Frogs
Frogs 155 hoped he would not. I now set about tucking the cover under me all around and finally went to sleep again. About daylight I was awakened by a tremendous roar—when I found the mosquitoes had pulled me to the edge of the bayou, and an old alligator jubilant at the prospect of getting me for his breakfast had given a tremendous laugh which awoke me, and I preferring not to be his breakfast shifted from there. I vowed never to allow myself to sleep on that bayou’s bank again.”26 F r o g s About fifty species of frogs and toads are found in the eastern United States. They live in a diverse range of habitats, from below ground to treetops . Most are closely tied to wetlands during part or all of their life cycle, especially during egg and larval (tadpole) stages. Frogs occupy important roles in the middle of food webs. They eat insects and other invertebrates and are eaten by fish, snakes, egrets, herons, owls, raccoons, mink, and humans , among others. Frogs were likely more abundant during the Civil War era than today because most wetland habitats were still intact. In the period since, largescale habitat losses have resulted from activities such as agriculture in the lower Mississippi River Valley and pine monoculture farther east. Smaller yet detrimental losses were the result of urban sprawl that often fragmented and isolated important habitats. Scientists consider frogs and other amphibians as biological indicators of overall ecosystem health because of their permeable skin that is sensitive to pollutants, their intermediate position in the food web, and the fact that many species spend part of their lives on land and part in water. This leads to the premise that collapsing frog populations should raise concerns for overall ecosystem (including human) health. The idea of frogs as “coal mine canaries” was foreign during the Civil War. Most soldiers mentioned frogs only incidentally in their letters, diaries , and journals. Some considered the sound of calling frogs a pleasant experience; others did not. Perhaps the contrast was a result of an individual ’s state of affairs at the time. The first two anecdotes reveal the differences in attitude as a northern and a southern soldier write about frogs on the same Georgia night while only ninety miles apart. 156 Fauna Sergeant Taylor Peirce, 22nd Iowa Infantry, writing to his wife on Feb. 4, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia: “The weather is mild and pleasant. The frogs are Singing and all nature shows the near approach of Spring.”1 John S. Jackman, 9th Kentucky Infantry, near Waynesboro, Georgia, on Feb. 4, 1865: “Our camp is on the border of a little lake, out of which we use water, and which abounds with frogs. The frogs keep up such a croaking as to prevent us from sleeping at night.”2 Private Isaac Jackson, 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on June 28, 1864: “I had a nice little scare last night on picket. After I was relieved at 11o’clock, I went to my bed and got in. . . . Was lying on my side when I felt something getting on my back. I turned over slowly to see what it was. I seen it and thought it was a snake, sure, and you ought to have seen me jump. It would have made you laugh, I am sure. I nearly jumped from under my bar. I took a second look and found it a harmless toad which went hopping off when I raised my bar. But that scared me out of 2 hours sleep at least.”3 Private Samuel P. McKee, 22nd Georgia Volunteers, in a letter to his brother from near Portsmouth, Virginia, on March 10, 1862: “The weather is nice. The frogs is hollowing and spring birds is singing and it looks like corn planting time.”4 Rev. Francis Springer, chaplain, 10th Illinois Cavalry, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Sept. 4, 1863: “To reach this place has cost our little Army of the Frontier a toilsome march of 350 to 400 miles. For many days the atmosphere was a flame of heat & dust; our best drinking water was that of ponds & puddles, the native residence of sturdy & senator-like frogs surrounded by their admiring crowds of musketo wigglers, & tadpoles.”5 James T. Ayers, 129th Illinois Volunteers, in Hardeeville, South Carolina , on Jan. 17, 1865: “This is A singular Country timbers all Evergreen makes it Look just like Spring or summer and...
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