The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-05-06
Ghelemarrat-S Star
Confederate Cave Dwellcrs.
new THE SOuTnERN DESERTERS IN
1863 LIVED UNDERGROUND.
David Dodge, in Atlantic.

we're 'h!Hneu ny tue desperate
fighting Of 1868. The lines of the
descrters fell in hard places. The
Richmond government sci energel.
ically 10 work TO bring every
available man to the front.
Pesidenl Da\ls,by proclamation,
urged every man to hasten to his
coun,ry's defense, and Promised
pardon for all past delinquencies
provided the offender now hasten
ed TO his duty. Stringent orders
and threats OF punishment infused
energy into The officers of The
home guard.
Detachments OF Confederate
troops visited the neighborhood at
short and irregular intervals,
while the homes of The deseriers
were watched and repeatedly
searched.
Then it was that the deserters,
as We called all who shirked mill.
tary duty, whether they had actu-
ally been in the army or not, had
recourse to a mode of hiding winch
they had learned from runaway
slaves. The fugitive of ibis region,
having neither the swamps of the
East nor The mountains of the
West for refuge, like all har l-run
creatures, naturally took to earth.
He either enlarged and conceal.
ed some natural cavity or dug a
cave INTO 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.
II he feared pursuit by dogs he
rubbed the soles of his feet with
onions or odorous herbs In order
to confuse the scent.
If moderately wary or ski!lful,
he found lltlle difficulty in remain.
ing 'out" till the crops were "laid
by" and all The heavy work was
over, or till The cold weather drove
him back to a snugger berth in
the quarters.
The deserter made vast improve
menIS on The burrows OF the runa.
way cOlored person. His cave was
larger, better constructed aud bet
ter appointed than its prototype,
but not better concealed.
Banding together in squads OF
two or three, some unirequen.ed
place would be chosen, generally
On a hillside 10 avoid moisture,
and as near a stream as practica.
bic, for the easiest and safest way
Of disposing of The earth thrown
up in digging the pit was to dump
IL in running water.
The site being carefully selected
and reconnoitered from every pos,
sible way of approach, IA watch
was SET and work begun and push.
ed with the utmost dispatch.
First the leaves or pine needles
were raked back and a space lined
off, usually 6 by s feet, but often
considerably larger. Then the
Ubiquitous bed.quiIt was spread
to catch every particle of the
tell-tale clay, and clubbing hoes
spades, and all available nipple.
ments were put in rapid motion
AS any prolongalion of the work
increased the danger of discovery
The object was TO get it dug and
concealed at the earliest possible
moment. Every hand that could
be trusted-old men, women and
children-was called in to assist.
10 these auXiliaries fell The hard
est part of the task, that of Gispos-
ing OF the dirt, which, of course
could not be left neal the cave.
This was generally "loled" away
in buckets of pigelns, and dump
ed in the adjacent stream, and a!
the direction from which the cave
was approached had to be con
stantly changed lest the faintesI
visage of a path should betrav the
spot, the labor of transporting
or 10 cubic yards of earth in hi
prmitiye fashion was no light un
dertaking.
A proper depth, commonly abou
feet, being attained, a fireplac,
was cut in the earlhen sides of lh'
cave and connected with a flue Gu
through the adjacent earth.
Across the pit and slightly beloy
the surface, were then placed st0u
poles, and on these the roof of pin,
boards, while over all the cart
and leaves were carefully replaced
80 as to conceal all signs of havin.
been disturbed. Pine needles mad,
a very good carpet.
A bed was constructed BY driv
ing forked stakes into The ground
and upon these were laid small
poles topped with pine boughs
Sometimes a "cupboard' was Gu.
in the earthen walls.
What gave the cave dwellel
most concern was the disposal OF
smoke from his chimney. Even
under the best of circumstances,
in the t%airest, warmest weather
and in the driest soil, a cave was a
dismal abode.
There was a darkness, a chill.
ness, a strange and grave.like 81.
lence down there, which made fire,
the ouly light obtainable in those
hard times, an indispensable
companion. When the rainy
weather came and the walls ooxed
water, only heat made it habita.
able.
Care was taken to use the dries
and most sm0keless fuel, but q!