley,
Jackson County, Alabama, Pryor Cave Spring, Marion County, Tennessee, Hooker Cave, Dade
County, Georgia, and Fricks Cave, Walker County, Georgia. During the first third of
1864 additional caves were visited by soldiers stationed either near railroads or by

mendetailed to(specifically guard railroads. These include Sheldon Cave at Scottsboro,

Alabama, Horseskull Cave on Sand Mountain near Bridgeport, Alabama, and Signal Light

Pit, Marion County, Tennessee. In the same category is Crownover Saltpeter Cave, Frank-
lin County, Tennessee, visited by at least one soldier in 1865. Chapman Cave, near
Ringgold, Catoosa Couney. Georgia, was visited in 1864 only a few weeks before the open-
ing of the Atlanta campaign. Godwin Cave, near Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee, is

so far the only known Union soldier cave not associated with the troop movements of the
Chickamauga-Chattanooga—Atlanta campaigns or in the occupation of the country in the

aftermath of those efforts.

Certain other T.A.G. caves were visited by Union soldiers, but no wartime graffiti
has been recorded in them. Colonel Hans Heg of Wisconsin during the summer of 1863

raided a guerrilla stronghold in a now unknown cave in the mountains near Winchester,

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Tennessee. In August, 1863, February, 1864, and May, 1864, U. S. troops destroyed the

niter operations at Monteagle Saltpeter Cave, Marion County, Tennessee, Manitou Cave,
DeKalb County, Alabama, and Kingston Saltpeter Cave, Bartow County, Georgia. Surely,
some of the soldiers were curious enough to at least partially tour these caves.

Whiteside (MN48), a 6,227 foot long stream cave in eastern Marion County, Tennessee,
resurges within a few hundred feet of present-day Interstate Twenty-four. It is not far
east of the railroad bridgesve’ the interstate. During the Civil War a railroad bridge
existed at the same site and nearby the Federals built a fortified stockade to house/
protect the bridge guards. The cave was an obvious curiosity to all passersby, and a
likely site for soldiers to visit.

On April 17, 1994, the writer made a solo visit to Whiteside Cave to search for nine-
teenth century graffiti, particularily that of Civil War soldiers. "PC James," "J Guthri
May 4th 1852," and "WH Pratt” woe recorded before "paydirt" was found on the wall eight
Or ten Esc abave the stream and a prominent shelf, some 400 or 500 feet from the enieence
On that part of the wall was a cluster of Union soldier names, generally very difficult
to read or illesible: ."S W Smith (or Swan?) CoC (87) /6 16, Januy,' " WS. Sims 86 INd,"
| WN (7) WC?) 12 Co. K (7) 8S Oct £2. 1863, Wiley PF,” Johv.w Downs Co owe” We Poe?)
W Co E 29 PV WV (2) 10 1863," "Phil Mohan Comp D 13th Rig," Pad Go H 29th) ry and
"John W. Robinson 11 Vol Iowa Bat."

Deciphering the confusing array of pene and regiments was a task which proved to be
largely frustrating. The military designation "76" may have referred to the 76th Ohio
Infantry. The "29 PV" was probably the 29th Pennsylvania Volunteers (Infantry), original -
organized in Philadelphia, but there were eight Union military units around Chattanooga
with the number "13." Likewise, there were sixteen different New York regiments or
batteries in the area. Consequently, after a lapse of a year only three of the Whiteside
soldiers have been tentatively identified: William. S. Sims, John Wesley Downs, and John
Wesley Robinson. oS

Sims (cl834-March 22, 1888), A Rush County, Indiana, native, was a dry
goods and grocery clerk at Lebanon before his August 11, 1862, enlistment
in the 86th Indiana Infantry. He was elected captain of Company F and re-

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mained as such throughout his tenure of duty. At the battle of Chicka-
mauga he received "a flesh wound on right jaw’ and at the battle of
Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863, he captured the major of the 42nd
Alabama Infantry, CSA, and was "specially" mentioned in his colonel's
report. Near Atlanta, on August 13, 1864, he resigned his commission
"on account of sickness" (acute bronchitis) and ten days later was
mustered out at Chattanooga. Afterwards he resided at Dwight, Joliet,
and Pontiac, Illinois, and worked as a clerk, bookkeeper, and lumber
dealer... He married Salina A. Strone.before the war, October 29, 1657,
and was the father of several children. Compiled Service Records,
Record Group 94, National Archives; Pension Records, Record Group 15,
National Archives, Salina A. Sims; Official Records of the Rebellion,
70 vols. in 128 books Open Eos D.C. 16g0-18Gly, See, 1) Voli 31,
PEG oy Da Ga.

Downs (February 11, 1835-March 22, 1907), a farmer born in St. Lawrence
County, New York, is perhaps the man who signed the wall of Whiteside
Cave, From September, 1861, uncit July 17, 1805, he was a private in
Company F, 60th New York Infantry, and spent much of his enlistment de-
tailed as a teamster. After the war, January 11, 1866, he married Hortense
A. Carr, and sometime later they moved to-Coopersville, Ottawa County,
Michigan, where he continued making his livlihood as a farmer. Compiled
Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives; Pension Records,
Record Group 15, National Archives, Hortense A. Downs.

Robinson (b. cl1839), a farmer and native of Somersett County, Pennsylvania,
enlisted at Danville, Iowa, January 4, 1864, as a recruit in the lst
Independent Battery, Iowa Light Artillery. He joined the battery at Wood-
ville, Alabama, February 4, 1864, and was present for duty without inter-
ruption throughout his service period, taking part “in the battles of
Resaca, Dallas, Burnt Hickory, Kenesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, Atlanta,
Jonesborough, and Lovejoy Station," and was promoted to corporal March 1,
1865. Mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, the following July 5, he was des-
cribed as having gray eyes, black hair, dark complexion, and being only
five feet five inches tall. Compiled Service Records, Record Group 94,
National Archives.