The Manchester Journal

WAR AND ROMANCE,

During the late movement against Vicksburg the national transports were fired upon by a rebel battery at Skipwith landing, not many miles from the mouth of the Yazoo. No sooner was the outrage reported at headquarters than the admiral sent an expedition to remove the battery and destroy the place. The work of the destruction was effectually done; not a structure which could shelter a 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, comely, and possessed of external attractions in the shape of a hundred and fifty niggers, which she had contrived to save from the present operation of the "decree" by sending them up the Yazoo river. But Mrs. Harris was a rebel, intense, 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 proclamation," her niggers, according to that document, were free, and if the confederacy failed she could only get her pay for them by establishing her loyalty in a court of justice. Her loyalty to the Yankee nation?—not she! She was spunky, as a widow of thirty can be. She could see Old Abe and every other Yankee in the happy land of Canaan before she could acknowledge allegiance to the Washington government. Nevertheless, being all she possessed of this world's valuables, she would like to save those niggers. "Nothing easier" suggested Capt. Edward W. Sutherland, of the U. S. ram Queen of the West, who, attracted by her snapping black eyes, engaged in a friendly conversation with the lady, after burning her house down,— "Nothing easier in the world, ma'am."

"How so, captain?—you don't imagine I would take that odious oath, do you? I assure you I would not do it for every nigger in the South."

"But you need not take the oath, madam—at least not that oath."

"I do not understand you, captain," said the widow.

"I said you need not take the oath of allegiance; you can establish your loyalty without it—at least," with a respectful bow, "I can establish it for you."

"Indeed, how will you do it captain?"

"Simply enough. I am in the government's service. I command one of the boats of the western navy—technically denominated a ram, madam—down here in the river. Of course my loyalty is unimpeached, and, madam, I assure you it is unimpeachable. Now, if we could only say to the government, those niggers are mine—"

The captain waited a moment to see what effect his speech was producing.

"Well" said the widow, impatiently tapping with her well shaped foot one of the smoking timbers of her late domicile.

"In short, my dear madam, you can save the niggers, save your conscientious scruples, and save me from a future life of misery by becoming my wife."

The captain looked about wildly, as if he expected a sudden attack from guerrillas. The widow tapped the smouldering timbers more violently for a few minutes, and then, turning her bright eyes full upon the captain, said, "I'll do it."

The last arrival at Cairo from Vicksburg, brings the intelligence that Capt. Sutherland, of the ram Queen of the West, was married a few days since on board the gunboat Tyler, to Mrs. Harris, of Skipwith landing. Several officers of the army and navy were present to witness the ceremony, which was performed by a Methodist clergyman, and Admiral Porter gave away the blushing bride. She is represented to be a woman of 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 Capt. Sutherland or somebody, may possibly raise a technical objection that in order to save them the marriage certificate ought to date back to 1st of January; but in our opinion it won't make much difference in the end.—Chicago Times.