Nitre District #4
Although organization of nitre works began in May 1861, and production was underway by August 1861, the Confederate Government didn't create the Nitre Districts until April 1862. By then, much territory was lost to the yankees, a new state was forming, and yankee raids were frequent into Greenbrier County.
FRIDAY, April 11, 1862. OPEN SESSION.
The President pro tempore having signed the following enrolled bills and enrolled joint resolution, they were delivered to the Secretary of the Senate, and by him forthwith presented to the President of the Confederate States for his approbation:
H. R. -- A bill for the organization of a corps of officers for the working of niter caves and establishing niter beds
Greenbrier Organ Cave: Organ Cave is on the Midland Trail, the Old Saltpetre Route, a highway of nitre depots that supplied the government. Thomas Jefferson recorded that at least fifty nitre caves rested along the Greenbrier River. Confederate soldiers working under the direction of General Robert E. Lee found that Organ Cave was a suitable facility to extract nitre suitable for the powder mills of Augusta, Georgia. More than five miles of caverns and passages have been explored, but they are readily accessilbe for only a mile. Three-quarters of a mile from the entrance is the white stalactite formation for which the cave was named. The glistening columns resemble organ pipes in appearance and, when struck, produce notes of varying pitch. During the War between the States the cave was known as 'General Lee's Underground Powder Works'; 37 hoppers used at that time remain in one room of the cave (http://www.organcave.com)
Greenbrier Anthony Creek: Anthony Creek passes through Gunpowder Ridge with numerous saltpeter caves.
Monroe, Saltpeter Caves: Greenville, Saltpeter was mined for the manufacture of gunpowder here.
Pendleton: The caves have been known since the settlement of Pendleton County, in private ownership before July 19, 1787, when they were surveyed for John Penninger, and already being worked for saltpeter. The first operator was John Mefford who leased a property in 1795. The caves were worked for saltpeter from then until the end of the Civil War. 1810 production of saltpeter was 4,000 pounds. During the War of 1812, 12,500 pounds of gunpowder was manufactured on the site. During the Civil War, the caves were operated for the Confederacy and were frequently raided by Union troops. In 1867, the property changed hands, passing from the McCoy family to the Hiner family. (John the Miller Amick Powder Mill- circa 1810-20)
23rd Battalion Virginia Infantry The formation of the 23rd was very different from many of the other units and became a complex unit to record. They were born out of the reorganization of the Confederate army in the spring of 1862. It was formed under Major David Stuart Hounshell in January 15, 1861, but it was a paper unit he never took command. The core was from Smyth County and physically uniting 1862 (a full five months after the order was given in Richmond in January). It was also known as: the First Battalion, Hounshell's Battalion and Derricks Battalion.
Saltpeter was extracted from the cave's dirt by using lye water. Water was poured through wood ashes and collected. Then the dirt was shoveled into the hoppers and the warm lye water was slowly mixed with the dirt. The lye water leached out the saltpeter and, when the water was boiled off, the saltpeter remained.
Hoppers are large vats that held the nitrate rich soil mined by the soldiers. Each hopper was filled with over 2 tons of mined rock and soil, water poured over the soil leaching the minerals from the dirt, and colected into troughs placed beneath the hoppers. This water was then evaporated to leave behind saltpeter suitable for gunpowder.