Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-04-07
An Interesting story Of the War.

There is nov living in this city fam
ily, the history OF which forms something
so romantic as to constitute most inter-
esnng story.
La The summer of 1859 Charles
Geroux became a graduate Of college in
the southern part Of this Stale. He was
the decendau, Of an arislocraiic family
who lived in Louisiana and, 10 be b7lel.
he was then fu!l embodiment Of the
"chivslry.' jus, havi"g entered his ma.
jnrily. While attending college he had
lor ned ihe acquaintance e Clara c.,
who attended college fr young ladies
in this city, which acquaintance ripPned
into attachment and love, and, jus, before
the break ing out Of the rebellion, thcy
were married, and removed South. Miss
O. WAS an orphan, possessed OF
considerable property, which was held
! in trust hy her uncle, Southern minis
Ter, " ho had raised her from infancy. and
personally superIntended her education.
! In adjiron 10 tie enduwmekts of col
! -giate education, she vas possessed OF a
strong character, bordering aInos! on the
masculine, but tempered With sweet.
ness and mlIdness not often comblned in
/ The same person. She was al once hand
some and Somanly.
Within year after their marriage and
settlement ~ t,!e Suulh came The fierce.
Wild bI4-ts Of war Grom S0m,cr's parapei
aud there was none more ready Ia enter
he deadly fray Than Charles Geroux.
Il political tutors were practical seces.
sIcnsls. and he entered upon the war
with teIsUr and zeal 10 command tie
admiration Of hs friends, and which secur
ed him majors commission. Ills vile
opposed his mad scheme with all the
power ol wUmIn's elOquence, but 60 no
avail. She openly espoused The cause Of
the Union, and sreadfasIly refused to CO.
operate win her new friends and neigh
bors. Nolw,hs landing her love for the
old asg, and open UnIonism, her bus
band loved her, and bile her husband
Geroox Invested all his ready property,
which included his wife's fortune, in
Confederate bonds, placed item in her
hands, gave her kiss for a shott fare
well, assuring her that the war would
soon be over. and, marching al the head
Of victorious column OF his counry's
defenders. she would be proud TO vel
come him. After his departure, her treat.
ment by lis relatives and neighbors be
came almost iniOlerabe because Of her
hatred 10 secession.
After two years OF service in the Con
ledera,e army, he was captured a prison
er by the victorious Sherman, in bis
march to Atlanta, and sent 10 Camp
Douglas.
This wss good news to his wife, who
could no longer endure the prosecutions
she received at The South, aud she re-
solved TO make her way Norh and rejnin
him in his prison home aud if she could
not secure his pardon, 10 a, least stay
near him. Her Confederate Bonds were
worthless, and she MAS penniless. She
made her way TO he Mississippi river,
and took passage on the il!-is'ed steamer
Sullans for the North she sold some
ewelery for mOney eufticient TO carry
her to Chicago. Arriving al Memphis,
er chl was taken very i'll. and by The
advice Of the captain of the Sultsna, she
remained there 10 secure medical aid for
the child. Within iwenty.four hours
thereafter tue boiler Of the Sulssna explo-
ded, and twelve hundred lives were lost.
Gcroux Jared i'll at ease in Camp
Douglas, and made many strataeems TO
escape. He finally succeeded in bribing
a raw sentinel to let him pass, and to
avoid pursuit resort to deception became
necessary. A comrade of his was on the
point of death. His mess dressed the
dead soldier i'll the maj uniform, and
conveyed him 10 the dead house, and
gave his name as Major Charles Geroux,
81 Louisiana Regiment, G.. S. A." The
next morning the body was taken away
and buried, and The rank, name, regiment,
and place Of bnrlal were duly recorded in
lheregIster of Camp Douglas dead, by
G.. ii. Jordan, the undertaken for the Gov.
ernment, al Chicago. That night Geroux
escaped. His absence created no inqui-
ry, as he was reported dead. For the
purpose of avoiding public roads and con-
veyances, he took horse from pasture
near Camp Douglas, belonging to ]. l..
Hancock. formerly President Of The
Board of Trade OF Chicago, and by
avoiding public roads as much as posi-
BILE, reached Momeuce The next day. His
actions excited suspicion, and he was ar
rested on suspicion Of having 't'!en the
horse, and was lodged in the kankakee