Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....J.B. Martin (John B. Martin) Execution January 12, 1864
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net September 13, 2021, 9:13 pm

Richmond Times-Dispatch January 12, 1864
                                       Louisa County, VA.; Jan 10.

  Yesterday J.B. Martin, a deserter from the Orange Artillery, Carter's 
battalion was executed.   He deserted in June last, while this army was enroute 
to Pennsylvania.  The scene was a sad one and long to be remembered.   At 12 
o'clock the battalions of the corps were drawn up in three sides of a square, 
and on the fourth side sat the condemned man near his grave and coffin.  He 
leaned back against a post, his arms being stretched out on a board, which 
formed a cross.  Rev. Mr. Page, of Jones's battalion, attended the unhappy man 
in his last moments.  The condemned, after he was blindfolded, was bade farewell 
to by his friends, and the guard detailed to shoot him.  He remarked to several 
of them, "I hope we will all meet in heaven.  He died to save us all."  The 
guard took their position at ten paces from him and at the word fire their 
bullets penetrated his breast.  His head raised twice after the fire, then sunk 
on his breast, and the soul of the unfortunate man was with its Maker.  The 
deceased was 25 years of age, and leaves a wife and three children.  
  Genr. Lee has issued an order granting a furlough of thirty days to every 
enlisted man who shall furnish a recruit for the war able to military duty.   
Our friends at home can help us now.  If they will expose any of the skulkers 
who are successfully dodging duty in the army, and send them to this army, they 
can get a thirty day furlough for their friends in this army.  There are plenty 
of skulkers in Richmond.   Send them up.             W.

Additional Comments:
This was written in a Civil War book as a backdrop to this sad story "On 
Saturday, December 26, 1863 Private J. B. Martin of the Orange Artillery was 
tried by the Military Court of the Army of Northern Virginia for desertion.  
Martin, a married conscript from Patrick County in the southwestern part of the 
state had deserted on two previous occasions and had been picked up near his 
home each time.  In these prior incidents when was caught and returned to his 
company his illegal absences had been treated as absence without leave (AWOL).  
His punishments upon conviction were meted out accordingly, loss of pay and 
extra camp duties.
  This time he deserted on June 6, 1863 while on the march to Somerville Ford 
along with two others.  But since this was the third time that Martin had run 
away, it was required under the then existing law in force in the Confederate 
Army that he be tried as a deserter.  To compound his situation this time, was 
the fact that when he was captured by the Confederate Provost Guard in 
southwestern Virginia on September 12, 1963, he was in the company with, or had 
been reported in the company of a band of deserters from the 1st and 3rd North 
Carolina State Troops.   This party of North Carolinians had deserted shortly 
after the Gettysburg campaign and escaped to the mountains in southwestern 
Virginia and had been accused of many unlawful acts there.
  A force was set out by the Provost Marshall of the Army of Northern Virginia 
to recapture this North Carolina group and to try and break up the bands of 
deserters that were known to be hiding out in the mountains there.   All of 
these bands of deserters were conducting their own campaigns of lawlessness in 
the area.   During the ensuing pursuit of the deserters by the Provost Guard, 
the officer in command of it was killed by the deserters as they resisted 
arrest.   More as a result of the murder of the officer rather than the actual 
desertion at least ten members of the North Carolina group had been executed by 
firing squad in September, 1863.
  Martin for some reason not now known was remanded to jail when captured and 
not tried until December 26th.   As a result of this alleged association with 
the group of North Carolinians no mercy was shown him and he was convicted and 
sentenced to death by the court.  Pending approval of and sentence by General 
Lee and President Davis, Martin was remanded to the Castle Thunder Military 
Prison in Richmond to await his fate."

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