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 Ca.pt. -Pa vkMl. iL^ixipany, 
 
 " Tl I !■: 1 1( )\\ ELI, Ci t ARDS," 
 
 s .On ttir[ve- of kif Depafture fsi the Sealjf War, 
 
 AUGUST 26, 1861, 
 
 '^ By Rev. John E. DuBosq, Pastor of the Presbyte- 
 rian Ohuroii, Tallahassee, Florida. 
 
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 [^ PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE COMPANY AND CITIZENS. 
 
 Callaljasstt : 
 
 OFFICE OF THE FLORIDIAN AND JOURNAL 
 
 I'lilNTED BY DYKE it CARLISLE. 
 
 1861 
 
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SKIJMOX. 
 
 " Fear not nor he dismayed : be stronp and of jrood courase; fof thus shall 
 the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye tight." Joshua x : 'J5. 
 
 After a brilliant victory just then achieved, and whilst 
 yet other conflicts awaited them, Joshua, the illustrious 
 leader of the grand arniy of Israel, thus addressed his 
 soldiers : It was a memorable period in their history. The 
 time liad arrived, according to the purpose of the Sovereign 
 Disposer of events, when His people should be masters 
 in their own land — when a nation, long oppressed and 
 down-trodden, should shake off their fetters and rise to that 
 commanding position to which they were entitled. But 
 such a transition is not to be effected without difficulty and 
 trials — without struggling, peril, and without great suffer- 
 ing. Though the same Omnipotent arm that divided the 
 waters of the Great Sea, passing Israel safely through, and 
 burying proud Pharaoh beneath the returning waves, was 
 still to be stretched forth in their defence ; and though every 
 difficulty in their' way could have been removed by His 
 word, yet, God adopts a plan more ennobling to man, and 
 not less certain ill its results. Using His creatures as in- 
 strumentalities, He causes their own arms to achieve their 
 victories and secure their indej^endence. The ordeal to 
 which the Israelites were subjected in establishing their na- 
 tionality, was severe and trying. Through adversity they 
 learned righteousness, and by a tardy, protracted and peril- 
 ous pilgrimage in the desert, they were inured to hardship 5 
 and now on reaching their long expected inheritance, they 
 had yet to develop the latent germ of manliness which op- 
 pression had crushed. This fruitful land, ere it became the 
 
Jiomc of a luigliTy nation, had to receive a baptism of blood 
 (h-aAvii in the contest, as an offering on the altar of liberty. 
 It seems ordained that so rich and precious a boon cannot be 
 obtained without a priceless offering. 
 
 The tragic horrors that attended this conquest, are melan- 
 choly to contemplate. Entire families were exterminated — 
 cities were destroyed and lands laid M-aste — kingdoms were 
 overthrown, and Kings perished in the general slaughter. — 
 In this scene, at which the heart grows sick, we behold the 
 people of the Lord engaged. They were accomplishing the 
 double purpose of achieving their own independence, and of 
 administering retributive justice to their enemies and the 
 Lord's. The cup of their iniquity being full, lie cuts them 
 do^^^rf|)y the hand of his people. 
 
 Under other circumstances, such havoc as was made by 
 Joshua's army, would have been flagrantly wicked, but oe- 
 <5uring as it did, however revolting to our sensibilities, it 
 was free from the stain of guilt. Had it ])roceeded from 
 mercenar}- motives or a spirit of revenge, it would justly be 
 regarded wicked and diabolical ; but since no such motive 
 characterized this contest on their part, their conduct is not 
 rightly subject to this imputation. 
 
 In the ordinary dispensations of Divine Providence, we 
 perceive repeated instances of a nation affecting its destruc- 
 tion by the corrupt administration of its afiairs. 
 
 The insolent and contemptuous disregard of the Divine 
 commands contained in Ilis Holy Word, and of chartered 
 rights — unholy invasions of the rights and privileges of asso- 
 ciate States — infidelity, licentiousness and cupidity have 
 produced, as they ever will produce, disaster in proportion 
 to their extent. For such sins the Almighty will witlidraw 
 His sustaining power, and leave a guilty nation to reap the 
 legitimate consequences, whether it be instability, decline 
 or downfall. The History of the World is a record of this 
 fact. But to no nation can we point as a more striking il- 
 lustration, than the one from which we l)ut recoitlv with- 
 
dnw. ^lM' ttiMtd forth hitclv in Iut irl'>r\ , tlio woiitlor and 
 juUiiirutlon ot" tlie world ; but tlie t«e«.'d.-< t»t' iiiHdtdity IxMUi^ 
 Powu in tlie, irenial soil of New England, where cujiidity has 
 long been the reigning ^in, they sprang up and brought 
 forth frnit after their kind, even an hundred fold. The 
 ctiurc'h, whi'.'h i.s a nation's safeguard, })artook of this ])oison, 
 and became delirious. Under her tnaniacal hallucination 
 she mistook her mission. Conjoining the ofliceof the humble 
 ambassador of the cross with the corrupt ]iolitician, the lines 
 between their separate functions were obliterated, and from 
 this illicit and most unholy association, have mainly sprung 
 the errors and wrongs that are now' l>eing harvested in the 
 horrors of war. T)ie Lord seems to have given them up, 
 that A\ith tiicir own hands they might hew out their A|i se- 
 ]>ulchres. Forgetting those cardiiial })rinciples of govern- 
 ment for which we once together fought (ireat l^ritain. — 
 Yea, forgetting even reliifion and humanitv, thev have in- 
 suited, oppressed and trodden down their own brethren, 
 until self-respect and self-i)reservation, imperatively de- 
 Tiianded a separation from them. Wliether this was our 
 rlyht or not, it was a necessity^ and rendered such h\ that 
 intolerance characteristic of fanaticism. And even now, 
 though the Lord by Ilis Providence has frowned on all their 
 undertakings, the blood of their murdered brethren crying 
 up from the ground against them, they still rush forward 
 in the work of destruction, regardless alike of the dictates 
 of reason or the obligations of religion. To rei)el such ^n 
 enemy as this, is not alone self-preservation, but an act of 
 duty. 
 
 When legislation, remonstrance and entreaty have all 
 been tried and failed, forbearance ceases to be a virtue. — 
 Kxhausted argument must give way until the sword can re- 
 store reason. Under these circumstances, the sin that is 
 incurred from the destruction of life, and the consequent sor- 
 row and suffering, must lie at the door of those who cause it 
 and not on those who. in the act of self-protection, 1)ecome 
 
their destrovcrs. Human life ought ever to be held sacred, 
 even l>y the sokliei' mIio is educated and trained for mortal 
 combat withliis fellow man. The design of his vocation is 
 really preservation and not destruction. Circumstances may 
 render it necessary for him to shed much blood and to be 
 the agent in producing much suffering, yet he be guiltless be- 
 fore God. The case of Joshua is an instance in point. lie 
 was one of the most eminent Saints of olden times, and 
 Avould have shriuik Avith lioly horror from the deeds lie per- 
 formed, had he not been shielded with the consciousness of 
 his own rectitude. Feeling assured that he was executing 
 the purpose of God, the duty however disagreeable, was 
 performed with untlinching firmness. It was under this con- 
 viction that he exhorted his soldiers to be fearless and un- 
 dismayed in the discharge of this, as in any other duty, 
 which the Lord commanded. They obeyed their resolute 
 leader, trusting in the word of the Lord, and soon their 
 foes were vanquished, and they, in quiet possession of their 
 land, could rejoice in what they had accomplished, and un- 
 der their own vines and fig-trees, send up their grateful 
 praise to Ilira wlio gave them the victory. 
 
 As we are called on the present occasion to address this 
 gallant band of soldiers who have buckled on their armor 
 to defend their country, and to-morrow march for tlie seat 
 of war, we commend to them the exampl^ and the exhor- 
 tation of Israel's pious leader : '* Fear not nor he dismayed: 
 he strong and of good courage / for thus shall the Lord do 
 to all your enemies against whom ye fight P -. 
 
 This brief but comprehensive injunction, teaches us • ' 
 
 THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH THE SOLDIER SHOULD GO FORTH TO BAT- 
 TLE, and THE GROUNDS ON WHICH HE MAY HOPE FOR SUCCESS. 
 
 The first requisite for a reliable soldier is, true moral 
 
 courage. The battle-field is no place for a timid man. If 
 
 called to end ure such fierce conflicts as our armies have al- 
 
 reatlyA)assea tln-ough, true courage will be needed to stand 
 
 -^^fl'n^TT^Tliat kind of courage which rises from a sense of 
 
 A 
 
tlutv. is \)v>\ ailai>tc(l tn sikIi an cincrfruiU'V a? the jJi-cseiit. 
 Pliysical ('(nirap:e, tliougli more iiiiposiuir, and often more ef- 
 fective, while it can endure, may rrive way when most 
 needed. Excited passion, though destructive for a time, 
 may waste its fury and subside ; but the soldier whose mind 
 rises to the magnitude of the undertaking, in whose l»reast 
 the tire of patriotism burns — wlio, seeing the danger of the 
 field, shrinks not from it because duty forbids it. On him 
 we can rely. He has looked at consequences and deter- 
 mined to meet them. Such men comnuuid victory. ]>ut 
 on this point I need not address you, since facts ])rove that 
 on our side we are not wanting in this respect. The enemy 
 themselves are competent witnesses in the engagements 
 which have already taken place. Truer soldiers have never 
 stood on any field than those who have marched from 
 Southern soil. J. ^ ^ _ / 
 
 But more is needea in a soldier than courage ; there are 
 trials and privations of no ordinary kind to be encountered. 
 There is reason for the exhortation, " be not dismayed, but 
 be strong and of good courage." 
 
 Strength of purpose, as M'ell as strength of body, is re- 
 <piired for the camp. Many a brave man, unaccustomed to 
 the hardships of camp-life, has becAne disheartened and 
 spiritless, from hard fare and exhausting labor. Enlisting, 
 perhaps under e^xcitement, and witlunit counting the cost, 
 he was unprepared for the trials tliat awaited him, and gave 
 way under them. Of such a one, however l)rave, we are 
 constrained to say he is not truly a soldier, and would never 
 do to drive a tyrant back or lift his iron heel from a coun- 
 try's neck. In a time like this we need only men — self- 
 sacrificing men, who can bear hardships as good soldiers — 
 who are willing to spend and be spent in the service of their 
 country. It is i ot a jdeasure excursion they are to go upon, 
 but a season of toil such as men, ordinarily, but once in a 
 life-time endure, and such as few men M'ould endure, except 
 to save their country ; but a niiiid prepared for its ti'ials. 
 
liJis nearly eiulured tlieiii. We have, therefore, only to adopt 
 with tlie iiiindsiieh a course of preparation as we prescribe 
 for tlie body, and if there is moral stamina to operate upon, 
 it will rise e(pial to the emergency. Cheerfully can we bid 
 adieu to home and friends, and wear out strength and life 
 on tiie tentwd tield. May a kind Providence, dear friends, 
 spare you the sore trials your brethren in arms have had to 
 undergo ; but should it be your lot to become their partners 
 in suffering, may you receive from on high, strength equal 
 to your duty. 
 
 There is yet one thing requisite in a soldier, and it is the 
 highest qualification, which is, a soul at peace witli God ^ and 
 a hea/rt resigned and determined to do and svffier His will. 
 
 One of the great beauties of religion is, that it is adapted 
 to all stations and conditions in life. It adorns the palace 
 of a King, and is at home in the rude hut where poverty 
 dwells ; it is the maiden's ornament and the.soldier's shield. 
 The soldier who is at peace with God and is resigned to His 
 will, has nothing to fear, either in time or eternity. The 
 Lord stands pledged to be his shield and to make all things 
 work together for his good. In the hour of battle he has 
 God to lean upon. He feels assiired that the eye which A 
 
 watches the sparrow will be on him ; and though the mis- ' * 
 
 siles of death fly thick aronnd him, they can never reach 
 him until God permits it, for the number of his days are 
 wdth Him. There is, therefore, in the breast of the con- 
 sistent christian, a sense of security wdiich Sudmirably pre- 
 pares him for the field of battle. The bravest men are 
 those who appreciate danger, yet never shrink from it. In 
 this appears the superiority of the christian soldier. The 
 infidel is brave as long as he can keep his eyes closed to 
 danger and to future responsibility — hence, he reflects but 
 little on consequences ; but the christian, though fully awake 
 to these terrible realities, can still be calm while standing 
 on the briidx of eternity. 
 
 ^hakspeare, speaking of the uncertainty and dread of the ' 
 
A 
 
 future state, vt-iv truly says that, " c-dnsc-ieiu-o makes cow- 
 ards of us all.'' Many a brave man who has trembled in 
 the hour of peril would have stood lirni, had all been (juiet 
 ■within. His fellow man he could face with a steady nerve; 
 but who can stand before God when the soul is not at peace 
 with Iliin. Some have done so, it is true; but it has been 
 by shutting out (iod and eternity from the mind. They 
 yverGhlind enough to rush into the very jaws of death, but 
 not brace enough to open tlieir eyes and look before them. — 
 AW' praise the deed, but pity the man. An understanding 
 pro])crly enlightened, will readily ])erceive that this is but 
 the counterfeit of true courage, and is dependent on de- 
 })ravity to give it circulation. Then, soldiers, let nic ex- 
 hort you to be brave enougli to bend the knee to God, and 
 luimbly seek peace and reconciliation with Him. 
 'It Avas a sublime spectacle to behold in our late engage- 
 /meut, a regiment of brave Carolinians, just as they were 
 / about to enter the contest, first bowing down before the 
 Almighty, while their chaplain offered prayer in their be- 
 half. And it is worthy of note, that this regiment was 
 most wonderful!}' preserved. Though in the heat of the 
 ^battle, (if my memory serves me) but three were killed, y / 
 
 There are t\vo things to be observed, concerning this war, 
 •which we ask the men of this world seriously to consider. — 
 In the iirst place, history furnishes no instance of as many 
 ])raying soldiers on the field ; and in the second place, we 
 have never heS:rd under like circumstances, of such remark- 
 able preservation of life. Let scoffers and infidels argue as 
 they may, these two facts will ever stand out in history, as 
 a happy illustration of the efficacy of prayer ; and brave 
 (jenerals will doubtless learn the real value of piety in the 
 camp. 
 
 ' Now, tlie ground on which we may hope for success, lies 
 
 ^ KiKST in the fact thai we are in the path of duty. This is al- 
 
 l"^ / ways the path of safety and victory, "Duty is ours ; con- 
 
 I sequences belong to God."' AVitli a bn\lcs< enemy invading 
 
8 
 
 our soil, destroying property and life, and assailing virtue 
 itself, it is christian, duty to take the field and drive back 
 tliis foe of God and man. It is a duty we owe to ourselves, 
 our families, our country and our Lord, to throw ourselves 
 before such an enemy, and brave death itself, rather than 
 leave hitn one foot of land on which to rest his polluted 
 feet. There is no choice in this matter but tame submission 
 to corruption and degradation, or manly resit^tance even to 
 utter extermination. Between the two a christian patriot 
 ought not long to hesitate. Every inch of ground he yields 
 is a contribution to vice and immorality, -f -f ' ^ 
 
 This war upon unoffending freemen, has been rliaracter- 
 ized by deeds, the darkest and most diabolical that have 
 ever been recorded against a civilized nation ; and to permit 
 sucli aggressions to pass unrebuked, would be to undo the 
 labor of a century, to pour contempt on the blood of our 
 revohitionary sires, and to open the flood-gateg of tyranny 
 and infidelity, so that our once happy land wliich has been 
 the asylum of the oppressed, shall be so inundated with 
 error as to become only the freeman's prison and the 
 home of the slave. Who pauses, then, to ask where dutv 
 lies? Let a mighty voice from the graves of our fathers 
 Bound in thunder tones — to arms! Do as did our sires — 
 boldly meet a tyrant iind demand what God has given yon. 
 T/iifi is duty. Let us discharge it, and oi.t afHicted land 
 ■will again rear her lofty head among the nations of the 
 earth. Our hills and plains will echo the joy of glad hearts, 
 and from the temples of the Living God, will be lieard an- 
 thems of praise unto Ilim who delivered us from the hands of 
 our enemies. 
 
 Our hope of success further lies in this, that God him- 
 self will dcftnd the 'r-igJit. So much has been said and 
 written on the correctness of our position, I should be ) /j 
 but repeating one oft-told tale to argue this point.-— ] 
 It is enough to say (wdiat fa(;ts prove) that those who , 
 are opposing us began in radical ei'ror, and have never, 
 2 
 
10 
 
 In their prt >:,mxss departed from it. The first and hist Imd 
 of 0})positit)n to us, is found on tlie stem of nijiihlity^ 
 the mother of abolitionism. Every step that has heen 
 taken in this agi»;ression has been in the face of (rod's re- 
 sealed Word. ]t is a siirniticant fact, to be nient' 'ued here 
 as evidence in point, that there is not a single branch of the 
 christian church connected on both sides of INfason vV: l)ix- 
 oii's line, but what on the enemies' side, they have de]tirte<l 
 from their own cliurch polity or doctrine. ^<'ow. if any of 
 us were ri^-ht twenty years ai^o, the ]>eo]>le of the North arc. 
 wron<^ now, foi- they now oj>pose what iJu-n they si'l>sc''ii»ed 
 to. If, therefore, we concede the side of truth to tliciii. oui- 
 ♦ •hurches were all estal)lished on wronn' [)rinciples— just wliat 
 infidelity asserts, and woukl rejoice to prove, ^^'hile sudi 
 has been the course of the church North, the South, in all 
 the difi^'erent branches of the church, has continued to fol- 
 low the path marked out in the M'ord of (Jod and the de- 
 nominational standards. ^Tln's, "then, is an important link 
 in the chain of evidence in favor of truth on our side. And 
 as we turn from this to examine into our civil affairs, we dis- 
 cover like testimony here. What once tJiey fought to ea- 
 tahllsh they now fii>;lit to destroy. We once fought for tlu^ 
 right of self-government — they now figJit agalnUt it. We 
 once framed what we considered a wise constitution, secui-ing 
 to all sections their rights, and made that the boiul of tiui- 
 Union as States. They proved false to it, as they themselvef 
 have admitted, while w'c stood true to our compact, and 
 have to this day preserved the constitution unsullied. Un- 
 der this constitution, both our government and our churche>> 
 have prospered. God has blest us all abundantly, while in 
 good faith to each other, we were true to the principles we 
 set out on ; and never did lie cease to smile on the labor of 
 our hands until they departed from this line of j)oli(^y. — 
 With these facts before us, what is the legitimate conclusion 
 as to where lies the right ? Wherever this may be, there 
 will be the Lord to defend it. If the facts alluded to are 
 
11 
 
 Nvortli anything at all, they show that we are on the safe 
 side — the side of ti'uth. We have noriiing, therefore, to 
 fear, for God will not suffer truth to be overcome. 1 1 may 
 be subjected to a severe trial, but like gold, it will come 
 out of the crucible to shine more brightly. On such a fonn- 
 (hilioii you may well bui^<j^'our hopes. The most powerful 
 armies cannot contend a<5tnnst Ilim whom the winds and 
 the waves obey. In Ilim, therefore, caindy repose your 
 trust, and go forth fearlessly and undismayeil to the de- 
 fense of your country. But while we have thus maintained 
 the righteousness of our cause and encouraged you to believe 
 that tlic Lord will be with you, I cannot forget that it is a 
 solemn duty you are called to perform, in the discharge of 
 which you n\ay at any moment be suddenly hurried into 
 the presence of your God. Let me, therefore, as a faithful 
 minister, warn you against an error which I fear may be 
 too connnon among goldiers, that is, basing their hope of 
 eternal salvation, in case they fall, simply on the ground of 
 their falling in a righteous cause. Do not, I bcscecii von, 
 Kiitfer ;iny such idea to get possession of your mind. It in- 
 volves a total mis(?onception of God's plan of salvation. 
 
 It is a false hope that will certainly fail you when it comes 
 to be tested. " Ye must be born again." The name of 
 Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven given, among 
 men whereby wenmstbe saved. Your peace must be made 
 with God, through Ilim. All the noble c'j^eds that you per- 
 tbrm, wliicli will certainly gain for you your country'^ 
 praise, will avail you nothing in the matter of your salva- 
 tion, without having faith in Christ. Your first duty is to 
 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to surrender your heart to 
 him. JSIothiug you can do will make amends for the neg- 
 lect of this, and nothing but this will afford you anv ground 
 to hope for a blissful immortality above. 
 
 In conclusion, allow me to assure you, brave soldiers, that 
 you carry with you the earnest prayers and sympathies of 
 all you leave behind. You have nobly stepped forward to vin== 
 
12 
 
 • licate the honor of your cuuntry — to purcliase for us all, if 
 need be, with your blood, the I'ichest earthly inheritance 
 enjoyed by man. Vi^c owe you a debt of gratitude which rc- 
 (juircs more than a life time to pay. All we have is now at 
 stake ; and to you and your follm\'^>ldiers, we are looking 
 to secure by your valor, our deai- iii;lits. Our interest and 
 yours are the same. It is your homes and firesides you i^-o 
 to protect. Wives, mothers and sisters, are now looking to 
 you to defend them against a merciless enemy. 
 
 Soldiers, you can alibrd to brave dangers and endure hard- 
 ships. The eyes of all you love are turned to you for protec- 
 tion, and we feel that we can say for you, they will not look 
 in vain. We fear not to confide so sacred a trust in the 
 hands of our Southern sons. It is not the spirit of a 
 Southern band to flinch ih the hour of need. Go then, brave 
 soldiers, to the field, and from the sanctuary and the family 
 altar, will our prayers go up, daily for you. To a covenant 
 keeping God we commend you, and pray that with priceless 
 laurels you may soon return to enjoy with us the freedom 
 \'our arms have secured. 
 

 
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