Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-06-15
Romance of the War.
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG
AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
Among the many thrilling events
OF the late war none can exceed the
adventures of Mrs. Loretta DeCamp,
the subject of this sketch. Mrs. De
Camp, whose maiden name was
Roach, was born in the West Indies
in 1888, and is now about % years
of age. At an early period her
parents moved to the United States
and settled in the parish Of St. James
La. The current of her life ran
smoothly on, until the outbreak Of the
war for Southern independence, when,
fired by enthusiasm in, as she thought,
the cause of liberty, she donned the
male attire and was the first to rush
to arms. Raising a company Of Cav,
and equipping it at her own expense,
she proceeded to Virginia, and there
served for eight months, on the PENN
sula, under the command OF the cele-
brated Col. Dreux, before her sex
was discovered. When this occurred
she was at once mustered out and
ordered home. Instead of obeying
the order she proceeded to Columbus,
KY, and was serving under Gen. Polk
at the evacuation Of that place. She
proceeded to Island No. 10, but not
being satisfied with the manner in
which affairs were conducted there,
she left and went to Fort Pillow,
where she was elected lst Lieut.. in
Captain Phillips company Of indie
pendent Tennessee cavalry. With
her company she proceeded to. Cor
inth, and reported to Gen. A. ). John
son. At the battle Of Shiloh Captain
Phillips fell mortally wounded, and
the command of the company then de-
volved upon her. While gallantly
leading her company in charge, she
was twice wounded, and carried from
the field. After the retreat to Cor
inth she was taken to New Orleans
for surgical treatment and when the
CITY fell into the Federal hands she
was among those taken prisoners.
After confinement of several months,
she was paroled, and soon after eX-
changed.
Proceeding at once to Richmond,
the disguised female soldier was com
missioned 1st Lieut.. in the Adit-Gen's.
department. and ordered to report
to Gen. Marcus J. Wright, command
ING the district of Atlanta. Upon
reporting she was assigned to duty
with the Provost Marshal, as chief OF
detectives and military conductor.
Serving several months in this capac-
Iity, she met Major DeCamp, of the
Sd Arkansas cavalry, to whom she
was engaged 10 he married previous
to the war. The ceremony was then
performed at Atlanta, and from the
: dashing Lieut.. Roach she was trans
formed to the sober Mrs. Major De
!. Camp. From this time her services
ceased as an officer in the field and
she engaged in secret service-sOme
times in the COnfederacy, again IL
England. and then in Canada. II
1864 she spent several months travel
ling in the United States, and ever
| went as far as the Sioux country il
{ Minnesota. Her husband, who wa.
taken prisoner in the fall of 1868
, while serving with his regiment il
l Georgia, was carried to New York
} After a long and arduous siege she a
length succeeded in getting him pa
I rolled in January, 1865, but he liveC
4 only eight days after his release from
, prison. Subsequent to the death o
< her husband (in Jan, 1865 )she pro
. ceeded to Columbus, Ohio, to watcI
r over the interests Of the Confederat
D prisoners confined at Camp Chase.
d After the final collapse Of the Con
e federacy Mrs. DeCamp remained i
= the north until last January, whel
g she returned to her home in Louisiana
: but remaining there only few day
s she proceeded to Memphis, and pun
: chased a stock Of goods which wer
Y shipped on the ill-fated steamer NJ
b ami, which was blown up on the Al
b kansas in February. She was one {
e the two ladies who were saved, bu
l. with the sacrifice Of all her baggag
a and goods. By an unfortunate owe
.. sight on the part Of her merchant
r her goods were not insured, and COZ
/ sequently, she lost her all.
Mrs. DeCamp is now in this cit,
aud sojourning at the Southern Hote
Many who served in the Confederat
e army will remember the dashin
g, Lieut.. Roach, of whom so much We
4 said in Mobile and Selma, in 1856
$ Our space will not permit a full r
X cital of her adventures.-St. Lou
N Republican.