The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-10-17
CONFEDERATE STRIKERS.
Precautions Taken by the Deserters to
Conceal Their Hiding Places.

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After the Confederate ranks wer,
thinned by the desperate fighting o
1868 the lines of the deserter fell il
hard places. The Richmond Gov
ernment set energetically to work
to bring every available man to the
front. President Davis, by procla
nation, urged every man to haster
to his country's defense, and prom
ised pardon for all past delinquency
provided the offender now hasteneo
to do his duty. Stringent orders
and threats of punishment infused
energy into the officers of the Home
Guard. Detachments of Confeder.
ate troops visited the neighborhood
at short and irregular intervals
while the homes of the deserters
were watched and repeatedly
searched.
Then it was that the deserters, as
we called all who shirked military
duty, whether they had ever actu-
ally been in the army or not, had
recourse to a mode of hiding which
they had learned from runaway
slaves. The fugitive in this region
having neither the swamps of the
East nor the mountains of the West
for refuge, like all hard-run crea-
lures, naturally took to earth. He
either enlarged or concealed some
natural cavity or dug cave, in
which he hid by day, to sally out
under cover of darkness in quest of
poultry, pigs, sheep, fruit, roasting
ears, watermelons and other good
things in season. If he feared pur-
suit by dogs he rubbed the soles of
his feet with onions or odorous
herbs in order to confuse the scent.
If moderately wary or skilful he
found little difficulty in remaining
out till the crops were "laid by"
and all the heavy work was over, or
till cold weather drove him back to
a snugger berth in the quarters.
The deserter made a vast i'm
provement on the burrow of the
runaway negro. His cave was larger,
better constructed and better ap-
pointed than it's prototype, but not
better concealed. Banding together
in squads of two or three, some un-
frequented place would be chosen,
generally on a hillside to avoid
and as near a stream as
practicable, for the easiest and
safest way of disposing Of the earth
thrown up in digging the pit was to
dump it in running water. The
site being carefully selected and re-
connoitered from every possible
way of approach, watch was set
and work was begun and pressed
with the utmost dispatch.
First the leaves or pine-needles
were raked back and a space "lined
off," usually six by eight feet, but
often considerably larger. Then
the ubiquitous bedquilt was spread
to catch every particle of the tell
tale clay, and grubbing hoes, spades,
and all available implements were
put in rapid motion. AS any pro-
of the work increased the
danger of discovery, the object was
to get it dug and concealed at the
possible moment. Every
hand that could be trusted-old
men, women and children-was
called in to assist. To these aux
liaries fell the hardest part of the
ask, that of disposing of the dirt,
which of course could not be left
near the cave. This was generally
'toted" away in buckets aud pig
,ins, and dumped in the adjacent
stream, and as the direction from
which the cave was approached had
o be constantly changed lest the
aintest vestige of a path should
,etray the spot, the labor of trans
porting eight or ten cubic yards of
arth in this primitive fashion was
10 light undertaking.
The proper depth, commonly
bout six feet, being attained, a fire.
,lace was cut in the earthen sides
# the cave and connected with a
lue cut through the adjacent earth.
Across the pit, and slightly below
he eurface, were then placed stout
,oles, and on these the roof of pine
,oards, while over all the earth and
caves were carefully replaced so as
O conceal all signs of having been
Pine-needles made a
cry good carpet. A bed was con-
tructed by driving forked stakes
nto the ground, and upon these
we're laid small poles topped with
line boughs.
What gave the caye-dweller the
most concern was the disposal of
he smoke from his chimney. Even
lnder the best of circumstances, in
he fairest, warmest weather, and in
he driest soil, cave was dismal
bode. There was darkness.
strange and grave-like
Hence down there which made fire,