The spirit divided : memoirs of Civil War chaplains : the Union / compiled and edited by Benedict R. Maryniak and John Wesley Brinsfield, Jr.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Maryniak, Benedict R.

Brinsfield, John Wesley.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Army.

Chaplains.

History.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Chaplains.

United States.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Religious aspects.

United States. Army--Chaplains--History--19th century.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives.

United States. Army--Chaplains--Biography.

Military chaplains--United States--Biography.

Military chaplains.

Genre:

Personal narratives.

Biographies.

Physical Description:

xvii, 269 pages, 17 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Macon, Ga. : Mercer University Press, 2007.

Summary:

Historians are only beginning to address the religious as a facet of the Civil War. In an organization created to destroy the enemy, chaplains ate, drank, and slept dissonance. The Spirit Divided is a collection of letters, reports, and recollections in which army chaplains describe their motives and methods, their failures and achievements. Chaplains wondered whose side God was on, and if their ministries might be in vain. They saw, on both sides, God's Spirit at work. Was the Spirit divided, was God punishing both North and South for their sins, or was there some other explanation for this seemingly endless war? The reflections of these men of the cloth, who were underfed, underpaid, and largely unappreciated, have much to teach modern readers. They had to find, above all, the faith and perseverance to sustain the spirit of their people during the greatest war ever fought on this continent.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Reporting for Duty 1

The Work of an Army Chaplain: Ordination of Chaplain Charles Humphreys, 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, at Harvard University's Divinity Hall

"God's Honor-Man's Ultimate Success," A Farewell Sermon by Rev. Moses Smith upon leaving Plainville, Connecticut, for the Army 13

"Good-by for a Year," Chaplain George H. Hepworth, 47th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 26

"Religious Army Chaplains," Suggestions by Chaplain John E. Robie, 21st New York Volunteer Infantry 28

"Hardships of a Chaplain's Life," The Massacre at Conrad's Ferry by Chaplain Gamaliel Collins, 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry 34

Chapter 2 Ministry in the Camps 37

"How a Camp is Arranged," Letter from Rev. Henry Rinker, 11th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry 40

"Our First Camp," Letter from Chaplain Levi Norton, 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry 43

Pocket Diary of Chaplain John Crabbs, 67th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Shenandoah Valley 47

"Two Great Wars of America: Fourth of July Address," Chaplain Horace James, 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 59

Letters of Chaplain Thomas K. Beecher, 141st New York Volunteer Infantry 75

Letters of Chaplain Peter Paul Cooney, Roman Catholic Chaplain of the 35th Indiana Volunteer Infantry 86

"Army Chaplains," Benjamin F. Taylor, Correspondent for the Chicago Daily Journal 93

Chapter 3 Ministry on Campaigns 98

"A Chaplain's Experience in the Union Army," Chaplain Frederic Denison, 1st Rhode Island Cavalry 101

"A Soldier's Funeral," Chaplain Alonzo H. Quint, 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 122

"Fredericksburg," Chaplain John C. Gregg, 127th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry 126

Gettysburg. A Tribute to Chaplain William Corby, 88th New York Infantry 134

"Chickamauga," Chaplain William W. Lyle, 11th Ohio Volunteer Infantry 138

From Shiloh to Atlanta. Memoirs of Chaplain Milton L. Haney, 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry 145

"March of a Day," Letter from Chaplain Randall Ross, 15th Ohio Volunteer Infantry 172

Petersburg and Appomattox. Letters from Rev. Henry Rinker, 11th New Jersey Volunteers, 1865 179

Chapter 4 Ministry in Prisons and Hospitals 182

"The Bright Side of Life in Libby Prison," Chaplain Charles C. McCabe, 122nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry 185

"Inside the Stockade," Chaplain John S. McCulloch, 77th Illinois Volunteer Infantry 204

Ministry at the U.S. Hospital, Hampton, Virginia. Chaplain Amos S. Billingsley, 101st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry 211

Chaplain Reports from Field and Hospital Death Notifications 219

"Disclosures of the Soldier's Heart," Chaplain Henry Clay Trumbull, 10th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry 233

Chapter 5 The Measure of Ministry 237

"Chaplains in the Volunteer Army," Chaplain James H. Bradford, 12th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry 240.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [257]-261) and index.

ISBN:

9780865549968

0865549966

OCLC:

80019895