Civil War Letters of James Henry Lauriston Hull
Office of Post Quarter Master
Alexandria, La.
August 30th, 1863
My Dear
Parents,
Another Sabbath morning finds me seated in good health in my monotonous old prison just after attending preaching at the quarterly
meeting at the Methodist Church. In this town of evils, I finally believe they
are practicing the word Method-(ist) literally. Oh
such a system! Oh the vast difference between a quarterly meeting in this town
where they seem to vie with each other in putting bunches of ribbon and other
things, goose feathers, and other fancy laces, etc., on their “Beauregard” hats
(until they really look like hen's nests) and then go to show them; and our
preacher, not to speak of the cold formal manner of his speech, as he tries to
say everything with exactly the peculiarly right vim and everything else in
accordance. I say 'tis disheartening to see the great difference between this
and a meeting of the same kind in Texas. There we have, at such times, soul
rousing, soul inspiring, Heaven inspired sermons that send forth that same
flame that burns on the speaker's heart to light up every man within hearing
whose heart is not scored over with vice as with a hot fever.
I even heard a
lady say in this town that if she should see a daughter of hers become excited
and shout in a congregation she would be sure to whip her when they got home.
Nay, you know I am no advocate of the shouting principle though I believe 'tis
right for a person to express that happiness they find if they choose, and I am
sure I would far rather see any person or persons shout 'till they were hoarse
from it than sit in the cold, moody systematic manner I see so many, indeed all
here! I really should not have known 'twas a quarterly meeting had it not been
announced last meeting, unless I shall have taken the hint of something of the
kind, by this having the "Lord's Supper" and passing the hat around,
to which of course I added my "mite." But that Communion! After the
sermon the preacher told the congregation such might leave as did not choose to
stay till after the Lord's Supper, and I suppose there were a dozen or so
remained! No wonder such coldness when there were so few to take any interest
in Christianity. His text was very appropriate; 'twas in Matthew, and read
something thus: "Unto him that hath shall be given in abundance, but unto
him that hath not shall be taken even that which he hath, " speaking of
men and their talents, which I suppose means that if we don't make use of what
we have it will be taken away, and I fear what little remains of Religion they
possessed has been taken away. I hope to find it different in our little church
when I return, though I should find it thus in my heart which God forbid.
Well I shall go
again this evening if I can slip away from this place, and then worry you again
with another long, tedious account of our times going to church, but I hope to
have better tidings to bring this evening. For the present, I will wear away
the time by telling you some more of the “rumors” so current in this little
villa. War of course. There are Yankees, ten thousand strong at
Monroe, only 180 miles from this point and only 120 miles from Shreveport, so I
expect you will hear of and from them before this reaches you, if it ever does.
Well, this is reported for truth here, and they have already had a skirmish
with our Cavalry at that place. General Walker’s Division will be here again in
a day or two, and I’ll see all the boys again. …
Well, the lunch
bell is ringing, and I must go – and I
went, but when I got near the church I found I was likely to be the only
colored person as the remainder were all black, so I haven’t anything more to
say about the quarterly meeting except that thus it ended Sunday evening. That
doesn’t look much like our meeting that was in session when I returned home,
does it! So much for preaching in Alexandria. For one day, oh that I could once
more sit under the sound of Mr. Wilson or Mr. Lucas’ voice again.
Well, ‘tis
precious little news you will get from me this time. I can tell you, for I have
written up this sheet telling you something about meetings, and I have just
read it over & to save me I can’t think what I was driving at for a point
at which to arrive and stop!
…
There is not much
apprehension of a movement on this country from below here, though such a thing
may be. as it is reported that the Yankees intend to make simultaneous advance
on all Louisiana at once. They may come, but if they do, they won’t find us
asleep—at least the Quarter Masters and the Clerks—they will be away towards Shreveport
long before the Feds get to this little place!
…
J.
H. L. Hull