Saltpeter Mining at Burger Cave

SALTPETER MINING AT BURGER CAVE by R.L. Armstrong,
D.A. Hubbard and M.O. Smith . | :

William C. Burger (1826-1910) was a native Virginia farmer who lived in Bath
County just west of Black Oak Run near Stuart Run. He was married and the
beginning of the War Between the States had seven children. On April 9, 1892, he

joined Company K, 52nd Virginia Infantry, CSA. and was elected first lieutenant. -

At the battle of Port Republic, his captain was mortally wounded and on June 11.
1862, he was promoted to fill the vacancy. Not desiring to remain in service,
Burger. who was above the conscript age of 35 and had a “want of military
knowledge”. penned the following letter on July 22nd to the Confederate Adjuntant
and Inspector: General:

“Sir There is upon my lands in Bath County a Nitre Cave about to be
worked & for which some hands have been detailed & if Consistent with the public
Interest | would very much like to be employed in this work[.] my health for some
time past has been very bad so that |! find myself very much reduced both in
Strength & flesh[.] 1 therefore respectfully tender my resignation... so that | may be
detailed to superintend the manufacture of salt Petre there, believing | Could do my
Country as much service there as in the position | now hold. Coming into service
without the advantage of Training|.]"

His application was forwarded through the chain of command, and although
his lieutenant colonel stated that Burger had no “experience in the manufacture of
nitre’, he was allowed to resign August 23, 1862.

It is not known if Burger did become Superintendent or even a worker at his
Saltpeter cave. Nor is it known if the hands detailed for his cave actually ever
reached it. No Nitre Bureau record has been found for anyone named Burger, either
as an employee or as a seller of products or services. Knowledge of William
C. Burger's activities during the remainder of the war is generally lacking except
that he was exempt from the army in January 1863 and August 1864 by reason of
being a Justice of the Peace in Bath County.

Although Burger Cave could have been mined during the Civil War. it
definitely was mined earlier. In 1840 Samuel Crawford owned the Property near
Stuart Run. which the Surveyor described as including "a salt peter cave”. Five
years later Crawford willed his lands to his nephews William C. and David
W. Burger “to share and share alike’. On March 11, 1854, David conveyed half of
the property. including an 89 acre tract containing the cave, to his brother.

Many years after the war. on August 10, 1909, William C. Burger deeded his
Property to Isaac N. Graham of Augusta County. After that the property passed
successively to Graham's daughter, Viola G. Black (1936), Carl G. Plecker (1943),
Bruce R. Richardson and Raymond T. Whiteman [Monterey Land Company] (1971).
Edwin F. and Barbara J. Gallahan (1973). and Richard L. Hinnant (1986).

A visit to Burger Cave (also known as Pleckers Cave) was made in late
August 1987 to check for evidence of niter mining. The cave is located in the
west flank of an anticlinal fold in the Devonian Licking Creek Limestone. The 100’
by 50° entrance overlooks a bend in Staurt Run. Within the entrance shelter. signs

C6

BIL

of recent flooding were observed as well as excavations, apparently the work
amateur archeologists (Douglass, 1964). However, at the rear of the shelter rock
piles, which are situated in alcoves and at the beginning of the main passage. are
typical of saltpeter workings. Excavations along this main strike oriented passage
have left remant banks of sediment up to three feet in height. Occasional flooding
has caused these banks to crumble and obscured any mattock marks. Along a
portion of this passage. a haul way is evident, beyond which is situated a final rock
pile with dirt diffused through it.

There is sufficient mining evidence and earth removal to substantiate the
saltpeter workings of Burger Cave. Unfortunately. no artifacts or graffiti were found
to help determine when this mining occurred.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1860 Census. Virginia, Bath, Bath County House Post Office. p.63.

William C. Burger file, Company K. 52nd Virginia Infantry. Compiled Service
Records, Record Group 109, National Archives.

Bath County Survey Book 2. p.208.

Bath County Will Book 5, p.133.

Bath County Deed Book 11. p.36/7.

Bath County Deed Book 24, p.147.

Bath County Deed Book 46, p.233.

Bath County Deed Book 50, p.423.

Bath County Deed Book 84, p.405.

Bath County Deed Book 86. p.301.

Letter from David A. Hubbard to Marion O. Smith, August 31, 1987.

Douglas, H.H.. 1964, Caves of Virginia. Falls Church, Virginia, Virginia Cave
Survey, p/61.

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ad Burger Cave
haul way

Legend: dirt bank

Suunto and tape survey

CM Wicks

WB Stringfield

DA Hubbard
Drafted by CM Wicks
entrance
t aSnf Charlottesville Grotto oe
: : November 1987

Length - 178.9 meters