The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-23
I II f ID ISPATC
wEDNKspAY mo oANlN. y. rEnRnAlRsr,i . ,sso
A Marriage on Board nm q. -. shin q,
Wur-Inusuni scene VI

the I. ;. sloop OF war Saratoga, lying at yers
trus, oa the nth nit, being nothing less than ,h,
marriage of Mr.. pewhurst and Miss Sisrkoe. bo,t
Americans, who had obtained the permisson n
Capt. Turner, 10 be united On board n na,io,s
ship. Invitations we're sent 10 the officers NJ al,
the foreign war yessels In port TO attend the cere
mOuy, aud the officers aud crew set TO work fttinp
up the Saratoga for SO unusual a ceremony. A
/ letter describing Il says
/ The quarter deck, by the aid Of awnings and
/ flags. VAS formed into pavilion, from the main
/ mast aft TO the taiffaH The flags of the different
/ nations 10 he present were iutcTtuined with eaCl
/ @ ker IN the most cousp cuous places forward and
/ st'. The mAiamasi, the mizenmast and the cap
/ stan were wrapped 10 Josephs coat of brilliant
/ Vartegatei colors the sides were curiained by
/ r lgs, gracefully dTaped, and iestooned TO the deck
/ whist the polished surfaces Of six sixty eight shell
| guns protrnded their heavy breechts some few
teet upon the deck. n citing almost like mirror
| the coTruscations of arms and tinsel OF uniforms
and FURNISHED blades wh'ch are paTaded on the
! qusrter deck OF a ship-ofwar.
An s~ras ceiling, made of difiereat ensigns and
flags, was f:ted 10 the under surface of the swn>
! inSs above, somewhat aTabetque in its effect, sc
that above. ioT ward aud afi al either side il
! was one display OF penHons Of brilliant co!ors
soitcned, yet heightened, by the rays of the sun
which descended upon it, and which gavs TO the
/ whole a mellow twilight shade. most becoming to
{
| produced by looking through stained glass.
| The cabin on the same leyel with the spar deck
its doors thrown open, aud rrettiy carpeted looked
/ as though II were bat Continuation of the quar-.
ter deck, or rather the d8is of the ordiy pavilion
| or some distinguished oriental 1t Was difficult e
! conceive that you were placed and moving Il, ids
! the grim batteries II the shir-tf war The deck.
| were spotless and almost white as marble con.
tTasting strangely and strikingly with the lows o
| black polished cannon halls around the matches
/ which. ted tlf aid
| ihrew on their Tadiations of bright rthecie &c
! coiors. On the starboaId side Of the poop dech
| was placed large chair Of reception. A table
npon which were tasieiuily displayed the weddinl
cakes and wine. occupied the other side OF th,
| poop, whilst below IN the ward room a feast hat
| been prepared 10 entertain this large companyaut
COLLATION. in the cabin for the bridal party especi
ally. give you this most imperfect sketch of tn
space as 1t appeared prepared and dressed of fo
the bridal service.
The hour fixed was four Irecisely The boat ha,
been dispatched for the bridal party. and:wss il
| sight on it's return rs it approached the shin Gu
oH1cefs assembled on deck to receive the BRIDE au
| AS She came over the side, American ensigus wer
h1"u from The fore ana main masts and a larg
| white nag, embematlc Of the occasion from III
| rIizeu.
She appeared dressed in white, with the ptmos
| simplicity, accompanied by her father, the bride
groom, several friends and two sisters a wreat
| Of white fJwers eucircliug her head, without
jewel oi any description but bracelets. She iooke
| rather pretty woman, but more remarkable fo
her gentle, lady-iike, high bred air, of sligh
| hgure, with very graceful carriage, aid mos
| pleasing, winning maunerF. They were invite
| TO the cabin, and retired at once to the edjaiuin
| staterooms. The ofiices Of the chaplain of th
| English irigate Tartar had been secured for tn
occasion, and Capt. Dunlop (cemmaudiDg) ha
! kindly volunteered his baud OF music
AT halt-past three the boats Of the whole fleet
| Euglish, French and SpaLlsh-began to arriy
with large parties OF ofticels. AS the commaudint
officers came over the side they were received witt
"a full guard, the baud at the same time pIayin,
their respective national airs, all the guests benz
conducted immed ateiy 10 the poop AS they rasse,
| over the side, constituting | should think
group Of at least fifty officers in fall Uniform
| kVeIythiug being ready aud the hour at hand th
crew, neatly di essed for the OCCASION were ca let
| to muster; they took up the entire port side O
| the quarter deck. The marine guard wss draw
| up just ahaft the mainmast, entirely across Ih,
| Geek, from side TO side. The foreign officers wer
| invited to descend from the poop to the quarte
deck, Rnd the captain repaired 10 the cab,, IN An
nounce to the bIlde and groom that their preseue
! WAS only necessary To proceed with the ceremony
! a wide passage was made through the throng o
! Officers to pelnlA them to pass, through whicl
| 'ney adEGhceo, accompanied CuIy by the captain
! WHO had been requested by her father 10 Give he
away. As they reached the open spuce allotted {,
| the ceremony, Immediately in front of the compa
| ny anu abait OF the marihe guard, the guard pre-
| seHted arms, aud remained at present dnrins
I
! impresslvey read by the English CHAPLAIN
AS soou as il was over tie captain requested IL,
English commanding officer 10 Escort the bride tt
ner chaF CT reception, on the poop, and then turn
| Ing TO the crew he said, Give her three heart,
! cheers, n y boys;' aud suCh ouoTber short wen
up at once from Jolly tars as made the "g al
! Elm ring again, aud every one fe, that il came
from their very hearts. At the same moment tbt
! tlfst Lieutenant fired a salyo of cannon by diyi
sions. and the band played Hail Columbia" The
GTa npnI in iraa h.
for their congratulations and then 10 the festive
boaid, to quah in numbers full to the long aud
! happy He OF the groom and bride The after-
noon passed away in one Contia ued scene of reyei
! fy aho meTrlment, champagne and wine flowing
IKE wafer, whilst the crew spiced he main br C
| NJ the bu!i (grOg tGb.) The evident delight a nd
Eta'lhCa'oh OF every one at the novelty and bean
! y OF the scene were conspicuous and what graft
| t NJ us iiiost WIS tne constant remark, 'in What
pe5Uttui DER you have The ship re and below
AT sunset the flags were removed and The awning,
iultuaEd once mere We felt ourselves on he deck.
| Of an armed ship. 4 boat was manned TO con.
Ney 'no bild"I party to the city about dusk, the
crowd OF oIiceEs feastiU and drink below way.
requested to reassembe on the poop: the men were
0iGefed 10 lay aloft; brilliant full moon was sh
hlhg IN tho armament above. and rs the buat
showed on from the ships side three deafeuinq
| cheers were given by every scul on hoard wbi,si
| 81 the same moment blue lights flushed from the
| forecasile, gtn3ways and poop, enYelopipe the
ship I'D enc brilliant spectral blaze, which made
| her iooK for the moment stbing "less of earti
than heaVen Thls passsd this gala day-for gala
day II was large number Of officers siaid till lat,
at night, enjoying the festivities of the occasion
| forming themselves into sets, they danced qua
| drlies on the quarter deck, without q ne tlcua
among them, to the music of the band, whilst for,
ward in the gspgways the happy crew were kick
| ing up their heels in jgs, reels and fandangoes O
OF every eort, showing their own participation fl
| the merry making OF a wedding board a ma
! tiona saip.