John C. Wilson to Thomas E. Bramlette

KYR-0001-004-2109.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-2109

Document Genre

Petition

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR14-320 to BR14-323

Date of Creation

July 1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-07

John C. Wilson to Thomas E. Bramlette, July 1865, Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867, BR14-320 to BR14-323, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-004-2109, (accessed April 20, 2025).

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To His Excellency Thomas E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky:

John C. Wilson states, that he is a resident citizen of Fleming County Kentucky. and has been for a great many years. He has been loyal to his State and to the Government of the United States during the rebellion which hs just been overthrown. Unfortunately and much to the regret of this Petitioner and without his knowledge, his son Daniel M. Wilson then a youth only sixteen years of age was carried off by the excitement which influenced so many of the deluded young men of Kentucky, and went with the So-called Southern Confederacy and enlisted in its army. He was a private and as such, under the control of his superior officers. When the rebels came into the State, he was in a Command which was in Fleming County. For this, he was indicted in the Fleming Circuit Court in two charges, containted in distinct indictments -- one for "invading the State" -- the other for "Treason"; though really there was but one offence. His bail was fixed at One thousand dollars on the indictment for treason
and at Five hundred dollars on the indictment for invading the State. Influenced by such paternal feelings as your Excellency will appreciate and excuse, your petitioner with his Cousin John T. Fleming became his bail for said amounts respectively on said indictments. At the Court before the last in Fleming, he failed to appear and the said recognizances were forfeited. His said sureties were in no way to blame for this -- It arose from the inexperience and alarm of the young man in the very trying circumstances in which he was placed. He is now at home and is demeaning himself well; and it is his intention and the intention of his bail that he will appear at the next term of the Fleming Circuit Court. But the Undersigned respectfully suggests that the rebellion having been overthrown and an amnesty having been granted by the President to all who occupied such position as his son aforesaid, in the Confederate Armies, no go good purpose can be accomplished by having alarming changes such as those hanging over him. He is yet under
twenty one years of age -- and, at the time he came to the State with the rebel force was probably the youngest and most inexperienced among them. He was a soldier and came in obedience to the commands of his superior officers which he could not resist. Though some of those who came with him have been indicted, none of them have been tried. He is determined to be a loyal citizen of this government -- and the undersigned is anxious to secure him employment and give him a prospect of usefulness in life. In order to this, he may deem it necessary to send him to ^some^ other state where som eof his kindred reside, and where he would be less embarrassed than at home. But the pendency of said indictments against him, and the proceedings against the undersigned & Mr. Fleming on said forfeited recognizances preclude this. He must remain until said proceedings are dispersed of. As he has obtained with all of his class, amnesty from the President, the undersigned supposes that it will not be thought of by the authorities of this State to forfeit the
life of an inexperienced boy like him for treason, or to deprive him of his liberty and impose degradation upon him and an irreparable humiliation and sorrow upon his family and friends for invading the State, when so many thousands older and deeper in guilt than him are permitted to go at large. Neither does he suppose that your Excellency will consider it proper that the undersigned & Fleming should be compelled to pay said forfeited recognizances, under the circumstances, when the Defendant is here, willing to appear to the indictments if required. It would seriously embarrass the undersgined. So judgment has been rendered on said forfeited recognizes.

The pendency of those proceedings is very distressing to the undersigned, injurious to his son & prevents the undersgined from settling him in life -- and no public good can now be accomplished by their further prosecution.

Under the circumstances, he respectfully appeals to the
clemency of your Excellency and asks that a pardon may be granted to his son for treason and invading the State -- and that the forfeiture of said two recognizances may be remitted. He is satisfied no harm will come to the State from such course -- July 1865.

Respectfully
J. C. Wilson

<< See Commth vs Morgan.
14^th B. Monroe 392
18 B. Monroe 512 >

John T Fleming co security on bail with John C. Wilson represents that he is and has been from the beginning of these troubles a loyal citizen of the state. He was with the forces of Gen Nelson who first went to expel the rebels from the Eastern part of the State. He unites in the foregoing statement of John C. Wilson and earnestly petitions the Governor to pardon young Danl. M. Wilson and to remit the forfeited recognizances referred to

Respectfully.

The undersigned unite in the foregoing application of Drs John C. Wilson & John T. Fleming & respectfully recommend it to the favorable consideration of the Governor.

J G Hickman
Geo. W Coons.
Elij C Phister
J Barbour
Thos. M. Green
David Willson
T. B. Smith
Sam^l Stockwell
John M. Harbeson
Alfred Jacobs.
W. H. Hendrik
Sam^l Maguire.
ThomaS. Dickson
Ben, Botts

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