A Study of Army Camp Life during American Revolution

by Mary Hazel Snuff

The chaplain of that war was not like the chaplain of the present time. A sort of half-soldier, half-minister, never expected to fight or endure the hardships of the private; on the other hand he was one of the men on the field, but also reverenced by the soldiers because of the place he had filled in their activities at home.[¹⁵⁶]

At first, as has been noticed, there was no regulation concerning the appointment and pay of the chaplain by the continental congress. Washington wrote to congress in December 1775 and said, "I need not point out the great utility of gentlemen whose lives and conversation are unexceptionable being employed for that service in the army".[¹⁵⁷] He went on to suggest plans whereby all regiments might be served by a chaplain. The plan which congress adopted was of having a chaplain for every two regiments and they fixed the salary at thirty-three and one-third dollars a month.[¹⁵⁸] The plan worked when the soldiers were in camp, but not when they were on the march.[¹⁵⁹] In 1776 a chaplain was allowed for each regiment.[¹⁶⁰]

According to the regulations of the army, there were to be prayers morning and evening,[¹⁶¹] and on Sunday services were almost continuous. There were always two services and often more, the chaplains from the various regiments preaching in rotation.[¹⁶²]

The places of holding religious meetings varied with circumstances, services were held in a church[¹⁶³] in or near camp, on a college campus,[¹⁶⁴] in an opening in the woods,[¹⁶⁵] and in a log hut built for the purpose.[¹⁶⁶] When the army entered Cambridge, the next day was Sunday and a stage was erected on the campus by turning up a rum hogshead.[¹⁶⁷] On another occasion a pulpit was formed out of knapsacks piled together.[¹⁶⁸]

The kind of sermons provided by the chaplains to the soldiers makes an interesting study, they were always of a practicable nature. The sermons seemed to fall into two general classes, one class setting forth the characteristics of a good soldier,[¹⁶⁹] and the other those which had to do with the political and social troubles of the time.[¹⁷⁰]

There are records of the attitude of the soldier being changed very materially by some of the sermons heard both concerning his own personal attitude[¹⁷¹] and his attitude in general toward the war. The story is related that one time Rev. Gano knew that a number of the soldiers in his audience were men who had only enlisted for a few months, hence during the service he made the remark "he could aver of the truth that our Lord and Saviour approved of all those who had engaged in His Service for the whole warfare". The rank and file were much amused and those who enlisted for the whole war forced many short-term men by their jesting to re-enlist.[¹⁷²]

Another observance which might be considered part of the soldier's religion, was the day of fasting and prayer ordered by congress and the officials of the various colonies.[¹⁷³]

There is yet one more effect which grew out of the religious activities of the soldier while in the army camp. That is the weakening of the rigid lines which had been drawn between sects. When the soldier was at home he was, Presbyterian, Anglican, Catholic or what not, but in the army there was a tendency to forget the barriers; both Protestant and Catholic services were held, but it was one of the orders of Washington that no person should make light of another's religion.[¹⁷⁴] It had been the custom of the people near Boston to celebrate what was called "Pope Day" when they burned an effigy of the Pope; the soldiers were contemplating a celebration of this custom when Washington issued orders against it calling it a "ridiculous and childish custom."[¹⁷⁵]

The fact that the chaplain of a regiment might have members of a number of sects in his audience would tend to create a common interest, and also the fact that whenever the troops were near a church they were ordered to attend regardless of denomination. The incident is related of Washington who was Anglican that he and a number of his men, asked a Presbyterian minister to give them communion in his church, and it was gladly done.[¹⁷⁶] All of which were factors in bringing about democracy in the church.

[146.] Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. II, p. 112.