At various times during the Civil War, the Confederate and Union armies were garrisoned in Bowling Green. Many encamped around Lost River Cave. Soldiers on both sides recorded their impressions of Lost River Cave and Valley in diaries and letters.

"Probably everyone in the regiment explored this great natural curiosity and brought away many beautiful stalactites found on its roof."
Union Private William W. Calkins
104th Illinois Infantry

"I joined a party of explorers and penetrated the cave. Lighting our candles. We wandered over the detached rocks far into the interior, beyond the sounds of a very busy camp - far beyond the reach of daylight."
Union Private Stephen F. Fleharty, 102nd Illinois Infantry

Many soldiers wrote their names on the cave walls to record their explorations. Still visible today are: B. A. Patten and C. Moon, 105th Illinois Infantry, J. A. Ball, 72nd Indiana Infantry, and Isaac F. Morrison, 51st Ohio Infantry. Morrison cleverly wrote his name backwards but you can read it using a mirror.

"We moved South of Bowling Green where we find a spring 20 feet across and no bottom has been found."
Confederate Private John S. Graham, 6th Kentucky Infantry

Civil War Regiments Encamped
at or Near Lost River Cave

Confederate Regiments2nd Kentucky Infantry
3rd Kentucky Infantry
4th Kentucky Infantry
5th Kentucky Infantry
6th Kentucky Infantry
9th Kentucky Infantry
2nd Kentucky Mounted Infantry
Union Regiments86th Illinois Infantry
102nd Illinois Infantry
104th Illinois Infantry
105th Illinois Infantry

10th Indiana Infantry
15th Indiana Infantry
30th Indiana Infantry
38th Indiana Infantry
42nd Indiana Infantry
70th Indiana Infantry
72nd Indiana Infantry
75th Indiana Infantry
88th Indiana Infantry
101st Indiana Infantry

8th Kansas Infantry

3rd Kentucky (US) Infantry
5th Kentucky (US) Infantry
6th Kentucky (US) Infantry
9th Kentucky (US) Infantry
15th Kentucky (US) Infantry

2nd Minnesota Infantry

1st Ohio Infantry
3rd Ohio Infantry
4th Ohio Infantry
6th Ohio Infantry
15th Ohio Infantry
51st Ohio Infantry
65th Ohio Infantry
108th Ohio Infantry

77th Pennsylvania Infantry
79th Pennsylvania Infantry

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