Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/168

154 imminent, determined to deliver one more message for his Master. In the midst of his sermon the preacher was interrupted by the colonel of his regiment, who told him that the enemy was advancing and the battle about to open. Soon the shock of battle succeeded the invitations of the Gospel and men were summoned from that season of worship into the presence of their Judge. After the battle of Port Republic, while resting in the beautiful valley preparatory to marching to "Seven Days around Richmond," we had some delightful meetings, and on the march frequent seasons of worship. Remaining for a season with the wounded in the field hospitals after Cold Harbor and Games' Mill, I rejoined the command just after the line of battle was formed in front of General McClellan's position at Harrison's landing (Westover), and General Ewell said to me pleasantly: "I have not seen you preaching, or heard the songs of your prayer-meetings for several days, and I have missed them." I explained that I had been back in our hospitals looking after our wounded, and that my regiment had more men back there than in front just then, but that I was going to have a meeting as soon as I could assemble the men. And so we soon had a service in full hearing of the enemy's lines. Some of the meetings held around Richmond when the army came back from Harrison's landing; around Gordonsville when Jackson went to meet Pope; in line of battle at Cedar Run, and on the march to Second Manassas, were of deep solemnity and great interest. The morning that Early's brigade was relieved from its perilous position on the north bank of the Rappahannock near the Fauquier White Sulphur Springs, where for twenty- four hours it faced the whole of Pope's army with an impassable river, swollen by a sudden storm, in the rear, one of the largest congregations I ever saw promptly assembled on an intimation that there would be preaching. I never saw the army massed within as small a space as at that point.