Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-23
ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
Thrilling Adventures OF ! Young an
Beautiful Woman. ~.

Thrilling Adventures or . Young and
Beautiful woman. ~.
From the st. Louis Republican, ~ j!Es E. 3
Among the thrilling events of the late
war, none can exceed the adventures Of
Mrs. Loretta DE Camp, whose maiden
nsne was Roach. She was born in the
West Indies, in l842, and is now about
twenty eight years Of age, At an early
age her parents removed to the United
States, and settled in the parish Of Saint
James, Louisiana, The current of her
life ran smoothly on until the outbreak
Of the war for Southern independence,
when, fred by enthusiasm, in as she
thor,, at the cause Of liberty, she donned
the male attire and was among the first to
ruch TO arms. Raising company of cav
airy and equipping it at her own expense,
she proceeded to Virginia, and there serv-
ed for eighteen months on the Peninsula,
under command Of the celebrated Colonel
Dreux, befors her sex was discovered
When this occurred, she was at once
mustered out aud ordered home. Instead
Of obeying the order, she proceeded to
Columbus, Kentucky, and was serving
With Gen. Polk at the evacuation Of that
place. She proceeded to Island No. 10,
but not being satisfied with the manner in
which affairs we're conducted there, she
left and went to Fort Pillow, where she
was elected First Lieutenant in Captain
PhilHps' company Of Independents Ten
nessee Cavalry. With her company she
proceeded to Corinth, and reported to
General A. s. Johnston. At the battle
Of Shiloh, Captain Phillips fell MORALLY
wounded, and the command then devolved
upon her. While calamity leading her
company in Q charge, she was twice
wounded, and carried from the field. AT.
ter the retreat from Corinth. she was Ia
ken TO New Orleans for surgical treat.
ment; and when the city fell into the
Federal hands, she was amongst those tn.
ken prisoners. After confinement Of
several months, she was paroled, and soon
after exchanged, \, -ls.. -. -. /.
Proceeding at once to Richmond, the
Disguised female soldier was commissioned
First Lieutenant in the Adjutant Gener-
ais department, aud ordered to report to
Gen. Marcus j. Wright, commanding the
District of Atlanta. Upon reporting, she
was assigned to duty with the Provost
Marshal, as chief of detectives and mill.
tary conductor. Serving for several
months in this capacity, she met Major
De Camp, Of the Second Arkansas Cav.
airy, to whom she was engaged to be mar
ried previous to the war. The ceremony
was then performed at Atlanta, and from
the dashing Lieutenant Roach, she was
transformed to the sober Mrs. Major De
Camp. From this time, her service ceased
~ an officer in the field, and she was en-
gagged in secret service--sometimes in the
Confederacy, again in England, and then
in Canada. In 1864, she spent several
months travelling in the United States,
and even went as far as the Sioux country
in Minnesota. Her husband, who was
taken prisoner In the fall Of 1863, while
serving with his regiment in Georgia, was
carried TO New York, After long and
srduous siege, she at length succeeded in
getting him paroled in January, 1865, but
ne lived only eight days after his release
from prison. Subsequent to the death of
her husband lin January, 18t 81, she pro
ceedod to Columbus, Ohio, to watch over
the interests Of the Confederate prisoners
confined at Camp Chase. if.s -
After the FINAL collapse Of the Confcd.
eracy, .Mre De Camp remained in the
North until last January, when she re-
turned to her home in Louisiana but
remaining there only few days, she pro.
ceeded to Memphis, and purchased stock
of goods, which we're shipped on the i'll
fatsa Miami, which was blown up on the
Arkansas river in February. She was one
of the two ladies who cxtre saved, but
with tho sacrifice of her baggage and
goods, By an unfortunate oversight on
,he part of her merchants, her goods were
not insured, and consequently, she lost
her all. 80. Ia j ..54 .is.s,. g..
Mrs. De Camp is now in this city, and
sojourning at the Southern Hotel. Many
who served in the Confederate army will
rekAember the dashing Lieutenant Roach
of whom 80 much was said in Mobile and
Sslma,in 1863. Our space will not per.
init full recital Of her adventures.