SPIRITUAL CARE OF SOLDIERS

DURING THE CIVIL WAR

 

1861—1865

 

For the overwhelming number of Union and Confederate soldiers, religion was the greatest sustainer of morale in the Civil War. Faith was a refuge in great time of need. Troops faced battle by forgetting earthly pleasures and looking heavenward.     

 

According to the old militia laws, each regiment was to have a chaplain. There was an estimated 3,000 chaplains to the Union forces. However, the largest number of Union chaplains serving on active duty at any one time was recorded as 1,079. On the Confederate side existing army records are very incomplete as to the number of chaplains, but it is estimated that somewhere around 1,000 served.

 

Regular Army chaplains were commissioned in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of War. A Union chaplain had to be a regularly ordained minister of a Christian denomination (although there were Jewish Chaplains) and received the pay and allowances of a captain of cavalry. The manner of appointing and commissioning chaplains in the Confederate volunteer regiments varied widely, and many served without commissions. The practice of some chaplains wearing of a captain's uniform and insignia (often including a sword and pistol) caused controversy. So, the more common uniform for chaplains of the Army was often a plain black frock coat, with standing collar, and one row of nine brass buttons; plain black pants, black felt hat or army forage cap. When Chaplain’s were not available, clergymen and lay evangelists simply held services in the camps or even became followers of the Army.

 

Chaplains' duties in the Civil War encompassed many areas. Most important were the worship services they conducted in tents, outdoors or around campfires.