William W. Bennett, A narrative of the great revival which prevailed in the Southern armies during the late Civil War

“ [78] I was opening a box of tracts a soldier said, ‘ Some of those tracts were given to our regiment at Chattanooga, and never before in my life have I seen such an effect on men. Many have given up swearing, and I among the number, through the influence of these silent but powerful preachers.’ ”

Rev. Mi. D. Anderson says: “I met a young man wounded, and began to talk with him on religion. He said, ‘O sir, don't you remember that at the camp-meeting at-- you spoke to me on the subject? Do get down and pray for me.’ He has since been converted, and is an active co-laborer with me. An old marine who had weathered many a storm, and was lying sick in the hospital, seemed astonished that I should urge upon his attention the claims of the gospel. ‘How is it that you, a young man, should be so concerned about me, a poor old sailor?’ He said that rarely, if ever before in his life, had any one spoken to him about his soul. His interest in divine things increased until, I think, he became a true Christian. He died a most happy death.”

Rev. B. B. Ross, of Alabama, writing to Rev. A. E. Dickinson, says: “I am just from a pleasant tour among the hospitals in Mississippi, where I found 3,000 sick. They are greedy, yea ravenous, in their appetite for something to read. Under the labors of your colporteurs there has been a revival of religion at Quitman, and there is also a revival in progress at Lauderdale Springs. The surgeons have been especially kind to me-at times calling my attention to certain cases of the sick, at others making appointments for me to preach.”

Rev. S. A. Creath, Army of Tennessee: “I am still following up the army, trying to be of service to them. At Atlanta I saw 3,000 sick men. Started to work this morning before sun up, and by 9 A. M. had distributed 20,000 pages of tracts. Several have professed religion, and the Lord's blessing seems to be on us.”

“I have been a month,” wrote a colporteur from Richmond,