Daily south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1881-18??, 1885-10-02
HIS LITTLE SISTER.
A War Episode Told by an Ex-
Confederate Soldier.

Somewhere among the archives of
the Confederate Government may be
found document dated about Septem-
Der 3, 1864, wherein Joseph Wilson was
sentenced to be shot, and on the back
Of which is the Endorsement, ZAP
proved--Jeferson Davis, President"
You see, my command was then in
Virginia, and il was war times OF a GER
tainty. We rebels were hard pushed
on all sides, having little to cat and
less to wear. and 1t did seem as if a
fight had got to be matter Of daily
occurrence. Some of us were philo-
sophers enough to endure what we
couldn't cure, but the young men, and
specially the chaps who had been con-
scripted, were terribly oneasy. They
was ready to give it up as lost cause
and start for home,
Well, this feeling, coupled with star
vation rations, ragged uniforms and
daily fighting, sent good many of our
boys over TO the Union lines as de-
scrtcrs. and this brings about my story.
One of the conscripts in my company
was n boy of seventeen named Joe
Wilson. All us fellcrs of thirty or
thereabouts felt like father to him.
Aside from his youth he was poor and
pale. with no march or fight in him.
Bless you but the idea OF little joey
Wilson helping to breast back Yam
kee line of battle would have set us all
in roar. lie 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 officers had to take notice of
'cm, trap was sot, and 10 our poor
lcctle Joe fell into il, Yes, sir-nabbed
'in the act of deserting to the enemy,
and maybe you know what that signi-
ics, specially when that enemy ism
cannon-shot awayp 1t was a surprise
to us that the lad had plucked up cour,
age nuif to make break, but | reckon
hc was desperately sick Of the COnfed
oracy. and hoped in some manner IA
get back to his home.
II was determined to make an ex,
ample Of little Joey. and | guess il
wasn't over ten days before he was con
victed, and sentence approved al
Richmond and an order read that he
was to be shot at q certain hour. | sup
pose it was all quite proper and accord
ing to army regulations, but il mus
have gone hard with the men on tha
court-martial to convict him Had h,
been guilty of murder could not nav,
aided to bring in verdict against him
Nobody had seemed to know or car,
whether he had relatives or not. and 81
our surprise was great TO learn, on tn,
day before he was to be shot, that |
little sister had arrived in camp TO pleat
for little Joc's life. II was too late
She bad been denied by the President
and OF course nobody in the field hat
any authority to stop the execution
She was in camp all day long, an,
most OF us got TO see her. II should tel
you that she was the brightest
chippicst, smartest gal Of ten | eve
saw would only be telling you tn
truth. She was exactly like Joe II
looks, 'ccpt a few points handsomer
an she had his size and walk and ways
Tell you, comrades, when | saw tina
gall believe her name was Nell
breaking down under the bad new
md realizing her helplcssness, L,
have been willin' to let 'em shoot m
in Joc's stead! Deed, would, thoug
] say it so long after, just wanted t
lNy my hand on her curly head an
say;
There, there, poor child-don't or
nny morel I'm all alone in the worl
and nobody'll miss me, and I'm goin
10 take Joe's place" "
However, that couldn't be donC
Joseph Wilson was the deserter, an
Joseph Wilson must be shot to death q
the penalty.
While tho big officers couldn't prom
Ise anything, they did grant her favol
She asked for an hours visit with he
brother, and they gave it to her. W
had him shut up In the granary OF
barn, and on that very morning
was given six men and told to guar
him till he was wanted for execution