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around Petersburg.
We organized a Sabbath-school of 120 pupils.
At this time religious services were truly interesting.
We baptized a great many.
From here we marched on the 2d of April, 1865, leaving our beautiful camp behind.
We halted at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, and “yielded to overwhelming numbers and resources.”
Here I leave the field of blood (ever looking back upon many sacred spots where the Lord blessed us) with mingled grief and joy. I baptized while in the army 238 soldiers.
Number professing conversion, 500.
Preached about 500 sermons, besides exhortations, lectures, etc.
Yours fraternally,
From Rev. A. M. Marshall, Baptist, chaplain Twelfth Georgia Regiment.
Eatonton, Georgia, March 22, 1867.
Dear Brother Jones: I was, as you know, chaplain Twelfth Georgia Regiment, Doles's Brigade, but did not get my appointment until just before the battle of Sharpsburg.
As soon as the army crossed back on the Virginia side, I commenced a meeting in the regiment, which increased in interest until several regiments and battalions became interested.
I called to my assistance Dr. Stiles, Brother Nelson and yourself.
The meeting was one of great interest, and promised to result in many conversions, but was suddenly broken up one night by the order to get ready to move.
General Jackson attended this meeting several times, and remarked after hearing Dr. Stiles preach one night, that he was “more convinced than ever, that if sinners had justice they would all be damned.”
There was no opportunity given for persons to join the Church; but there was every reason to suppose that a number were converted.
This was one of the first revivals of religion that I heard of in the army.
And I learned at that meeting how to conduct services in camp.
I was for a long time the only chaplain in Doles's Brigade, and on that account had a great deal to do. I never kept any account of the number of sermons I preached, nor of prayer-meetings.
It was our practice to hold prayer-meetings every night when in camp, and frequently of a night when on the march.
We had Bible-classes composed, I think, of men in all the regiments of the brigade—Twelfth, Fourth, Twenty-first and Forty-fourth, Georgia.
I supplied these regiments as well as I could with Testaments, religious papers and tracts, but have no idea how many were distributed.
The most remarkable revivals in this brigade were at Guinea's Station, Orange Court House, and Morton's Ford.
The first was during the winter of 1862, and the others were during the summer of 1863.
At Orange Court House we made such arrangements as would accommodate the whole brigade, and I wrote to Brother Geo. B. Taylor, who came and preached very acceptably for several days; other brothers preached frequently, and the meeting increased in interest until we moved to Morton's Ford.
I think there were twenty-five or thirty conversions in the meeting.
At the ford the meeting was more interesting than before.
Here I was assisted by Brother A. T. Spalding, of Alabama, and W. N. Chaudoin, of Georgia.
These brethren did most of the preaching, and by the aid of the Spirit they preached with power.
There were forty or fifty conversions in this meeting.
As far as I am able to judge, those who professed religion in the army are as sincere as those who professed at home.
Of the officers of the Twelfth Georgia, it affords me pleasure to speak of Colonel Willis, who always rendered me every assistance he could, and gave every encouragement to the men to attend meeting.
He was one of the best officers in the army, one of the best friends I ever had, one of the most promising men I ever knew.
He was killed while in command of Early's old brigade, at Bethesda Church, in June, 1864.
His earnest request was, 