Barrycdog
Major
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Location
- Buford, Georgia
Daily Intelligencer, Mar. 16, 1866 -- page 2
Romance of the War- Thrilling Adventures of a Young and Beautiful Woman
Among the many thrilling events of the war, none can exceed the adventures of Mrs. Loretta DeCamp, the subject of this sketch. Mrs DeCamp whose maiden name was Roach, was born in the West Indies in 1838, and is now about 28 years of age. At an early period her parents moved to the United States and settled in the parish of St. James, Louisiana. The current of her life ran smoothly on, until the outbreak of the war for Southern Independence, when, fired by enthusiasm in, as she thought of the cause of liberty, she donned a male attire and was among the first to rush to arms. Raising a company of cavalry and equipping it at her own expense, she proceeded to Virginia and there served for eight months on the Peninsula under the command of Colonel Dreux, before her sex was discovered. When this occurred she was at once mustered out and ordered home. Instead of obeying the order she proceeded to Columbus Kentucky and was serving with General Polk at the evacuation of that place. She proceeded to Island No. 10, but not being satisfied with the manner in which affairs were conducted there, she left and went to Fort Pillow, where she was elected 1st Lieutenant in Captain Phillips Company of Independent Cavalry. With her company she proceeded to Corinth and reported to General A.S. Johnston. At the Battle of Shiloh, Captain Phillips fell mortally wounded and the command then devolved upon her. While gallantly leading for her company, in a charge she was twice wounded, and carried from the field. After the retreat to Corinth she was taken to New Orleans for surgical treatment, and when then city fell in the hands of the federals she was amongst those taken prisoner. After a confinement of several months she was paroled and soon exchanged.
Proceeding at once to Richmond, the disguised female soldier was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in the Adjutant Generals department, and ordered to report to General Marcus J. Wright, commanding the district of Atlanta. Upon reporting, she was assigned to duty with the Provost Marshal, as chief of detectives and military conductor. Serving for several months in this capacity she met Major DeCamp, off the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, to show she was engaged to marry previous to the war. The ceremony was performed at Atlanta, and from the dashing Lieutenant Roach she was transformed to the sober Mrs. Major De Camp. From this time her services ceased as an officer in the field and she was engaged in secret service - sometimes in the Confederacy, again in England, and then in Canada. In 1864 she spent several months in traveling in the United States and even went as far as the Sioux country in Minnesota. He husband who was also taken prisoner in the fall of 1863, while serving with his regiment in Georgia, was carried to New York. After a long and arduous siege she at length succeeded in getting him paroled in January 1865, but he lived only eight days after his release from prison. Subsequent to the death of her husband ( in January 1865,) She proceeded to Columbus Ohio, to watch over the interests of the Confederate Prisoners confined at Camp Chase.
After the final collapse of the Confederacy, Mrs DeCamp remained in the North until last January, when she returned to her home in Louisiana; but remaining there a short time she proceeded to Memphis, and purchased a stock of goods which were shipped on the ill fated Miami, which was blown up on the Arkansas river in February. She was one of two ladies who were saved, but with the sacrifice of all her baggage and goods. By an unfortunate oversight on the part of her merchants her goods were not insured, and consequently she lost her all.
Mrs. DeCamp is now in this city, and sojourning at the Southern Hotel. Many remember the dashing Lieutenant Roach, of whom so much was said in Mobile and Selma in 1863. Our space will not permit a full recital of her adventures.
Romance of the War- Thrilling Adventures of a Young and Beautiful Woman
Among the many thrilling events of the war, none can exceed the adventures of Mrs. Loretta DeCamp, the subject of this sketch. Mrs DeCamp whose maiden name was Roach, was born in the West Indies in 1838, and is now about 28 years of age. At an early period her parents moved to the United States and settled in the parish of St. James, Louisiana. The current of her life ran smoothly on, until the outbreak of the war for Southern Independence, when, fired by enthusiasm in, as she thought of the cause of liberty, she donned a male attire and was among the first to rush to arms. Raising a company of cavalry and equipping it at her own expense, she proceeded to Virginia and there served for eight months on the Peninsula under the command of Colonel Dreux, before her sex was discovered. When this occurred she was at once mustered out and ordered home. Instead of obeying the order she proceeded to Columbus Kentucky and was serving with General Polk at the evacuation of that place. She proceeded to Island No. 10, but not being satisfied with the manner in which affairs were conducted there, she left and went to Fort Pillow, where she was elected 1st Lieutenant in Captain Phillips Company of Independent Cavalry. With her company she proceeded to Corinth and reported to General A.S. Johnston. At the Battle of Shiloh, Captain Phillips fell mortally wounded and the command then devolved upon her. While gallantly leading for her company, in a charge she was twice wounded, and carried from the field. After the retreat to Corinth she was taken to New Orleans for surgical treatment, and when then city fell in the hands of the federals she was amongst those taken prisoner. After a confinement of several months she was paroled and soon exchanged.
Proceeding at once to Richmond, the disguised female soldier was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in the Adjutant Generals department, and ordered to report to General Marcus J. Wright, commanding the district of Atlanta. Upon reporting, she was assigned to duty with the Provost Marshal, as chief of detectives and military conductor. Serving for several months in this capacity she met Major DeCamp, off the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, to show she was engaged to marry previous to the war. The ceremony was performed at Atlanta, and from the dashing Lieutenant Roach she was transformed to the sober Mrs. Major De Camp. From this time her services ceased as an officer in the field and she was engaged in secret service - sometimes in the Confederacy, again in England, and then in Canada. In 1864 she spent several months in traveling in the United States and even went as far as the Sioux country in Minnesota. He husband who was also taken prisoner in the fall of 1863, while serving with his regiment in Georgia, was carried to New York. After a long and arduous siege she at length succeeded in getting him paroled in January 1865, but he lived only eight days after his release from prison. Subsequent to the death of her husband ( in January 1865,) She proceeded to Columbus Ohio, to watch over the interests of the Confederate Prisoners confined at Camp Chase.
After the final collapse of the Confederacy, Mrs DeCamp remained in the North until last January, when she returned to her home in Louisiana; but remaining there a short time she proceeded to Memphis, and purchased a stock of goods which were shipped on the ill fated Miami, which was blown up on the Arkansas river in February. She was one of two ladies who were saved, but with the sacrifice of all her baggage and goods. By an unfortunate oversight on the part of her merchants her goods were not insured, and consequently she lost her all.
Mrs. DeCamp is now in this city, and sojourning at the Southern Hotel. Many remember the dashing Lieutenant Roach, of whom so much was said in Mobile and Selma in 1863. Our space will not permit a full recital of her adventures.
Bringing the