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Chaplains in the
Civil War by Charles White _____________________________________________________________ When
the Civil War broke out in 1861, the bloodiest war of America's history had
just begun. As troops from both the Confederate States of America and the
United States of America took to the field to settle the question of cession,
ordained ministers of various Christian denominations took the field along
side them. As the troops sought to defend their persons and homelands from physical
onslaughts, the chaplains on both sides fought for the spiritual and physical
well-being of the combatants. From
the beginning of the war, the War Department recognized the need for
spiritual guidance among the troops. Due to this fact, the War Department
authorized the appointment of regularly ordained ministers as chaplains with
the quota being one per regiment. Chaplains held no command rank, but instead
entered the army with the rank of private. On
October 31, 1864, Congress and the War Department awarded the chaplains with
the pay and allowances commensurate with the rank of captain in the cavalry.
Because the law gave them captains pay, they wore the uniform and insignia
for that grade as well as sword and pistol. For this reason, chaplains were
sometimes mistaken for command officers. Unlike the Union, chaplains within
the Confederate army held no rank whatsoever, but were still paid as members
of the military at the rate of one half the pay of a first lieutenant. Selection
of chaplains was, in large part, the responsibility of the various churches.
There were only a few qualifications which were spelled out by the
government. Originally, the government required chaplains to be ordained
ministers of a Christian denomination, but after protests by Jewish leaders
this statute was changed on July 17 1862 to read "any religious
denomination". Also, the government required that these ordained
ministers must have the endorsement of their particular denominational body.
On July 17, 1862, Congress passed a regulation which stipulated that
clergymen who wished to become chaplains must produce credentials from their
denominational body which attested to the candidates fitness for the position
of chaplain. This regulation was initiated to cut down on the clergy who were
not suited for the position as well as to ensure that all applicants were
indeed ordained ministers. There was one instance where an actor posed as an
ordained minister in order to receive the one hundred dollar a month salary
of a chaplain. However, none of the legislation passed established minimum
educational qualifications, nor were age limits specified. Once
a clergyman had met all the governmental regulations for chaplaincy, the
chaplain was assigned by the president to each regiment at army posts and
hospitals, an action mimicked by the Confederate government as well..
However, volunteer companies were allowed to choose their own chaplains upon
the approval of the War Department. Many
of the denominations in the North wholeheartedly supported the military
chaplaincy program. It is estimated that about 3000 chaplains were appointed
by governors, Federal officials and commanders in various places. The
Methodists provided approximately 500 ordained ministers to serve in this
capacity. However, only 40 Catholic priests, nicknamed "Holy Joes",
served in the Northern army, despite the fact that the Catholic population
within the armed forces numbered 200,000, 155,000 of which were Irish. The
Catholic presence within the military chaplaincy program was undermined by
the fact that many of these priests only served for short periods of time.
Bishops sometimes recalled Catholic chaplains due to demands placed upon the
church by parish needs. Also a factor in the dismal participation of the Catholic
church in the chaplaincy program was the desperate need for Catholic clergy
within local parishes, religious orders and seminaries to minister to the
swelling numbers of immigrants in the United States. Within
the Confederate Army, the chaplaincy program was alive and well. The
Confederate Army was well supplied with chaplains as well as missionaries
which performed work similar to the chaplains. Although reliable information
regarding the total number of chaplains serving in the Confederate army is non
existent, existing military records indicated that early in the war 400
chaplains were appointed by President Davis. The number of chaplains serving
within the Confederate army as been estimated between 600-1000. The Methodist
and Episcopalian churches furnished about 300 clergymen to serve as chaplains
while respectable representation was provided by the Baptist, Presbyterian,
and Roman Catholic churches as well. Some chaplains became distinguished line
officers, among them Brigadier General William N. Pendleton, Lee's chief of
artillery. Many
of these Confederate chaplains were known as "fighting chaplains"
who regarded the war as a central moment in their spiritual journey. The most
famous of the Baptist fighting chaplains was Isaac Taylor Tichenor. He
impressed his men with his sharp shooting abilities and rallied his comrades
at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. A number of these Confederate chaplains were
captured by Union forces. Some were confined within prison camps for long
periods while some, such as Father Francis X. LeRay who was captured on
several occasions while performing last right, were always immediately
released. Although
the general orders on both sides did provide for the immediate release of
chaplains captured as prisoners of war, exceptions to the general orders can
be found. One such exception is made for those clergy whose release could be
viewed as detrimental to the war effort. A chaplain from Massachusetts, John
F. Mines, was captured by Confederate forces and detained due to a strongly
perceived negative attitude towards the war which was viewed by the local
commander as dangerous. Two Confederate chaplains were sent to Johnson's
Island by the commander of Fort Delaware for tampering with his men and
trying to cause them to desert . Another such exception was found in those
chaplains who insisted in bearing arms and participating in combat. Those who
bore arms were not guaranteed the immunity granted under the rules of war
adopted by both sides. With
this in mind, the question of the "fighting chaplain" perplexed the
members of the chaplaincy program. The combat exploits of chaplains on both
sides of the war were well known. Some members defended the bearing of arms
and engaging in battle along side the front-line troops. Sixty-six Union
chaplains are known to have died in service along with others due to battle
as well as the hardships of camp and field, one of whom, commander John L.
Lenhart, was the first American naval chaplain in history to loose his life.
Still others felt this opinion that chaplains should bear arms was wrong
under normal battle situations. Even though as many as 97 union chaplains
were appointed as combat soldiers, 23 of which served as officers, and even
though some clergymen had actually raised regiments, it was agreed that the
primary duty of the chaplain would normally be that of counseling the
soldiers, writing the families of troops, caring for the wounded and burying
the dead. Some chaplains also served as assistant surgeons, hospital
stewards, regimental adjutants, or quartermasters. When
able, the main duty of these chaplains was to tend to the spiritual needs of
the soldiers. Chaplains primarily performed the functions of a parish pastor
of their own denomination whenever possible. Chaplains often heard confessions,
instructed soldiers in ecclesiastical matters, settled difficulties among the
troops, performed last rights, accompanied and counseled troops sentenced to
death by court-martial as well as preached and celebrated services. Whenever
possible, chaplains arranged to hold worship services. This was often
interrupted due to bad weather, army movements, Sunday inspections and
drills, as well as other diversions. Many of the soldiers preferred to drink
and play cards rather than to attend services. Some troops were kept from
services due to simple exhaustion. When
brigades remained in one place long enough, makeshift worship areas were
constructed. Some were even fairly permanent when the encampment was viewed
as such. Many of the worship areas consisted of crude, makeshift worship
areas. Many times, sticks, logs and boards served to form the altar where
candles and linen were placed. Some tents were provided for chaplains by
friends, charitable organizations, the army or even members of the regiment.
One pastor eventually acquired a circus tent to use as his chapel and boards
over cracker boxes served as his altar. Along
with horses, tents, and the normal supplies carried by soldiers, chaplains
also were aided in the field by various religious publications which were
made available to troops through various benevolent societies. Tract
societies published such varied titles as A Mother's Parting Words to Her
Soldier Boy, Are You Ready to Die, and Sinner, You are soon to
be Damned. Even more popular were the periodicals, such as the Army
and Navy Messenger, which were circulated by the various denominations.
Bibles were also circulated to troops on both sides due to the work of the
American Bible Society and various organizations in England and Bible
societies, such as the Confederate States Bible Society formed in the
Confederate states. In 1862, Moses D. Hodge escaped through the Union
blockade and brought back from England 10,000 Bibles, 50,000 Testaments and
250,000 miscellaneous publications. Not only were the Testaments that were
distributed to the troops printed in English, other versions printed in
German, French, and Italian were also distributed. Early on in the war, President Lincoln and the
leaders of the Confederacy both saw the need for a greater presence of
chaplains within the armed forces. As the combatants on both sides of the
field struggled to achieve victory, the chaplains struggled to maintain the
health and well-being of the soldiers with which they served. Although most never
carried a gun or commanded a regiment, these soldiers fought every bit as
hard as the men who wielded musket and sword.
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