American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-12

| sltlOn Dy the Government. being lntro-
duced to President Lincoln about that
time, the President asked allow did it
happen that the rebels did not persecute
you on account of your loyalty and pray
ers for the Union cause 2" He mildly
replied: II suppose it is owing to the
fact, that God and my congregation un-
derstood German, but the rebels did not +"
But the fellowship in labor with this
faithful minister was not permitted to en-
dure long. In the meantime the 4th A,
G. had moved up to Nashville, from East
| Tennessee, after Lee and Johnston had
surrendered. The first division of this
corps, eneamped west of Nashville, among
whom | spent two days-the second dl-
vision south h-west, and the third division
east of Nashville, each about four miles
distant To fully man corps, it requires
nine delegates, three for each division
| was sent by the Corps Agent, Rev. Ii.
Holmes, to the third division as my per-
/
manent field of labor The third divis-
ion contained three brigades, among whom
were veterans of many hard contest with
the enemies of the peace of our land,
while thousands of their comrades had
fallen. There were eighteen regiments
in this division, thirteen of whom had no
chaplains. These thirteen regiments, with
the Division Hospital, Division and Brig
ade Headquarters, with wagon and Am
bulance trains, were to be our special field
the same service, as faithful chaplain
? would do to single regiment--to preach
to them, if possible, every Sabbath, and
as often during the week, as opportunity
in the regiment, and the strength of the
delegate, would permit. For some time
a single Rev. brother and myself worked
the whole field, until the help of third
was received then we limited our several
spheres to a single brigade, and worked
the rest in common. | took the first
brigade, in which the 49th Ohio, S9th
Illinois and 5lst Indiana, had no chap
loins besides the Germans in the whole
division, with a share in the rest of the
labor. Tothese, the Gospel was faithfully
preached, to the several regiments in the
English language, and to the Germans in
that language. Many of the soldiers are
true christians and many are intelligent,
educated men, of sound minds and good
and stout hearts, and they want the truth
as it is in Christ, told simply and earnestly,
or, in the language of an old minister,
they want sermons "heavy and hot. -
These shells from the mouth Of the Lord,
do the work of the spirit. Besides the
preaching of the word, each soldier was
supplied with a testament, and, if puss-
bic, with soldiers hymn book-the lat
ter being scarce. much to the detriment
Of the interest of the public Worship
They were also supplied, at least once a
week, and sometimes more often, with re
/ llglous newspapers, pamphlets, tracts aud
small books, and possessed the privileges
IF the c. c Loan Libraries. from which
they could and did borrow books, when
ever they thought proper. Thus the sol
dicr's spare time was probably employed
and the craving of the intellectual appe
tite was satisfied by healthy, good intel
lectual food, mixed with the salt of di-
vine truth. Besides papers, envelopes,
pens, and everything nee, ssary to conduct
his correspondence. After the spiritual
and intellectual wants were supplied, the
bodily wants were not neglected. 1t was
never the object of the Christian Com
mission TO supply the whole army with
sanitaries-this would require one hund
red times more than they have ever re-
ceived but they supply the neeessitous
cases, and this is the primary object
The Christian Commission has expended
upwards of four million Of dollars in this
way, or in all its operations. Do the peo-
pie give much, then much is given by
the delegate, to all, if possible, do the
people give little, then little is giv n at a
time, and that to the most needy. Dur
ing my term, we hadample supplies, thank
the Lord, to supply, not all who who
wished, but all who were really needy -
Some sick soldiers, and especially some of
those scorbutic cases of soldiers who had
lately returned from Southern prisons,
lived almost entirely from the g. G. stores.
OF the sanitaries picked cabbage, or
krout, next potatoes, pickles, onions and
dried apples, were preferred among the
soldiers. They are strongly anti-scorbu-
tics, and substsntials. We had barrels
full of these, and as the former stock van
ished, so the new appeared. Also bags Of
berries, black berries, the best anti-diar-