CHAPTER 3
THE WAR
1861-1865
The events that led to the Civil War had been brewing for well over a decade, yet cumulated significantly from 1860 through 1861. These included the election of Abraham Lincoln on November 6, 1860, the secession of South Carolina on December 20, 1860, the establishment of the Confederate States of America on February 9, 1861, the bombardment of Fort Sumter as the start of the war on April 12, 1861, and the secession of Tennessee, as the last state to secede, on June 8, 1861. There would have been a tremendous uncertainty and excitement during this time, as politics and war would have been the conversation of the day. No one was immune and all were affected by these events. Once war was declared, Tennessee recruited men of fighting age as volunteers and home guards. In September of 1861, the "Shelbyville Rebels," the first Confederate company of the town of Shelbyville and of the surrounding vicinity, was organized by the election of Edwin’s brother-in-law, A. S. Boone, as Captain. Edwin’s older brother, Rev. William Shapard, entered the 20th Alabama Infantry Regiment of the Confederate Army on September 10, 1861, and remained through 1862. Edwin’s younger brother, Evander Shapard, entered the 41st Infantry of Tennessee of the Confederate Army on November 2, 1861, enlisting under his brother-in-law, Captain A.S. Boone. Evander enlisted on his 18th birthday, over the objection of his father. He fought in every major battle of the Army of Tennessee, and for a time was a prisoner-of-war at Camp Morton. There were also Federal companies organized in the vicinity. Edwin’s brother, Robert Addison Shapard, enlisted, at Nashville, in the 1st Regiment of Middle Tennessee Volunteer Calvary of the Federal Army on July 25, 1862, which was later mustered into Company C of the 5th Tennessee Cavalry. Prior to enlisting he rendered service to the Federal Commander as a guide and Scout. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant on September 2, 1862. On January 28, 1863, he was arrested after shooting a private over a dispute while intoxicated. He was court marshaled and cashiered, by being publically stripped of his rank of 1st lieutenant and dismissed with dishonor from the service. After his dismissal, Robert Addison Shapard lived with his parents until the end of the War.
Edwin’s father, Robert Paine Shapard, was an often out-spoken supporter of the Union and had voted against the succession of Tennessee; however, as a slave-owner and native Southerner, he found ways of supporting the Confederate cause to protect his interests and way of life. He had resided in Shelbyville, Tennessee, from the start of the war until June of 1863. Mr. Shapard was not alone in his sentiment towards preserving the Union, as Shelbyville, throughout the war, was regarded as one of the most “loyal” towns in all of Middle Tennessee. Robert and his less vocal, pro-Union business partner and brother-in-law, C.G. Mitchell, continued to run their business and were able to gain passes to travel in and out of the Confederate lines through their friendly association with the Confederate Officers. “Shapard and Mitchell” did much business with the Confederate Army, supplying them with food and necessities of war. In late June of 1863, when the Union Army, at Murfreesboro, advanced upon the Rebel Army at Shelbyville, Edwin’s parents, younger siblings and family slaves left Tennessee together for the safety of Louisville, Kentucky, which was behind Union lines. Mr. Shapard carried on business, as a commission merchant and wholesale grocer, as he had in Shelbyville, until the end of the war.
The Confederate States of America appointed military chaplains to the regiments beginning in May of 1861. All southern clergy were exempt from conscription, so ministers had to enlist into service on their own volition. The Confederacy had a great lack of military clergy, and by 1862, less than half of all regiments had a minister in their ranks. This was in part due to the fact that it was a low paid position and its duties were mostly undefined. Most chaplains conducted daily worship services, counseled and consoled soldiers, cared for the sick or wounded, they may also have participated in secretarial work, such as, letter writing and mail currier. Generally the clergy remained in the back of the lines, out of harm’s way during battles. However there were many field chaplains that put themselves on the front lines with their regiment to minister to them and aid them during the battle. In addition, there were ministers, like Edwin’s brother William, who enlisted as a soldier and led a soldiers’ life, doing as much good with his sword as he did with his Bible. To help fill the great void of military chaplains, Confederate soldiers were also ministered to by Missionaries and Revivalists. Missionaries were civilian clergy that were sent to minister, by a particular denomination, for an extended period of time, and were not enlisted or paid by the military. Revivalists were also civilian clergy that held brief revivals attended by the troops. Of all the denominations, the Methodist Episcopal Church South provided the greatest number of clergy to minister to the Southern troops.
There is no record of Rev. Edwin Shapard enlisting in the war either as a soldier or a military Chaplin. From all accounts, it appears that he remained in Tennessee and Alabama and tended to his ministerial duties as a circuit rider, despite the ongoing war around him. When war was declared on April 12, 1861, Edwin had been appointed by the Tennessee Conference to the Murfreesboro District; Middleton Circuit, which encompassed the numerous congregations between the towns of Shelbyville and Murfreesboro. During the year, Rev. Shapard and Rev. C.C. Mayhew preached periodically to the Confederate troops that were being stationed in the area. He recalled one night, in June of 1861, during a fine revival at Greenwood, that, “The meeting was held for the benefit of the volunteers. Some fifteen or sixteen of them from the Fosterville Company were at the altar on last night, and one made a profession of religion. May the Lord continue to work by his Spirit until all are converted.” As the war advanced in late 1861, Rev. Shapard reported that,” The Lord is still willing to visit his people although the world is excited upon the affairs of government. Now when religion is most needed, the members of the church are less disposed to work for God’s glory and the good of souls. If we lose sight of God and cease to pray and preach what is to become of the Church? May God take care of us and continue the revival influence in our midst.”
By October of 1861, the War effort had greatly increased and every aspect of Tennessee society was changing and uncertain. The Confederate flag was flying over the Capital at Nashville. All the women were making uniforms for the soldiers. The South had a new government and president, under Jefferson Davis. Travel was becoming difficult as the trains, boats, horses and wagons were amassed by the armies and outfitted for military use. In addition, the presence of the enemy troops would cut off all travel routes in that vicinity. Despite these uncertainties, Rev. Shapard was able to attend the Annual Tennessee Conference held at the Baptist Church in Athens, Alabama on October 2-8, 1861. The ministers were slow in attending the Conference. The first day only about 89 members were present for roll call, which was about half the number of past years; however this number increased greatly over the following days. There were about thirty members of the Conference enlisted as soldiers or military chaplains who attended the Conference in full Confederate uniform. During the Conference, Rev. Shapard was admitted into ‘full-connection’ and ordained a Deacon. He was sent by Bishop John Early to the Tuscumbia District, which serviced the congregations of northern Alabama, and was specifically appointed to Tuscumbia Station which was
located in Colbert County, Alabama, just across the Tennessee River from his alma mater, Florence Wesleyan University. Tuscumbia was a beautiful place, a business town, being one of the main depots along the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, as well as being a port for steamships along the river. In 1861, Tuscumbia Station serviced 78 white members of the church and 130 colored members, whom were slaves of the vicinity. Over the following year, Rev. Shapard would significantly grow the colored membership of this station to 210 parishioners, while the white membership was sustained at 75 individuals. It is of interest to note that Edwin’s Presiding Elder while on the Tuscumbia Station was Rev. Ferdinand Petway. In 1849, Rev. Petway held a revival with Rev. A.W. Smith during which eleven year-old E.R. Shapard first joined the Methodist church and experienced conversion.
It was during February through April of 1862, that the Federal Army invaded Tennessee and forced the majority of the Confederate Army to flee south. Edwin’s younger brother, Evander, was captured at the Battle of Fort Donelson, Tennessee by Union troops on February 16, 1862, and taken as a prisoner-of-war. In April of 1862, ten-thousand Federal troops invaded northern Alabama; 8,000 of which were sent to Tuscumbia to gain control of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. The town’s location along the railroad and river made it a prime target for both sides during the war. In late April of 1862, the Confederate cavalry recaptured Tuscumbia, however, not before the Union Army burned some of the town upon their retreat. By July of 1862, The Federal Army again had control of Tuscumbia and had seized the Methodist Episcopal Church for its own use. At this time, Rev. Shapard was forcibly expelled from his church by the Federal officials, and cast out along with his congregation. He witnessed the desecration of his church at the hands of the Union soldiers. Mr. L.B. Thornton, a citizen of Tuscumbia during the time of the invasion, recalled, “…the (Union) soldiers broke open the churches, took the carpets – other things out …raised the United States Flag on Methodist Church and made a common necessary of Methodist and Episcopal Churches…” The Army destroyed the church records and more than likely used the Methodist Church as a stable for their horses, pushing the pews together to use as feeding troughs. The stress and horror of the invasion played heavily on the health of Rev. Shapard, and he became extremely ill and “lost his health” during this year. Only through the favor of God and the gracious attention of the good people of Tuscumbia was his health gradually restored. This invasion of his Southern homeland would have been a terrifying event. Martial Law was declared in February of 1862, and Andrew Johnson was appointed by President Lincoln to act as Military Governor of Tennessee. Travel was no longer safe as southern social order collapsed and the armies battled and ravaged the land and towns for food and supplies.
In the latter part of the summer of 1862, Confederate General Braxton Bragg led a raid into Kentucky, which drew the Federal army out of northern Alabama and lower Middle Tennessee. Travel was again possible for southerners south of the Federal lines at Nashville. Edwin was able to travel to Cornersville, Tennessee in Giles County for the Annual Tennessee Conference which was held from October 15th through October 20th. Rev. John B. McFerrin was elected president of the Conference, since no Bishop was able to attend. Edwin was recognized as a ‘Deacon of One-Year’ and was assigned to the Lebanon District, which included the towns east of Nashville, including Lebanon, Lafayette, Gallatin, and Fountain Head. Within that district, he and Rev. Burkett F. Ferrell, were specifically appointed as the circuit riders for Sumner Circuit in Sumner County, Tennessee.
In 1862, the Sumner Circuit was a large circuit, servicing 450 white members of the church as well as a Colored Charge of 150 slaves. Congregations were established within this circuit at; Pleasant Hill, Center Point, Goodlettsville, Saundersville, Bethel, White Hill, Cages Chapel and Salem. After the war, in 1865, the circuit serviced 419 white members and no longer conducted the Colored Charge. The vicinity of the Sumner Circuit had been occupied by Federal troops from February of 1862, until approximately July of 1862, when Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry raided the area. General Morgan was famous for his fearless raids deep into Federally occupied areas, penetrating the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. By the time Edwin was assigned to this location in October, it was delicately back under Confederate control yet a highly volatile and dangerous area. However, in November of 1862, the area of Gallatin was recaptured by Union General Eleazar A. Paine, and despite periodic raids, it remained under Federal control until the end of the war. General Paine was known for his cruelty; for instance, in the town square of Gallatin, he publically executed, without trial, a group of suspected southern spies and was known to set free southern prisoners on worn-down horses, for the entertainment of hunting them down through the countryside for execution. The town of Lebanon was revisited by Confederate General John Hunt Morgan with his 800 cavalry and 600 infantry on December 6, 1862, and then again on his return, with 2000 captured Union soldiers, while on his way to Murfreesboro. Throughout 1862, and 1863, during the span of Edwin’s appointment, skirmishes occurred in Lafayette, Lebanon, Mill Creek and Gallatin. The Confederate raiders would enter these federally occupied areas and destroy railroad lines and bridges to disrupt the transit of Union troops and supplies. This had the side-effect of also hindering travel for those remaining in these areas, like itinerant ministers.
Since Middle Tennessee was one of the most fought over lands during the duration of the war, the ministry was vital to the coordinated effort of rendering supplies and aid to families who had lost everything. In a war ravaged country, religion may have been the only means of hope, support and faith available to the people. As evidence of this, there was a great religious awakening among the people of the South, during and after the War. Edwin remained at his post on the Sumner Circuit and attempted to perpetuate his obligations as clergy. As did the other remaining itinerant ministers, Rev. Shapard would have held meetings in soldier’s camps and preached wherever he could find people assembled. If he was without a horse, he would have walked his appointed district, stopping at the homes along the way to minister and rest. Since most of the men were away at war, women and children would have made up the majority of the local congregations during this time. Even with Edwin’s noble position as a Reverend, the dangers and encumbrances to the fulfillment of his duties would have been great. Congregations of southerners, even among a church setting, would have been cause for suspicion from Federal commanders seeking to eliminate any potential for organized resistance. During the course of the war many ministers were incarcerated on suspicion of preaching support of the southern cause. Even more offensive was that the Federal army destroyed almost 500 southern churches and desecrated many others by using them as storehouses, stables, hospitals, etc.
The 1864 entry from the Indian Mission Conference minute book gives a unique insight into the struggles of the southern itinerant ministers during the Civil War; “…after the session of our Conference in 1861, the preachers went as usual to their respective fields of labor. But very soon after, portions of our country began to be overrun by Federal soldiers, making it impractical and unsafe to travel. At the time for the meeting of our Conference,… the Federal Army had taken possession of the place and the country around it, rendering it impractical for the Conference to convene there. There was no session of our Conference for 1862 and 1863. During this interim, some of the preachers have been partially keeping up with their work. Others have been driven from their homes and work. Some are within the Federal lines and consequently their condition is not known. More than three-fourths of our State is now in a disabled state from the ravages of war. And in that portion to which we have access, the male inhabitants are principally in the army rendering it impractical to carry on the work as usual. The committee would suggest that the Conference attempt nothing further than the mere maintenance of its organization and that in the stationing the preachers, as far as practical, they be left as appointed at the session of 1861.”
The Tennessee Conference did not officially meet in 1863 and 1864 on account of the war. All ministers, if able, were requested to stay at the location to which they were appointed at the Conference of 1862. The few ministers that remained, despite being cut off from the guidance and support of the governing body of the church, tried desperately to keep some degree of order to preserve the continuance of the church.
When the war came to a close on April 9, 1865, the Tennessee Conference was able to officially meet again on October 4-11, 1865, for its 52nd session at Edgefield, Tennessee. Edwin was ordained an Elder, by Bishop Hubbard H. Kavanaugh, and assigned with Rev. Thomas L. Moody to the Murfreesboro District, being specifically appointed to Shelbyville Station in Bedford County; however, he was listed as “Supernumerary” which implies that he was unable to fulfill the obligation of his work due to extreme illness. Edwin asked for this release from his duties which was reviewed by the Committee on Conference Relations consisting of a panel of seven or more members. Having reviewed his request and being in agreement, the Committee presented the case at the Annual Tennessee Conference where it was formally granted. During this time, Shelbyville Station, which included the church in Rev. Shapard’s old hometown of Shelbyville, serviced 116 white parishioners. By the end of the Conference year, the membership had grown to 155. Despite the town being damaged by the effects of the late war, this is where his parents and some of his siblings continued to reside. The Shelbyville southern Methodist Church was in poor condition, so the congregation temporarily worshiped in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church located in the town, until the Methodist Church was restored. The consequence of remaining in Tennessee during the war would have been brutal. Edwin would have witnessed and survived the total devastation of his homeland, extreme food shortages, inflation, marauding enemy armies, constant uncertainty, financial ruin, tremendous loss of life and the horrors of the Reconstruction era. His personal experience, during this formidable time, would, no doubt, affect him for the rest of his life.
No comments:
Post a Comment