Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
War Time Dug-Out
Reminder of Siege
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
VTCKSBURG, Miss.
INCLUDED in the national park near
this city is cave home, which was
= the refuge Of number Of families
during the siege OF Vicksburg, and which
has most interesting history.
An old soldier. speaking Of the cave. said:
II am glad the cave. or bomb proof as
It was known. is included in the national
park. for / feel that it will never be de-
stroyed as long as it has government pro-
lection. l think this cave is about the
last one left in this section. The onward
march Of progress and Improvement has
wiped these mementos Of the war entirely
out. For six long months we did some right
stiff fighting around here, and old men.
women and children found these caves a
good place to seek safety. The enemy
simply had US and they gave US hard
fight, but we kept them down for six
months. IF We hadn't run so shy on grub
We might have been fighting yet.
1--WE old fellows who ut, bled and died
for the lost cause have a tender place in
our hearts for these caves. but as our city
has buided and extended they have dis
appeared, as did the Notifications and en-
trenChments. Now our neighbor and friend,
the Once-hatcd Yankee, can have pointed
out to him this one large cave the one
time home of families who took refuge in
its dark recesses during the days and nights
they were throwing shot and shell into US.
1T was here that young lady insisted
that her piano. should be brought, serving
as bed at night and a table at meal
tine. on this same old piano a child was
born and another winged it's flight to
other world.
"Eut. my, my, what tales OF history, ro-
nance self-sacrlfice pleasure, plain-every-
thing-these old walls of the cave could
tell II they could only speak. In this
Underground home there have been few
changes made since the bitter days of the
war. Its owner saw that it was properly
cared for until 1t was bought as a portion
Of the park The old cannon balls and
shells which were placed at it's entrance
many years ago have remained undis-
turbed even relic hunters not daring to
cart them away.
The passageway to the main cave Is
about three feet wide and twelve feet long,
hut after getting into the main room,
twelve by sixteen feet. you can easily see
how easy it was to live in this under
ground home A gentleman of Vicksburg
has number of articles OF furniture and
cooking utensils which were used in the
case, among them being a pair of candle
molds used for making tallow dips for
lighting the place OF course, it was neces-
sary 20 DO most of the cooking outside of
the cave, as there was no outlet for the
smoke save through the main entrance.
But, neighhor, cooking didn't worry our
good housewives much in those days. The
question was getting something to cook.
Why, l have lived a week on quart of
COOLERS and little cornbread and mo-
lasses.
I'VE made our coffee out of parched
wheat oats and sweet potatoes. and used
long Observation-Disclosures Let me tell you
the truth, neighbor. I believe that lots OF
our women folks and children would have
starved had 1t not been for the faithful
slaves, who would go 'foragng' for them
Most OF the slaves would steal any time
before they would see their white folks go
hungry. By CAD, sir, 1t makes my blood
boil even now to see one of these old-time
darkies arrested for stealing for they
learned the art of hooking in slavery days"