Year: 1863

A UNIQUE WEDDING AT MEMPHIS.


One very pleasant Sabbath morning not
very long since. we rode out in company
with the superintendent and others, to the
camp outside the city to attend public
service. We rode past the fort, through
country which, year or two since, was
crowned with pleasant woods, favorite
picnic ground for the citizens in summer,
but which is now a mere abattis of fallen
trees, hewed down so that the fort can
command thoroughly the country around.


We soon reached the contraband camp,
situated on a high bluff near the river,
and consisting for the most part of little
wood cabins, each surrounded by its own
small garder-plot of corn and vegetables,
one or two larger buildings being used for
commissary stores, etc. We dismounted
from our horses, and wended our way to
large wooden structure in the center of
the camp, used both as church and school
house, where we found nearly the whole
camp assembled from the white haired
veteran who clasps liberty as brief, prec-
ious boon during these his last days on
earth, to the baby in its mothers arms.
All were in their gayest holiday attire,
and evidently excited by the anticipation
of some great event; for on this day
most novel ceremony was to take place.
the union of no less than forty pairs of
these freed men and women in lawful
marriage. After the singing of hymns,
land who that has ever attended negro
meeting can forget the peculiar tone. of
their religious songs y and after remarks
appropriate to the occasion by one of the
missionaries, the superintendent requested
candidates for matrimony to take their
places. Twenty couples Immediately ar
ranged themselves in semi-circle. at a
distance from the speakers desk. There
There is always certain interest invest
ing wedding, and | doubt whether the
glitter and pomp of royal marriage. or
the union of the noblest and fairest in
our own land, surrounded though they
might be, by all the sanctities Of home,
and the tender blessing of parents and
friends. could thrill me with deeper in
terest than did the marriage Of these lone


ly ones in that rude wooden church 1t
had a strange significance it seemed to
herald the birth of race into high priv
ilege and Chri tian life. that these desrised
people, whose union previously had been
accidental and temporary, according to
the will of masters who regarded this no.
liest of human ties simply as source of
profit, we're permitted in the open day to
stand forth and pledge their faith till death


according to the solemn sanctions of the
Christian church. AS | looked at them,
they seemed of all ages and grades, and
were all carefully dressed, some grotesque-
ly, some even tastcfully. Among them
was an aged couple, who, belonging to one
master, had been permitted by a strange
good fortune to live forty years without
separation one of the very rare examples
of peaceful, unbroken. though unrecog-
nized wedlock. 1t was strange and affec-
ting to see these aged ones. with grown-up
children, standing around them as witness
es, coming to have their long wrong right
cd, their hitherto unrecognized union
sancti6d by the sure ordinance Of the
Christian church. There were other mid
dlc-aged. and many quite young couples,
Of all shades of color, and some even
pretty faces among the women. OF these
some were attired in gay silks, therein
nants of plantation splendor one or two
simply in white, with wreath Of
blossoms in the hair. which was frizzled
and puffed a merpeile; and one had even
donned the snowy drapcry of a bridal veil.
Many we're robcd more plainly, but near
! ly all affected bright colors and broad