Friday, September 22, 2023

Trial of Joel Francis DeLemeron

On 3rd November 1862, Joel Francis DeLemeron was tried for treason against the Confederate Government - Just weeks after the Great Hangings. His "crime of treason" involved helping a few of the wives of men involved with the peace party.  

Here is a short summary of Diamond's account of the DeLemeron Case, pages 406 - 413

De Lemeron's Case, Fall Term, November 1862
State of Texas against Joel Francis DeLemeron, a citizen of Cooke County, Texas
Charged with treasonable and Traitorous acts against the Confederate Government
A Confederate spy, Dr. George Bradly, went to the home of Joel F. DeLemeron for the purpose of finding the whereabouts of Ware & Boyles.
Joel DeLemeron said that he was French.
DeLemeron told Bradly (confederate spy) that he had "gone to Mrs. Ware's contrary to orders from Southern men and had repaired her wagon" and that he "had loaned Mrs. Boyles his horse under the cloak of being hired from the old widow lady living with him, and that he intended to assist them."
(Ware and Boyles belonged to the Peace Party, and had ran away, and Joel De Lamirande was assisting their families to get to Missouri. He had been told by the Southern men, that he could NOT give aid to the women.)
In the trial, Bradley also said that DeLemeron gave "instructions in the arts of war" and proposed that they "make our way to the Northern army, then stationed on the North Fork of the Canadian River."
DeLamirande was found guilty of treason and sent to life in the Penitentiary.