The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-04-19
An Interesting Story OF the War-Facts
Stranger than Fiction.

There are now living in Cincinnati q
family, the history of which forms some.
thing so romantic as to constitute a
most interesting story:
In the summer of 1859, Charles
Geroux became graduate of college
in the Southern part Of this State, He
was descendants: of an aristocratic fami.
ly who lived in Louisiana, and, to be
brief he was then full embodiment of
the "chivalry," just having entered his
majority. While attending college, he
had formed the acquaintance of Clara
G., who attended college for
young ladies' in this city, which acquain.
tance ripened in attachment and love,
and, just before the breaking out of the
rebellion, they were married, and re.
moved South. Miss c. was an
orphan, possessed of considerable pro.
perty, which was held in trust by her
uncle, a Southern minister, who had
raised her from infancy, and personally
superintended her education. In addi.
tion to the endowments of a collegiate
education, she was possessed Of a strong
character, bordering almost on the mas
culine, but tempered with sweetness
and mlldness not often combined in the
same person. She was at once hand.
some and womenly.
Within year after their marriage and
settlement in the South, came the fierce,
wild blasts of war from Sumter's para.
pet, and there was none more ready to
enter the deadly fray than Charles Ge.
roux. His political tutors were practi.
cal secessionists, and he entered upon
the war with fervor and zeal to com.
mand the admiration of his friends, and
which secured him majofs 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. 9Notwithstand.
ing her love for the old flag, and open
Uuionism, her husband loved her, and,
while her husband wasSst home, the
neighbors respected her. Geroux in.
vested all his ready property, which in.
cluded 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 victori.
Gus column of his country's defenders,
she would be proud to welcome him.
After his departure, her treatment by
his relatives and neighbors became
almost intolerable because of her hatred
OF secession.
After two years of service in the Con.
federate army, he was captured pris.
oner 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
rejoin hirl 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 for money sufficient to car
ry her to Chicago. Arriving at Mem.
phs, her child was taken very i'll, and
by the advice of the captain of the
Sultana, she remained there to secure
medical ai6 for the child. Within
twenty. -four hours thereafter, the boiler
ofthe Sultana exploded, and l,2O0'lives
were lost.
Geroux Jared i'll 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, resort to deception be.
came necessary. A comrade Of his was
on the point Of death. His mess dressed
the dead soldier IN the Majors uniform,
and conveyed him to the dead house,
and gave his name as "Major Charles
Geroux, Third Louisiana Regiment,