When the Yankees were camped around Lake Providence during the Vicksburg Campaign they hunted alligators for sport. They would tie a dog to a tree near the water line, beat him to make him howl, and then shoot the alligator when it approached. On one occasion, a Yankee was swimming in the lake and began to thrash and yell and went under. An old slave told the men a gar got him, but it could have been an alligator (or cramps).