Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-26
;Mistellaneuns &eadiua.
RELIGION IN LEES ARMY.

that army, or was developed in it, has absolute
ly no parallel in all history. Our old chief
General Lee) was a Christian, not merely in
profession but in reality, and did everything
in his power to promote the moral and spirit
ual welfare of his army. The piety of "Stone-
wall" Jackson is as historic as his splendid
military achievements, and the influence
which he exerted for the religious good of his
officers and men can never be fully known in
this world. These leaders had at the first the
corporation of such Christian soldiers as D.
H. Hill, T. R. Cobb, A. H. Colquitt, j. E. B.
Stuart w. A. Pendeton, John B. Gordon,
G. A. Evans, John Pegram. and a large num-
Der of other general, field, staff and subord-
nate officers and during the war Generals
Ewell, Longstreet, Hood, Pender, R. H. An
derson, Rhodes, Paxton. Baylor, and num-
Der of others made professions Of religion. Of
the first four companies from Georgia which
arrived in Virginia, three Of the captains
were earnest Christians and fifty of one of the
companies belonged to one church. remem.
Der one single regiment which reported over
four hundred church members when it first
came into the service, and another regiment
which contained five ministers of the gospel
a chaplain, one captain aud three privates
I have not space to give the details, but
have in my possession the minutes of our
Chaplains' Association, my diary carefully
kept at the time, files of our religious news
papers, large number of letters and memo
randa from chaplains and army missionaries,
and other data, going to show that the world
has rarely witnessed such revivals as we had
in Lees army from the autumn of 1862 to
the close of the war. never expect to ad.
dress such congregations, or to witness such
results as we daily had in that army. fire.
queutly preached to several thousand eager
listeners and l have seen over five hundred
inquirers after the way of life present them.
selves at one time, and have witnessed hun.
dreds Of professions at one service. preached
one day in Davis Mississippi brigade to
large congregation, who assembled in the open
air, and sat through the service with appa-
rently the deepest interest, notwithstanding
the fact that drenching rain was falling at
the time. Several occasions I saw barefooted
men stand in the snow at our service, and one
of the chaplains reported that in February,
1864, he preached in the open air to very
large congregation, who stood in snow several
inches deep during the entire service, and
that he counted in the number fourteen bare.
footed men, And this eagerness to hear the
gospel was even more manifest during the
most active campaigns. On those famous
marches of the valley campaign of 1862,
which won for our brave fellows the soabriquet
of "Jacksons Foot Cavalry" never found
the men too;weary to assemble in large num-
bers at the evening prayer meeting, and enter
with hearty zest into the simple service. At
halfpast seven o'clock in the morning the
day of the battle of Cross Keys, large part
of Keys brigade promptly assembled on an
intimation that there would he preaching; the
chaplain of the twenty fifth Virginia regiment
(the Rev. DR.. George B. Taylor, now mis-.
sionary to India, } was interrupted at "thirdly"
in his able and eloquent sermon by the ad-
vance of the enemy, and soon the shock of
battle succeeded the invitations of the Cos
pei.
The morning Early's brigade was relieved
from its perilous position at Warrenton, White
Sui phur Springs on the second Manassas
campaign, and recrossed to the south side of
the Rappahaunock, one of the largest congre.
cations ever saw assembled for preaching,
unmindful of the fierce artillery duel that was
going on at the time, until the service was in
terrupted by the falling of an immense shell
in the centre of the congregation, but was re-
sumed and completed 50 soon as the command
could be moved back to more sheltered po
sition. The night before the last day at the
second Manassas, Col. w. H. S. Baylor was
in command of the old StonewaIl brigade, of
which he was made brig gadier-general the very
day he was killed. Sending for his friend
Captain Hugh White, he said to him: 81
know the men are very much wearied out by
the battle of to-day, and that they need all
the rest they can get to fit them for the i'm
pending struggle of tomorrow. But cannot
consent that we shall seek our repose until we
have had a brief season of worship to thank
God for the victory of to-day, and to beseech
his continued protection and blessing during
this terrible conflict" The men were quietly
notified that there would be short prayer
meeting, and nearly the whole of the brigade
and number from other commands assem-.
bled at the appointed place. Captain Hugh
White led the meeting with the intelligent
zeal of the experienced Christian. Colonel
Baylor Joined in it with the fervor of one who
had but recently felt the preciousness of a
new born faith in Christ and it was solemn
and impressive scene to all. In the great
battle which followed the next day, Colonel
Baylor with the flag of the 'Stonewall" brig
ade in his hands, and the shout of victory on
his lips, fell, leading a splendid charge, and
gave his life to the cause he loved 80 we'll.
Hard by, and about the same moment, Cap.
tain White was shot down while behaving
with most conspicuous gallantry.
As the great cavalry ohief General j. E.
B. Stuart was quietly and calmly breathing
out his noble life, he said to President Davis,
who stood at his bedside: 81 am ready and
willing to die if God and my country think l
have fulfilled my destiny and discharged my
duty" Colonel Lewis Minor Coleman, Of the
University of Virginia, who fell mortally
wounded at first Fredericksburg, and fingered
some weeks in the greatest agony, uttered
many sentiments which would adorn the
brightest pages of Christian experience, and,
among other things, sent this message to his
loved and honored chieftains: "Tell Generals
Lee and Jackson that they know how Chris.
tian soldier should lve; only wish they
were here to see Christian soldier die !!
Not many months afterward jackson was
called "to cross over the river and rest under
the shade of the trees" and left another bright
illustration of how Christian soldiers Of that
army we're wont to die Colonel Willie Pc:
gram, "ths boy artillerist," as he was familiar
ly called, left the University of Virginia at
the breaking out of the war, as a private sol.
dier, rose to the rank of colonel of artillery
Che refused tender of promotion to the COM
rnand of an Infantry hrirada unnn more