There is a small cave in Luray, not Luray Caverns, called Saltpeter Cave.  I 
assume someone got saltpeter from it.
Kitty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joy Fisher" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 5:01 PM
Subject: Re: Saltpeter in the Civil War


My husband's ancestor mined saltpetre/saltpeter during the Revolutionary War 
in what is now Wythe County, Virginia and was involved in the manufacture of 
gunpowder. Another use of saltpetre was to cure meats in a smokehouse.

You might check the muster rolls for the 21st VA Infantry and see where he 
was located during his service (if they exist).



________________________________
From: Sally Phillips <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 1:37 PM
Subject: [VA-ROOTS] Saltpeter in the Civil War

Civil War Enthusiasts --
A man in Virginia's 21st Regiment of the Virginia Infantry "made saltpeter," 
according to his pension application filed in 1924. I'm finding lots on the 
internet about mining saltpeter and making gunpowder. Did Virginia have one 
or more sources of saltpeter or should I assume he went to Georgia to mine 
it?
Can someone steer me to a book or a website that's reliable. There's a lot 
of fluff out there and saltpeter is far from my area of expertise!
Thanks!
Sally Phillips

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