Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-02-26
/ ROMANTIC STORY ABOUT CAPTAIN
SUTHERLAND, COMMANDING THE
anfTEEN OF TIE WESIo


aQUEEN OF THE WEST"
During the late movement against
Vieksburg, the national transports were
cred apon by g rebel battery, at Skip
with Landing. not many miles from the
mouth of the Yazoo. No sooner was
the outrage reported at headquarters
tbsn the admiral sent an expedition TO
remove The battery and destroy the
place. The work Of destruction was
etfectually done; not structure which
could shelter rebel head was left
standing in the region for several miles
around.
Among other habitations destroyed
was that of Mrs. Harris, a widow
lady, young, comedy. and possessed of
external attractions in the shape Of q
hundred and fifty niggers, which she
had contrived to save from the present
operations Of "the decree" by sending
them up the Yazoo river. But Mrs.
Harris was a rebel-inteDse, red-hot in
her advocacy of Southern rights and
her denunciation of Northern wrongs.
Although she had not taken up arms
against the Government. she was none
the less subject to the indiscriminating
swoop of the "proclamstion;" her mig
gers, according to that document, were
free, aud if "the Confederacy" failed
she could only get pay for them by es-
tabIishing her loyalty in a court of JUS
tice. Her Loyalty to the Yankee ma
tion?-not shei She was spunky as
widow Of thirty can be. She would
see Old Abe and every other Yankee
in the happy land of Canaan before she
would acknowledge allegiance to the
Washington Government. Neverthe-
less. being all she possessed Of the
worlds valuables, she would like to
save those piggers.
"Nothing easier" suggested Captain
Edward w. Sutherland, Of the United
States steam ram Queen Of the West.
who. attracted by her swapping black
eyes, engaged in friendly conversation
with the lady. after burning her bouse
down. "Nothing easier in the world,
madam"
"How so. Csptain?-You don't i'm
agine 1 will take that odious oath, do
you? l assure you l would not do it
for every niger in the South"
"But you need not take the oath,
madam-at least not that OATH"
II do not understand you, Captain"
said the widow.
81 said you need not take the oath Of
allegiance; you can establish your loyal
ty without tat least" with a respect
ful bow, 81 can establish it for you"
"Indeed, how would you do it, Cap
tain?"
"Simply enough. 1 am in the Gov
ernment service. command one Of
the boats of the Western nayy--techni-
cally denominated q ram, madam
down here in the river. Of course my
loyalty is unimpeached, and, madam, ]
assure you it is unimpeachable. Now.
if we could only say TO the Government
those niggeTs are mine"
The Captain waited moment to see
what effect his speech was producing
"Well, WE'LL" said the widow, i'm
patiently tapping with her well-sbaped
foot one Of the smoking timbers Of her
late domicile.
"In short, my dear madam, you can
save the niggers, save your conscien-
tious scruples, and save me from a fu-
ture life of misery by becoming my
wife,"
The Captain looked about wildly as il
be expected a sudden attack from
guerillas. The widow tapped the
smoulderiDg timber more violently for
few minutes. and then, turning her
bright eyes full upon the Captain, said,
"I'll do it."
The last arrival at Cairo from Vicks-
burg brings the intelligence that Cap
tain Sutherland, Of the ram Queen of
the West, was married, a few days
since on board the gunboat Tyler, to
Mrs. Harris, OF fSkipwith Landing. Sew
eral officers OF the army and navy were
present to witness the ceremony, which
was performed by Methodist clergy
man, and Admiral Porter gave away
the blushing bride. She is represented
to be a womsnof indomitable pluck, and
for the present shares the wild life Of
her husband on the ram Queen Of the
West.
In relation to niggers. Old Abe. or
Captain Stanton, or somebody, may
possibly raise technical objection that
in order TO save them the marriage GER
tifcate ought to be dated back to the ist
of January; but our opinion is it won't
make much difference in the end.