The famous Chaplain J. William Jones of Virginia, a Baptist and later Chaplain for Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, during the Presidency of General Robert E. Lee wrote that at least ten percent of the soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Night after night, troops participated in prayers meetings, worship services and listened to ministers proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Most gatherings ended with an invitation for soldiers to come forward to accept Christ, or to receive prayer. Soldiers were baptized no matter how cold the weather. Jones told how Confederate soldiers formed Bible studies, where usually at least two or three men had to share the same Bible and or New Testament. "I have never seen more diligent Bible-readers than we had in the Army of Northern Virginia.

   Similar Revivals broke out in the other Armies as well. and some Charles F. Pitts, who wrote a book on the subject, and was himself a Chaplain in World War 11, estimates that probably the total number of conversions in all of the Confederate Armies was about l50,000. He gives as proof of the way in which both Confederate Chaplains, and laymen who served in the War quickly rebuilt the Southern Churches following the war and that made the terrible burden of Reconstruction much easier than it would otherwise have been.

   The Chaplains suffered all of the hardships of the troops they served. Chaplain R H McKim, the Chaplain for the 2nd Virginia Cavalry describes one of his travels on his small quite small bay horse.

   "We crossed one of the mountain brooks not less, I think, than twenty times in a day's march, and the weather was so cold that the water as it splashed upon the horses froze, and their legs and bellies were covered with little icicles. But the forepart of the top of one of my boots was gone, so that my sock was exposed, and it soon became a frozen mass over my foot, so that I was obliged to dismount and walk all day, sometimes in double quick to prevent my foot being frozen or frost-bitten."\

   Chaplains, who had horses were always willing to burn them over to wounded or exhausted men whenever that was needed.    A.D. Betts of the 30th North Carolina Regiment kept a most informative diary.

Oct. 31, l862 - Cross Shenandoah River at Berry's Ferry. Men wade. Cross mountain at Ashby's Gap.

Nov. 1, 2, Brother Power and I walk up the mountain and spend two or three hours. Five view. We prayed together up there. We cannot do our jobs without God answering our prayers, and He does so in the most amazing and unexpected ways.

Nov. 2 Brother Powers begins to preach at 10:30, but troops are ordered out and fall back toward Paris and lie in line of battle all night.

Nov. 6, Hoarse and feeble. Bad cold. Move across river after night. Very cold. Men wade and walk a mile to camp, some without shoes.

Nov. 7, Snow begins to fall at 10 a.m. Bad day on bare feet.

Nov. 8, General Hill calls for volunteers to render daring, dangerous service for two or three days. We have prayers at our fire.

Nov. 9, Division moves to Strasburg. Barefoot men march in snow. Bury H. Y. Kirkpatrick at night in Presbyterian cemetery. He enlisted at nineteen from Mecklenburg, County. Love Christian. Died in the house of Mrs. Davis, November 8th, How sad the sight. How tenderly a few of his comrades racked away the snow and grave and laid the noble youth away! The Chaplain's prayer is that he and they may met again on the Resurrection Day.

   Bad weather did not keep men away from worship services. Chaplain J. William Jones recorded an account of how men would come out to preaching under difficulties.

   Jones reported that on one Sunday in the early winter of l863 there came a fall snow which he supposed would break up his Sunday service, as they had no chapel; but, at the appointed hour, he heard singing at their usual place of worship, and looking out he saw that a large congregation had assembled. he, of course went at once to the place and preached to the deeply interested men who stood in snow several inches deep. He counted 14 barefoot men, besides many whose shoes afforded littled protection from the snow. The men used to say, we go on picket duty, and march and fight in any weather that comes. We cannot see why we should let the weather to interrupt our religious privileges."

   Chaplain J M Cullom of the Army of Mississippi writes, "I went one day to meet an appointment in Davis' Mississippi Brigade, which had lost their winter quarters and comfortable chapel, south of Orange Court House, by being ordered on picket-duty on the Rapidan. A steady rain was falling, and I went with no idea of being able to preach, but hoped to meet a few of the inquirers under their rude shelters, that I might point them to "The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." To my surprise, as I rode up, I heard a volume of sacred song ascending from the usual place of worship, and found a large congregation assembled on the rude logs. I told them that while I was willing to preach to them, I would not ask them to remain in the rain. Not a man stirred, and I preached forty minutes in a constant rain to as attentive a congregation as I ever addressed."

   What made these men not look for excuses to stay away from Christian worship and Bible studies and prayer meetings? These men truly put the Lord first and their comfort last. Such men were examples of the man who had their spiritual priorities in order - these men were ready to die. These were the fruit of the mighty working of God the Holy Spirit in the Great Awakening in the Confederate Armies. Such men as these were difficult to defeat on the field of battle. They were not afraid because they knew they had eternal life in Jesus Christ. They were also a good example for their comrades who did not share their faith.

   Today, as we in the SCV honor our ancestors let us be true to the God they worshiped Our Southland and indeed our entire nation needs such a revival today if we are going to remain a great free Republic. Because such freedom and greatness comes only from God and may be found nowhere else!