, 1863-08-01
The Women of Vicksburg.

Ihe w omen OF N1ckSDurS.
A correspondent Of the N. Y. Times
writes from Grants army, on the authority
of the Federal prisoners who were taken
to Vicksburg and released:
The women and children all remain in
town, although ordered at various times to
leave. On the day our men left, morn
ing report showed the sad fact that up to
that time 119 of these unfortunates had
been killed by our shells, among whom is
the wife of Gen. Pemberton. The women
of Vicksburg are either brave beyond or
dinary mortals or desperate in the extreme.
The shells search every part of the town,
and yet the children play as usual upon
the streets, and the women seek no protec-
ton, but boldly promenade the public
thoroughfares and attend to their house
hold duties. In house close to the Jail
our men saw several ladies, who sat in
/ groups on the piazza, move leisurely about
the house, and al times made the air melo-
dious with voice ard piano. What quality
If this shown by these women Is it her
oism, desperation, or what? Death is all
about them-it Kisses through the air,
crashes through their edifces, smtes down
their innocent children and themselves,
and yet they unconcernedly sit, sing, chat
and laugh through it all-through a com-
bination Of horrors that would almost make
a coward of the bravest man who ever
drew a sword. These things seem incred-
ible; but they are true, for our prisoners
unite in vouching for the fact, all phases of
which they themselves heard and witness
ed.
While in the jail our men received a
messenger from our feet in the shape of a
| 200lb shell that made itself capacious
entrance through the roof, passing down,
il carried away nearly the entire floor Of
! the loom in which it entered, and then ex-
ploded in the hall below. Wonderfully
enough, it hurt no one, although several
were in the very room; it did no further
damage than to open an irregular and ex-
tended skylight in the roof, blow out all
the glass in the building, and knock down
enough brick, mortar and old iron to keep
busy two cOlored gentlemen with wheel
barrows day and half in removing the
accumulated rubbish. Almost every build
ing in town bears the mark Of shells, some
of which have fallen from the mortar feet,
and Others from the Parrot batteries in the
rear Our men passed one house through
which l3-inch shell had dropped from
roof to basement. A group Of ladies sat
on the balcony and servants were engaged
in wheeling the shattered fragments out Of
the building.
Mrs DOUGLAS AND HER FAMILY-A
Washington correspondent of the Spring
field Republican, alluding to the death Of
j. NJ. Cults, the father of Mrs. Douglas,
says: Mrs Douglas is again in mourn
ing. She was always a favorite with her
father, and the attachment between them
o1e n9aibuRRy @ibu RaIy srPRR TO Sa Sbg5 g RPE @
as best she can. The children relinquished
their Memphis estate long ago by choosing
to remain here and espouse the cause Of
their country One Of the boys is upon
Gen. Burnside's staff If the government
succeeds in restoring the Union, or in put
ting down the rebellion, the children will
recover their southern estate, though doubt
less in a ruined condition Every few
months the gossipmongers have coined
new story respecting Mrs. douglas
They have married her to several men, but
most frequently to Mr. Chase. What
makes the matter worse, is, that there new
er was the slightest foundation, for it. 1t
must have been started purposely, for mis-
chievous purpose Mrs. Douglas has busi-
ed herself for the last two years at the hos
pitfalls. There is not woman in the coun-
try who has been more active in doing good
than she, and hundreds Of wounded and
sick soldiers will remember her name with
gratitude"
TURTLE EGG BUTTER.-One of the pc
culiar productions of Brazil, described by
Mr. Fletcher was turtle egg butter
There are innumerable turtles on the sand
bars of the Amazon, and the natives make
it business az the proper season to collect
their eggs, which are deposited in the sand.
These are thrown into boats, and when d
sufficient quantity has been collected they
are trampled by the feet Of the Indians
after short time an oily substance rises to
the surface and is skinned of, and this IS
called turtle egg butter" Many millions
of eggs are consumed in this way every
year, and the article is largely consumed.
But Mr.. Fletcher confessed although he
had partaken of many strange dishes in
the course of his travels, and had learned
to relish them. he never could taste tur-
tie egg butter. He did not like the man-
ner of churning.
EXPENSIVE GROUSE SHoor1NG.-A
sportsman, in the Highlands of Scotland,
less expert than extravagant, was seated
with his servant on a rock consoling them
selves under the fatigue ard disappoint-
ment of unsuccessful pursuit The master
said "Well, Pat, this is expensive work.
I've been calculating that every one OF
these birds cost me above ESQ.
"Faith, yer honor" says Pat, throwing
dash of humor into the sympathizing
simplicity of his reply; Il am sorry for
that, but it's lucky there's no more OF
them
A gentleman once fell from his horse and
/ injured his thumb. The pain increasing,
he was obliged to send for a surgeon One
day the doctor was unable to visit him, and
sent his son instead. "Have you seen the
old gentleman :" said the father in the eve-
ming
"Yes," replied the young man, 'and
drew out thorn which l ascertained was
the cause of his agony"
"Fool !" cried his father Il trusted
you had more sense. Now there is an end
to that job r'
Converted O. H. Browning.