The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-04-11
An Interesting Story Of the War---Faets that are
Stranger than Fiction.

In the summer of 1859, Charles Geroux
became graduate of a college in the south
ern paIt of this State. He was the descen-
dant of an aristocratic family who lived IN
Louisiana, and, to be brief, he was then
full embodiment of the chivalry," just hav
ing entered his majority While attending
college he had formed the acquaintance OF
Clara c.. who attended a college for
Young ladies in this city, which acquaintance
ripened into attachment and love, and, just
before the breaking out of the rebellion, they
were married, and removed South. MISS
G. was anorphan, possessed OF consid-
cradle property, which was held IN trust by
her uncle, Southern minister, who had
raised her from infancy, and personally SUI
perintended her education. In addition to
the endowments of collegiate education,
she was possessed of strong character, Dor
dering almost on the masculine, but tempered
with a sweetness and mildness not often
combined in the same person. She was at
once handsome and womanly.
Within year after their marriage and
settlement in the South, came the fierce, wild
blasts of war from Sumter's parapet, and
there was none more ready to enter the deadly
fray than Charles Geroux. His political tu-
UOIS WtlC pldCllCdl oCCCoolohloto, eAiA AAN 80
tered upon the war with fervor and zeal to
command the admiration of his friends, and
which secured him majors COMMISSION
His wife opposed his mad scheme with all
the power Of woman's eloquence, but to no
avail. She openly espoused the cause OF the
Union, and steadfastly refused to cooperate
with her new friends and neighbors. Not
withstanding her love for the old flag, and
open Unionism, her husband loved her, and
while her husband was at home the neigh
bors respected her. Geroux invested all his
ready property which included his wites
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
a victorious column of his country's defen-
ders, she would be proud to welcome him.
After his departure, her treatment by his rel
atives and neighbors became almost intoler-
able because of her hatred of secession.
After two years of service in the Confede-
rate army, he was captured 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 resolved to
make her way North and rejoin him in his
prison home, and if she could not secure his
pardon, to at least stay near him. Her Con-
! federate bonds were worthless, and she was
penniless; she made her way to the Mississip-
pi river, and took passage on the Inflated
steamer Sultana for the North she sold some
.jewelry for money sufficient to carry her to
Chicago. Arriving at Memphis, her child
was taken very ILL., and by the advice of the
captain of the Sultana, she remained there to
secure medical aid for the child. Within
twenty-four hours thereafter the boiler of the
Sultana exploded, and twelve hundred lives
were lost.
Geroux Jared ill at ease in Camp Douglas,
and made many stratagems to escape. He
finally succeeded in bribing a raw sentinel to
let him pass and to avoid pursuit, a resort
| to deception became necessary. A comrade
| of his was on the point of death. His mess
dressed the dead soldier in the Majors uni
| form, and conveyed him to the dead house,
and gave hisn name as Major Charles Geroux,
Third Louisiana regiment, Confederate States
army" The next morning the body was
taken away and buried, and the rank, name,
regiment, and place of burial, were duly re-
corded in the register of Camp Douglas dead
by c. Fl. Jordan, the undertaken for the
Government at Chicago. That night Geroux
escaped. His absence created no inquiry, as
he was reported dead. For the purpose of
avoiding public roads and conveyances, he
took horse from the pasture near Camp
Douglas, belonging to ]. L. Hancock, for
merly President of the Board of Trade of
Chicago, and by avoiding public roads as
much as possible, reached Momence the next
day. His actions excited suspicion, 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 ha6eas
corpus and no proof being found to hold him.
he was discharged
Coming thence to this city, he obtained a
situation in wholesale grocery house.
After the usual delays in passing letters
through the lines he learned that his two
brothers were killed in the battle of the Will
derness, that his fathers estate had been
confscated to the United States Government,
and his father had voluntarily exiled him
self to Mexico. Of his wife and child, the
only information was that they had sought
to get North, aud took passage on the Sui
tana, since which they had not been heard
OF, and no doubt remained that they had
| persisted. His true position had been studi-
ously concealed, and he avoided his former
acquaintance. Shortly after he received
this intelligence from the South, Sherman
had started on his grand march from Allan
ia, and Grant marshaled his grand army he
fore Petersburg, and the Confederate States
army vanished almost as vision During
the past summer Geroux returned to the
South, and was fully confirmed in the infor-
nation he had received about his family, and
that his real estate had also been confiscated.
He gave his wife and child up as lost, and
returned to Cincinnati.
After his wife and child had remained in
Memphis, and escaped the disaster of the
Sultana, she started for Chicago, anil reach
ed Camp Douglas. Impatient at the delay,
she fastened there with expectations high to
meet him who was dearer to her than life
The reader can picture to himself the agony
of this sad wife. A stranger, destitute Of
money, carrying in her arms a weakly child
not yet recovered from servere illness, and
she herself worn out with fatigue and ankle
ty, when she learned that her husband was
dead. There was no doubt of his death the
registry kept at Camp Douglas showed it,
and the grave was pointed out to her. which
bore this description on pine board
MAJOR CHARLES GERoUx,
Third Louisiana Latantry"
The same grave this day Is neatly sodded
over, and at its head grows rose-bush.
Broken-hearted and bowed down with
grief, she wendell her way on foot to the
great city of Chicago-not knowing why she
went. A stranger among strangers, with nc
one to aid or pity her, save the good God
who, in her inmost heart, she believed had