ant bombardment of the city was kept up. From gunboats and land
batteries, shells were hurled into the streets of the town, tearing
down houses, killing men, women, and children, and driving the
inhabitants to their cellars, or to deep caves dug in the hills. The
fire from the Union gunboats was most destructive, for they could drop
down to an advantageous point, shell the city until tired, then steam
back into safety again.

Cave-digging in the city became a regular business; and caves brought
from twenty to fifty dollars, according to their size. They generally
consisted of two or three rooms, and people lived in them quite
cheerfully during the time that the iron hail was falling in the
city's streets.

A Northern woman, who was pent up in Vicksburg during the siege, tells
graphically the story of the bombardment:--

"For many nights we have had but little sleep, because the Federal
gunboats have been running past the batteries. The uproar when this is
happening is phenomenal. The first night the thundering artillery
burst the bars of sleep, we thought it an attack by the river. To get
into garments, and rush up-stairs, was the work of a moment. From the
upper gallery we have a fine view of the river; and soon a red glare
lit up the scene, and showed a small boat, towing two large barges,
gliding by. The Confederates had set fire to a house near the bank.
Another night, eight boats ran by, throwing a shower of shot; and two
burning houses made the river clear as day. One of the batteries has a
remarkable gun they call 'whistling Dick,' because of the screeching,
whistling sound it gives; and certainly it does sound like a tortured
thing. Added to all this is the indescribable Confederate yell, which
is a soul-harrowing sound to hear. I have gained respect for the
mechanism of the human ear, which stands it all without injury. The
streets are seldom quiet at night: even the dragging about of cannon
makes a din in these echoing gullies. The other night we were on the
gallery till the last of the eight boats got by. Next day a friend
said to H----, 'It was a wonder you didn't have your heads taken off
last night. I passed, and saw them stretched over the gallery; and
grape-shot were whizzing up the street just on a level with you.' The
double roar of batteries and boats was so great, we never noticed the
whizzing. Yesterday the 'Cincinnati' attempted to go by in daylight,
but was disabled and sunk. It was a pitiful s