Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-09-30
HIS LITTLE SISTER.
BY AN EX-REBEL.

Somewhere among the archives of the
Confederate government may be found a
document dated about September 3, 1864,
wherein Joseph Wilson was sentenced to
be shot, and on the back of which is the
endorsement, ''Approved-Jefferso Davis,
President
You see, my command was then in Vir-
ginia, and it was war time of certainty
We rebels were hard pushed on all sides,
having little to eat and less to wear, and it
did seem as if fight had got to be mat
ter of daily occurrence. Some of us were
philosophers enough to endure what we
couldn't cure. but the young men, and
Especially the chaps who had been consoript-
ed, were terrible uneasy. They were ready
to give it up as lost cause and start for
home.
Well, this feeling, coupled with starva-
ton rations, ragged uniforms and daily
fighting, sent good many of our boys over
to the Union lines as deserters, and this
brings about my story.
One of the conscripts in my company was
a boy of II named Joe Wilson. All us fell
lers of 80 or thereabouts felt like father to
him. Aside from his youth he was poor
and pale, with no march or fight in him.
s3less you'll but the idea Of little Joey Will
son helping to breast back Yankee line of
battle would have sent us all ina roar. He
orter been home with his ma, and none of
US felt anything but pity for him.
One night, after the desertions had gone
on and become SO numerous that the big Of
fcers had to take notice of 'em, trap was
set, and 10! our poor little Joe fell into it,
Yes, sir-nabbed Sin the act Of deserting
to the enemy" and maybe you know what
that signifies, specially when the enemy
isn't cannon-shot away? 1t was a surprise
to us that the lad had plucked up courage
'nufr to make break, but reckon he was
desperately sick of the Confederacy, and
hoped in some manner to get back to his
home.
1t was determined to make an example of
little Joey, and l guess it wasn't over ten
days before he was convicted, the sentence
approved at Richmond, and an order read
that he was to be shot at certain hour. /
suppose it was all quite proper and accord
ing to army regulations, but it must have
gone hard with the men on that court mar
tial to convict him. Had he been guilty of
murder 1 could not have aided to bring in
verdict against him.
Nobody had seemed to know or care
whether he had relatives or not, and so our
surprise was great to learn, on the day be-
fore hewas to be shot, that a sister had ar
rived ID camp to plead for little Joe's life.
1t was too late. She had been denied by
the President, and of course nobody in the
field had any authority to stop the execu-
ton. She was in camp all day long, and
most of us got to see her. If should tell
you that she was the brightest chippiest,
smartest gal of 10 ever saw l would only
be telling you the truth. She was exactly
like Joe in looks 'cept few points hand
somer, and she had his size and walk and
ways. Tell you, comrades, when l saw
that gall believe her name was Nell
breaking down under the bad news and re-
alizing her helplessness, I'd have been will
lin to let 'em shoot me in Joe's stead!-
Deed would, though I say it so long af-
ter. jest wanted to lay my hand on her
curly head and say:
"There, there, poor child-don't cry any
more! Pm all alone in the world and no.
body'll miss me, and Pm going to take Joe's
place"
However, that couldn't be done. Joseph
Wilson was the deserter, and Joseph Will
son must be shot to death as the penalty.
While the big officers couldn't promise
anything, they did grant favor. She ask
ed for an hours visit with her brother, and
they gave it to her. We had him shut up
in the granary of a barn, and on that very
morning | was given six men and told to
guard him till he was wanted for execution.
1t was thus that the gal came to me with a
bit of paper on which was written:
'sPass Nellie Wilson to see the prisoner
for one hour. See that she carries no weap-
ons.''
1t was signed all straight, and could
not question her right. was directed to
see that she had no weapons hidden away,
but Lord save you! d ye think I even refer
red to such a thing? No, sir! When she
looked up into my face, her eyes full OF
tears, and her heart beating like that of
wounded bird, I says to her, says l:
'GO right in, my dear, and may God
bless you for what you have tried to do. "
Well, now, in about twenty minutes af-
ter she had passed in, what should enter
my head but an idea which lifted my heels
clean off the floor. If that gal was as smart
as took her to be, she had plan to carry
out. What2 Why to change clothes with
joey and send him out in her place. That
was the idea, comrades and for about five
minits | couldn't make up my mind what
to do. fingered it out by and by, bowev-
er.
Under one pretense and another got all
the men but single guard away from the
door, hung the lantern up so as to throw
shadow where I wanted it, and while wait
ing for the gal to reappear says to the
guard, says 1:
''Jim, that gal must feel jist awful"
s'Sartin she does," he answered
"And when she comes out she'll be cry
ing"
"Reckon she will.''
s'Poor thing, but I hope none O. us may
seem to gaze at her too stout. She might
reckon we had no hearts,
tell you, the last twenty minits was
hull week to me, and had to keep mop
ping the sweat off my face. At last there
was knock Oh the door, and opened it
and let her out. jist felt in my bones that
it was little q, and SO says, says I:
s.ss doci4 cnlld th am sorry Tor yo you sao 10
blame."