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

“ [36] the hour were, in a great degree, to be attributed to the fact that the European soldiers had not received spirit rations for several weeks, and that they found no intoxicating liquors among the plunder of the city. Since, then, it has been proved that troops can make forced marches of forty miles, and storm a fortress in twenty-five minutes without the aid of rum, let it not henceforth be argued that distilled liquors are an indispensable portion of a soldier's ration.”

The cause of Christ was hindered, and that of Satan promoted in the Southern armies by the influence and example of wicked and licentious officers and men.

One who had observed the course of intemperance in the army wrote:

The prevalence of vice,--drunkenness and profanity in our camps — is attributable to the officers themselves. By far the larger number of the officers of our Southern army are both profane and hard drinkers, where they are not drunkards.

Another says: “There is an appalling amount of drunkenness in our army. More among the officers than the men. This evil is now on the increase.”

A surgeon writing from the army says: “I was greatly astonished to find soldiers in Virginia whom I had known in Georgia as sober, discreet citizens-members of the different churches — some deacons, and official members-even preachers, in the daily and constant habit of drinking whiskey for their health.”

An officer who had visited many portions of the army gave it as his opinion that with the exception of the reverse at Fort Donelson, we were defeated not by the Federals but by whiskey.

A distinguished General is said to have remarked that “if the South is overthrown, the epitaph should be ‘Died of Whiskey.’ ”

This was one of the giant evils. Hundreds all over the land, moved by an unholy desire for gain, engaged in