The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-10-08
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.

Tragic Story of Paul Manigault and
His Wife-A Loyal SOutherner, He
Expatriated Himself and Died Of a
Broken Heart.
In the dry legal papers filed with the
state comptroller by James j. McEvllly,
lawyer, of No. 80 Liberty street, are re-
vealed tragedy and romance that date
back to the days of the civil war, says the
New York Herald. Mr.. McEvllly was
employed by Comptroller Nathan l.. MIL
ler to collect a transfer tax from the heirs
of Charlotte Morris Manigault, once a
woman of this city, but who had lived
abroad for forty years before her death, in
Brighton, England.
Paul Manigault, according to the papers
placed on file by Mr.. McEvilly, belonged
to family long prominent in the politl-
cal and social life of South Carolina. he
was educated at West Point, in class
that sent out many officers who achieved
distinction in both Confederate and
Federal armies. Mr.. Manigault was
stationed in this city before the war, but
he never closed the old family mansion IN
Charleston, where in the winter he and
his young wife entertained in a lavish
fashion.
Mrs. Manigault before her marriage
was Miss Charlotte Morris, a descendant
of Gouverneur Morris, who settled in the
upper part of what is now New York city
early in the eighteenth century. She is
said to have been one of the most beautl
| e,,1 IS Sc
| days. She and her husband were as popu
lar here as they were in their Southern
home.
1t was said that Mrs. Manigault exert
ed a great influence upon her husband
Naturally she was loyal to the Union, but
her husband could not bring himself tc
make war upon the state in which he was
born and in whose history his forefatherS
| had written their names. When 1t be-
came necessary for the young officer tc
| make final choice, he resigned his com
mission in the army, and, deplorlng the
condition of civil strife, expatrlated hlm
self. Capt. Manigault had no intention
of quitting the United States for all time
and as proof of that he closed his home
in Charleston without removing the furni
I i
until more than forty years later, when
the old furniture was found still IN place
dust covered and falling into decay.
Capt. Manigault ever felt that he hao
failed in his duty when he left his native
land. He often said that he should have
| fought on one side or the other, but be
never, it is said even to his wife, made ii
known which side should have had his
service. Feeling the weight of chagrln
heavily, he never returned to America
For ten years he and his wife wandered
about Europe. He finally died IN Eng
land in 1870, prematurely aged and utter
ly wretched in spirit.
Mrs. Manigault felt much as did her
husband, and her heart was broken when
he died. To her friends in America she
ever wrote, saying, Next year shall re-
turn" The next year never arrived, ano
Mrs Manigault died as had her husband
an expatriate Her New York furniture
had never been taken out of storage, and
she did not see the Southern home again
ioy and sadness which she had long
promised herself.
At the death of Mrs. Manigault, the
estate left was willed TO two nephews
one surgeon in the United States navy
the other resident of South Carolina
The property, which is valued at nearly
81 100000, was nearly all in New YORK
which fact made it possible for this state
to collect considerable transfer tax.
Mrs. Manigault made several invest
ments in America, through james
Smith, of New York, who was her gen
eral agent. When she died it was found
that she had left double wili-that IS, q
| will disposing of her estate in England
and another disposing of her estate in
| America. The will was probated in Eng
land, and.the English executors wanted
| to obtain possession of the personal es
tate controlled by her agents in New York
and it was when an effort to do this wa:
made that her heirs in America thought
| about probating her will here and through
some proceeding in New York court:
stop the transfer of the estate in Smith:
hands to the English executors.