Christian Education and Discipleship

Sam Chapman

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Education and Discipleship

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-07-29

Synopsis: John Weaver delivers a historical biblical message on Sam Chapman, a Baptist preacher and Confederate officer known as Mosby's Fighting Parson. The sermon recounts Chapman's life, his fearless combat with Mosby's Rangers, and draws biblical principles on courage, fighting with all one's might, and trusting God with consequences.

[John Weaver] Psalm 144 in verse one. And the message today is going to be a historical biblical message. I've had this message for some time and. It just really has been impressed upon my heart afresh, so I want to bring you a message today. The title of it is Sam Chapman Mosby's Fighting Parson, and you will understand As we get going, Psalm 144, verse one, David said, Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. You must remember that David was a shepherd and David was certainly not raised necessarily in a martial context, but God taught David to fight. And David is blessing the Lord for teaching his hands to war and his fingers to fight.

[John Weaver] Some of you probably know that there have been many fighting Parsons throughout history. In fact, the ones that we're the most familiar with are those that we know of during the War for Independence, better known as the Revolutionary War. Some of those men were like James Caldwell, the Presbyterian pastor, whose wife Hannah was shot and killed by a British soldier. There was Thomas and Moses Allen, who were brothers. Moses was around Savannah, Georgia. In fact, midway, his church was burned by the British there. There was Naphtali Daggett.

[John Weaver] There was also Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg. There are a few other names that should ring out as you think of the Revolutionary War heroes and those pastors who fought there. When you come to the Second War for Independence, better known as the War of Northern Aggression, There are numerous names that find out. One of them that stands out is General Leonidas Polk. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and he was also the founder of the School of the South in Suwannee, Tennessee, which is still in existence today, and I might add a very beautiful, beautiful place as well. Then, of course, there was General William Nelson Pendleton, who happened to be an Episcopal pastor. He was also chief of artillery for Robert E. Lee.

[John Weaver] And he named his four favorite guns, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And he was known to say, aim low, boys, and fire, and may God have mercy on their poor misguided souls. And there was also the noted Baptist pastor, General Mark Lowry, who was also known as a fighting parson. What many people do not know is that there was a whole company of pastors from Mississippi, which was known as the Preacher's Regiment.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a quote from Gary Pitts' book, Chaplains and Grain. He says this, one of the first companies to arrive in Virginia in 1861 contained 50 members of a single church. Another regiment, which arrived the same year, counted in its ranks 600 men of the same denomination, while still another numbered 13 Baptist preachers among its soldiers. The 9th Arkansas, organized at Pine Bluff on July the 20th, 1861, was popularly known as the Parsons Regiment because it boasted 42 ordained ministers in its ranks. A newspaper account mentions an Arkansas Preachers Regiment on its way to the battlefield. It was commanded by a Methodist preacher, Colonel Bradley, also from Pine Bluff, The paper reported that one of the soldiers was a preacher over 70 years of age. So here was, of course, a number of preachers in regiments.

[John Weaver] There are many other military units that were composed of preachers and ministerial students. For instance, in Mississippi, practically the entire student body enlisted together with the faculty members in the Mississippi College Rifles. They marched away to battle 104 strong. Georgia had one regiment with 12 missionary Baptist preachers, one primitive Baptist preacher and one Methodist preacher.

[John Weaver] Now, I've mentioned Sam Chapman before, especially in the message on William Thomas Overby, who was, of course, a hero, and he was also a member of Mosby's Rangers as well. But the fighting preacher, the fighting person that I want to talk about today, was known as the right arm of John Singleton Mosby. And his name was Samuel F. Chapman, better known just simply as Sam Chapman. Colonel John Singleton Mosby said this of Sam Chapman. He was a Baptist preacher who prayed through a six shooter, which he claimed was the most efficacious form of prayer, especially in dealing with Yankees. So he prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most effectual form of prayer when dealing with Yankees. Another of the fellow Rangers, Ludwell Lake, said this of Sam, he was the bravest man I ever knew. Mosby also said of Sam that he was one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. Now Sam was born in 1838 to William and Elizabeth Chapman. Sam's ancestors had lived in Virginia since 1729, and the family had acquired a great deal of wealth, and their home was always noted for its hospitality.

[John Weaver] As a young man, Sam received a higher education from Jedediah Hotchkiss, who was the noted cartographer for Stonewall Jackson. He was the mapmaker. There's an entire book that I have in my library on Jedidiah Hotchkiss, which is just entitled Make Me a Map. And that's exactly what Stonewall Jackson said to Hotchkiss, make me a map of the valley. Sam went to study under Hotchkiss when he was 12 years old. Mr. Hotchkiss said this about Sam, that he was even with anyone in the school. And if he continues to study as he does at this time, he will undoubtedly be foremost by the close of the session. And I might add, when Hotchkiss says this about Sam Chapman, Sam was taking 14 different courses at the time.

[John Weaver] And he said he's even with everyone else and he's still going to be ahead of everyone else by the end of the season. Sam attained a high degree of maturity under the tutelage of Jedediah Hotchkiss. Sam's parents were Christian and consequently their children were raised in church. They attended Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. Sam and his brother William were saved and baptized on the second Lord's Day in May in 1858. I find this interesting. They joined the Baptist Church, Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. And incidentally, the church records also state that at that same time, Phoebe, a colored woman of John Boonton, and Fanny, a woman of color of Charles Flynn, were baptized. So, on the same day that Sam and William Chapman were baptized, there were two slaves baptized at the same time. On October 26, 1858, when Sam was 20 years of age, the church recognized the fact that Sam had been called into the ministry and that he had certain gifts. And so here's what the church minutes record.

[John Weaver] At a call meeting of the church on the motion, it was unanimously resolved that it was the opinion of this church that Brother Samuel F. Chapman has gifts for usefulness in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Wherefore, on motion it was resolved that this body grant him a license to exercise his gifts in preaching and exhortation to his fellow men, whereas in the providence of God his lot may be cast." So Sam had been called into the ministry, and he had received that call, and the body of believers that at Main Street Baptist Church had recognized his calling and his gift. Well, Sam then immediately began to prepare for the ministry. In fact, he enrolled in Richmond College, which had begun as Virginia Baptist Seminary. He began his work in 1859 through 1860, which was to prepare him for his life's work.

[John Weaver] However, as most of you know, that in April of 1861, the war broke out. So Sam then returned to Page County, as did his brother, and they both joined the Confederacy. So Sam enlisted as a private. on May 3, 1861, in the Warren Rifles. And he listed his occupation as minister.

[John Weaver] Now, Sam was involved in the Battle of First Manassas. However, their position was so absolutely dreadful that after the battle was over, Sam mused, he said, our fate was to be under the fire of infantry and artillery for two days with scarcely a sight of the enemy, so dense was the foliage in our front. Yet in the battle, the worn rifle still suffered one killed and seventeen wounded." Now Sam was not going to stay in the infantry long because he became a lieutenant in the Dixie artillery commanded by his brother William. Shortly thereafter, Sam's younger brother, Edmund, also joined the Dixie Artillery. The Dixie Artillery would fight the entire four years of the war, but they were going to fight without Sam and William Chapman because Sam and William both joined Mosby's Rangers. Now, Sam did have some very exciting times during the Dixie Artillery, his years there.

[John Weaver] But in there, he not only earned commendations, but he also earned a reputation for being fearless and brave. Many individuals were eager to join Mosby's Rangers, but yet Mosby was very particular. One of the most humorous incidents that I read concerning one man who got in Mosby's Rangers dealt with young Henry Cabell or Cab Maddox. It turned out that Mosby and his men were chasing Yankee Major Cole. And as they chased Major Cole, they passed a boys school at Upperville. And Cab Maddox saw them and he couldn't stand it. And so he jumped on his pony and joined Mosby chasing the Yankees with nothing but a McGuffey's third reader in his hand, hooping and hollering the whole time. Cab never went back to school. He spent the rest of his time as a ranger with Mosby. When Sam joined Mosby's rangers, Mosby's told Sam, here's what you need.

[John Weaver] if you will fight with me. He said, have a good horse, at least one, preferably two or more revolvers, a place to hide away in between raids, a good story to explain why you aren't in the army should a Union sympathizer or Yankee soldier get inquisitive. So have all the pistols you can have and a good horse, a place to hide, and a good story to say why you're not in the army. Mosby and his men were accused of being nothing but horse thieves by Yankee Colonel Wyndham. To this, Mosby offered no denial. He just simply said that all the horses we had stolen had riders, and the riders had sabers, carvings, and pistols. So if you want to call us horse thieves, have at it. All the horses we took had men on them, and they were armed. Incidentally, when Mosby and his men went into Fairfax, Virginia, and this is when they captured Yankee General Stoughton. That's a wonderful story in and of itself. They slipped in through all the Yankee guards and all the Yankee soldiers.

[John Weaver] And Mosby went into the house where General Stoughton was sleeping. He pulled the covers back and slapped him on the buttocks and said, wake up. It's Mosby. Stoughton said, have you got him? No, Mosby said, he's got you. So they captured Yankee General Stoughton. And by the way, Stoughton at that time was the youngest Brigadier General in the Northern Army. After he was exchanged, he found he had no assignment. He finally left the army.

[John Weaver] He started a law practice in New York, and he died in 1868 at the age of 30. Now, Yankee Colonel Windham, whom I had mentioned earlier, who had accused Mosby of being a horse thief, would have been captured. in the Fairfax raid, with the exception that he had taken a train to Washington the night before. Colonel Robert Johnstone, who was the brigade commander of the 5th New York Cavalry, escaped by the skin of his teeth. And he escaped, but he escaped absolutely naked without a stitch of clothes on, and he hid all night in a privy that isn't an outhouse. And he stayed there all night, terrified, shaking not only with fear, but with cold. With the cold, it was wintertime.

[John Weaver] He did not come out until daylight. Colonel Johnstone endured much ridicule, not only from his hiding place, but also from appearing at headquarters the next morning totally out of uniform and without anything else as well. And he too passed into oblivion. During that Fairfax raid, Mosby and his men not only captured General Stoughton, but two captains and 30 other men along with their arms and equipment and 58 horses. When Abraham Lincoln heard of the capture of General Stoughton and the loss of the horses during the Fairfax raid, he said, well, I'm sorry for that. I can make Brigadier Generals, but I can't make horses." So, Lincoln was more concerned with the loss of the horses than he was with his Brigadier General. When Sam joined Mosby's men, he asked a veteran cavalryman, what was likely to happen during a cavalry charge? Now remember, Sam is just joining, and he wants to know what it's going to be like during a cavalry charge.

[John Weaver] And the man said, Beside the possibility of a saber stroke or a pistol shot, you have a good chance of being knocked from side to side by a friend or foe, or being knocked down horse and rider and being run over. I'm sure that was very encouraging to young Sam, but he still was going to be one of Mosby's top men. In fact, he was known as Mosby's right-hand man. One of the most exciting battles for Sam was the Battle of Miskel's Farm. Mosby and his men had been searching for the Federals, but they had withdrawn and they'd even moved away. In fact, after riding for a day or two, they had not found the first Yankee. So it was cold, it was late, and Mosby and his men settled down to spend the night at Miskel's farm. Now, Mosby did not post any sentries because he had not seen a Yankee and several days. Now, Dick Moran, one of the Rangers, had stopped at the Green Farm, by the way, but the rest of them had gone on to Miskell's Farm.

[John Weaver] Mosby, by the way, took full responsibility because he did not post any centuries. But he had traveled, it was cold, it was late, And so they just all settled down in Miskel's farm. Mosby and some of the men went into the house asleep. The rest of the men slept in the barn. What Mosby did not know is that Captain Henry Flint, a Yankee captain, with 148 hand-picked men, were on his trail. When they passed the green farm, where Dick Moran was staying. Moran saw them. He waited until they got totally and completely out of sight, and then he jumped on his horse and rode as fast and as furiously as he could to Miskel's farm, and he got there just barely ahead of the Yankees, and he shouted as he got to the farm, mount up, mount up, the Yankees are coming. Now, there was a lane that led up into Miskel's farm. And the lane, of course, was fenced on both sides.

[John Weaver] Plus there was a gate. So as the Yankees came into the lane through the gate, they shut the gate and locked it. And Captain Flint said as he rode up the lane, at last we have Mosby where we want him. He cannot get away. So what Captain Flint did is they came out of the lane, he divided his men And they were going to circle the house and circle the barn. Well.

[John Weaver] The alarm had been given. Sam had already placed a saddle on his horse and he was putting the bridle on his horse when the Yankees began firing. The problem that Sam and the other Rangers had to face was where they were going to go. The river was at their backs. They could not cross the river. The Yankees were in their front circling them. And there were high fences all around. Well, Sam and the rest of the Rangers believe that the boldest front often wins the fight. And so Sam and the men that were able to get on their horses got on their horses and began to attack the Yankees absolutely fiercely. Mosby and the men who were in the house came running out of the house. And they were fighting on foot until they could get to their horses.

[John Weaver] Captain Flint attacked the barn and as he attacked the barn, he was instantly hit with six balls to the chest. And as he fell from his horse, he was dead before he ever hit the ground. William Chapman, Sam's brother, also had a close encounter. As he came out of the house, he was running toward the barn. A fierce wind blew the brim of his hat down over his eyes.

[John Weaver] As he removed it, a Yankee was pointing a pistol at his head, not more than a foot away. As the Yankee pulled the trigger, the cap snapped. But the weapon did not fire. Chapman's colt did not misfire, and before he got on his horse, he shot six times and emptied five saddles. Sam was one of the few Rangers that carried a sword. He was often ahead of all the other Rangers, and this time he was too, and he rode directly into the swarm of Yankee soldiers. Mosby stated that before he got to the gate, Sam had already exhausted every barrel of his two pistols, that is, he had emptied them, and had drawn his saber. Now listen to what Mosby said.

[John Weaver] He was just in front of me. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. It was no fault of the Union cavalry that they did not get through faster than they did, but Sam seemed to think it was. Even at the supreme moment of my life, when I just stood on the brink of ruin and had barely escaped, I could not restrain a propensity to laugh. Sam, to give more vigor to his blows, was standing straight up in his stirrups, whaling the Yankees left and right with his saber. The Yankees, of course, were scattering everywhere and trying to escape the onslaught of Mosby's Rangers. The locked gate that was supposed to keep Mosby Inn was now keeping the Yankees in, and they were trying to get out very fiercely.

[John Weaver] In fact, they made every effort to knock it down, and they did. Sam and his brother both almost lost their lives at the Battle of Biscol's Farm. In fact, some of the Yankees got out of the gate after it was knocked over, and Sam chased two Yankees and called on them to surrender. But surrender was not what they had in mind. They drew their sabers and they began fighting. While Sam was fighting with one, the other hit Sam over the head with his sword, but thankfully the sword turned flatwise and it just simply stunned him momentarily. It was at that time that Sergeant William Lyle Hunter came up and knocked one soldier off his horse and the other one then surrendered. And of course, Sam very quickly came back to consciousness and realized what was going on. The sergeant asked him, why didn't you just shoot him?

[John Weaver] Chapman responded, I never felt like shooting a man who was running away. And so he just chased them down and was fighting them hand to hand until they surrendered. At this battle, Mosby and his men killed nine Yankees. badly wounded 15 captured 82 prisoners. He also captured 100 horses with all their arms and equipment. And during this fight, Mosby lost one man with four wounded. The battle at Miskel's farm demonstrated pure courage, a combat mentality and a determination to fight to the end That's on the part of Mosby and his rangers.

[John Weaver] You've got to remember this. At this particular battle, Mosby and his men were, number one, surprised. Number two, they were outnumbered four to one. Number three, they were completely boxed in. And number four, they were completely unprepared for the fight. And yet, they won the fight.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to tell you, this demonstrates several biblical principles. Let me give you the first one. The very first biblical principle that we're to understand is this, Ecclesiastes 9 and verse 10. Scripture says, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Stop and think about that. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, We will probably not win.

[John Weaver] I don't care what you're doing. I don't care what kind of fight it is, whether it's an intellectual battle, an economic battle, a legal battle, a physical battle. If your heart is not in the fight, you're most likely not to win. God said whatever your hand finds to do, you do it with all of your might.

[John Weaver] Secondly, We must use all of our strength and our courage and leave the consequences to God. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel and look in chapter 10, 2 Samuel chapter 10, because I want you to see how this principle is enunciated even in the life of Joab. 2 Samuel chapter 10 and notice verse 10. Joab went to the battle. And he found that he had been completely surrounded by the Syrians and by the Ammonites. And so what Joab did was this.

[John Weaver] He divided part of his forces between himself and his brother Abishai. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 10, notice verse 11. Here's what he says to Abishai. In fact, let's read verse 10. He says, And the rest of the people he delivered at the hand of Abishai's brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, if the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me. But if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. Now watch verse 12. Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. What is he saying? We're going to fight. We're going to use our strength. We're going to use our courage. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God. And may I tell you, everything is in the hand of God anyhow. So you might as well trust him and do what you can do by the grace of God and do it with all your might.

[John Weaver] There's a third principle here, and that is this. We must remember that our battles are not just for us as individuals. Certainly, every warrior, every fighter wants to win and wants to live, but there are others that we have to be concerned with as well. I want you to look in your Bibles back to Nehemiah chapter four, Nehemiah chapter four, if you would. And notice verse 14, and look what Nehemiah tells the people. Nehemiah chapter 4 and look at verse 14. These people thought they were about to be attacked by their enemies, and in Nehemiah chapter 4 and verse 14, he says this, and I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, be not ye afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible.

[John Weaver] Now watch and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses. Do you realize a lot of the battles that we fight are not just for ourselves? Even the legal battles. The things that we go through or eventually Or to benefit our children and our children's children. Our wives, our brethren, our friends. And so he says, when you are engaged in battle, you've got to remember it is just not simply you that is involved.

[John Weaver] And I do not doubt for one instant that these principles were not in the minds of Sam and William and a number of other men as well. They were fighting for their lives. They were fighting for their land, they were fighting for liberty as well as their families. In fact, they fought so well at the Battle of Miskel's Farm that Mosvena's report said that Sam and eight others were officially to be recognized for their promptitude and boldness in closing with the enemy. Now, the Battle of Miskell's Farm made such an impression upon John Singleton Mosby that 40 years later, Mosby wrote to Sam Chapman from California and he said this, I just wish you could be here with me. I would feel as young as I was at Miskell's Gate when I burst out laughing in the midst of the fight, when I saw you standing in your stirrups, waiting the Yankees with your saber left and right. So it did make an impression upon Mosby. Sam had passed through a number of battles unscathed, not even a stretch.

[John Weaver] In fact, he had passed through so many battles unscathed that a lot of men began to think that Sam was invulnerable. However, there came a time when a bullet did indeed pierce his body. He was severely wounded. He was out of the battles for a while and yet he was still alive. How it happened was like this. You remember Sam had spent some time in the Dixie artillery.

[John Weaver] Well, in one battle, he was firing a howitzer and was literally mowing the Yankees down until he fired his last shot. He noticed then that his horse had run off. There was only one other Ranger with him, he and Ranger Montjoy. And so they fought on foot. When Sam then had run out of ammunition, he then took the rammer, the ramrod from the howitzer and began to fight like Samson, who was wielding the jawbone of an ass and knocking every Yankee to the ground that he could knock to the ground.

[John Weaver] It was at that time that a bullet went through his thigh. And Sam fell to the ground, absolutely defenseless. As he was lying on the ground, a Yankee cavalryman rode up to Sam, his face flushed with anger, and he said, I'm going to finish you. He then told Sam, turn over on your back. I'm going to finish you. Sam asked, why? Since he was now his prisoner, the Yankee responded, because you shot me in the shoulder. Sam responded, well, I had a right to shoot you as we had not ceased firing then. And while the Yankee cavalryman was determined that he was going to finish Sam, several other cavalrymen came up and persuaded Sam's executioner to desist and not to shoot him. And of course, Sam then was wounded and taken to be treated. Sam said that afternoon, the Yankee cavalryman came to my bedside and begged my pardon. for which it was readily granted, and the Yankee cavalryman said, I would not have talked to you so, but I was confounded mad. You shot me as I rode past you after some of your men.

[John Weaver] Well, Sam then was taken to the Fitzhugh home, and no sooner had he gotten there, he lost consciousness from loss of blood. A Yankee officer, seeing Sam lose consciousness, grabbed the canteen off another soldier and threw the cold water in Sam's face which revived him. Sam later recalled, I've often wondered since if I should die as easy as that. Sam stayed behind enemy lines ten days before he could be moved.

[John Weaver] And he also said that he experienced great care and consideration at the hands of the Yankees. Mosby, of course, later called Sam one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. He went on to say Sam had passed through so many fights unscathed that the men had a superstition that he was invulnerable. His hour had come at last and a bullet pierced the celestial armor of the soldier priest. Sam then was taken into friendly lines to Salem to recuperate.

[John Weaver] And there he was within friends. I wish to point out at this point the wonders of God's mysterious and wonderful providence. I would assure you that no one in this room, and no one that I know of, would prefer to be wounded. And certainly no one would prefer a life-threatening wound. However, in this case, Sam's wounding produced a great blessing. While he was recuperating, he stayed with friends. And the one who ministered to him and nursed him and helped him most was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who was nearly 19 years old. Of course, Sam was about 21, and Sam was totally smitten with this young lady who was known as Miss Beck, and after 10 days, He proposed to her and asked her to marry him. I only know of one other couple. He proposed to her after three days. They're good friends of ours. They're still married, by the way. But after 10 days, he asked Miss Beck to marry him.

[John Weaver] Well, she did not accept his proposal. She cared for him, but she did not think that she loved him. So when Sam left, He wrote her a letter declaring how deeply he felt for her, how much he loved her, and how serious was his proposal. And although Ms. Beck turned him down temporarily, within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman. Sam was Mosby's first adjutant and lieutenant. His brother William was a captain, but after the raid at Miskell's Farm and Sam had married Ms. Beck, Sam was promoted to captain for his courageous character.

[John Weaver] I suppose that courage was exemplified in both acts, fighting and marriage. But he was promoted to captain. Mosby said of Sam that he was always riding in the forefront. He said his character as a soldier was more the model of the Hebrew prophets than the evangelist or the Baptist in whom he was so devout a believer. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. Again, Mosby described Sam as the only man I ever saw who really enjoyed fighting and who generally went into the fray with his hat in one hand and banging away with his revolver with the other.

[John Weaver] Now, I know that war is not funny, and I know that fighting and death are serious. How be it that does not mean that there are not humorous incidents that happen during war. And one of those humorous incidents involved Sam Chapman and John Singleton Mosby. The Federals had a picket post that was called Guard Hill, which normally had about 75 men present. Well, Sam had been sent to reconnoiter and he saw that that post had been greatly reinforced. In fact, now they had about 250 cavalry as well as 75 infantry. And so when he came back and reported to Mosby. That the guard post had been greatly increased, Mosby's response was so much the better.

[John Weaver] Now we'll get two good horses apiece instead of one. So they planned then on attacking Guard Hill. And of course it was right at dark. Chapman and his men rushed the Federals, firing and yelling like Indians, and they drove the Federals so quickly into complete darkness that they were only able to capture about 16 of them, but they also captured about 70 horses. Well, the problem was this. The night before they attacked, there had been some rioting and some fighting up on the hill by some of the Yankee sentries. Well, after Mosby and his men had captured these 16 Yankees and 70 horses, Captain Michael Arrer of the 15th New York Cavalry rode to the top of the hill to inquire what was the cause of the disturbance. He was thinking some of the sentries were fighting like they had been before.

[John Weaver] So he wrote up Sam Chapman and asked, what's all this fuss mean? Sam replied, it means that Mosby has got you. The shocked captain, with the whites of his eyes widening, remarked, well, this beats hell, don't it? And two days later, Or was dismissed from service for having grossly neglecting his duty while in command of the pickets. A little bit later on, the dismissal was later overturned. But Sam held to a biblical philosophy of divine providence. He considered that Mosby's men were organized for fighting and that whenever divine providence presented an opportunity for a fight, it was simply his duty to embrace it. to fight with all of his might and to trust the Lord for the consequences. And Mosby and his men were indeed fierce fighters. In fact, you've got to remember that Mosby and his men usually fought when they were outnumbered three and four and sometimes five to one.

[John Weaver] Charles Humphreys was a chaplain under Yankee Major Forbes, and he gives an eyewitness account of one battle. So remember now he's talking about Mosby's men and he says this, Mosby and his rangers were upon us, swooping down like Indians, yelling like fiends, discharging their pistols with fearful rapidity and threatening to completely envelop our little band. In fact, during this battle, the Yanks broke and ran some distance to a fence where they tried to form again, but it was absolutely useless. The rangers drove them with unfettered fierceness And the Bluecoats this time had no place to run. And the fight became one of hand-to-hand, saber-to-saber, revolver-to-revolver at point-blank ranges.

[John Weaver] And Humphrey then says this, No words can picture the confusion and horror of that scene. Horses leaping madly in the pangs of death. Riders crushed beneath their ruthless feet. than the panic-stricken crowd galloping over their fallen companions and closely followed by the insolent foe, that's Mosby and his men, hearing their little rally, and some brave spirit scorning defeat and startled courage in his companions and turned to face the enemy, but only to die. Again, Mosby had won the fight with over 100 captured and dozens left on the field dying and dead. After the battle, Mosby's surgeon, Dr. Will Dunn, treated men from both sides. Now, Mosby and his men were usually very gracious and compassionate men.

[John Weaver] However, there were a couple of instances where no mercy was shown. If you will listen to my message on William Thomas Overby, You will find that that was one instance when Overby and several others. Were hanged, shot, dragged, you just have to listen to the message. And these men had been captured in battle, they were supposed to be treated as prisoners of war, and yet they were brutally murdered by the Yankees, and so Mosby sent word that he's going to hang everyone out of Custer's command that he catches in retaliation for what they did to his men.

[John Weaver] And it was not soon after that, that everything kind of straightened out. But there was another instance in which there was no compassion shown to the Yankees. Let me give you a quick account of the overview of the situation with a firsthand eyewitness of what was happening. Ranger James Williamson gives us an account of the totality of the destruction that was perpetrated by the Yankees. He said, they robbed the people of everything they could destroy or carry off.

[John Weaver] Horses, cows, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. Killing poultry, insulting women, pillaging houses, and in many cases robbing even the poor Negroes. They burned all the mills and factories as well as hay, wheat, corn, straw, and every description of forage. Barns and stables, whether empty or full, were burned.

[John Weaver] Now, if you don't want to take the Southerners' word for the looting and destruction by the Yankees, listen to the Yankees commander's report. Lieutenant Colonel Casper Crown and Shield, that's his name, Crown and Shield, reported destroying 200 barns, eight meals, 10,000 tons of hay, and 25,000 bushels of grain. Additionally, he rounded up and carried off 474 beef cattle, 100 sheep, and 87 horses. Crown and Shield estimated the value of the property at nearly a half a million dollars. Sheridan In his report to Union General Halleck, reported 5,000 to 6,000 heads of cattle, 3,000 to 4,000 heads of sheep, and nearly 1,000 fatted hogs had been driven off, destroyed, or stolen by his brigade. He also claimed capture of 500 to 700 horses. He said that the monetary value was in the millions and that the destruction in the valley and in the mountains is most complete. You remember it was General Sheridan who said that he had destroyed the Shenandoah Valley so completely that a crow flying across it would have to carry his own provisions.

[John Weaver] Charles Humphrey, once again, the Yankee chaplain, said this of the devastation and human suffering, talking about what the Yanks were doing to the Senators. He said, this was the most unpleasant task we were ever compelled to undertake. It was heart piercing to hear the shrieks of women and children and even see men crying, begging that at least one cow, only one support might be left. But no mercy was allowed.

[John Weaver] It was a terrible retribution on the country. Now, listen to what he said, but no mercy was allowed on one occasion. When the Yankees were looting and stealing and burning homes and leaving helpless women and children weeping and begging for help, word reached the Rangers. Captain Chapman, that is William, Sam's brother, and he, Captain William Chapman, along with Sam, gathered the Rangers and caught the villains in the act. As the Rangers attacked, They shouted, take no prisoners, no quarter, no quarter today. The entire Ranger Command took up the cry, no quarter, wipe them from the face of the earth. The villains were so overwhelmed, they fled in confusion, and yet they were not shown any mercy.

[John Weaver] When the last of them were cornered, they tried to surrender. But surrender was not a word to be used that day. A neighborhood woman who witnessed the affair stated concerning the Yankees, they begged for life. But their day of grace was passed. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter two. James, chapter two. I notice verse 13 in this biblical principle. James 2 verse 13.

[John Weaver] Remember the Yankee chaplain Humphreys who said, but no mercy was to be shown. That was when the Southerners were begging for mercy. In James 2 and verse 13, the Word of God says this concerning our God. For he shall have judgment without mercy that had showed no mercy. And mercy rejoices against judgment. No, he shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy. So obviously, these Yankees had showed no mercy. And now no mercy was shown to them. Do you realize? There is a time when mercy shall cease. Hosea 1 and verse 6, God says this, For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. Notice what he said, for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away.

[John Weaver] Sinners that have despised God's grace and God's mercy in Jesus Christ will discover one day that they will face an absolutely just God who will show them no mercy. There is a time When mercy is passed. Those who show no mercy. Shall receive no mercy. And those Yankee villains who were looting and burning and pillaging and fighting against helpless civilians were shown no mercy. When the war finally ended, Mosby, instead of surrendering disbanded his men. His men were all called and lined up.

[John Weaver] After he inspected the lines, he drew a paper from his pocket and he read this. Soldiers, I have summoned you together for the last time. The vision we have cherished of a free and independent country has vanished, and that country is now the spoil of a conqueror. I disband your organization in preference to surrendering it to our enemies. I'm no longer your commander. After an association of more than two eventful years, I part from you with a just pride in the fame of your achievements and grateful recollections of your generous kindness to myself.

[John Weaver] And now at this moment of bidding you a final adieu, accept the assurance of my unchanging confidence in regard. Farewell. John Singleton Mosby, Colonel. Silence reigned for a few minutes and then men began to choke back tears and rush to shake their commander's hand. James Joseph Williamson, a ranger, recalled the scene and he wrote this, strong men who had looked unmoved on scenes which would have appalled hearts, unused to the painful sights presented on the field of battle, now wept like little children.

[John Weaver] Moses stood beside a fence and took the hands of those who gathered around him. His eyes were red and he would now and then dash aside the struggling tears which he was unable to wholly suppress. Men would silently grasp one another's hands and then turn their heads aside to hide their tears. But at last it became so general that no pains were taken to conceal them. It was the most trying ordeal through which we ever passed. There was a reunion, the very first one, of Mosby's Rangers held in Alexandria, Virginia, on January the 16th, 1865. Many rangers attended that reunion. One ranger did not. His name was Sidnor Ferguson, better known as Sid, who had joined most of these rangers when he was 17. And after the war, he became a Methodist preacher.

[John Weaver] When he was invited to attend the reunion, he refused to do so, he declined, And his reason was that he feared if he did attend, several souls might be lost. Mosby replied to Sam Chapman when he read Sid's excuse for not coming, I suppose that several souls could be lost. Mosby replied to Sam Chapman, I suspect Sid could sin and has sent more people to heaven by his shooting than his preaching. And probably that was true because Sid stayed with him throughout the entire war. Sam also participated in a number of the revivals that were happening during the Confederate armies.

[John Weaver] He was often involved in the prayer meetings. He assisted the chaplains as much as he could. Sam had a absolutely wonderful ministry after the war was over. It would take another message just to tell you how God used this man. He was fruitful. He was faithful. He was blessed. And he finally went home to be with the Lord. On May the 21st, 1919. Inscribed on his tombstone are these words, a faithful minister of the gospel. A brave Confederate officer.

[John Weaver] An honorable and a useful life. I fought the good fight. I've kept faith. Here was a man that understood biblical principles, that lived a godly, holy life, not only during the war, but after the war, and had a very extensive, fruitful ministry. Sam Chapman, Mosby's siding parson, the right hand man, of John Singleton Mosby. And as Mosby said, he was one of the bravest men that I have ever known.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love, for your mercy, for your goodness and your kindness. And Lord, we rejoice to hear about men like Sam Chapman. Men who are not only brave and courageous, but men who were holy and godly. Men whom, Lord, you used not only in defending their lives and their families and their liberties, But Lord, mend that You used in spreading the Gospel and the principles and truth of Thy Word and building up Thy Kingdom and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage us, Lord.

[John Weaver] May we learn to fight the good fight, to lay hold of eternal life and be faithful and true no matter what. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weber's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abracorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, P-M-B 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406.

[John Weaver] Or give us a call at 912 You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

Sam Chapman

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	82512035217
Subject	Education and Discipleship
Course	Christian Education and Discipleship
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-07-29
Dictation Name
Book	Book 073: Christian Education and Discipleship — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	65

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Biblical Foundation

Weaver introduces Psalm 144:1 and the concept of fighting parsons throughout history, setting the stage for the story of Sam Chapman.

Psalm 144, verse one. And the message today is going to be a historical biblical message. I've had this message for some time, and it just really has been impressed upon my heart afresh, so I want to bring you a message today. The title of it is Sam Chapman, Mosby's Fighting Parson, and you will understand as we get going. Psalm 144, verse one: David said, "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." You must remember that David was a shepherd, and David was certainly not raised necessarily in a martial context, but God taught David to fight. And David is blessing the Lord for teaching his hands to war and his fingers to fight. Some of you probably know that there have been many fighting parsons throughout history. In fact, the ones that we're the most familiar with are those that we know of during the War for Independence, better known as the Revolutionary War. Some of those men were like James Caldwell, the Presbyterian pastor, whose wife Hannah was shot and killed by a British soldier. There was Thomas and Moses Allen, who were brothers. Moses was around Savannah, Georgia. In fact, Midway, his church was burned by the British there. There was Naphtali Daggett.

Historical Fighting Parsons

Examples of fighting parsons from the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States are given, including James Caldwell, Peter Muhlenberg, Leonidas Polk, and William Pendleton.

Some of you probably know that there have been many fighting parsons throughout history. In fact, the ones that we're the most familiar with are those that we know of during the War for Independence, better known as the Revolutionary War. Some of those men were like James Caldwell, the Presbyterian pastor, whose wife Hannah was shot and killed by a British soldier. There was Thomas and Moses Allen, who were brothers. Moses was around Savannah, Georgia. In fact, Midway, his church was burned by the British there. There was Naphtali Daggett.

There was also Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg. There are a few other names that should ring out as you think of the Revolutionary War heroes and those pastors who fought there. When you come to the Second War for Independence, better known as the War of Northern Aggression, there are numerous names that find out. One of them that stands out is General Leonidas Polk. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and he was also the founder of the School of the South in Suwannee, Tennessee, which is still in existence today, and I might add a very beautiful, beautiful place as well. Then, of course, there was General William Nelson Pendleton, who happened to be an Episcopal pastor. He was also chief of artillery for Robert E. Lee.

And he named his four favorite guns Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And he was known to say, "Aim low, boys, and fire, and may God have mercy on their poor misguided souls." And there was also the noted Baptist pastor, General Mark Lowry, who was also known as a fighting parson. What many people do not know is that there was a whole company of pastors from Mississippi, which was known as the Preacher's Regiment.

Preachers in the Ranks

Accounts of entire companies and regiments composed of preachers and ministerial students, such as the Preacher's Regiment from Mississippi and the Parsons Regiment from Arkansas.

Let me give you a quote from Gary Pitts' book, Chaplains in Gray. He says this: "One of the first companies to arrive in Virginia in 1861 contained 50 members of a single church. Another regiment, which arrived the same year, counted in its ranks 600 men of the same denomination, while still another numbered 13 Baptist preachers among its soldiers. The 9th Arkansas, organized at Pine Bluff on July the 20th, 1861, was popularly known as the Parsons Regiment because it boasted 42 ordained ministers in its ranks. A newspaper account mentions an Arkansas Preachers Regiment on its way to the battlefield. It was commanded by a Methodist preacher, Colonel Bradley, also from Pine Bluff. The paper reported that one of the soldiers was a preacher over 70 years of age." So here was, of course, a number of preachers in regiments.

There are many other military units that were composed of preachers and ministerial students. For instance, in Mississippi, practically the entire student body enlisted together with the faculty members in the Mississippi College Rifles. They marched away to battle 104 strong. Georgia had one regiment with 12 missionary Baptist preachers, one primitive Baptist preacher, and one Methodist preacher.

Sam Chapman: Mosby's Right Arm

Introduction to Sam Chapman, his background, education under Jedediah Hotchkiss, conversion, and call to ministry.

Now, I've mentioned Sam Chapman before, especially in the message on William Thomas Overby, who was, of course, a hero, and he was also a member of Mosby's Rangers as well. But the fighting preacher, the fighting parson that I want to talk about today, was known as the right arm of John Singleton Mosby. And his name was Samuel F. Chapman, better known just simply as Sam Chapman. Colonel John Singleton Mosby said this of Sam Chapman: "He was a Baptist preacher who prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most efficacious form of prayer, especially in dealing with Yankees." So he prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most effectual form of prayer when dealing with Yankees. Another of the fellow Rangers, Ludwell Lake, said this of Sam: "He was the bravest man I ever knew." Mosby also said of Sam that he was one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. Now Sam was born in 1838 to William and Elizabeth Chapman. Sam's ancestors had lived in Virginia since 1729, and the family had acquired a great deal of wealth, and their home was always noted for its hospitality.

As a young man, Sam received a higher education from Jedediah Hotchkiss, who was the noted cartographer for Stonewall Jackson. He was the mapmaker. There's an entire book that I have in my library on Jedediah Hotchkiss, which is just entitled Make Me a Map. And that's exactly what Stonewall Jackson said to Hotchkiss: "Make me a map of the valley." Sam went to study under Hotchkiss when he was 12 years old. Mr. Hotchkiss said this about Sam: that he was even with anyone in the school, and if he continues to study as he does at this time, he will undoubtedly be foremost by the close of the session. And I might add, when Hotchkiss says this about Sam Chapman, Sam was taking 14 different courses at the time.

And he said he's even with everyone else and he's still going to be ahead of everyone else by the end of the session. Sam attained a high degree of maturity under the tutelage of Jedediah Hotchkiss. Sam's parents were Christian, and consequently their children were raised in church. They attended Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. Sam and his brother William were saved and baptized on the second Lord's Day in May in 1858. I find this interesting. They joined the Baptist Church, Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. And incidentally, the church records also state that at that same time, Phoebe, a colored woman of John Boonton, and Fanny, a woman of color of Charles Flynn, were baptized. So, on the same day that Sam and William Chapman were baptized, there were two slaves baptized at the same time. On October 26, 1858, when Sam was 20 years of age, the church recognized the fact that Sam had been called into the ministry and that he had certain gifts. And so here's what the church minutes record.

"At a call meeting of the church on the motion, it was unanimously resolved that it was the opinion of this church that Brother Samuel F. Chapman has gifts for usefulness in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Wherefore, on motion it was resolved that this body grant him a license to exercise his gifts in preaching and exhortation to his fellow men, whereas in the providence of God his lot may be cast." So Sam had been called into the ministry, and he had received that call, and the body of believers at Main Street Baptist Church had recognized his calling and his gift. Well, Sam then immediately began to prepare for the ministry. In fact, he enrolled in Richmond College, which had begun as Virginia Baptist Seminary. He began his work in 1859 through 1860, which was to prepare him for his life's work.

Chapman's Early Military Service

Chapman enlists in the Warren Rifles, serves in the Dixie Artillery, and later joins Mosby's Rangers, where he earns a reputation for fearlessness.

However, as most of you know, in April of 1861, the war broke out. So Sam then returned to Page County, as did his brother, and they both joined the Confederacy. So Sam enlisted as a private on May 3, 1861, in the Warren Rifles. And he listed his occupation as minister.

Now, Sam was involved in the Battle of First Manassas. However, their position was so absolutely dreadful that after the battle was over, Sam mused, he said, "Our fate was to be under the fire of infantry and artillery for two days with scarcely a sight of the enemy, so dense was the foliage in our front. Yet in the battle, the Warren Rifles still suffered one killed and seventeen wounded." Now Sam was not going to stay in the infantry long because he became a lieutenant in the Dixie Artillery commanded by his brother William. Shortly thereafter, Sam's younger brother, Edmund, also joined the Dixie Artillery. The Dixie Artillery would fight the entire four years of the war, but they were going to fight without Sam and William Chapman because Sam and William both joined Mosby's Rangers. Now, Sam did have some very exciting times during the Dixie Artillery, his years there.

But in there, he not only earned commendations, but he also earned a reputation for being fearless and brave. Many individuals were eager to join Mosby's Rangers, but yet Mosby was very particular. One of the most humorous incidents that I read concerning one man who got in Mosby's Rangers dealt with young Henry Cabell or Cab Maddox. It turned out that Mosby and his men were chasing Yankee Major Cole. And as they chased Major Cole, they passed a boys school at Upperville. And Cab Maddox saw them and he couldn't stand it. And so he jumped on his pony and joined Mosby chasing the Yankees with nothing but a McGuffey's third reader in his hand, whooping and hollering the whole time. Cab never went back to school. He spent the rest of his time as a ranger with Mosby. When Sam joined Mosby's Rangers, Mosby told Sam, here's what you need.

The Battle of Miskel's Farm

A detailed account of the surprise attack at Miskel's Farm, where Chapman and the Rangers, though outnumbered and boxed in, fight fiercely and win a decisive victory.

And the man said, "Besides the possibility of a saber stroke or a pistol shot, you have a good chance of being knocked from side to side by a friend or foe, or being knocked down horse and rider and being run over." I'm sure that was very encouraging to young Sam, but he still was going to be one of Mosby's top men. In fact, he was known as Mosby's right-hand man. One of the most exciting battles for Sam was the Battle of Miskel's Farm. Mosby and his men had been searching for the Federals, but they had withdrawn and they'd even moved away. In fact, after riding for a day or two, they had not found the first Yankee. So it was cold, it was late, and Mosby and his men settled down to spend the night at Miskel's Farm. Now, Mosby did not post any sentries because he had not seen a Yankee in several days. Now, Dick Moran, one of the Rangers, had stopped at the Green Farm, by the way, but the rest of them had gone on to Miskel's Farm.

Mosby, by the way, took full responsibility because he did not post any sentries. But he had traveled, it was cold, it was late, and so they just all settled down in Miskel's Farm. Mosby and some of the men went into the house to sleep. The rest of the men slept in the barn. What Mosby did not know is that Captain Henry Flint, a Yankee captain, with 148 hand-picked men, were on his trail. When they passed the Green Farm, where Dick Moran was staying, Moran saw them. He waited until they got totally and completely out of sight, and then he jumped on his horse and rode as fast and as furiously as he could to Miskel's Farm, and he got there just barely ahead of the Yankees, and he shouted as he got to the farm, "Mount up, mount up, the Yankees are coming!" Now, there was a lane that led up into Miskel's Farm. And the lane, of course, was fenced on both sides.

Plus there was a gate. So as the Yankees came into the lane through the gate, they shut the gate and locked it. And Captain Flint said as he rode up the lane, "At last we have Mosby where we want him. He cannot get away." So what Captain Flint did is they came out of the lane, he divided his men, and they were going to circle the house and circle the barn. Well. The alarm had been given. Sam had already placed a saddle on his horse and he was putting the bridle on his horse when the Yankees began firing. The problem that Sam and the other Rangers had to face was where they were going to go. The river was at their backs. They could not cross the river. The Yankees were in their front circling them. And there were high fences all around. Well, Sam and the rest of the Rangers believed that the boldest front often wins the fight. And so Sam and the men that were able to get on their horses got on their horses and began to attack the Yankees absolutely fiercely. Mosby and the men who were in the house came running out of the house. And they were fighting on foot until they could get to their horses.

Captain Flint attacked the barn and as he attacked the barn, he was instantly hit with six balls to the chest. And as he fell from his horse, he was dead before he ever hit the ground. William Chapman, Sam's brother, also had a close encounter. As he came out of the house, he was running toward the barn. A fierce wind blew the brim of his hat down over his eyes. As he removed it, a Yankee was pointing a pistol at his head, not more than a foot away. As the Yankee pulled the trigger, the cap snapped. But the weapon did not fire. Chapman's Colt did not misfire, and before he got on his horse, he shot six times and emptied five saddles. Sam was one of the few Rangers that carried a sword. He was often ahead of all the other Rangers, and this time he was too, and he rode directly into the swarm of Yankee soldiers. Mosby stated that before he got to the gate, Sam had already exhausted every barrel of his two pistols, that is, he had emptied them, and had drawn his saber. Now listen to what Mosby said.

"He was just in front of me. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. It was no fault of the Union cavalry that they did not get through faster than they did, but Sam seemed to think it was. Even at the supreme moment of my life, when I just stood on the brink of ruin and had barely escaped, I could not restrain a propensity to laugh. Sam, to give more vigor to his blows, was standing straight up in his stirrups, whaling the Yankees left and right with his saber." The Yankees, of course, were scattering everywhere and trying to escape the onslaught of Mosby's Rangers. The locked gate that was supposed to keep Mosby in was now keeping the Yankees in, and they were trying to get out very fiercely.

In fact, they made every effort to knock it down, and they did. Sam and his brother both almost lost their lives at the Battle of Miskel's Farm. In fact, some of the Yankees got out of the gate after it was knocked over, and Sam chased two Yankees and called on them to surrender. But surrender was not what they had in mind. They drew their sabers and they began fighting. While Sam was fighting with one, the other hit Sam over the head with his sword, but thankfully the sword turned flatwise and it just simply stunned him momentarily. It was at that time that Sergeant William Lyle Hunter came up and knocked one soldier off his horse and the other one then surrendered. And of course, Sam very quickly came back to consciousness and realized what was going on. The sergeant asked him, "Why didn't you just shoot him?"

Chapman responded, "I never felt like shooting a man who was running away." And so he just chased them down and was fighting them hand to hand until they surrendered. At this battle, Mosby and his men killed nine Yankees, badly wounded 15, captured 82 prisoners. He also captured 100 horses with all their arms and equipment. And during this fight, Mosby lost one man with four wounded. The battle at Miskel's Farm demonstrated pure courage, a combat mentality, and a determination to fight to the end. That's on the part of Mosby and his rangers. You've got to remember this. At this particular battle, Mosby and his men were, number one, surprised. Number two, they were outnumbered four to one. Number three, they were completely boxed in. And number four, they were completely unprepared for the fight. And yet, they won the fight.

Now, I want to tell you, this demonstrates several biblical principles. Let me give you the first one. The very first biblical principle that we're to understand is this: Ecclesiastes 9, verse 10. Scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."

Stop and think about that. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win.

Biblical Principles from the Battle

Weaver draws three principles: do everything with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10), use strength and courage and leave consequences to God (2 Samuel 10:12), and fight for your families and brethren (Nehemiah 4:14).

You've got to remember this. At this particular battle, Mosby and his men were, number one, surprised. Number two, they were outnumbered four to one. Number three, they were completely boxed in. And number four, they were completely unprepared for the fight. And yet, they won the fight.

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."

Stop and think about that. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win. I don't care what you're doing. I don't care what kind of fight it is, whether it's an intellectual battle, an economic battle, a legal battle, a physical battle. If your heart is not in the fight, you're most likely not to win. God said whatever your hand finds to do, you do it with all of your might.

Secondly, we must use all of our strength and our courage and leave the consequences to God. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel and look in chapter 10, 2 Samuel chapter 10, because I want you to see how this principle is enunciated even in the life of Joab. 2 Samuel chapter 10 and notice verse 10. Joab went to the battle. And he found that he had been completely surrounded by the Syrians and by the Ammonites. And so what Joab did was this. He divided part of his forces between himself and his brother Abishai. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 10, notice verse 11. Here's what he says to Abishai. In fact, let's read verse 10. He says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 10:10-12

"And the rest of the people he delivered at the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee."

Now watch verse 12.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 10:10-12

"Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good."

What is he saying? We're going to fight. We're going to use our strength. We're going to use our courage. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God. And may I tell you, everything is in the hand of God anyhow. So you might as well trust him and do what you can do by the grace of God and do it with all your might.

There's a third principle here, and that is this: We must remember that our battles are not just for us as individuals. Certainly, every warrior, every fighter wants to win and wants to live, but there are others that we have to be concerned with as well. I want you to look in your Bibles back to Nehemiah chapter 4, Nehemiah chapter 4, if you would. And notice verse 14, and look what Nehemiah tells the people. Nehemiah chapter 4 and look at verse 14. These people thought they were about to be attacked by their enemies, and in Nehemiah chapter 4 and verse 14, he says this: "And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible."

Now watch: "and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." Do you realize a lot of the battles that we fight are not just for ourselves? Even the legal battles. The things that we go through are eventually to benefit our children and our children's children. Our wives, our brethren, our friends. And so he says, when you are engaged in battle, you've got to remember it is just not simply you that is involved. And I do not doubt for one instant that these principles were not in the minds of Sam and William and a number of other men as well. They were fighting for their lives. They were fighting for their land, they were fighting for liberty as well as their families. In fact, they fought so well at the Battle of Miskel's Farm that Mosby's report said that Sam and eight others were officially to be recognized for their promptitude and boldness in closing with the enemy. Now, the Battle of Miskel's Farm made such an impression upon John Singleton Mosby that 40 years later, Mosby wrote to Sam Chapman from California and he said this: "I just wish you could be here with me. I would feel as young as I was at Miskel's Gate when I burst out laughing in the midst of the fight, when I saw you standing in your stirrups, whaling the Yankees with your saber left and right." So it did make an impression upon Mosby. Sam had passed through a number of battles unscathed, not even a scratch.

Chapman's Wounding and Marriage

Chapman is severely wounded, experiences God's providence through his recovery, and marries Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who nursed him back to health.

In fact, he had passed through so many battles unscathed that a lot of men began to think that Sam was invulnerable. However, there came a time when a bullet did indeed pierce his body. He was severely wounded. He was out of the battles for a while and yet he was still alive. How it happened was like this. You remember Sam had spent some time in the Dixie Artillery. Well, in one battle, he was firing a howitzer and was literally mowing the Yankees down until he fired his last shot. He noticed then that his horse had run off. There was only one other Ranger with him, he and Ranger Montjoy. And so they fought on foot. When Sam then had run out of ammunition, he then took the rammer, the ramrod from the howitzer and began to fight like Samson, who was wielding the jawbone of an ass, and knocking every Yankee to the ground that he could knock to the ground.

It was at that time that a bullet went through his thigh. And Sam fell to the ground, absolutely defenseless. As he was lying on the ground, a Yankee cavalryman rode up to Sam, his face flushed with anger, and he said, "I'm going to finish you." He then told Sam, "Turn over on your back. I'm going to finish you." Sam asked, "Why?" since he was now his prisoner. The Yankee responded, "Because you shot me in the shoulder." Sam responded, "Well, I had a right to shoot you as we had not ceased firing then." And while the Yankee cavalryman was determined that he was going to finish Sam, several other cavalrymen came up and persuaded Sam's executioner to desist and not to shoot him. And of course, Sam then was wounded and taken to be treated. Sam said that afternoon, the Yankee cavalryman came to my bedside and begged my pardon, for which it was readily granted, and the Yankee cavalryman said, "I would not have talked to you so, but I was confounded mad. You shot me as I rode past you after some of your men."

Well, Sam then was taken to the Fitzhugh home, and no sooner had he gotten there, he lost consciousness from loss of blood. A Yankee officer, seeing Sam lose consciousness, grabbed the canteen off another soldier and threw the cold water in Sam's face which revived him. Sam later recalled, "I've often wondered since if I should die as easy as that." Sam stayed behind enemy lines ten days before he could be moved. And he also said that he experienced great care and consideration at the hands of the Yankees. Mosby, of course, later called Sam one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. He went on to say Sam had passed through so many fights unscathed that the men had a superstition that he was invulnerable. His hour had come at last and a bullet pierced the celestial armor of the soldier priest. Sam then was taken into friendly lines to Salem to recuperate.

And there he was with friends. I wish to point out at this point the wonders of God's mysterious and wonderful providence. I would assure you that no one in this room, and no one that I know of, would prefer to be wounded. And certainly no one would prefer a life-threatening wound. However, in this case, Sam's wounding produced a great blessing. While he was recuperating, he stayed with friends. And the one who ministered to him and nursed him and helped him most was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who was nearly 19 years old. Of course, Sam was about 21, and Sam was totally smitten with this young lady who was known as Miss Beck, and after 10 days, he proposed to her and asked her to marry him. I only know of one other couple—he proposed to her after three days. They're good friends of ours. They're still married, by the way. But after 10 days, he asked Miss Beck to marry him.

Well, she did not accept his proposal. She cared for him, but she did not think that she loved him. So when Sam left, he wrote her a letter declaring how deeply he felt for her, how much he loved her, and how serious was his proposal. And although Miss Beck turned him down temporarily, within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman. Sam was Mosby's first adjutant and lieutenant. His brother William was a captain, but after the raid at Miskel's Farm and Sam had married Miss Beck, Sam was promoted to captain for his courageous character.

Further Exploits and Humorous Incidents

Stories of Chapman's courage, including the attack on Guard Hill and a humorous exchange with a captured Yankee captain.

I suppose that courage was exemplified in both acts, fighting and marriage. But he was promoted to captain. Mosby said of Sam that he was always riding in the forefront. He said his character as a soldier was more the model of the Hebrew prophets than the evangelist or the Baptist in whom he was so devout a believer. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. Again, Mosby described Sam as the only man I ever saw who really enjoyed fighting and who generally went into the fray with his hat in one hand and banging away with his revolver with the other.

Now, I know that war is not funny, and I know that fighting and death are serious. Howbeit that does not mean that there are not humorous incidents that happen during war. And one of those humorous incidents involved Sam Chapman and John Singleton Mosby. The Federals had a picket post that was called Guard Hill, which normally had about 75 men present. Well, Sam had been sent to reconnoiter and he saw that that post had been greatly reinforced. In fact, now they had about 250 cavalry as well as 75 infantry. And so when he came back and reported to Mosby that the guard post had been greatly increased, Mosby's response was, "So much the better."

"Now we'll get two good horses apiece instead of one." So they planned then on attacking Guard Hill. And of course it was right at dark. Chapman and his men rushed the Federals, firing and yelling like Indians, and they drove the Federals so quickly into complete darkness that they were only able to capture about 16 of them, but they also captured about 70 horses. Well, the problem was this. The night before they attacked, there had been some rioting and some fighting up on the hill by some of the Yankee sentries. Well, after Mosby and his men had captured these 16 Yankees and 70 horses, Captain Michael Arrer of the 15th New York Cavalry rode to the top of the hill to inquire what was the cause of the disturbance. He was thinking some of the sentries were fighting like they had been before.

So he rode up to Sam Chapman and asked, "What's all this fuss mean?" Sam replied, "It means that Mosby has got you." The shocked captain, with the whites of his eyes widening, remarked, "Well, this beats hell, don't it?" And two days later, he was dismissed from service for having grossly neglected his duty while in command of the pickets. A little bit later on, the dismissal was later overturned. But Sam held to a biblical philosophy of divine providence. He considered that Mosby's men were organized for fighting and that whenever divine providence presented an opportunity for a fight, it was simply his duty to embrace it, to fight with all of his might, and to trust the Lord for the consequences. And Mosby and his men were indeed fierce fighters. In fact, you've got to remember that Mosby and his men usually fought when they were outnumbered three and four and sometimes five to one.

No Mercy for the Merciless

Account of Yankee looting and destruction, and the Rangers' retaliation with no quarter, tied to James 2:13 on judgment without mercy.

And it was not soon after that, that everything kind of straightened out. But there was another instance in which there was no compassion shown to the Yankees. Let me give you a quick account of the overview of the situation with a firsthand eyewitness of what was happening. Ranger James Williamson gives us an account of the totality of the destruction that was perpetrated by the Yankees. He said, "They robbed the people of everything they could destroy or carry off." "Horses, cows, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. Killing poultry, insulting women, pillaging houses, and in many cases robbing even the poor Negroes. They burned all the mills and factories as well as hay, wheat, corn, straw, and every description of forage. Barns and stables, whether empty or full, were burned."

Now, if you don't want to take the Southerners' word for the looting and destruction by the Yankees, listen to the Yankees commander's report. Lieutenant Colonel Casper Crowninshield—that's his name, Crowninshield—reported destroying 200 barns, eight mills, 10,000 tons of hay, and 25,000 bushels of grain. Additionally, he rounded up and carried off 474 beef cattle, 100 sheep, and 87 horses. Crowninshield estimated the value of the property at nearly a half a million dollars. Sheridan, in his report to Union General Halleck, reported 5,000 to 6,000 heads of cattle, 3,000 to 4,000 heads of sheep, and nearly 1,000 fatted hogs had been driven off, destroyed, or stolen by his brigade. He also claimed capture of 500 to 700 horses. He said that the monetary value was in the millions and that the destruction in the valley and in the mountains is most complete. You remember it was General Sheridan who said that he had destroyed the Shenandoah Valley so completely that a crow flying across it would have to carry his own provisions.

Charles Humphrey, once again, the Yankee chaplain, said this of the devastation and human suffering, talking about what the Yanks were doing to the Southerners. He said, "This was the most unpleasant task we were ever compelled to undertake. It was heart-piercing to hear the shrieks of women and children and even see men crying, begging that at least one cow, only one support might be left. But no mercy was allowed." It was a terrible retribution on the country. Now, listen to what he said: "But no mercy was allowed." On one occasion, when the Yankees were looting and stealing and burning homes and leaving helpless women and children weeping and begging for help, word reached the Rangers. Captain Chapman, that is William, Sam's brother, and he, Captain William Chapman, along with Sam, gathered the Rangers and caught the villains in the act. As the Rangers attacked, they shouted, "Take no prisoners, no quarter, no quarter today." The entire Ranger Command took up the cry, "No quarter, wipe them from the face of the earth." The villains were so overwhelmed, they fled in confusion, and yet they were not shown any mercy.

When the last of them were cornered, they tried to surrender. But surrender was not a word to be used that day. A neighborhood woman who witnessed the affair stated concerning the Yankees, "They begged for life. But their day of grace was passed." I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter 2. James, chapter 2. I notice verse 13 in this biblical principle. James 2 verse 13.

Remember the Yankee chaplain Humphreys who said, "But no mercy was to be shown." That was when the Southerners were begging for mercy. In James 2, verse 13, the Word of God says this concerning our God:

Scripture Reading — James 2:13

"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

No, he shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy. So obviously, these Yankees had showed no mercy. And now no mercy was shown to them. Do you realize? There is a time when mercy shall cease. Hosea 1, verse 6, God says this: "For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away." Notice what he said: "For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away."

Sinners that have despised God's grace and God's mercy in Jesus Christ will discover one day that they will face an absolutely just God who will show them no mercy. There is a time when mercy is passed. Those who show no mercy shall receive no mercy. And those Yankee villains who were looting and burning and pillaging and fighting against helpless civilians were shown no mercy. When the war finally ended, Mosby, instead of surrendering, disbanded his men. His men were all called and lined up.

War's End and Chapman's Legacy

Mosby disbands his men, the emotional farewell, and Chapman's post-war ministry and death, with his tombstone inscription.

After he inspected the lines, he drew a paper from his pocket and he read this: "Soldiers, I have summoned you together for the last time. The vision we have cherished of a free and independent country has vanished, and that country is now the spoil of a conqueror. I disband your organization in preference to surrendering it to our enemies. I am no longer your commander. After an association of more than two eventful years, I part from you with a just pride in the fame of your achievements and grateful recollections of your generous kindness to myself." "And now at this moment of bidding you a final adieu, accept the assurance of my unchanging confidence and regard. Farewell. John Singleton Mosby, Colonel." Silence reigned for a few minutes and then men began to choke back tears and rush to shake their commander's hand. James Joseph Williamson, a ranger, recalled the scene and he wrote this: "Strong men who had looked unmoved on scenes which would have appalled hearts, unused to the painful sights presented on the field of battle, now wept like little children."

Mosby stood beside a fence and took the hands of those who gathered around him. His eyes were red and he would now and then dash aside the struggling tears which he was unable to wholly suppress. Men would silently grasp one another's hands and then turn their heads aside to hide their tears. But at last it became so general that no pains were taken to conceal them. It was the most trying ordeal through which we ever passed. There was a reunion, the very first one, of Mosby's Rangers held in Alexandria, Virginia, on January the 16th, 1865. Many rangers attended that reunion. One ranger did not. His name was Sidnor Ferguson, better known as Sid, who had joined Mosby's Rangers when he was 17. And after the war, he became a Methodist preacher.

When he was invited to attend the reunion, he refused to do so, he declined, and his reason was that he feared if he did attend, several souls might be lost. Mosby replied to Sam Chapman when he read Sid's excuse for not coming, "I suppose that several souls could be lost." Mosby replied to Sam Chapman, "I suspect Sid could sin and has sent more people to heaven by his shooting than his preaching." And probably that was true because Sid stayed with him throughout the entire war. Sam also participated in a number of the revivals that were happening during the Confederate armies. He was often involved in the prayer meetings. He assisted the chaplains as much as he could. Sam had an absolutely wonderful ministry after the war was over. It would take another message just to tell you how God used this man. He was fruitful. He was faithful. He was blessed. And he finally went home to be with the Lord on May the 21st, 1919. Inscribed on his tombstone are these words: "A faithful minister of the gospel. A brave Confederate officer."

"An honorable and a useful life. I fought the good fight. I've kept faith." Here was a man that understood biblical principles, that lived a godly, holy life, not only during the war, but after the war, and had a very extensive, fruitful ministry. Sam Chapman, Mosby's fighting parson, the right-hand man of John Singleton Mosby. And as Mosby said, he was one of the bravest men that I have ever known.

Closing Prayer

Weaver prays, thanking God for men like Sam Chapman and asking for courage to fight the good fight.

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love, for your mercy, for your goodness and your kindness. And Lord, we rejoice to hear about men like Sam Chapman. Men who are not only brave and courageous, but men who were holy and godly. Men whom, Lord, you used not only in defending their lives and their families and their liberties, but Lord, men that you used in spreading the Gospel and the principles and truth of thy Word and building up thy Kingdom and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage us, Lord. May we learn to fight the good fight, to lay hold of eternal life and be faithful and true no matter what. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, P-M-B 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406.

Or give us a call at 912. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Courage in Battle

Summary: The sermon emphasizes the bravery of Sam Chapman and Mosby's Rangers, who fought fiercely even when outnumbered and surprised.

Evidence: Mosby stated that before he got to the gate, Sam had already exhausted every barrel of his two pistols... and had drawn his saber. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight.

Divine Providence

Summary: Chapman's wounding leads to his marriage, illustrating God's mysterious providence in turning a life-threatening injury into a blessing.

Evidence: Sam's wounding produced a great blessing. While he was recuperating, he stayed with friends... the one who ministered to him... was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin... within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman.

Fighting with All Might

Summary: Weaver applies Ecclesiastes 9:10 to the Christian life, urging believers to put their whole heart into every endeavor, including spiritual battles.

Evidence: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win.

Judgment and Mercy

Summary: The principle from James 2:13 is illustrated by the Rangers' refusal to show mercy to Yankees who had shown no mercy to civilians.

Evidence: For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy... these Yankees had showed no mercy. And now no mercy was shown to them.

Fighting for Family and Community

Summary: Nehemiah 4:14 is used to show that battles are not just personal but for the protection of families, homes, and future generations.

Evidence: fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses. Do you realize a lot of the battles that we fight are not just for ourselves?

The Warrior Parson Tradition

Summary: The sermon highlights the historical reality of ministers who took up arms, blending pastoral calling with martial duty.

Evidence: There have been many fighting parsons throughout history... James Caldwell, the Presbyterian pastor... Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg... General Leonidas Polk... General William Nelson Pendleton.

Key Arguments

God teaches His people to fight

Summary: Using Psalm 144:1, Weaver argues that God equips believers for warfare, both physical and spiritual, as He did with David.

Evidence: David said, 'Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.' You must remember that David was a shepherd... but God taught David to fight.

Boldness often wins the fight

Summary: At Miskel's Farm, the Rangers' aggressive counterattack, despite being surrounded, led to victory, demonstrating that boldness can overcome dire odds.

Evidence: Sam and the rest of the Rangers believed that the boldest front often wins the fight. And so Sam and the men... began to attack the Yankees absolutely fiercely.

Leave consequences to God

Summary: From 2 Samuel 10:12, Joab's words teach that after doing all we can, we must trust God with the outcome.

Evidence: Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people... and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God.

Mercy has limits

Summary: The Yankees' merciless treatment of civilians resulted in their own destruction without mercy, illustrating the biblical warning of James 2:13.

Evidence: No mercy was allowed... When the last of them were cornered, they tried to surrender. But surrender was not a word to be used that day... Their day of grace was passed.

Providence in suffering

Summary: Chapman's severe wounding led to his marriage and future ministry, showing that God can bring good out of painful circumstances.

Evidence: Sam's wounding produced a great blessing... the one who ministered to him... was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin... within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman.

Scripture References

Psalm 144:1

Context: Introduction: David blesses God for teaching his hands to war, used to introduce the concept of a fighting parson.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Context: First principle from Miskel's Farm: do everything with all your might.

2 Samuel 10:10-12

Context: Second principle: Joab's words to Abishai about courage and leaving consequences to God.

Nehemiah 4:14

Context: Third principle: fight for your families and homes.

James 2:13

Context: Judgment without mercy for those who show no mercy, applied to the Yankees' fate.

Hosea 1:6

Context: God's declaration of no more mercy on Israel, illustrating that mercy can cease.

Historical References

James Caldwell

Context: Presbyterian pastor in the Revolutionary War; his wife Hannah was shot by a British soldier.

Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg

Context: Revolutionary War pastor who fought.

General Leonidas Polk

Context: Episcopalian pastor and Confederate general, founder of the School of the South in Suwannee, Tennessee.

General William Nelson Pendleton

Context: Episcopal pastor and chief of artillery for Robert E. Lee; named his guns Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

General Mark Lowry

Context: Baptist pastor and Confederate general known as a fighting parson.

Preacher's Regiment (Mississippi)

Context: A whole company of pastors from Mississippi.

9th Arkansas (Parsons Regiment)

Context: Regiment with 42 ordained ministers, commanded by Methodist preacher Colonel Bradley.

Mississippi College Rifles

Context: Practically the entire student body and faculty enlisted together, 104 strong.

Jedediah Hotchkiss

Context: Noted cartographer for Stonewall Jackson; Sam Chapman studied under him at age 12.

Battle of First Manassas

Context: Sam Chapman's first battle; the Warren Rifles suffered one killed and seventeen wounded.

Important Quotes

He was a Baptist preacher who prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most efficacious form of prayer, especially in dealing with Yankees.

Significance: Mosby's description of Chapman's unique blend of faith and fighting, encapsulating the 'fighting parson' persona.

He was just in front of me. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight.

Significance: Mosby's testimony to Chapman's exceptional courage and leadership in battle.

I never felt like shooting a man who was running away.

Significance: Chapman's chivalrous response when asked why he didn't shoot fleeing Yankees, revealing his character.

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.

Significance: Key biblical principle from Joab, used to teach reliance on God after doing one's duty.

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Significance: Scripture applied to the Yankees' fate, emphasizing the moral law of retribution.

Discussion Questions

How does Psalm 144:1 challenge or affirm your view of God's role in equipping believers for conflict, whether spiritual or physical?

Context: Weaver opens with David's blessing of God for teaching his hands to war, setting the theme of divine enablement in battle.

In what areas of your life do you need to apply Ecclesiastes 9:10—doing whatever your hand finds to do with all your might?

Context: The first principle drawn from the Battle of Miskel's Farm emphasizes wholehearted effort.

What does it look like practically to 'play the men' and leave the consequences to God in your current battles?

Context: From 2 Samuel 10:12, Joab's example of courage and trust in God's sovereignty.

How can we balance the call to show mercy with the reality that there is a time when mercy ceases, as seen in James 2:13 and the Rangers' actions?

Context: The sermon recounts the Yankees receiving no mercy after showing none, raising questions about justice and mercy.

Sam Chapman's wounding led to his marriage and future ministry. Can you share a time when God brought unexpected good out of a painful situation in your life?

Context: Weaver highlights God's mysterious providence in Chapman's recovery and marriage.

Applications

Fight with all your might

Summary: Whatever task or battle you face, put your whole heart into it, as God commands in Ecclesiastes 9:10.

Evidence: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win.

Trust God with the outcome

Summary: After doing your best, leave the results to God, following Joab's example in 2 Samuel 10:12.

Evidence: We're going to fight. We're going to use our strength. We're going to use our courage. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God.

Fight for your family and community

Summary: Recognize that your battles often have implications for your loved ones and future generations, as Nehemiah urged.

Evidence: fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

Show mercy to receive mercy

Summary: Live with the awareness that those who are merciless will face judgment without mercy, as James 2:13 warns.

Evidence: For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy.

See God's providence in hardship

Summary: Trust that God can bring blessings out of suffering, as He did with Chapman's wounding leading to marriage and ministry.

Evidence: Sam's wounding produced a great blessing... within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman.

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Clean Transcript

Sam Chapman

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Psalm 144, verse one. And the message today is going to be a historical biblical message. I've had this message for some time, and it just really has been impressed upon my heart afresh, so I want to bring you a message today. The title of it is Sam Chapman, Mosby's Fighting Parson, and you will understand as we get going. Psalm 144, verse one: David said, "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." You must remember that David was a shepherd, and David was certainly not raised necessarily in a martial context, but God taught David to fight. And David is blessing the Lord for teaching his hands to war and his fingers to fight.
#1 | 0:01 to 0:57 | cleaned
Some of you probably know that there have been many fighting parsons throughout history. In fact, the ones that we're the most familiar with are those that we know of during the War for Independence, better known as the Revolutionary War. Some of those men were like James Caldwell, the Presbyterian pastor, whose wife Hannah was shot and killed by a British soldier. There was Thomas and Moses Allen, who were brothers. Moses was around Savannah, Georgia. In fact, Midway, his church was burned by the British there. There was Naphtali Daggett.
#2 | 0:58 to 1:39 | cleaned
There was also Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg. There are a few other names that should ring out as you think of the Revolutionary War heroes and those pastors who fought there. When you come to the Second War for Independence, better known as the War of Northern Aggression, there are numerous names that find out. One of them that stands out is General Leonidas Polk. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and he was also the founder of the School of the South in Suwannee, Tennessee, which is still in existence today, and I might add a very beautiful, beautiful place as well. Then, of course, there was General William Nelson Pendleton, who happened to be an Episcopal pastor. He was also chief of artillery for Robert E. Lee.
#3 | 1:40 to 2:23 | cleaned
And he named his four favorite guns Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And he was known to say, "Aim low, boys, and fire, and may God have mercy on their poor misguided souls." And there was also the noted Baptist pastor, General Mark Lowry, who was also known as a fighting parson. What many people do not know is that there was a whole company of pastors from Mississippi, which was known as the Preacher's Regiment.
#4 | 2:24 to 2:53 | cleaned
Let me give you a quote from Gary Pitts' book, Chaplains in Gray. He says this: "One of the first companies to arrive in Virginia in 1861 contained 50 members of a single church. Another regiment, which arrived the same year, counted in its ranks 600 men of the same denomination, while still another numbered 13 Baptist preachers among its soldiers. The 9th Arkansas, organized at Pine Bluff on July the 20th, 1861, was popularly known as the Parsons Regiment because it boasted 42 ordained ministers in its ranks. A newspaper account mentions an Arkansas Preachers Regiment on its way to the battlefield. It was commanded by a Methodist preacher, Colonel Bradley, also from Pine Bluff. The paper reported that one of the soldiers was a preacher over 70 years of age." So here was, of course, a number of preachers in regiments.
#5 | 2:53 to 3:57 | cleaned
There are many other military units that were composed of preachers and ministerial students. For instance, in Mississippi, practically the entire student body enlisted together with the faculty members in the Mississippi College Rifles. They marched away to battle 104 strong. Georgia had one regiment with 12 missionary Baptist preachers, one primitive Baptist preacher, and one Methodist preacher.
#6 | 3:58 to 4:27 | cleaned
Now, I've mentioned Sam Chapman before, especially in the message on William Thomas Overby, who was, of course, a hero, and he was also a member of Mosby's Rangers as well. But the fighting preacher, the fighting parson that I want to talk about today, was known as the right arm of John Singleton Mosby. And his name was Samuel F. Chapman, better known just simply as Sam Chapman. Colonel John Singleton Mosby said this of Sam Chapman: "He was a Baptist preacher who prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most efficacious form of prayer, especially in dealing with Yankees." So he prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most effectual form of prayer when dealing with Yankees. Another of the fellow Rangers, Ludwell Lake, said this of Sam: "He was the bravest man I ever knew." Mosby also said of Sam that he was one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. Now Sam was born in 1838 to William and Elizabeth Chapman. Sam's ancestors had lived in Virginia since 1729, and the family had acquired a great deal of wealth, and their home was always noted for its hospitality.
#7 | 4:29 to 5:52 | cleaned
As a young man, Sam received a higher education from Jedediah Hotchkiss, who was the noted cartographer for Stonewall Jackson. He was the mapmaker. There's an entire book that I have in my library on Jedediah Hotchkiss, which is just entitled Make Me a Map. And that's exactly what Stonewall Jackson said to Hotchkiss: "Make me a map of the valley." Sam went to study under Hotchkiss when he was 12 years old. Mr. Hotchkiss said this about Sam: that he was even with anyone in the school, and if he continues to study as he does at this time, he will undoubtedly be foremost by the close of the session. And I might add, when Hotchkiss says this about Sam Chapman, Sam was taking 14 different courses at the time.
#8 | 5:53 to 6:48 | cleaned
And he said he's even with everyone else and he's still going to be ahead of everyone else by the end of the session. Sam attained a high degree of maturity under the tutelage of Jedediah Hotchkiss. Sam's parents were Christian, and consequently their children were raised in church. They attended Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. Sam and his brother William were saved and baptized on the second Lord's Day in May in 1858. I find this interesting. They joined the Baptist Church, Main Street Baptist Church in Luray, Virginia. And incidentally, the church records also state that at that same time, Phoebe, a colored woman of John Boonton, and Fanny, a woman of color of Charles Flynn, were baptized. So, on the same day that Sam and William Chapman were baptized, there were two slaves baptized at the same time. On October 26, 1858, when Sam was 20 years of age, the church recognized the fact that Sam had been called into the ministry and that he had certain gifts. And so here's what the church minutes record.
#9 | 6:48 to 8:07 | cleaned
"At a call meeting of the church on the motion, it was unanimously resolved that it was the opinion of this church that Brother Samuel F. Chapman has gifts for usefulness in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Wherefore, on motion it was resolved that this body grant him a license to exercise his gifts in preaching and exhortation to his fellow men, whereas in the providence of God his lot may be cast." So Sam had been called into the ministry, and he had received that call, and the body of believers at Main Street Baptist Church had recognized his calling and his gift. Well, Sam then immediately began to prepare for the ministry. In fact, he enrolled in Richmond College, which had begun as Virginia Baptist Seminary. He began his work in 1859 through 1860, which was to prepare him for his life's work.
#10 | 8:09 to 9:05 | cleaned
However, as most of you know, in April of 1861, the war broke out. So Sam then returned to Page County, as did his brother, and they both joined the Confederacy. So Sam enlisted as a private on May 3, 1861, in the Warren Rifles. And he listed his occupation as minister.
#11 | 9:05 to 9:31 | cleaned
Now, Sam was involved in the Battle of First Manassas. However, their position was so absolutely dreadful that after the battle was over, Sam mused, he said, "Our fate was to be under the fire of infantry and artillery for two days with scarcely a sight of the enemy, so dense was the foliage in our front. Yet in the battle, the Warren Rifles still suffered one killed and seventeen wounded." Now Sam was not going to stay in the infantry long because he became a lieutenant in the Dixie Artillery commanded by his brother William. Shortly thereafter, Sam's younger brother, Edmund, also joined the Dixie Artillery. The Dixie Artillery would fight the entire four years of the war, but they were going to fight without Sam and William Chapman because Sam and William both joined Mosby's Rangers. Now, Sam did have some very exciting times during the Dixie Artillery, his years there.
#12 | 9:32 to 10:38 | cleaned
But in there, he not only earned commendations, but he also earned a reputation for being fearless and brave. Many individuals were eager to join Mosby's Rangers, but yet Mosby was very particular. One of the most humorous incidents that I read concerning one man who got in Mosby's Rangers dealt with young Henry Cabell or Cab Maddox. It turned out that Mosby and his men were chasing Yankee Major Cole. And as they chased Major Cole, they passed a boys school at Upperville. And Cab Maddox saw them and he couldn't stand it. And so he jumped on his pony and joined Mosby chasing the Yankees with nothing but a McGuffey's third reader in his hand, whooping and hollering the whole time. Cab never went back to school. He spent the rest of his time as a ranger with Mosby. When Sam joined Mosby's Rangers, Mosby told Sam, here's what you need.
#13 | 10:39 to 12:01 | cleaned
"If you will fight with me," he said, "have a good horse, at least one, preferably two or more revolvers, a place to hide away in between raids, a good story to explain why you aren't in the army should a Union sympathizer or Yankee soldier get inquisitive." So have all the pistols you can have and a good horse, a place to hide, and a good story to say why you're not in the army. Mosby and his men were accused of being nothing but horse thieves by Yankee Colonel Wyndham. To this, Mosby offered no denial. He just simply said that all the horses we had stolen had riders, and the riders had sabers, carbines, and pistols. So if you want to call us horse thieves, have at it. All the horses we took had men on them, and they were armed. Incidentally, when Mosby and his men went into Fairfax, Virginia, and this is when they captured Yankee General Stoughton—that's a wonderful story in and of itself—they slipped in through all the Yankee guards and all the Yankee soldiers.
#14 | 12:03 to 13:19 | cleaned
And Mosby went into the house where General Stoughton was sleeping. He pulled the covers back and slapped him on the buttocks and said, "Wake up. It's Mosby." Stoughton said, "Have you got him?" "No," Mosby said, "he's got you." So they captured Yankee General Stoughton. And by the way, Stoughton at that time was the youngest Brigadier General in the Northern Army. After he was exchanged, he found he had no assignment. He finally left the army.
#15 | 13:20 to 14:05 | cleaned
He started a law practice in New York, and he died in 1868 at the age of 30. Now, Yankee Colonel Wyndham, whom I had mentioned earlier, who had accused Mosby of being a horse thief, would have been captured in the Fairfax raid, with the exception that he had taken a train to Washington the night before. Colonel Robert Johnstone, who was the brigade commander of the 5th New York Cavalry, escaped by the skin of his teeth. And he escaped, but he escaped absolutely naked without a stitch of clothes on, and he hid all night in a privy—that is, an outhouse. And he stayed there all night, terrified, shaking not only with fear, but with cold. With the cold, it was wintertime.
#16 | 14:06 to 14:59 | cleaned
He did not come out until daylight. Colonel Johnstone endured much ridicule, not only from his hiding place, but also from appearing at headquarters the next morning totally out of uniform and without anything else as well. And he too passed into oblivion. During that Fairfax raid, Mosby and his men not only captured General Stoughton, but two captains and 30 other men along with their arms and equipment and 58 horses. When Abraham Lincoln heard of the capture of General Stoughton and the loss of the horses during the Fairfax raid, he said, "Well, I'm sorry for that. I can make Brigadier Generals, but I can't make horses." So, Lincoln was more concerned with the loss of the horses than he was with his Brigadier General. When Sam joined Mosby's men, he asked a veteran cavalryman what was likely to happen during a cavalry charge. Now remember, Sam is just joining, and he wants to know what it's going to be like during a cavalry charge.
#17 | 15:02 to 16:14 | cleaned
And the man said, "Besides the possibility of a saber stroke or a pistol shot, you have a good chance of being knocked from side to side by a friend or foe, or being knocked down horse and rider and being run over." I'm sure that was very encouraging to young Sam, but he still was going to be one of Mosby's top men. In fact, he was known as Mosby's right-hand man. One of the most exciting battles for Sam was the Battle of Miskel's Farm. Mosby and his men had been searching for the Federals, but they had withdrawn and they'd even moved away. In fact, after riding for a day or two, they had not found the first Yankee. So it was cold, it was late, and Mosby and his men settled down to spend the night at Miskel's Farm. Now, Mosby did not post any sentries because he had not seen a Yankee in several days. Now, Dick Moran, one of the Rangers, had stopped at the Green Farm, by the way, but the rest of them had gone on to Miskel's Farm.
#18 | 16:15 to 17:28 | cleaned
Mosby, by the way, took full responsibility because he did not post any sentries. But he had traveled, it was cold, it was late, and so they just all settled down in Miskel's Farm. Mosby and some of the men went into the house to sleep. The rest of the men slept in the barn. What Mosby did not know is that Captain Henry Flint, a Yankee captain, with 148 hand-picked men, were on his trail. When they passed the Green Farm, where Dick Moran was staying, Moran saw them. He waited until they got totally and completely out of sight, and then he jumped on his horse and rode as fast and as furiously as he could to Miskel's Farm, and he got there just barely ahead of the Yankees, and he shouted as he got to the farm, "Mount up, mount up, the Yankees are coming!" Now, there was a lane that led up into Miskel's Farm. And the lane, of course, was fenced on both sides.
#19 | 17:30 to 18:45 | cleaned
Plus there was a gate. So as the Yankees came into the lane through the gate, they shut the gate and locked it. And Captain Flint said as he rode up the lane, "At last we have Mosby where we want him. He cannot get away." So what Captain Flint did is they came out of the lane, he divided his men, and they were going to circle the house and circle the barn. Well.
#20 | 18:45 to 19:13 | cleaned
The alarm had been given. Sam had already placed a saddle on his horse and he was putting the bridle on his horse when the Yankees began firing. The problem that Sam and the other Rangers had to face was where they were going to go. The river was at their backs. They could not cross the river. The Yankees were in their front circling them. And there were high fences all around. Well, Sam and the rest of the Rangers believed that the boldest front often wins the fight. And so Sam and the men that were able to get on their horses got on their horses and began to attack the Yankees absolutely fiercely. Mosby and the men who were in the house came running out of the house. And they were fighting on foot until they could get to their horses.
#21 | 19:14 to 20:08 | cleaned
Captain Flint attacked the barn and as he attacked the barn, he was instantly hit with six balls to the chest. And as he fell from his horse, he was dead before he ever hit the ground. William Chapman, Sam's brother, also had a close encounter. As he came out of the house, he was running toward the barn. A fierce wind blew the brim of his hat down over his eyes.
#22 | 20:09 to 20:35 | cleaned
As he removed it, a Yankee was pointing a pistol at his head, not more than a foot away. As the Yankee pulled the trigger, the cap snapped. But the weapon did not fire. Chapman's Colt did not misfire, and before he got on his horse, he shot six times and emptied five saddles. Sam was one of the few Rangers that carried a sword. He was often ahead of all the other Rangers, and this time he was too, and he rode directly into the swarm of Yankee soldiers. Mosby stated that before he got to the gate, Sam had already exhausted every barrel of his two pistols, that is, he had emptied them, and had drawn his saber. Now listen to what Mosby said.
#23 | 20:35 to 21:33 | cleaned
"He was just in front of me. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. It was no fault of the Union cavalry that they did not get through faster than they did, but Sam seemed to think it was. Even at the supreme moment of my life, when I just stood on the brink of ruin and had barely escaped, I could not restrain a propensity to laugh. Sam, to give more vigor to his blows, was standing straight up in his stirrups, whaling the Yankees left and right with his saber." The Yankees, of course, were scattering everywhere and trying to escape the onslaught of Mosby's Rangers. The locked gate that was supposed to keep Mosby in was now keeping the Yankees in, and they were trying to get out very fiercely.
#24 | 21:34 to 22:23 | cleaned
In fact, they made every effort to knock it down, and they did. Sam and his brother both almost lost their lives at the Battle of Miskel's Farm. In fact, some of the Yankees got out of the gate after it was knocked over, and Sam chased two Yankees and called on them to surrender. But surrender was not what they had in mind. They drew their sabers and they began fighting. While Sam was fighting with one, the other hit Sam over the head with his sword, but thankfully the sword turned flatwise and it just simply stunned him momentarily. It was at that time that Sergeant William Lyle Hunter came up and knocked one soldier off his horse and the other one then surrendered. And of course, Sam very quickly came back to consciousness and realized what was going on. The sergeant asked him, "Why didn't you just shoot him?"
#25 | 22:23 to 23:26 | cleaned
Chapman responded, "I never felt like shooting a man who was running away." And so he just chased them down and was fighting them hand to hand until they surrendered. At this battle, Mosby and his men killed nine Yankees, badly wounded 15, captured 82 prisoners. He also captured 100 horses with all their arms and equipment. And during this fight, Mosby lost one man with four wounded. The battle at Miskel's Farm demonstrated pure courage, a combat mentality, and a determination to fight to the end. That's on the part of Mosby and his rangers.
#26 | 23:29 to 24:16 | cleaned
You've got to remember this. At this particular battle, Mosby and his men were, number one, surprised. Number two, they were outnumbered four to one. Number three, they were completely boxed in. And number four, they were completely unprepared for the fight. And yet, they won the fight.
#27 | 24:16 to 24:39 | cleaned
Now, I want to tell you, this demonstrates several biblical principles. Let me give you the first one. The very first biblical principle that we're to understand is this: Ecclesiastes 9, verse 10. Scripture says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might." Stop and think about that. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win.
#28 | 24:39 to 25:16 | cleaned
I don't care what you're doing. I don't care what kind of fight it is, whether it's an intellectual battle, an economic battle, a legal battle, a physical battle. If your heart is not in the fight, you're most likely not to win. God said whatever your hand finds to do, you do it with all of your might.
#29 | 25:16 to 25:42 | cleaned
Secondly, we must use all of our strength and our courage and leave the consequences to God. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel and look in chapter 10, 2 Samuel chapter 10, because I want you to see how this principle is enunciated even in the life of Joab. 2 Samuel chapter 10 and notice verse 10. Joab went to the battle. And he found that he had been completely surrounded by the Syrians and by the Ammonites. And so what Joab did was this.
#30 | 25:42 to 26:22 | cleaned
He divided part of his forces between himself and his brother Abishai. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 10, notice verse 11. Here's what he says to Abishai. In fact, let's read verse 10. He says, "And the rest of the people he delivered at the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee." Now watch verse 12. "Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good." What is he saying? We're going to fight. We're going to use our strength. We're going to use our courage. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God. And may I tell you, everything is in the hand of God anyhow. So you might as well trust him and do what you can do by the grace of God and do it with all your might.
#31 | 26:22 to 27:27 | cleaned
There's a third principle here, and that is this: We must remember that our battles are not just for us as individuals. Certainly, every warrior, every fighter wants to win and wants to live, but there are others that we have to be concerned with as well. I want you to look in your Bibles back to Nehemiah chapter 4, Nehemiah chapter 4, if you would. And notice verse 14, and look what Nehemiah tells the people. Nehemiah chapter 4 and look at verse 14. These people thought they were about to be attacked by their enemies, and in Nehemiah chapter 4 and verse 14, he says this: "And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible."
#32 | 27:30 to 28:32 | cleaned
Now watch: "and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." Do you realize a lot of the battles that we fight are not just for ourselves? Even the legal battles. The things that we go through are eventually to benefit our children and our children's children. Our wives, our brethren, our friends. And so he says, when you are engaged in battle, you've got to remember it is just not simply you that is involved.
#33 | 28:32 to 29:12 | cleaned
And I do not doubt for one instant that these principles were not in the minds of Sam and William and a number of other men as well. They were fighting for their lives. They were fighting for their land, they were fighting for liberty as well as their families. In fact, they fought so well at the Battle of Miskel's Farm that Mosby's report said that Sam and eight others were officially to be recognized for their promptitude and boldness in closing with the enemy. Now, the Battle of Miskel's Farm made such an impression upon John Singleton Mosby that 40 years later, Mosby wrote to Sam Chapman from California and he said this: "I just wish you could be here with me. I would feel as young as I was at Miskel's Gate when I burst out laughing in the midst of the fight, when I saw you standing in your stirrups, whaling the Yankees with your saber left and right." So it did make an impression upon Mosby. Sam had passed through a number of battles unscathed, not even a scratch.
#34 | 29:13 to 30:28 | cleaned
In fact, he had passed through so many battles unscathed that a lot of men began to think that Sam was invulnerable. However, there came a time when a bullet did indeed pierce his body. He was severely wounded. He was out of the battles for a while and yet he was still alive. How it happened was like this. You remember Sam had spent some time in the Dixie Artillery.
#35 | 30:30 to 30:55 | cleaned
Well, in one battle, he was firing a howitzer and was literally mowing the Yankees down until he fired his last shot. He noticed then that his horse had run off. There was only one other Ranger with him, he and Ranger Montjoy. And so they fought on foot. When Sam then had run out of ammunition, he then took the rammer, the ramrod from the howitzer and began to fight like Samson, who was wielding the jawbone of an ass, and knocking every Yankee to the ground that he could knock to the ground.
#36 | 30:56 to 31:40 | cleaned
It was at that time that a bullet went through his thigh. And Sam fell to the ground, absolutely defenseless. As he was lying on the ground, a Yankee cavalryman rode up to Sam, his face flushed with anger, and he said, "I'm going to finish you." He then told Sam, "Turn over on your back. I'm going to finish you." Sam asked, "Why?" since he was now his prisoner. The Yankee responded, "Because you shot me in the shoulder." Sam responded, "Well, I had a right to shoot you as we had not ceased firing then." And while the Yankee cavalryman was determined that he was going to finish Sam, several other cavalrymen came up and persuaded Sam's executioner to desist and not to shoot him. And of course, Sam then was wounded and taken to be treated. Sam said that afternoon, the Yankee cavalryman came to my bedside and begged my pardon, for which it was readily granted, and the Yankee cavalryman said, "I would not have talked to you so, but I was confounded mad. You shot me as I rode past you after some of your men."
#37 | 31:41 to 32:56 | cleaned
Well, Sam then was taken to the Fitzhugh home, and no sooner had he gotten there, he lost consciousness from loss of blood. A Yankee officer, seeing Sam lose consciousness, grabbed the canteen off another soldier and threw the cold water in Sam's face which revived him. Sam later recalled, "I've often wondered since if I should die as easy as that." Sam stayed behind enemy lines ten days before he could be moved.
#38 | 32:57 to 33:30 | cleaned
And he also said that he experienced great care and consideration at the hands of the Yankees. Mosby, of course, later called Sam one of the noblest and most heroic soldiers in the Southern Army. He went on to say Sam had passed through so many fights unscathed that the men had a superstition that he was invulnerable. His hour had come at last and a bullet pierced the celestial armor of the soldier priest. Sam then was taken into friendly lines to Salem to recuperate.
#39 | 33:30 to 34:05 | cleaned
And there he was with friends. I wish to point out at this point the wonders of God's mysterious and wonderful providence. I would assure you that no one in this room, and no one that I know of, would prefer to be wounded. And certainly no one would prefer a life-threatening wound. However, in this case, Sam's wounding produced a great blessing. While he was recuperating, he stayed with friends. And the one who ministered to him and nursed him and helped him most was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who was nearly 19 years old. Of course, Sam was about 21, and Sam was totally smitten with this young lady who was known as Miss Beck, and after 10 days, he proposed to her and asked her to marry him. I only know of one other couple—he proposed to her after three days. They're good friends of ours. They're still married, by the way. But after 10 days, he asked Miss Beck to marry him.
#40 | 34:06 to 35:30 | cleaned
Well, she did not accept his proposal. She cared for him, but she did not think that she loved him. So when Sam left, he wrote her a letter declaring how deeply he felt for her, how much he loved her, and how serious was his proposal. And although Miss Beck turned him down temporarily, within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman. Sam was Mosby's first adjutant and lieutenant. His brother William was a captain, but after the raid at Miskel's Farm and Sam had married Miss Beck, Sam was promoted to captain for his courageous character.
#41 | 35:31 to 36:12 | cleaned
I suppose that courage was exemplified in both acts, fighting and marriage. But he was promoted to captain. Mosby said of Sam that he was always riding in the forefront. He said his character as a soldier was more the model of the Hebrew prophets than the evangelist or the Baptist in whom he was so devout a believer. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight. Again, Mosby described Sam as the only man I ever saw who really enjoyed fighting and who generally went into the fray with his hat in one hand and banging away with his revolver with the other.
#42 | 36:12 to 36:53 | cleaned
Now, I know that war is not funny, and I know that fighting and death are serious. Howbeit that does not mean that there are not humorous incidents that happen during war. And one of those humorous incidents involved Sam Chapman and John Singleton Mosby. The Federals had a picket post that was called Guard Hill, which normally had about 75 men present. Well, Sam had been sent to reconnoiter and he saw that that post had been greatly reinforced. In fact, now they had about 250 cavalry as well as 75 infantry. And so when he came back and reported to Mosby that the guard post had been greatly increased, Mosby's response was, "So much the better."
#43 | 36:54 to 37:54 | cleaned
"Now we'll get two good horses apiece instead of one." So they planned then on attacking Guard Hill. And of course it was right at dark. Chapman and his men rushed the Federals, firing and yelling like Indians, and they drove the Federals so quickly into complete darkness that they were only able to capture about 16 of them, but they also captured about 70 horses. Well, the problem was this. The night before they attacked, there had been some rioting and some fighting up on the hill by some of the Yankee sentries. Well, after Mosby and his men had captured these 16 Yankees and 70 horses, Captain Michael Arrer of the 15th New York Cavalry rode to the top of the hill to inquire what was the cause of the disturbance. He was thinking some of the sentries were fighting like they had been before.
#44 | 37:55 to 39:01 | cleaned
So he rode up to Sam Chapman and asked, "What's all this fuss mean?" Sam replied, "It means that Mosby has got you." The shocked captain, with the whites of his eyes widening, remarked, "Well, this beats hell, don't it?" And two days later, he was dismissed from service for having grossly neglected his duty while in command of the pickets. A little bit later on, the dismissal was later overturned. But Sam held to a biblical philosophy of divine providence. He considered that Mosby's men were organized for fighting and that whenever divine providence presented an opportunity for a fight, it was simply his duty to embrace it, to fight with all of his might, and to trust the Lord for the consequences. And Mosby and his men were indeed fierce fighters. In fact, you've got to remember that Mosby and his men usually fought when they were outnumbered three and four and sometimes five to one.
#45 | 39:02 to 40:08 | cleaned
Charles Humphreys was a chaplain under Yankee Major Forbes, and he gives an eyewitness account of one battle. So remember now he's talking about Mosby's men and he says this: "Mosby and his rangers were upon us, swooping down like Indians, yelling like fiends, discharging their pistols with fearful rapidity and threatening to completely envelop our little band." In fact, during this battle, the Yanks broke and ran some distance to a fence where they tried to form again, but it was absolutely useless. The rangers drove them with unfettered fierceness, and the Bluecoats this time had no place to run. And the fight became one of hand-to-hand, saber-to-saber, revolver-to-revolver at point-blank ranges.
#46 | 40:09 to 40:58 | cleaned
And Humphrey then says this: "No words can picture the confusion and horror of that scene. Horses leaping madly in the pangs of death. Riders crushed beneath their ruthless feet. Then the panic-stricken crowd galloping over their fallen companions and closely followed by the insolent foe"—that's Mosby and his men—"hearing their little rally, and some brave spirit scorning defeat and startled courage in his companions and turned to face the enemy, but only to die." Again, Mosby had won the fight with over 100 captured and dozens left on the field dying and dead. After the battle, Mosby's surgeon, Dr. Will Dunn, treated men from both sides. Now, Mosby and his men were usually very gracious and compassionate men.
#47 | 40:59 to 41:53 | cleaned
However, there were a couple of instances where no mercy was shown. If you will listen to my message on William Thomas Overby, you will find that that was one instance when Overby and several others were hanged, shot, dragged—you just have to listen to the message. And these men had been captured in battle, they were supposed to be treated as prisoners of war, and yet they were brutally murdered by the Yankees, and so Mosby sent word that he's going to hang everyone out of Custer's command that he catches in retaliation for what they did to his men.
#48 | 41:53 to 42:39 | cleaned
And it was not soon after that, that everything kind of straightened out. But there was another instance in which there was no compassion shown to the Yankees. Let me give you a quick account of the overview of the situation with a firsthand eyewitness of what was happening. Ranger James Williamson gives us an account of the totality of the destruction that was perpetrated by the Yankees. He said, "They robbed the people of everything they could destroy or carry off."
#49 | 42:40 to 43:13 | cleaned
"Horses, cows, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. Killing poultry, insulting women, pillaging houses, and in many cases robbing even the poor Negroes. They burned all the mills and factories as well as hay, wheat, corn, straw, and every description of forage. Barns and stables, whether empty or full, were burned."
#50 | 43:14 to 43:37 | cleaned
Now, if you don't want to take the Southerners' word for the looting and destruction by the Yankees, listen to the Yankees commander's report. Lieutenant Colonel Casper Crowninshield—that's his name, Crowninshield—reported destroying 200 barns, eight mills, 10,000 tons of hay, and 25,000 bushels of grain. Additionally, he rounded up and carried off 474 beef cattle, 100 sheep, and 87 horses. Crowninshield estimated the value of the property at nearly a half a million dollars. Sheridan, in his report to Union General Halleck, reported 5,000 to 6,000 heads of cattle, 3,000 to 4,000 heads of sheep, and nearly 1,000 fatted hogs had been driven off, destroyed, or stolen by his brigade. He also claimed capture of 500 to 700 horses. He said that the monetary value was in the millions and that the destruction in the valley and in the mountains is most complete. You remember it was General Sheridan who said that he had destroyed the Shenandoah Valley so completely that a crow flying across it would have to carry his own provisions.
#51 | 43:38 to 44:53 | cleaned
Charles Humphrey, once again, the Yankee chaplain, said this of the devastation and human suffering, talking about what the Yanks were doing to the Southerners. He said, "This was the most unpleasant task we were ever compelled to undertake. It was heart-piercing to hear the shrieks of women and children and even see men crying, begging that at least one cow, only one support might be left. But no mercy was allowed."
#52 | 44:55 to 45:27 | cleaned
It was a terrible retribution on the country. Now, listen to what he said: "But no mercy was allowed." On one occasion, when the Yankees were looting and stealing and burning homes and leaving helpless women and children weeping and begging for help, word reached the Rangers. Captain Chapman, that is William, Sam's brother, and he, Captain William Chapman, along with Sam, gathered the Rangers and caught the villains in the act. As the Rangers attacked, they shouted, "Take no prisoners, no quarter, no quarter today." The entire Ranger Command took up the cry, "No quarter, wipe them from the face of the earth." The villains were so overwhelmed, they fled in confusion, and yet they were not shown any mercy.
#53 | 45:28 to 46:31 | cleaned
When the last of them were cornered, they tried to surrender. But surrender was not a word to be used that day. A neighborhood woman who witnessed the affair stated concerning the Yankees, "They begged for life. But their day of grace was passed." I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter 2. James, chapter 2. I notice verse 13 in this biblical principle. James 2 verse 13.
#54 | 46:31 to 47:14 | cleaned
Remember the Yankee chaplain Humphreys who said, "But no mercy was to be shown." That was when the Southerners were begging for mercy. In James 2, verse 13, the Word of God says this concerning our God: "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." No, he shall have judgment without mercy that has showed no mercy. So obviously, these Yankees had showed no mercy. And now no mercy was shown to them. Do you realize? There is a time when mercy shall cease. Hosea 1, verse 6, God says this: "For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away." Notice what he said: "For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away."
#55 | 47:14 to 48:19 | cleaned
Sinners that have despised God's grace and God's mercy in Jesus Christ will discover one day that they will face an absolutely just God who will show them no mercy. There is a time when mercy is passed. Those who show no mercy shall receive no mercy. And those Yankee villains who were looting and burning and pillaging and fighting against helpless civilians were shown no mercy. When the war finally ended, Mosby, instead of surrendering, disbanded his men. His men were all called and lined up.
#56 | 48:20 to 49:20 | cleaned
After he inspected the lines, he drew a paper from his pocket and he read this: "Soldiers, I have summoned you together for the last time. The vision we have cherished of a free and independent country has vanished, and that country is now the spoil of a conqueror. I disband your organization in preference to surrendering it to our enemies. I am no longer your commander. After an association of more than two eventful years, I part from you with a just pride in the fame of your achievements and grateful recollections of your generous kindness to myself."
#57 | 49:22 to 50:02 | cleaned
"And now at this moment of bidding you a final adieu, accept the assurance of my unchanging confidence and regard. Farewell. John Singleton Mosby, Colonel." Silence reigned for a few minutes and then men began to choke back tears and rush to shake their commander's hand. James Joseph Williamson, a ranger, recalled the scene and he wrote this: "Strong men who had looked unmoved on scenes which would have appalled hearts, unused to the painful sights presented on the field of battle, now wept like little children."
#58 | 50:03 to 50:45 | cleaned
Mosby stood beside a fence and took the hands of those who gathered around him. His eyes were red and he would now and then dash aside the struggling tears which he was unable to wholly suppress. Men would silently grasp one another's hands and then turn their heads aside to hide their tears. But at last it became so general that no pains were taken to conceal them. It was the most trying ordeal through which we ever passed. There was a reunion, the very first one, of Mosby's Rangers held in Alexandria, Virginia, on January the 16th, 1865. Many rangers attended that reunion. One ranger did not. His name was Sidnor Ferguson, better known as Sid, who had joined Mosby's Rangers when he was 17. And after the war, he became a Methodist preacher.
#59 | 50:46 to 51:49 | cleaned
When he was invited to attend the reunion, he refused to do so, he declined, and his reason was that he feared if he did attend, several souls might be lost. Mosby replied to Sam Chapman when he read Sid's excuse for not coming, "I suppose that several souls could be lost." Mosby replied to Sam Chapman, "I suspect Sid could sin and has sent more people to heaven by his shooting than his preaching." And probably that was true because Sid stayed with him throughout the entire war. Sam also participated in a number of the revivals that were happening during the Confederate armies.
#60 | 51:52 to 52:38 | cleaned
He was often involved in the prayer meetings. He assisted the chaplains as much as he could. Sam had an absolutely wonderful ministry after the war was over. It would take another message just to tell you how God used this man. He was fruitful. He was faithful. He was blessed. And he finally went home to be with the Lord on May the 21st, 1919. Inscribed on his tombstone are these words: "A faithful minister of the gospel. A brave Confederate officer."
#61 | 52:38 to 53:19 | cleaned
"An honorable and a useful life. I fought the good fight. I've kept faith." Here was a man that understood biblical principles, that lived a godly, holy life, not only during the war, but after the war, and had a very extensive, fruitful ministry. Sam Chapman, Mosby's fighting parson, the right-hand man of John Singleton Mosby. And as Mosby said, he was one of the bravest men that I have ever known.
#62 | 53:20 to 54:03 | cleaned
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love, for your mercy, for your goodness and your kindness. And Lord, we rejoice to hear about men like Sam Chapman. Men who are not only brave and courageous, but men who were holy and godly. Men whom, Lord, you used not only in defending their lives and their families and their liberties, but Lord, men that you used in spreading the Gospel and the principles and truth of thy Word and building up thy Kingdom and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage us, Lord.
#63 | 54:05 to 54:40 | cleaned
May we learn to fight the good fight, to lay hold of eternal life and be faithful and true no matter what. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, P-M-B 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406.
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Or give us a call at 912. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com.
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Sam Chapman

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver delivers a historical biblical message on Sam Chapman, a Baptist preacher and Confederate officer known as Mosby's Fighting Parson. The sermon recounts Chapman's life, his fearless combat with Mosby's Rangers, and draws biblical principles on courage, fighting with all one's might, and trusting God with consequences.

Introduction and Biblical Foundation

Weaver introduces Psalm 144:1 and the concept of fighting parsons throughout history, setting the stage for the story of Sam Chapman.

Historical Fighting Parsons

Examples of fighting parsons from the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States are given, including James Caldwell, Peter Muhlenberg, Leonidas Polk, and William Pendleton.

Preachers in the Ranks

Accounts of entire companies and regiments composed of preachers and ministerial students, such as the Preacher's Regiment from Mississippi and the Parsons Regiment from Arkansas.

Sam Chapman: Mosby's Right Arm

Introduction to Sam Chapman, his background, education under Jedediah Hotchkiss, conversion, and call to ministry.

Chapman's Early Military Service

Chapman enlists in the Warren Rifles, serves in the Dixie Artillery, and later joins Mosby's Rangers, where he earns a reputation for fearlessness.

The Battle of Miskel's Farm

A detailed account of the surprise attack at Miskel's Farm, where Chapman and the Rangers, though outnumbered and boxed in, fight fiercely and win a decisive victory.

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."

Stop and think about that. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Do you realize if our hearts are not in a fight, we will probably not win.

Biblical Principles from the Battle

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 10:10-12

"And the rest of the people he delivered at the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee."

Now watch verse 12.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 10:10-12

"Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good."

Chapman's Wounding and Marriage

Chapman is severely wounded, experiences God's providence through his recovery, and marries Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who nursed him back to health.

Further Exploits and Humorous Incidents

Stories of Chapman's courage, including the attack on Guard Hill and a humorous exchange with a captured Yankee captain.

No Mercy for the Merciless

Account of Yankee looting and destruction, and the Rangers' retaliation with no quarter, tied to James 2:13 on judgment without mercy.

Scripture Reading — James 2:13

"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

War's End and Chapman's Legacy

Mosby disbands his men, the emotional farewell, and Chapman's post-war ministry and death, with his tombstone inscription.

Closing Prayer

Weaver prays, thanking God for men like Sam Chapman and asking for courage to fight the good fight.

Or give us a call at 912. You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com.

Sam Chapman

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	82512035217
Subject	Education and Discipleship
Course	Christian Education and Discipleship
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-07-29
Dictation Name
Book	Book 073: Christian Education and Discipleship — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	65

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Biblical Foundation: Weaver introduces Psalm 144:1 and the concept of fighting parsons throughout history, setting the stage for the story of Sam Chapman.
Historical Fighting Parsons: Examples of fighting parsons from the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States are given, including James Caldwell, Peter Muhlenberg, Leonidas Polk, and William Pendleton.
Preachers in the Ranks: Accounts of entire companies and regiments composed of preachers and ministerial students, such as the Preacher's Regiment from Mississippi and the Parsons Regiment from Arkansas.
Sam Chapman: Mosby's Right Arm: Introduction to Sam Chapman, his background, education under Jedediah Hotchkiss, conversion, and call to ministry.
Chapman's Early Military Service: Chapman enlists in the Warren Rifles, serves in the Dixie Artillery, and later joins Mosby's Rangers, where he earns a reputation for fearlessness.
The Battle of Miskel's Farm: A detailed account of the surprise attack at Miskel's Farm, where Chapman and the Rangers, though outnumbered and boxed in, fight fiercely and win a decisive victory.
Biblical Principles from the Battle: Weaver draws three principles: do everything with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10), use strength and courage and leave consequences to God (2 Samuel 10:12), and fight for your families and brethren (Nehemiah 4:14).
Chapman's Wounding and Marriage: Chapman is severely wounded, experiences God's providence through his recovery, and marries Eliza Rebecca Elgin, who nursed him back to health.
Further Exploits and Humorous Incidents: Stories of Chapman's courage, including the attack on Guard Hill and a humorous exchange with a captured Yankee captain.
No Mercy for the Merciless: Account of Yankee looting and destruction, and the Rangers' retaliation with no quarter, tied to James 2:13 on judgment without mercy.
War's End and Chapman's Legacy: Mosby disbands his men, the emotional farewell, and Chapman's post-war ministry and death, with his tombstone inscription.
Closing Prayer: Weaver prays, thanking God for men like Sam Chapman and asking for courage to fight the good fight.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God teaches His people to fight

Using Psalm 144:1, Weaver argues that God equips believers for warfare, both physical and spiritual, as He did with David.

David said, 'Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.' You must remember that David was a shepherd... but God taught David to fight.

Boldness often wins the fight

At Miskel's Farm, the Rangers' aggressive counterattack, despite being surrounded, led to victory, demonstrating that boldness can overcome dire odds.

Sam and the rest of the Rangers believed that the boldest front often wins the fight. And so Sam and the men... began to attack the Yankees absolutely fiercely.

Leave consequences to God

From 2 Samuel 10:12, Joab's words teach that after doing all we can, we must trust God with the outcome.

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people... and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. We're going to do what we can and leave the consequences to God.

Mercy has limits

The Yankees' merciless treatment of civilians resulted in their own destruction without mercy, illustrating the biblical warning of James 2:13.

No mercy was allowed... When the last of them were cornered, they tried to surrender. But surrender was not a word to be used that day... Their day of grace was passed.

Providence in suffering

Chapman's severe wounding led to his marriage and future ministry, showing that God can bring good out of painful circumstances.

Sam's wounding produced a great blessing... the one who ministered to him... was young Eliza Rebecca Elgin... within a year she became Mrs. Samuel Chapman.

Scripture References

Psalm 144:1: Introduction: David blesses God for teaching his hands to war, used to introduce the concept of a fighting parson.
Ecclesiastes 9:10: First principle from Miskel's Farm: do everything with all your might.
2 Samuel 10:10-12: Second principle: Joab's words to Abishai about courage and leaving consequences to God.
Nehemiah 4:14: Third principle: fight for your families and homes.
James 2:13: Judgment without mercy for those who show no mercy, applied to the Yankees' fate.
Hosea 1:6: God's declaration of no more mercy on Israel, illustrating that mercy can cease.

Historical References

James Caldwell: Presbyterian pastor in the Revolutionary War; his wife Hannah was shot by a British soldier.
Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg: Revolutionary War pastor who fought.
General Leonidas Polk: Episcopalian pastor and Confederate general, founder of the School of the South in Suwannee, Tennessee.
General William Nelson Pendleton: Episcopal pastor and chief of artillery for Robert E. Lee; named his guns Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
General Mark Lowry: Baptist pastor and Confederate general known as a fighting parson.
Preacher's Regiment (Mississippi): A whole company of pastors from Mississippi.
9th Arkansas (Parsons Regiment): Regiment with 42 ordained ministers, commanded by Methodist preacher Colonel Bradley.
Mississippi College Rifles: Practically the entire student body and faculty enlisted together, 104 strong.
Jedediah Hotchkiss: Noted cartographer for Stonewall Jackson; Sam Chapman studied under him at age 12.
Battle of First Manassas: Sam Chapman's first battle; the Warren Rifles suffered one killed and seventeen wounded.

Important Quotes

He was a Baptist preacher who prayed through a six-shooter, which he claimed was the most efficacious form of prayer, especially in dealing with Yankees.

Mosby's description of Chapman's unique blend of faith and fighting, encapsulating the 'fighting parson' persona.

He was just in front of me. He was generally in front of everybody in a fight.

Mosby's testimony to Chapman's exceptional courage and leadership in battle.

I never felt like shooting a man who was running away.

Chapman's chivalrous response when asked why he didn't shoot fleeing Yankees, revealing his character.

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.

Key biblical principle from Joab, used to teach reliance on God after doing one's duty.

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Scripture applied to the Yankees' fate, emphasizing the moral law of retribution.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does Psalm 144:1 challenge or affirm your view of God's role in equipping believers for conflict, whether spiritual or physical?

[Context]

Weaver opens with David's blessing of God for teaching his hands to war, setting the theme of divine enablement in battle.

[Question]

In what areas of your life do you need to apply Ecclesiastes 9:10—doing whatever your hand finds to do with all your might?

[Context]

The first principle drawn from the Battle of Miskel's Farm emphasizes wholehearted effort.

[Question]

What does it look like practically to 'play the men' and leave the consequences to God in your current battles?

[Context]

From 2 Samuel 10:12, Joab's example of courage and trust in God's sovereignty.

[Question]

How can we balance the call to show mercy with the reality that there is a time when mercy ceases, as seen in James 2:13 and the Rangers' actions?

[Context]

The sermon recounts the Yankees receiving no mercy after showing none, raising questions about justice and mercy.

[Question]

Sam Chapman's wounding led to his marriage and future ministry. Can you share a time when God brought unexpected good out of a painful situation in your life?

[Context]

Weaver highlights God's mysterious providence in Chapman's recovery and marriage.

Applications

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