Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-02-27
The Queen or the wext...How her Capt.
- Surrendered O.. .-. : ,

The Queen or the vest-..How hcr Capt.
-. Surrendered. . ..-. !
On Monday one of the most gallant ex.
ploi,s of the war occurred near Vicksburg
At about daylight Of that day the ram Queen
Of the West ran the rebel batteries, although
one hundred heavy siege guns were trained
on her. This steamer had as q Captain
most gallant and plucky gentleman, named
Edward w. Sutherland, who. upon ceIt tain
occasion, met gallant and plucky widow,
the result Of the interview with whom is told
in this way: a tw. ,. ~
1t appears that during the late movement
against Vicksburg, the national transports
were fred upon by the before mentioned bat
terry at Skipwith Landing. No sooner was
the outrage reported ut headquarters than
The Admiral sent an expedition to remove
the battery and destroy the place. The work
Of destruction was effectually done; not a
structure which could shelter rebel head
was left standing in the region for several
miles around. gla.. !. L.-r. .u ..
Among other habita.ions destroyed was
that Of Mrs. Harris, a widow lady, young,
comely and possessed Of external attractions
in the shape Of a hundred and fifty niggers.
whom she had con:rived to save from the
present operation of "the decree by send
ing them up the Yazoo river. But Mrs. HaI-
ris was a rebel-intense, red-hot in her ad-
vocacy of Southern rights and her denunci
alton of Northern wrongs. Although she
had not taken up arms against the Govern
ment, she was mono the less subject to the
indiscriminatc swoop of" the proclamation !"
her niggers, according TO that document, were
free, and if the Confederacy failed she could
only get pay for them by establishing her
loyalty in court Of justice. Her loyalty to
the Yankee nation ?-not she! She was as
spunky as widow of thirty can be. She
would see Old Aoo anu every other Yankee
in the happy land Of Canaan before she wo'd
acknowledge allegiance to the Washington
government. Nevertheless, being all she
possessed Of this worlds valuablcs, she wo'd
like to save those niggers. .. I'd
Nothing easier," suggested Captain Ed
ward w. Sutherland, OF the United States
steam ram Queen of the West, who, attract
ed by her swapping black eyes, engaged in a
friendly conversation with the lady, after
burning her house down. Nothing easier
in the world, madam" ...... ...r. .-a aa..
How so, Captain You don't imagine |
will take that odous oath, do you | assure
you wsuld not do it for every nigger in the
South" ..., ... ....
But you need not take the oath, madam
at least not that oath"
~ do not understand you, Captain" said
the widow.
IL said you need not take the oath of al
legance; you can establish your loyalty
without it-at least" with respectful bow !;
IL can establish it for YOU"
"Indeed; how could you do it Captain ?"
"Simply enough. command one Of the
boats OF the Western Navy--technically de-
nominated a ram--down here in the river
OF course my loyalty is unImpeached, and,
madam, it is unimpcnchable. Now, il we
could only say 10 the Government those mig
gers are mine"
The Captain waited a moment to see what
effect his speech was producing.
"Wel,' said the widow, mpaticntly tap
ping with her well shaped foot one Of the
smoking tiInbcrs Of her late domicil.
"ln short, my dear madam, you can save
the niggers. save your Conscientious scruples,
and save Inc from future life Of misery by
becoming my wife"
The Captain looked about wildly as il he
expected sudden attack of guerrillas. The
widow tapped the slnouldering timber more
violently for few moments. and then, turn.
ing her eyes full upon the Captain, said "rll
do it,"
A recent arrival at Carlo from Vicksburg,
brought the intelligence that Capt Suthcr
land, of the ran, Queen Of the West, was
married few days since, on board the gun
boat Tyler, to Mrs. Harris, of Skipwith Land
ing. Several officers of the army and navy
were present to witness the ceremony, which
was performed by Methodist clergyman,
and Admiral Porter gave away the blushing
bride. She is represented to be q woman Of
indomnab'e pluck, and for the present shares
the wild life Of her husband on board the ram
Queen Of the West.