Grand Caverns (Weyer’s Cave)

Weyer’s Cave (Grand Caverns) was discovered in 1804 by Bernard Weyer while searching for a missing trap. It opened to the public for tours in 1806, making it the oldest continuously operating show cave in the United States. Initially called Amend’s Cave after the person who owned the property, locals continued to call it Weyer’s Cave after its discoverer. During the Civil War, both Confederate and Union soldiers visited the site. Following their victories at Cross Keys and Port Republic in June of 1862, Confederate soldiers camped in Grottoes would make candlelight tours into the cave. Two years later, Union soldiers did the same thing following the Third Battle of Winchester. Over 230 of them signed their names on the cave walls. In 1926 the name of the cave was changed to Grand Caverns. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973. From 1974 until 2009, Grand Caverns was owned by the Upper Valley Regional Park Authority. In 2009, ownership was transferred to the town of Grottoes. A survey of the cave system conducted in 2004 revealed additional unexplored passages, increasing the total surveyed length to nearly 19,957 feet. Currently, a special historic tour of the cave is conducted on Fridays, general tours are conducted multiple times daily. Check their website for details (link). The pictures below were taken during both tours.

These photos were taken of a small display in the museum at the entrance to the cave.

The next two images are of the only two Civil War signatures I have seen to date (Captain William W. Miles Captain 14th PA Cavalry and Captain Asa Rogers 1st VA Cavalry.

Captain William W. Miles- served as Captain of the 14th PA Cavalry and was appointed to the rank of Major a few days prior to his death. He was killed in the Civil War while serving under General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. On December 17, 1864, Captain Miles and approximately 100 soldiers of Company I of the 14th PA went on a scouting expedition towards Ashby’s Gap in Virginia. They were ambushed in the woods near Millwood, Virginia, by Mosby and his rangers. Captain Miles was killed along with several of his soldiers. About 20 others were wounded. Most of the rest were taken prisoner and sent to Libby Prison in Richmond.

From the Official Records describing the ambush

**Report of his death from the Official Records**

**From stop 7 of a Mosby Driving tour- link**

Another report of Captain Miles death from Mosby’s Rangers: A Record of the Operations of the Forty-Third Battalion of Virginia Cavalry from its Organization to the Surrender by James J. Williamson (Link)

Captain Asa Rogers- Born at “Oaklawn” in Loudon County, Virginia on August 20, 1836, was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in Company H, 1st VA Cavalry on April 18, 1861. He was promoted to Captain on July 1, 1862. Captain Rogers was present with his Company for First Manassas, Kernstown, McDowell, Slaterville, Cross Keys, Port Republic, Gaines’ Mill, Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Hartwood Church, Kelly’s Ford, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Aldie, Hanover and Gettysburg. In October of 1863 he became ill with diarrhea and was sent to a hospital in Richmond. There he received a thirty-day furlough and returned to duty on November 11, 1863. Rogers remained with his Company through the Overland Campaign, Trevilian Station, the Valley Campaign of 1864, Petersburg and Appomattox. He was captured and paroled at Fairfax Courthouse on April 26, 1865.