Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-04-11
A Romance of the War.
Iron the Kankakeo (Illinois) Gazette

roux became q graduate OF college In
southern Ohio. He was the descendant
of an aristocratic family who lived in
Louisiana, and, to be blief, he was then
full embodiment of the "chivalry,' just
having entered his majority. While at
tending college he had formed the ac.
.quaintance of Clara G., who attended
the college for young ladies in the same
place, which acquaintance ripened into at
tachrnent and love, and just before the
breaking out of the rebellion they were
married and moved to the South.
Miss was an orphan, possessed Of
considerable property, which was held
in trust for her by an uncle, Southern
minister, who had raised her from infancy
aud personally superintendent her educa
ton. In addition to the endowments OF
collegiate education, she was possessed
of strong character, bordering almost
toward the masculine, but tempered with
sweetness and mildness not often COM
bined in the same person. She was q!
once handsome and womanly.
Within q year after their marriage
and settlement in the South, came the
fierce, shrill blasts of war from Sumter's
parapet, and there was none more ready
to. enter upon the deadly fray than Charles
Geroux. His political tutors were prac.
tical secessionists, and he entered upon
the war with fervor and zeal to COM
mand the admiration of his friends and
which secured him Majors commits
sion.
His wife opposed his mad scheme with
all the power of a woman's eloqusnce.
but to no avail. She openly espoused
the cause of the Union, and steadfastly
refused to cooperate with her new friends
and neighbors. Notwithstanding her love
for the old flag, and open unionism, her
husband loved her, and while he was al
home, her neighbors respected her. Ge.
roux invested all his ready property.
which included his wife's fortune, in Con-
federate bonds, placed them in her hanls,
gave he's q kiss for short farewell, assur-
ing her the war would soon be over, and
marching at the head of victorious
column of his country's defenders, she
would be proud to welcome him. After
his departure, her treatment by his rela-
tives and neighbors became almost intol-
cradle, because of her hatred Of seces-
sion.
After two years of service in the Con-
federate 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 persecution
she received at the South, and she re.
solved 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 Confederate bonds were worth.
less, and she was penniless. She made
her way to the Mississippi River, and
took passage on the ill-fated steamer
"Sutana" for the North. She sold some
jewelry for money sufficient to carry her
to Chicago. Arriving at Memphis, her
child was taken very i'll, and by the ad-
vice 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" ex.
ploded by torpedo concealed in the hold
by the rebels, and 200 lises were lost.
Geroux Jared i'll at ease in Camp Dong.
las, and made many stratagems to escape.
He finally succeeded in brbing raw
sentinel to let him pass, and to avoid pur-
suit resort to deception became neces-
sary. A comrade of his was on the point
of death. His mess dressed the dead
soldier in the Majors uniform, and con.
veyed him to the dead house, and gave
his name as Major ChaS. Geroux, Third
Louisiana Regiment, c. S. g." The next
morning the body was taken away and
buried, and the rank, name, regiment, and
place of burial were duly recorded in the
register of Camp Doug las dead, by c.
H. Jordan, the undertaken for the gov
ernment at Chicago. That night Geroux
escaped. His absence created no inquiry,
as he was reported dead.
For the purpose of avoiding public
roads and conveyanccs he took horse
from pasture near Camp Douglas be-
longing to John L. Hancock, formerly
President of the Board of Trade, and by
avoiding the public roads as much as pos
sibl ereached Momence the next day. His
actions excited suspicion, and he was ar.
rested on suspicion of stealing the horse.
and was lodged in the Kankakee Jail. He
was taken out on habeas corpus. and no
proof being found to hold him he was
discharged. His attorney, however. held
the horse and returned it to the owner.
Geroux found a difficulty in getting
through the lines, and was almost ont of
funds, and partly for the purpose of visit
ing the scenes Of his college days, and
partly to wait g until something should
turn up" whereby he could get South he
went from here to Ohio. Here he spent
the last of his money.
He was not easily to be discouraged.
Through the assistance of d professor in
the College, to whom he told part of
his history, he obtained situation in
wholesale house in. Cincinnati. From
there he communicated with his friends
in the South. After the usual delays of
passing letters through the lines, bolcarh.
.eetthas his two brothers were killed in
tbe sbstsfe ofttlle Wilderness, and his
atherss.estaA had been confscated to the
United States Government, and his father
had voluntarily exiled himself to Mexico.
OF his wife and child; She only infarma-
ton was, they had sought to get North
saatnek pasasgs pa the saItans" siaee /