William W. Bennett, A narrative of the great revival which prevailed in the Southern armies during the late Civil War

A chaplain in the army said, that during the battle of Fredericksburg, he saw many soldiers reading their Testaments with the deepest attention while lying in the trenches awaiting orders.

Such scenes were of almost daily occurrence during the progress of the war.

The amount of ministerial labor performed in the Confederate army the final day only can reveal. Many of the best ministers of the various Churches went out as chaplains, and “endured hardness as good soldiers” for the sake of immortal souls. They were instant in season and out of season; some of them fell on the battle-fields by the bullet, and not a few in the hospitals by disease, while ministering to the spiritual wants of the men who bravely fought and died. And many still survive who bear the scars of wounds, and, what is yet more honorable and comforting, the recollection of duties well performed.

But the work became too great for the regular chaplains. A great demand arose for ministerial reinforcements. Pious officers and private soldiers earnestly appealed to the Churches to send their ablest preachers “to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” That great and good man, General Jackson, in a letter to the Presbyterian General Assembly, gave the following opinion on the subject of providing adequate religious instruction for the army:

My views are summed up in few words.

Each branch of the Christian Church should send into the army some of its most prominent ministers who are distinguished for their piety, talents, and zeal, and such ministers should labor to produce concert of action among chaplains and Christians in the army. These ministers should give special attention to preaching to regiments which are without chaplains, and induce them