Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-02-12
LIFE rxprReRorSp ~ cAvrs.



Hew the soWtherR Dsssrters Farsa to
the Dark Days OF thr Cenfederacy.
After the Confederate ranks ware
thinned by the desperate fighting In 1868.
the lines Of deserters fell in hard places
The Richmond government set enoreet
ically 10 work 10 bring every available
man to the front President Davis by
proclamation urged every man 10 hasten
20 his country's defense. and promised
pardon for all past delinquencies. pro-
vided the offender now hastened 60 DO
his duty. Stringent orders and threats
OF punishment infused energy into the
officers OF the home guard Detachments
of Confederate troops visited she neigh
borhood at short and irregular intervals,
while the homes Of the descrters were
watched and repeatedly searched.
Then il was that the deserters, as we
called all who shirked military duty,
whether they had ever actually been in
the army or not, had recourse to mode
of hiding which they had learned from
runaway slaves. The fugitives in this
region, having neither the swamps Of the
East nor the mountains OF the West for
refuge, like all hard run creatures, nat.
urally took 10 earth. He either enlarged
and concealed some natural cavity OF dug
a cave in which he hid by day, to sally
out under cover of darkness in quest Of
poultry, pigs, sheep, fruit, roasting ears,
watermelons, aud other good things in
season. If he feared pursuit by dogs he
rubbed the soles of bis feet with onions
or odorous herbs in order to confuse the
scent Ii moderately wary or skillful. he
found little difficulty in remaining out"
till the crops were laid by, and all the
heavy work was over, OF till the cold
weather drove him back to q snugGsr
berth in the quarters.
The deserter made a vast improvement
on the burvow of the runaway colored
person. His cave was larger, better con-
structed and better appointed than his
prototyps, but not better concealed.
Banding together in squads OF two or
three, some unfrequented place would be
chosen, generally on a hillside, to avoid
moisture, and as near a stream as prac-
ticable, for the easiest aud safest way of
dieposing of the earth thrown up in dig
eing the pit was to dump il in running
water
The proper depth, commonly about six
feet, being attained, fireplace was cut
in the earthern sides Of the cave aud con-
nected with fine cut through the ad-
jacent earth. Across the pit and slightly
below the surface were then placed stout
poles, and on these the roof Of pine
boards, while over all the earth and
leaves were carefully replaced so as to
conceal all signs Of having been dis
turbed. Pine needles made a very good
carpet.
A bed was constructed by driving
forked stakes into the ground, and upon
these were laid small poles topped with
pine boughs. Sometimes cupboard
was cut in the earthen walls. What
gave the cavedweller most concern was
the disposal Of smoke from his chimney
/ Even under the best of circumstances, in
the fairest, warmest weather, and in the
dTiest soil, cave was dismal abode
There was a darkness. a chilliness,
a strange gravelike silence down there
which made fire. the only light obtain
able in those hard times, an indispensable ;
companion When rainy weather came
and the walls oozed water. only heat
made IL habitabie. Care was taken 10
use the driest and most smokeess fuel.
/ but as even that though burned ever so
paticsly. in the daytime would cause
rume smoke. various plans were hit on 10
minimize the danger Of betrayal from
this source. When practicable the cave
/ would be dug near dead tree, which
was first blackened by fire, unless one
4 could be found already partially burned
1 by the chance fire Of some coon or opos-
4 sum hunter
/ Failing this, and the old tree stump af-
| ter being charred. was ingeniously
| planted over the chimney mouth so that
the smoke might rise through or around
IT, The object of these devices, was, Of
course, that should any unfriendly eve
discover the smoke il would be attributed
| to one of the accidental fires which some
times smoldered in dead timber for
weeks at a time. But as rule the occu-
pants, putting their dependence on good
eyesight and legs, would. wien no espe-
cial danger was apprehended. betake
themselves to the woods during the day
and use the caves only as sleeping places.
! Atlantic Monthly.
4