The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-21

.. 'lls eurrendereA. e!T q
On Monday one of the most gallant exploits
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 seige guns were trained on her. This
steamer had az captain most gallant and
plucky gentleman, named Edward w. Suther-
land, who, upon ., certain occasion, met gal
liant and plucky widow the result of the inter-
view with whom is told in this way:l 6a'sf'al Il
1t appears that during the late movement
! against Vicksburg the national transports we're
| fred upon by the before mentioned rebel battery
at Skipwith Landing No sooner was the OUT
| rage reported at headquarters than the Admiral
sent an expedition to remove tie battery and de-
stroy the place. The work of destruction was
| effectually done; not structure which could
shelter a rebel head was left standing III the
region for several miles around. asa@ Use
Among other habitations destroyed was that
of Mrs. Harris, widow lady, young. comely
and possessed of external attractions in the
shape Of hundred and fifty niggers, whom she
had coutrived to save from the present opera.
ton of 'the decree" by sending them up the
Yazoo river But Mrs Harris was rebel-in-
tense, 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 subje to the
Iindiecriminate swoop of "the proclamation;" her
niggers, according to that document, were free,
and if 'sthe Confederacy" failed she could only
get pay for them by establishing her Loyalty in q
court of Justice Her loyalty to the Yankee
nation?-not che! She was as spunky as Wild
ow 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. y Nevertheless,
being all she possessed of this worlds valuablee,
she would like to save those niggers.
'sNothing easier" suggested Captain Edward
W. Sutherland, Of the United States steam ram
Queen of the West, who, attracted by her snap
ping black eyes, engaged in friendly converse
ton with the lady, after burning her house down:
| Nothing easier in the world, madam"
"How %. Captain? You don't imagine will
take that Odious oath, do you l assure you
would not do it for every niger in the South. "
"But you need not take the oath, madam-at
least not that oath" COG
II do not understand you, Captain, said the
widow. =ils4 5f4s IS ais .s 40 10 s1W
II said you need not take the oath of allegi-
ance; you can establish your loyalty without it
at least, with respectful bow; II can es-
tablish it for you" 3a5 nc1i e.sea IS 20
..Indeed /; how could you do it, Captain ?"
"Smpy enough. command one Of the
1 boats! Of the Western Navy-technically de-
nominated ram, madam-down here in the
river. Of course my loyalty is upimpeached,
and, madam, it is unimpeachable. Now, If We
could only say to the Government those niggera
| are MINE "a Fyt4s asvsg
/ The Captain waited q moment to see what ef-
feet bis speech Was producing. ed .ta
"Well, !" said the widow, impatiently tapping
4 with her we'll shaped foot one Of the smoking
timbers of her late domicil. aa agoE
/ SIN short, my dear madam, you can save the
niggers save yourlconscientious scruples, and
save me from future life Of misery by becom-
ing my wife," .lsapa. ~ - gs y
The Captain looked about wildly, as if be e1-
pected q sudden attack of guerrillas The wild
ON tapped the smoaldering timber more vio'
lently for 4 few moments, and then, turning her
bright eyes full upon the Captain, said, I'll do
A recent arrival, at Cairo from Vicksburg
brought the Intelligence that Capt. Sutherland
of the ram Queen of the West, was married q
few days since, on board the gunboat Tyler, ia
Mrs. Harris, Of Skipwith Landing Several Of
ficers of the army and navy we're present to wit
ness the ceremony, which was performed BY ,
i Methodist clergyman, and Admiral Porter gav'
away the blushing bride. She is represented Il
be woman Of indomitable pluck, and for the
present shares the wild lite Of her husband OF
board the ram Queen Of the West.
PRESENCE OF MIND-This extract, from ,
Renaissance concerning series of murder
committed some years since in France, devel-
oped rare instance of presence of mind il
woman We will premise that the murderer
100 hv tho fa that in anne DreViOuj