Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-03-22
SLEPT ON HIS POST.
How Soldiers Life was Saved by
the Late Judge Kelley.

In 1884 a young soldier of Pennsyl-
yania regiment was convicted by court
martial for sleeping on post, and SEN
fenced to be shot. Friends Of the I'M
fortunate boy fastened to Washington
and enlisted the sympathies of the late
Hon. William d. Kelley in his behalf.
Their statements Of the boys grave Of
Tense indicated that there were mitigating
circumstances which rendered him
proper subject for executive clemency.
II was claimed that the soldier was In
feeble health, but had refused to go to
the hospital, remaining with his com
pany, which was engaged in the cam
paign against Richmond He had been
marching and fighting for two days and
nights without sleep, and it was under
such circumstances that, overcome by ex-
haustion, he had suffered himself to fall
asleep while on picket Military law was
rigidly enforced at that time and little
mercy was shown to offenders.
Mr.. Kelley at once went to the Presi-
dent, with whom he was on terms of
close intimacy Few men enjoyed to a
fuller extent than he the confidence OF
Mr.. Lincoln Mr. Kelley laid before the
President the case as presented by the
friends of the soldier Both agreed that
if the facts were as stated the death sem
tence might properly be revoked in the
interest of humanity, and without preju-
dice to the service The time was short,
as but a few hours, or days at most, in
tervened between the sentence of court
martial and its execution. Mr. Kelley
volunteered to go at once to the army
and investigate. To enable him to do
this Mr.. Lincoln handed him a reprieve
for three days So fully did he trust the
Judgment of Mr. Kelley that he also
wrote and signed pardon which Kelley
was to present in case he found the state
ments of the soldiers friends to be cor
rect If, upon the other hand, he should
find the case to be without extenuating
execution beyond the reprieve granted
for the inquiry
Mr.. Kelley took the first train for tho
front Travelling as far as he could by
rail, he rode on horseback nearly all
night through the great camps TO reach
the regiment he sought. The execution
was to have taken place that morning,
but was stayed by the Presidents order.
Mr.. Kelley satisfied himself that the de-
mands of justice and the discipline of the
army did not require the sacrifice of tho
young life, produced the pardon and the
soldier was restored to duty
Naturally Mr.. Kelley watched with in
terest the future career of the boy whose
life he had held in his hands, and was
gratifed to know that he had not erred
in his Judgment. The soldier fully re-
deemed himself by conspicuous gallantry,
and lost an arm in the final assault upon
Petersburg. After the war Mr.. Kelley
secured his appointment in one of the
departments Of Washington, where he re-
manned till his death two or three years
ago. In after years Mr.. Kelley often re-
marked that no act of his life, public or
private, gave him more satisfaction than
his services in behalf of that condemned
soldier. 1t goes without saying that the
latter's affection for Mr.. Kelley was be-
yond any power of language to express,
continuing till the last moments of life.