The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-11

She openly espoused the cause of the
Union, and steadfastly refused to CO.
operate with her new friends and neigh
bors Notwithstanding her love for the
old flag, and open Unionis1h, her hus-
band loved her., and, while her husband
was at home, the neighbors respected
her. Geroux invested all his ready
property, which included his wife's
fortune; in Confederate bonds, placed
them in her hands, gave her kiss for
short farewell, assuring her that the
war would soon be over, and, marching
at the head Of victorious column of
lis country's defenders, she would be
proud to welcome him. After his de-
parture, her treatment by his relatives
and neighbors became almost intolera-
BILE because of her hatred of secession.
After two years Of service in the
Confederate army, he was captured a
prisoner by the victorious Sherman in
his march to Atlanta, and sent to Camp
Douglas.
This was good news to his wife, who
could no longer endure the prosecutions
she received at the South, and she re-
solved to make her way North and re-
Join him in his prison home, and if she
could not secure his pardon, to at least
stay near him. Her Confederate bonds
were worthless, and she was penniless;
she made her way to the Mississippi
River, and took passage on the ill-fated
steamer Sultana for the North; she
sold some jewelry tor money sufficient
to carry her to Chicago. Arriving at
Memphis, her child was taken very
i'll, and by the advice of the captain Of
the Sultana, she remained there to Sc
cure medical aid for the child. Within
twenty-four hours thereafter, the boiler
Of the Sultana exploded, and l, 200 lives
were lost.
Geroux Jared i'll at ease in Camp
Douglas, and made many strategenIs
to escape. lie finally succeeded in
bribing raw sentinel to let him pass;
and to avoid pursuit Il resort to decep-
ton became necessary. A comrade OF
his was on tho point Of death. His
mess dressed the dead soldier in tho
Majors uniform, and conveyed him to
tie dead house, and gave his name as
'Nlaior Charles Geroux, Third Louis
lana Regiment, Confederate States
Army" The next morning the body
wasstakcn away and buried, and the
rank, name, regiment, and place Of bu-
rial were duly recorded in the register
i'll Camp Douglas dead by c. II. Jor-
dan, the undertaken for the Govern
menv at Chicago. That night Geroux
escaped. His absence created no III
quiry, as he was reported dead. For
the purpose of avoiding public roads
and conveyances, ho took horse from
pasture near Camp Douglas, belong
ing to J. L. Handbook, formerly Presi-
dent of the Board of Trade Of Chicago,
and by avoiding public roads as much
as possible, reached Momence the next
day. His actions excited susnicions
and he was arrested on suspicion of
having stolen the horse, and was lodged
in the kankakee jail. He was taken
out on writ Of haJsas corpus, and no
proof being found to hold him, he was
discharged.
Coming thence to this city, bo OBJ
! tanned situation in wholesale gro
ccry house.
After the usual delays in passing let
:! ters through the lines, he learned that
his two brothers were killed in the bat
! tie of the Wilderness, that his fathers
estate had been confscated to the Uni
ted States Government, and his father
had voluntarily exiled himself to Mex
leo. Of his wife and child, the only
information was that they had sought
to get North, and took passage on the
Sultana, since which they had not been
heard of, and no doubt remained that
they had perished. His true position
had been studiously concealed, and he
lavoided his former acquaintances.
Shortly, after he received this intelli-
gence from the South, Sherman had
started on his grand march from At
lanta, and Grant marshalled his grand
army before Petersburg, and the Con-
federate States vanished almost as
vision. During the past summer, Ger
oux returned to the South, and was
fully confirmed in the information he
had received about his family, and that
his real estate had also been confsca.
ted. He gave his wife and child up as
lost, and returned to Cincinnati.
After his wife and child had remain.
ed in Memphis, and escapad the dis,
aster of the Sultana, she started tol
! Chicago, and reached Camp Douglas
Impatient at the delay, she hastened
there with expectations high to meet
him who was dearer to her, than Life
The reader can picture to himself the
! II