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CONFEDERATE CHAPLAIN continued from page 5 Secretary of War $300.00 which was the amount of his pay as chaplain
for six months. In addition to his other On December 13, 1862 Dr. Hoge's brother William, a Presbyterian minister in Charlottesville, suggested writing a letter to the Christians of Great Britain. In it he would appeal for Bibles, Testaments, tracts and other religious publications to be distributed to the officers and soldiers of the Southern Army. Dr. Hoge was appointed by the Virginia Bible Society to visit the British and Foreign Bible Society and request a procurement of 35,000 Bibles and Testaments. This plan met with swift approval from many churchmen, Confederate Cabinet members and the Southern Presbyterian Committee of Publication. Dr. Hoge left Richmond by train on December 23, 1862 bound for Charleston, SC. From there, the steamer upon which he was aboard, after running the Union naval blockade, took him to the West Indies. From there they set sail for England on January 14, 1863. On February 16 Dr. Hoge met with the board of managers of the British and Foreign Bible Society and presented to them the need of the Southern Army for Bibles and Gospel literature. The Society graciously granted his request by making a free grant of 10,000 Bibles, 50,000 Testaments and 250,000 Gospels and Psalms estimated in value of $20,000. The London Tract Society also gave him $1500 worth of their publications. The first load of Bibles was sent from England that same month and arrived in Charleston in June and from there were transported to Richmond. Due to the Union naval blockade it is estimated that 75 percent of the books reached the Confederate Capital. Inspired by Dr. Hoge's mission, the American Bible Society donated more than 50,000 Bibles to the South. Uncertain as to the safety of his return trip he wrote, "a few days will determine whether my destination will be the bottom of the sea, Richmond or some Northern Bastille". Under enemy fire, aboard the blockade-runner the "Advance" he safely arrived at Wilmington, NC on October 11, 1863. Dr. Hoge remained faithful to the cause of the Confederacy until the very end. He returned to his work as army chaplain for the remainder of the war. He continued as pastor for the next 30 years serving his parishioners and veterans by visiting and preaching at Soldier's Homes. At 80 years of age Dr. Hoge was injured in a streetcar accident and never recovered from his injuries. He died on |
January 6, 1899 and was buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. His biographer, Payton Hoge wrote this tribute: (The above article, Confederate Chaplain, submitted by the Editor.)
September 29th, 1861 marks the date of what has become known as the Affair at Travisville. Until the events of this day transpired, people locally had assured themselves that they were too far off the beaten paths to see any fighting. We would be safe from the pending conflict. Rationalizing that with no major roads or railways crossing through the area, why would an army come through this remote area? No one ever thought that it would be this close to home. This single event answered the questions in everyone's mind of, if and when, the war would come to Tennessee. These first shots fired in aggression in 1861 would also mark of the first fatalities in the conflict suffered locally and within in the borders of the state. In response to a Confederate attack a few days earlier,
Union troops from Kentucky entered the state and dispersed a Rebel camp
at Travisville in present day Pickett County. According to the report
filed by Colonel William A Hoskins of the 12th Kentucky Infantry. Information
was received that morning that forces where forming another encampment
a distance of 13 miles from their present position near Albany. With
troops of the 1st Kentucky Calvary under the command of Captain Morrison
along with members of the Home Guards of Houstonville, they came upon
an encampment of 100 Confederate troops. Their orders where to assess
the threat (and if possible) take the Confederates by surprise, order
a surrender and should they refuse, to fire upon them. Morrison did
surprise the rebel troops who fled upon being ordered to surrender.
Four Confederates were killed in this clash while the remaining troops
retreated into the surrounding hills. Four prisoners along with two
horses were captured by Thomas Huddleston, a private in Capt. Morrison's
company. According to Huddleston's own account of the skirmish, "He
looked for more, but they had all fled." The prisoners were brought
this side the line (back to Kentucky), when, after taking a solemn
See AFFAIR AT TRAVISVILLE page 6 |
