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Julius P. Garesché, the son of Vital Marie and Mimika Louisa (Baudry)
Garesché du Rocher, was born April 26, 1821, in Cuba where his
father was stationed for the government. He entered Georgetown
College at the age of twelve but did not graduate because his father
was in financial difficulties. Instead he won an
appointment to West Point where he graduated in 1841.
Commissioned
second lieutenant of the 4th Artillery, Julius served in the Mexican
War under General Taylor. He was promoted to first lieutenant in
1846. On February 17, 1849, Julius married Mariquitta de
Laureal. They had eight children but only four survived
infancy.
Meanwhile Julius' military career continued and he was promoted to
Brevet Captain, Assistant Adjutant General, in 1855; to Brevet
Major, in May 1861; and to Lieutenant Colonel in 1862.
On November 9, 1862, Julius was appointed chief of staff to General
William Starke Rosecrans, commander of the 14th Army Corps, also
designated the Army of the Cumberland.
In this capacity he served until his death on December 31, 1862,
when he was beheaded by a cannon ball at the battle of Stones River,
Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Initially buried on the battlefield (on the
site of which a monument was eventually erected in memory of Garesché
and his fallen comrades), Julius's remains were later removed by his
brother Alexander and buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Washington,
D.C. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul which Julius had helped
found, met with the Georgetown College Philodemic Society and
resolved, in January 1863 to erect a monument over his tomb at Mt.
Olivet. His wife died in 1871 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery was
and later her body was buried next to her husband in Mt.
Olivet Cemetery.
Learn more about this Garesché
Letter General Rosecrans
wrote to Major Dallas
A poem inspired by this event |
