Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Volck, Adalbert John, 1828-1912 Cave life in Vicksburg during the siege

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00493.28 Author/Creator: Volck, Adalbert John, 1828-1912 Place Written: s.l. Type: Print Date: circa 1880-1890 Pagination: 1 etching : b&w ; 26.2 x 34.7 cm. Order a Copy

Depicts a devout, domestic scene of a woman kneeling in prayer amidst the items associated with middle class daily life-a broom, a trunk, an ottoman, a set of silver, a fine hat atop a settee. Only upon closer inspection does one discern that all of these items of daily life, along with a bed discreetly hidden behind a hanging blanket, are closely packed into a rather small space: a cave. Many citizens of Vicksburg sought shelter in caves during the siege of that city by Federal troops in the spring and summer of 1863. Vicksburg was captured by U.S. forces under General Ulysses S. Grant on 4 July 1863. Size in extent is for the mount. The actual size of the etching is 20.1 x 26.7 cm. Title in pencil on verso.

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources