Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/182

168 without conflicting with some prayer-meeting. The earnestness with which these young converts went to work to lead their comrades to Christ was clear evidence of the genuineness of their own conversion. I take space for only a few incidents of their zeal. A youth of the Ninth Louisiana regiment, named Bledsoe, professed conversion in hospital at Charlottesville, under the instructions of Post Chaplain J. C. Hiden, and returned to his brigade with the burning zeal of the young convert determined to do something for the spiritual good of his comrades. Bledsoe hunted diligently through the camp for men who would unite with him in a prayer-meeting, and at last found five others who would agree to do so. These six young soldiers, afraid to begin their meeting in the camp lest they should be interrupted by the jibes and jeers of wicked comrades, went out into a clover field beyond the hearing of their comrades, and began to pray for God's blessing upon themselves and the brigade. The meeting grew nightly in numbers and interest until in about a week Bledsoe came to tell me that a number of men had professed conversion, and they wanted me to go up and take charge of the meeting. I found some 100 in attendance, fifteen professing conversion, and a number of inquirers after the way of life. The meetings grew in interest and were moved into the center of the brigade, where the work went on until over 200 professed to find "peace in believing." In Gordon's Georgia brigade, in a meeting conducted by Dr. A. B. Woodfin, there professed conversion one night a captain, who was known as one of "the bravest of the brave" in that brigade of heroes, and at the same time as one of the most wicked men in the army. After the meeting was over he went back to his quarters rejoicing in his new-found hope, called his company around him, and with deep emotion made them a little talk to this effect: "Men, I have led you into many a battle, and you have followed me like men. Alas! I have led you in wickedness and vice, and you have fol-