The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family

Confederate Sacrifices

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2006-12-17

Synopsis: John Weaver contrasts modern comfort with the sacrificial living of Confederate ancestors, using historical examples to argue that regaining liberty requires a return to biblical principles and a spirit of sacrifice.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles today to Romans chapter 12. And I am going to bring a message today that is going to be just a little different. And the reason I'm bringing the message today is because we will not be here next Sunday. And the message that I have prepared for the following Sunday will be in two messages. So rather than divide them up by missing a Sunday, wanted to bring this today for you, and the message is entitled, now listen carefully, and I'm going to explain it, Confederate Sacrifices. So look in Romans 12, 1 and 2, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Several years ago, I spoke in Savannah, Georgia at the Monument on Confederate Memorial Day, and I brought about a 15-minute message on Confederate sacrifices.

[John Weaver] Well, this past week or the last several weeks. I've been reading several excellent, wonderful books and I'm going to recommend them to you just shortly. And my heart was so moved and so touched that I went back and looked at that message and I reworked it and I added a great deal to it. And I want to bring it because there are things in there that I believe that all of us need.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that The word sacrifice and it occurs over and over in the Bible. We use that term regularly. The term sacrifice is a word that is very easily pronounced. It is frequently used, but it is hardly ever exercised. And I'm going to be absolutely honest with you, as I have been reading some of these history books. I have become absolutely convinced that we know absolutely nothing about sacrifice. We know nothing about sacrificial living. We know nothing about suffering. We know nothing about doing without for standing for truth and righteousness and principle.

[John Weaver] We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. That's why most people are in debt over their eyeballs. They have no idea of what it means to wait. We want it, and we want it now. And everything in this day and age, have you ever noticed, is instant. I mean, we have instant banking, we have instant coffee, and God forbid we even have instant grits today. Just stop and think how we are so inclined to getting everything that we want when we want it. The truth is, most of us probably do not even know the definition of the word sacrifice, even from a secular standpoint. But Webster's Dictionary says this, sacrifice, listen carefully, destruction, surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object. I think that's interesting, destruction or surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object. I'm just simply going to point out that I believe, really and truly, the last group of people to really understand sacrifice and to really understand suffering were our Confederate ancestors.

[John Weaver] Those people who lived during the War of Northern Aggression here in the South. They understood sacrificial living. They understood sacrificial giving because to them it was a way of life. And they were willing, listen to me now, they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence, in order that they might stand for principle and truth.

[John Weaver] Now, sacrifice did not begin nor end with the Southern leaders. I could just sit here today and name Southern leader after Southern leader, and you could understand they were men and women of sacrificial living. For instance, General Robert E. Lee. He sacrificed his home and his wealth. Everyone knows Arlington National Cemetery. But what many people do not know is that was Robert Lee's home. It was stolen from him by the North and then they buried federal troops on it so he would not want it back. He not only sacrificed his home and his wealth, he was a man that lived sacrificially on a daily basis. One day when General Ewell was visiting Robert E. Lee, Robert E. Lee asked General Ewell if he would stay and have supper with him. And General Ewell said that he would love to, but he just could not and did not have time. that he had to leave and get back to his men, and General Lee then insisted that General Ewell take his supper. And General Ewell graciously received the supper, and as he rode away, he unwrapped the supper and found it to be two small, cold, sweet potatoes.

[John Weaver] And that happened to be one of General Lee's favorite foods, but that was all he had. And he gave it to General Ewell. During the siege of Petersburg, General Lee was invited to a very wealthy home and they were having Thanksgiving dinner. And General Lee became embarrassed because his hostess observed him hoarding his piece of turkey and not eating it and trying to keep everything separate from the turkey. And when she asked him what he was doing, he was embarrassed and said, well, the truth was He wanted to save his portion of the turkey so he could carry it to one of his sick staff officers who had had nothing but sweet potato coffee and cornbread for several days. Now here's a man that would not even eat turkey in order that he might give it to one of his staff officers. Shortly thereafter, when General Lee got back to camp, there was a whole barrel of turkey sent to him by the same gracious host and hostess, and there was a turkey in the barrel for himself and each of his staff officers.

[John Weaver] When the barrel was opened and they saw the turkeys, General E said, well, I'm thankful for the turkey, but I'd rather mine be sent to the hospital so those wounded men will have something good to eat. And when the other staff officers saw the graciousness and generosity of General Lee, they said, well, ours too. So, the whole barrel of turkeys were packed back up and sent to the hospital.

[John Weaver] So, here are individuals that know what it means to sacrifice. Now, listen, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he entered into the war, was worth over a million and a half dollars. Now you've got to remember, back in that time, it was a million and a half gold dollars. If you were to compare that to our worthless Federal Reserve notes today, Nathan Bedford Forrest would have been a multi-millionaire many times over. And what many people do not know is General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he raised his brigade, when he raised his own unit, he equipped those men with horses, saddles, weapons, out of his own pocket. And when the war ended, Nathan Bedford Forrest was basically a pauper. He was penniless.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there were multitudes of individuals who sacrificed, who were willing to sacrifice. There is a Francis Bartow camp in Savannah, and I think Roy is a member of that camp, It's one of the largest camps in the state, an SCB camp, and it was named after Francis Bartow of Savannah, who was a Georgia congressman. And when there was a measure introduced into the legislature that would compromise and allow the Port of Savannah to stay open, Francis Bartow arose and said this. He said, let desolation come if it must upon Savannah. Let every ship liner port in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season that he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity and the fair fame and the honor of the state of Georgia.

[John Weaver] Needless to say, he was not a modern-day politician, nor was he a member of the Better Business Bureau. He said, I'm willing for everything to rot and go to pieces before we will compromise our honor and our principles.

[John Weaver] Now, it was not simply the rich who sacrificed. Everyone sacrificed. In fact, the little man sacrificed just like the wealthy. You know, sometimes today we stand amazed at individuals who give millions of dollars for humanitarian purposes. But do you realize, folks, giving millions of dollars is not much. if you have millions left. Stop and think about that. If I had $30 or $40 million, I could afford to give away $2 or $3 million.

[John Weaver] But do you remember what our Lord said as He watched the people who cast their money into the treasury in the temple? All of these wealthy people came in, and the Bible says that they cast in of their abundance. And along came this little widow woman, and she cast in two mites. Not even a penny. And what did our Lord say? Verily, this woman had cast in more than all the rest because they cast in of their abundance, but she cast in of her penury and her want.

[John Weaver] She gave everything that she had. So her sacrifice was basically far greater than those who'd given far more than her. When you remember the war, That war was referred to as a rich man's war and a poor man's fight because it affected the poor and the middle man a whole lot more than it did the rich man. It was usually the poor or the common men and women who suffered.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to give you several illustrations today and I hope some of these will not only touch your heart, but I hope they'll encourage you to do some reading. Just to show you the condition of the Confederate soldier later on during the war and what some of these men went through. I hope what I'm about to share with you will be very touching to you. I really do.

[John Weaver] Reverend or Pastor Robert J. Burdette was a Union chaplain. He was a federal soldier. And this incident that I'm about to tell you occurred at the Battle of Corinth, after the battle was over. In fact, he wrote concerning this battle and especially concerning this incident. And this incident demonstrates the physical condition of the Confederate soldiers who fought for independence. I want you to listen to what he said.

[John Weaver] He had a man helping him. The battle was over. They were clearing the dead and the wounded from the battlefield. So he writes this. He said, We found a dead Confederate soldier lying on his back, his outstretched fingers stretched across the stock of the rifle lying by his side. He was one of Rogers' Texans. Fifty-seven of them we had found lying in the ditch at Fort Robinette.

[John Weaver] I covered his face with a slouch hat and took off the haversack that was slung to his neck that it might not swing as we carried him to his sleeping chamber so cool, quiet, and dark after the savage tumult and dust and smoke after that day of horror. As he took the haversack off the Confederate soldier, The gentleman who was helping him said this, empty isn't it? Asked the soldier working with me.

[John Weaver] I put my hand in it and drew forth a handful of roasted acorns. I showed them to my comrade. That's all I said. And he's been fighting like a tiger for two days on that forage. We gazed at the face of the dead soldier with new feelings. By and by, my comrade said, I hate this war and the things that caused it. I was taught to hate slavery before I was taught to hate sin.

[John Weaver] I love the Union and I love my mother better. I think that this is the wickedest war that was ever waged in modern times, but this, and he took some of the acorns from my hand, this, he says, is what I call patriotism. Comrade, I'm going to send these acorns to the Peoria transcript. I want them to tell the editor that this war won't be ended until there's a total failure of the acorn crop. I want the folks at home to know what manner of men that we and they are fighting.

[John Weaver] He writes, this was my early experience as a soldier, and it never changed my opinion of the cause of the Confederacy. I was more and more devoted to the Union as the war went on, but I never questioned the sincerity of the men in the Confederacy again. I realized how dearly a man must love his own state, who would fight for it on parched acorns. I wish that his love and patriotism had been broader, reaching from the Gulf to the lakes, a love for the Union rather than for the state. But I understood him. I hated his attitude toward the Union as much as I admired the man. And after Corinth, the pastor says, I could never get a prisoner halfway to the rear and have anything left in my haversack."

[John Weaver] In other words, he had to feed them. Then he says this, O I too have suffered the pains of hunger for my dear country, as all soldiers have done now and then, but not as that Confederate soldier did. We went hungry at times when rain and mud, or the interference of the enemy, detained our supply train. But that man was half starved. That's different. Other haversacks we found that night on current fill, had a slight ration in them.

[John Weaver] Sometimes it was a chunk of corn pone. I used to think that hard tack filled the order for concrete breakfast slab, but corn pone a week old reconciled me to soft food. Hard tack for mine. So the southern people loved the states for which they suffered and fought." Signed, Reverend Robert J. Burdett, a Union soldier. You know something, folks? We cannot even conceive of living on roast acorns for several days. We cannot even conceive of going hungry for several days. It was not just that southern men fought on empty stomachs. Many times they rode and they marched on empty stomachs as well. And oftentimes it was sheer exhaustion that claimed the lives of these men.

[John Weaver] I'm reading a book now, and I did not bring it to show you this morning, but I would highly recommend the book. The book was written by John Newman Edwards. John Newman Edwards was the editor of the Kansas City Star. He was a southern man. He was also adjutant to General Joe Shelby. So what John Newman Edwards writes in this book, Shelby and His Men, and it's just simply a book about the exploits, basically, of General Joe Shelby, a lot of the battles that they fought and the men that he had and what they went through. And John Newman Edwards was there.

[John Weaver] So this is an eyewitness. This is a first-hand account. And John Newman Edwards wrote this, and I want you to think about this. Listen to me, please, as I read this. I don't read that much. I'm going to read a little bit today because this has to sink down into our understandings of what our forefathers went through. Shelby is chasing a Union officer by the name of Cockrell.

[John Weaver] There's already been a battle. Cockrell has been defeated. He's withdrawn his troops. He's on the run. And Shelby is trying to parallel him and get in front of him in order that he can destroy the enemy. Listen to this. While this pursuit was fiercest, Captain Shelby gathered up his raw recruits and followed after Cockrell on a parallel and lower line with speed as great and anxiety as heavy.

[John Weaver] Though cohesive power of danger is probably stronger than any other. And in all that long line of undisciplined horsemen, fresh from the balmy breezes and downy beds, not one faltered, not one missed answer in the constant roll calls. So, Shelby has a lot of raw recruits. And they keep giving these roll calls to make sure that, you know, who's alive and who has fallen out, etc. And they're chasing Cockrell.

[John Weaver] Now remember, rest and refuge were almost gained. Crazy and blinded from eight days and nights of uninterrupted watching, writing, and marching, the command staggered into camp on the little stream at Coon Creek. days of uninterrupted riding, marching, watching, listen. They staggered into the camp on that little stream of Coon Creek in Jasper County to snatch a few hours sleep before nightfall, before the march resumed, for Captain Shelby had wisely determined to leave nothing to chance that might be accomplished by energy. To those unacquainted with the effects produced by loss of sleep, The sensations would be novel and almost incredible. Now listen, about the third night, that is the third night without any sleep, all you're doing is marching, writing, watching. About the third night, an indescribable feeling settles down upon the brain.

[John Weaver] Every sound is distinct and painfully acute. The air seems filled with exquisite music. Cities and towns rise up on every hand, crowned with spires and radiated with ten thousand beacons." What's he talking about? You're hallucinating. You're seeing things that are not there. He says,"...long lines of armed men are on every side, while the sounds of bugles and harsh words of command are incessantly repeated." You're hearing things over and over. They aren't there, but you're hearing them.

[John Weaver] often upon almost boundless prairies, destitute of tree or brush, the tormented dozer, that is the man who's sleeping while he's riding his horse, turns suddenly from some fancied oak or mechanically lowers his head to avoid some sweeping and pitted branches which are not there. Beyond the third night, stolid stupor generally prevails and an almost total insensibility to pain, are you listening? Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad, and not a few cases of hopeless idiocy have resulted from his terrible raids.

[John Weaver] On the march, men have dropped from the saddle, unawakened by the fall, while more than on a dozen occasions his rear guard has pricked the lagging sleeper with savor until the blunt spouted without changing a muscle. from their bloated, blotched, sleeping faces. Can you imagine going three days and three nights without sleep? What about four? What about five? What about eight? Can you imagine being so sleepy that you fall from a horse? And the fall doesn't even awaken you. Someone comes along and pricks you with a saber until the blood spurts. And you're still unawakened.

[John Weaver] The privations, the suffering and the sacrifices These people made for independence, for liberty, for freedom. It's absolutely phenomenal. And the amazing thing is, most of these men and women, I'm going to tell about that too, did so willingly without complaining. They were ready to make the sacrifices. One of the best books, I'd like to recommend this book, especially to our ladies, and I'm going to tell you men, You would benefit from this as well. You need to read this book, Life in Dixie During the War.

[John Weaver] It was written by Mary A.H. Gay. And Miss Gay was alive and suffered during Sherman's March, lived in Decatur, Georgia, just to read What some of these dear ladies and children went through would blow your socks off. You talk about absolute horror. On page 207 in this book, in order to provide food for her mother and herself, and by the way, some of the other neighbors who were starving, I want you to listen to this. Let me just read this. What is it, Ma? Has anything happened? No? Only Maggie Benedict has been crying as if her heart would break, saying that her children are begging her for bread, but she has none to give them.

[John Weaver] Give me a little of the meal or hominy that you have, that we may not starve until we get something else to eat, and then take the remainder to her, that she may cook it as quickly as possible for her suffering children. Are you listening? We had spent the preceding day in picking out grains of corn from cracks and crevices in bureau drawers and other improvised troughs for federal horses, as well as gathering up that which was scattered upon the ground. That which was scattered upon the ground was that which had passed through the horses, undigested. In this way, by diligent and persevering work, about a half a bushel was obtained from the now deserted camping ground of Gerard's cavalry, and this corn was thoroughly washed and dried, and carried by means of lethal to a poor little mill, which had escaped conflagration, because too humble to attract attention, and ground into coarse meal.

[John Weaver] Returning from the mill, and carrying myself a portion of the meal, I saw in the distance my mother coming to meet me, apprehensive of evil, I ran to meet her. What is it, Ma? Has anything happened? Which then she tells her about Maggie Benedict and the children. And they cook the corn in advance because they know the children will be too impatient to wait. They cook it and make mush out of it and corn pone and they carry it to this starving little widow woman and her children before they eat themselves. When you read this book, she then undertakes a trip of probably 100 to 200 miles round trip to take this little widow woman and her two children to a family up in Tennessee from Decatur, Georgia now.

[John Weaver] She has a black servant fix some type of wagon just out of what's available. She goes to the cane breaks and rescues a United States Calvary horse that has been turned loose because of sores on his back and he's almost emaciated. She rescues the horse and she brings him and tries to feed him a little bit and gets him a little bit of energy and hooks him up to this wagon and she walks beside the horse while the little widow woman and her children ride with their few pieces of luggage all the way to where they're going. And then she turns around and walks back, not riding the horse because the horse is too emaciated. She and the horse become really good friends and she gets to keep the horse. And later on, by the way, she had named him Yankee because he was a U.S. horse. And later on, she said he was so loving and so kind and so faithful to her and to the Southern cause. She confessed that he was not a Yankee.

[John Weaver] He was a rebel after all. And she changed his name to Johnny Rebs. But just to read what these ladies went through is just unbelievable. And how they were willing to share. Let me just read you one other article here. This is just amazing. After meanly renewed vows of allegiance to our cause and expression of a willing submission to the consequences of defeat, privations and evil dyer, if need be, with my morning orson, yet I could not be oblivious to the fact that I was hungry, very hungry.

[John Weaver] And there was another whose footsteps were becoming more and more feeble day by day, that's your mother, and whose voice when heard at all was full of the pathos of despair, I needed nourishment that could not be obtained in consolation which it seemed a mockery to offer." Now, to read of their faith and their trust in the Lord in this is unbelievable. But, she says, in vain did I look around for relief.

[John Weaver] Remember, Sherman had come through. By the way, chimneys standing alone, the houses having been burned, were known as Sherman's Sentinels. And when Sherman came through Georgia, he killed every horse, every cow, every pig, every chicken, anything that he and his men could not eat, they mutilated and they killed so that no Southerners could eat them. And by the way, I'm going to remind you of this. I did not bring the quote with me, but you remember when I preached that message on the Union's war against women and children. It was General Sherman who wrote to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said, there is a class of people, men, women, and children who must be killed if this war is to be won and this land is to be confiscated. And Stanton wrote him back and said, your letter of such and such date has reached me and I concur. So Sherman knew what he was doing.

[John Weaver] He purposely slaughtered everything so that no one could live in the South. She writes, In vain did I look around for relief. There was nothing left in the country to eat, yea, a crow flying over it would have failed to discover a morsel with which to appease its hunger. For Sheridan, General Sheridan, by another name, that is Sherman, had been there with his minions of destruction, and had ruthlessly destroyed every vestige of food and every means of support. Every larder was empty, and those with thousands and ten thousands of dollars were as poor as the poorest men and hungry too. Packing trunks in every house of which refugees had returned contained large amounts of Confederate money. We had invested all we possessed except our home in land of Negroes, in Confederate bonds, and these now were insufficient for purposes of purchasing.

[John Weaver] Gold and silver had we none. A few more favored had little more desirable mediums of purchase, and sent great distances for supplies, but they offered no relief to those who had stayed at home and borne the brunt of the battle and save their property from the destroyer's torch. What was I to do? Sit down and wait for the inevitable starvation? No. I was not made of such stuff.

[John Weaver] I had heard that there had been a provision store open in Atlanta for the purposes of bartering provisions for munitions of war, anything that could be utilized in warfare. Many balls were particularly desirable. I therefore took Talitha, her little black servant girl, by the apron and had a little talk with her. And when I was When I was through, she understood that something was up that would bring relief to certain organs that had become quite troublesome in their demands, and she was anxious to take part in the performance, whatever that might be. I went also to my mother and imparted to her my plans of operation, and she took that pathetic little backward step peculiar to herself on occasions which tried her soul, and with quivering lips she ascended in approving, though almost inaudible, words. with a basket in either hand and a competent bajalita who carried one that would hold about a peck, and two old dull taste knives, I started to the battlefields around Atlanta to pick up the former missiles of death to exchange for food to keep us from starving.

[John Weaver] Now listen, it was a cold day. The wind was sharp and over the ground denuded of forest trees and undergrowth. The wind was blowing a miniature gale. Our ramps were inadequate. and how chilled we became in that rude November blast. Mark you, it was the 30th of November, 1864, but the colder we were, the faster we walked, and in an incredible short time, we were upon the battlefield searching for lead.

[John Weaver] I made it a point to keep very near the road in the direction of Atlanta, and soon found myself on the very spot where the Confederate magazine stood, the blowing up of which, by Confederate orders, shook the very earth and was distantly and distinctly heard 35 or 40 miles distant. An exclamation of glad surprise from Talitha carried me to her. She had found a bonanza and was rapidly filling her basket with that which was more valuable to us than gold.

[John Weaver] In a marshy place, encrusted with ice, innumerable bullets, miniballs, and pieces of lead seemed to have been left by the irony of fate to supply sustenance to hungry ones and employment to the poor as all the winter to those without money to send more favored and disappoints found sure rewards for this lead mine. It was so cold. Our feet was almost frozen. Our hands had commenced to bleed and handling cold, rough lead cramped them so badly that I feared we would have to desist from our work before filling the baskets. Lead, blood, tears, oh how suggestive. Lead, blood and tears mingled and commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away. They would assert themselves and pawl upon the lead stained with blood. God of mercy, if this be thy holy will, give me fortitude to bear it uncomplainingly, was the heartfelt invocation that went up to the throne of grace over and over, lead, blood, and tears that fearful day. For relief, tears did not suffice.

[John Weaver] I wanted to cry aloud. Nature would not be satisfied with less, and I cried like a baby, long and loud. Talitha caught the spirit of grief and cried too. This emulation of feelings on her part brought me to a realization of my duty to her, as well as to my poor, patient mother, to whom the day must seem very long, and I tried to stifle my sobs and lamentations.

[John Weaver] I wondered if she had the forebodings of coming bereavement that were lacerating my own heart. I did not doubt that she had, and I cried in sympathy for her. At length our baskets were filled, and we took our line of march to the desolated city. There were no labyrinths to tread, no streets to follow, and an occasional question secured information that enabled us to find the commissary without delay.

[John Weaver] Now listen to what this little Negro servant did. Talitha was very ambitious that I should appear a lady, and wanted me to deposit my load of lead behind some place of concealment while we went on to deliver hers. and then let her come back for mine. But I was too much of a Confederate soldier for that, and walked bravely in with my heavy, precious load. A courteous gentleman in faded gray uniform, evidently discharged because of wounds received in battle, approached and asked what he could do for me. I have heard that you give provisions for lead, I replied, and I have brought some to exchange.

[John Weaver] What seemed to be an interminable silence ensued, and I felt without seeing that I was undergoing a sympathetic scrutiny, and that I was recognized as a lady to the manner born. "'What would you like in exchange?' he asked. "'If you have some sugar and coffee and meal, and a little of each, if you please,' I timidly said. I left nothing to eat at home. The baskets of lead were removed to the rear and weighed in due time, returned to me filled to the brim with sugar, coffee, flour, meal lard, and the nicest meat I had ever seen in a long time.

[John Weaver] Oh sir, I said, I did not expect so much. You have not yet received what is due you, this good man replied, and handed me a certificate which assured me would secure as much more on my presentation. Joy had gone out of my life, and I felt no thrill of that kind. But I can never describe the satisfaction I experienced as I lifted two of those baskets and saw Talitha grasp the other one and turn my face homeward.

[John Weaver] Some of the ladies who went on to dig for many balls and in a lead mine lost their fingers to frostbite. And yet they were doing it just simply to keep themselves and their neighbors alive. There is a Confederate song. That is one of my favorites. Some of you may know the tune, you may not know the words, I did not bring all the words. But the name of the song is the homespun dress. And I'm going to confess to you the first time I ever heard that song. I cried.

[John Weaver] I wept like a baby. And the reason I did was because when you look at the Southern ladies during that time, you could see character, honor, determination. And you look around today and you see how we have deteriorated and it'll break your heart. But I want you to listen to the first two stanzas of the Holmes Bund dress. Oh, yes, I am a southern girl and glory in the name and boasted with far greater pride than glittering wealth or fame.

[John Weaver] We envy not the northern girl her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair. They said, we're not concerned about all those things. Here's the chorus. Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear. The ladies in the South during this time, they didn't have anything. They just made whatever they could make. Here's the second stanza. The homespun dress is plain, I know. My hat's palmetto, too. But then it shows what Southern girls for Southern rights will do.

[John Weaver] We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hoorah, hoorah for the sunny South so dear. Three cheers for the homeless fun dress that Southern ladies wear. Sacrificial living, sacrificial giving, sacrificial efforts were put out to preserve the independence and the freedom and the liberty that we enjoyed under the Constitution back in the 1860s. And may I point out this simple truth, that it is sacrificial living and sacrificial giving and sacrificing efforts that is needed today in order to restore that same independence. The truth of the matter is this, folks.

[John Weaver] We live in a day of plenty. We've never gone hungry. We've never done without. We've never suffered like these people. And the truth is, most of us are unwilling to sacrifice the way they did. The point I'm trying to make is this folks, liberty, freedom, independence, honor, character, integrity meant far more to the people of the 1860's than it does to us today in 2006 and 2007. But we'll never ever regain what we've lost until we learn to sacrifice.

[John Weaver] Let me give you an illustration. I was visiting in Illinois. In fact, I was up there preaching. And the pastor of the church said, oh, by the way, there's been a new church building built about 20, 30 miles from here. He said, it is really exquisite. He said, I'd like to take you to see it if you'd like to go. I said, well, sure, I'd like to go and like to meet the pastor. Well, when we drove up, here was this exquisite brick building.

[John Weaver] I mean, it was an eye opener. It was a knockout building. It was a beautiful building. And when we went inside, here was the prettiest carpet you've ever laid eyes on. Very beautiful furniture. I mean, padded pews, yes, oak, stained glass windows, new pulpit. I mean, It was just simply top of the line. Well, the pastor came out and I was introduced to him and I said, well, I said, I want to tell you that I really like your building. I said, it is indeed a beautiful building. And the pastor looked at me and said. It's the worst thing that ever happened to us. He said, it's one of the biggest curses that's ever been placed upon us.

[John Weaver] I said, what are you talking about? I said, are you in debt? Oh, no. He said, we pay cash for this building. We don't owe a penny to anybody. We pay cash for everything. I said, well, I want you to explain to me how this building and paying cash for everything, Turns out to be the biggest curse and the worst thing that ever happened to this church. He said, well, you see. He said we had a lady, a widow lady in this church who died.

[John Weaver] And she left us about 20 million dollars. And he said part of that money built this beautiful building. and everything that you see. He said, we've got money in banks. We've got money in CDs. We've got money stacked everywhere coming out of our ears. I said, now go ahead and explain the curse. He said, well, you see, before she left us that money, we had a little building. We met together. We prayed together. Everybody tithed. Everybody gave. If we needed something, everybody sacrificed. He said, if something needed to be done, we had a work day and everyone came and did it.

[John Weaver] He says, now nobody gives, nobody ties. He said, if something tears up or we need something done, the people say, well, hire somebody to do it. We got the money. He said, we have the building. Well, we lost the church. And you stop and think about that, folks. We've got more in 2006 and 2007 than our ancestors could ever dream of having. In 1860s. But we've lost what they had. We don't understand sacrifice.

[John Weaver] Let me give you one illustration. There is a book I have in my library that is entitled Cry Heart. And it is stories and incidents that came out of this war. One of the most touching and one of the most revealing is a story of Edward Cooper, a young artillery man, who is being court-martialed for desertion in the winter of 1862 to 1863. Colonel A.C. Battle and a number of other officers were holding the court-martial. During this court-martial, case after case was called and disposed of very quickly until they got to the case of young Edward Cooper. When Colonel Battle asked him who his counsel was, Edward Cooper says, I have no counsel, sir.

[John Weaver] Well, he said, all right then, son. He said, if you're going to represent yourself, he says, call your witnesses. Young Edward Cooper said, I have no witnesses, sir. Colonel Battle became upset, and he said this. He said, have you no defense at all? Is it possible that you abandoned your comrades and deserted your colors without any reason? Young Edward Cooper replied, there was a reason, he said, but it will not avail me in a military court. Well, you may be mistaken, replied Colonel Battle. Young Edward Cooper then trembled. Tears filled his eyes. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and he handed it to Colonel Battle. He said, here, sir.

[John Weaver] This is what did it. This is what prompted me to desert my comrades. Colonel Battle read the paper and soon he was weeping. He passed it to each of the officers on the court martial board and tears soon filled their eyes. Here was the letter. It was from Edward Cooper's wife, Mary. She had written, My dear Edward, I've always been proud of you since your connection with the Confederate Army. And I've been prouder of you than ever before. And I would not have you to do anything wrong for the world, but before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die.

[John Weaver] Last night, I was roused by little Eddie crying, and I called and said, What's the matter, Eddie? And he said, Oh, mama, I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry. And Lucy, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she's growing thinner every day. And I repeat, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die. What did you do when you received this letter, asked Colonel Battle. Young Cooper said, I applied for a furlough, sir.

[John Weaver] And what was the answer? Furlough denied. What did you do then, he asked. I applied for another furlough. What was the answer? Furlough denied. And what then did you do, sir? I applied for another furlough and the answer came back. Furlough denied. And then he said, sir, one night as I was walking back and forth. Among the tents. He said I could hear Mary's words resounding in my brain.

[John Weaver] before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die. He said, I could hear my son begging for food. I could see my daughter dying. And he said, sir, all of a sudden, I was no longer a Confederate soldier. I was the husband of Mary and the father of Eddie and Lucy, and he said, sir, if every gun in the Confederate Army had been trained on me, I still would have gone home. Well, he said, sir, what brought you back?

[John Weaver] Why are you before this court-martial? Young Edward Cooper said, when I went home, he said, Barry ran out to meet me. And as she threw her arms around me, she whispered, oh, Edward, I'm so happy you got your furlough. She must have felt me shudder, he said. She turned pale as death, and catching her breath at every word, she said, O Edward, go back, go back.

[John Weaver] Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name. And he said, Here I am, sir, not brought back by the military powers, but been obedient to Mary's command to abide the decision of your court martial. As moved as all the officers were, they did their duty and pronounced Governor Edward Cooper guilty of desertion. I hope you know that desertion carries the death penalty. Thankfully, the proceedings of the court were sent to and reviewed by General Robert E. Lee. He endorsed the record and then sent back these words. Headquarters of Northern Virginia, the finding of this court is approved.

[John Weaver] The prisoner is pardoned and report to his company. Signed General Robert E. Lee. Many sacrificed. Some sacrificed all. You know what Jeff Davis said, you remember Jeff Davis was thrown in prison for two years without trial. He suffered immensely, had to send his family to Canada to avoid persecution. President Jefferson Davis said this after everything was over. He says, nothing fills me with deeper sadness than to see a Southern man apologizing for the defense that we made of our inheritance.

[John Weaver] Our cause was so just, so sacred, that had I known all that had come to pass, had I known what was to be inflicted upon me, and all that my country was to suffer, all that our posterity was to endure, I would do it all over again.

[John Weaver] Our cause was so just and so sacred. Had I known that all that I had to endure and what our country had to endure and our posterity, I would do it all over again. You know what one of our problems is today, folks? We have lost the spirit of sacrifice. We've put comfort and pleasure above everything else. Those few remaining Confederates in the South, unhappily most of the time have become country club Confederates. By that I mean this, we want the spoils of socialism and statism and fascism and at the same time we want states' rights and independence and those things just do not go together. And you know, when we do get someone who comes along with a little backbone and a little courage and a little determination to do what's right and wants to do what's right, unhappily, we won't support him. Why? We just have lost the spirit of sacrifice.

[John Weaver] We don't understand what it's going to take to regain our independence, our liberty, and our freedom. Now let me just show you something. If I were to ask you, what were the causes of the war? Think about this. What were the causes of that war? You can say, well now, Brother Weaver, one of the causes was states' rights or limited government. That's right. But let me tell you something. I can take my Bible and show you where limited government, limited civil government is taught clearly and distinctly in the Word of God. You say, well, Brother Weaver, another cause of that war was self-defense.

[John Weaver] I mean, we didn't invade the North. The North invaded us. Fine. I can take you to the Word of God and I can show you the biblical right of self-defense. You said, well, wait a minute. There was another cause of that war. That was economics, tariffs, taxes. Fine. I can take you to the Bible and show you what God has to say about tariffs and taxes. You said, but it was a religious war. Yes, it was. It was a religious war because the North was trying to impose their theology upon the South. The South was more Christian, more Calvinistic, more biblical. And the North was willing to introduce their Unitarianism, let me tell you. I can take you to the Bible and show you where we must stand against wickedness even in the area and in the field of religion. All I'm trying to show you is this, folks.

[John Weaver] Everything that our forefathers fought for, everything that they stood for, everything that they believed came straight out of this book. And we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage and our independence and our liberty and our freedom until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice. And we'll give all to restore what we lost. The greatest sacrifice that was ever given was when God the Father sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. And because of his sacrifice.

[John Weaver] We may now stand with him. And sacrifice for truth and liberty and freedom. I cannot read these books, these first hand accounts. Without feeling so shamed And so humiliated. Because I've done so little. When you read these. They ought to bring you to your knees before God. Mary Gay tells about how she walks into her house and her saintly, godly mother. Who is wasting away? The commissary where they had traded lead for food had been closed.

[John Weaver] Nothing left in the land. Nothing to eat. Mary walks in and looks at her mother and says, Oh, mother, the commissary is closed. What shall we do? And the old saintly mother says, The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. May God give us faith and character. Let's pray. Father, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us to understand the spirit of sacrifice, not only in Christ, but in Scripture and in the saints that have gone before us. Give us grace, dear Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask and pray, Amen.

Confederate Sacrifices

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3707172246
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-12-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	76

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message 'Confederate Sacrifices' and reads Romans 12:1-2, emphasizing the call to present our bodies as living sacrifices.

I want you to open your Bibles today to Romans chapter 12. And I am going to bring a message today that is going to be just a little different. And the reason I'm bringing the message today is because we will not be here next Sunday. And the message that I have prepared for the following Sunday will be in two messages. So rather than divide them up by missing a Sunday, I wanted to bring this today for you, and the message is entitled, now listen carefully, and I'm going to explain it, "Confederate Sacrifices." So look in Romans 12:1–2:

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Several years ago, I spoke in Savannah, Georgia at the Monument on Confederate Memorial Day, and I brought about a 15-minute message on Confederate sacrifices.

The Lost Art of Sacrifice

Weaver argues that modern society knows nothing about sacrifice, contrasting instant gratification with the sacrificial living of Confederate ancestors.

Do you realize that the word sacrifice occurs over and over in the Bible? We use that term regularly. The term sacrifice is a word that is very easily pronounced. It is frequently used, but it is hardly ever exercised. And I'm going to be absolutely honest with you, as I have been reading some of these history books, I have become absolutely convinced that we know absolutely nothing about sacrifice. We know nothing about sacrificial living. We know nothing about suffering. We know nothing about doing without for standing for truth and righteousness and principle.

We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. That's why most people are in debt over their eyeballs. They have no idea of what it means to wait. We want it, and we want it now. And everything in this day and age, have you ever noticed, is instant. I mean, we have instant banking, we have instant coffee, and God forbid we even have instant grits today. Just stop and think how we are so inclined to getting everything that we want when we want it. The truth is, most of us probably do not even know the definition of the word sacrifice, even from a secular standpoint. But Webster's Dictionary says this: sacrifice, listen carefully, "destruction, surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object." I think that's interesting, destruction or surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object. I'm just simply going to point out that I believe, really and truly, the last group of people to really understand sacrifice and to really understand suffering were our Confederate ancestors.

Those people who lived during the War of Northern Aggression here in the South. They understood sacrificial living. They understood sacrificial giving because to them it was a way of life. And they were willing, listen to me now, they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence, in order that they might stand for principle and truth.

Sacrificial Examples of Southern Leaders

Stories of Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest illustrate personal sacrifice, including Lee giving away his food and Forrest spending his fortune to equip his troops.

Now, sacrifice did not begin nor end with the Southern leaders. I could just sit here today and name Southern leader after Southern leader, and you could understand they were men and women of sacrificial living. For instance, General Robert E. Lee. He sacrificed his home and his wealth. Everyone knows Arlington National Cemetery. But what many people do not know is that was Robert E. Lee's home. It was stolen from him by the North and then they buried federal troops on it so he would not want it back. He not only sacrificed his home and his wealth, he was a man that lived sacrificially on a daily basis. One day when General Ewell was visiting Robert E. Lee, Robert E. Lee asked General Ewell if he would stay and have supper with him. And General Ewell said that he would love to, but he just could not and did not have time, that he had to leave and get back to his men, and General Lee then insisted that General Ewell take his supper. And General Ewell graciously received the supper, and as he rode away, he unwrapped the supper and found it to be two small, cold, sweet potatoes.

And that happened to be one of General Lee's favorite foods, but that was all he had. And he gave it to General Ewell. During the siege of Petersburg, General Lee was invited to a very wealthy home and they were having Thanksgiving dinner. And General Lee became embarrassed because his hostess observed him hoarding his piece of turkey and not eating it and trying to keep everything separate from the turkey. And when she asked him what he was doing, he was embarrassed and said, well, the truth was he wanted to save his portion of the turkey so he could carry it to one of his sick staff officers who had had nothing but sweet potato coffee and cornbread for several days. Now here's a man that would not even eat turkey in order that he might give it to one of his staff officers. Shortly thereafter, when General Lee got back to camp, there was a whole barrel of turkey sent to him by the same gracious host and hostess, and there was a turkey in the barrel for himself and each of his staff officers.

When the barrel was opened and they saw the turkeys, General Lee said, "Well, I'm thankful for the turkey, but I'd rather mine be sent to the hospital so those wounded men will have something good to eat." And when the other staff officers saw the graciousness and generosity of General Lee, they said, "Well, ours too." So, the whole barrel of turkeys were packed back up and sent to the hospital. So, here are individuals that know what it means to sacrifice. Now, listen, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he entered into the war, was worth over a million and a half dollars. Now you've got to remember, back in that time, it was a million and a half gold dollars. If you were to compare that to our worthless Federal Reserve notes today, Nathan Bedford Forrest would have been a multi-millionaire many times over. And what many people do not know is General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he raised his brigade, when he raised his own unit, he equipped those men with horses, saddles, weapons, out of his own pocket. And when the war ended, Nathan Bedford Forrest was basically a pauper. He was penniless.

Now, I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there were multitudes of individuals who sacrificed, who were willing to sacrifice. There is a Francis Bartow camp in Savannah, and I think Roy is a member of that camp. It's one of the largest camps in the state, an SCV camp, and it was named after Francis Bartow of Savannah, who was a Georgia congressman. And when there was a measure introduced into the legislature that would compromise and allow the Port of Savannah to stay open, Francis Bartow arose and said this. He said, "Let desolation come if it must upon Savannah. Let every ship liner port in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season that he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity and the fair fame and the honor of the state of Georgia."

Sacrifice Among the Common People

Weaver emphasizes that ordinary people also sacrificed, citing the widow's mite and the greater impact of war on the poor.

Now, it was not simply the rich who sacrificed. Everyone sacrificed. In fact, the little man sacrificed just like the wealthy. You know, sometimes today we stand amazed at individuals who give millions of dollars for humanitarian purposes. But do you realize, folks, giving millions of dollars is not much if you have millions left. Stop and think about that. If I had $30 or $40 million, I could afford to give away $2 or $3 million.

But do you remember what our Lord said as He watched the people who cast their money into the treasury in the temple? All of these wealthy people came in, and the Bible says that they cast in of their abundance. And along came this little widow woman, and she cast in two mites. Not even a penny. And what did our Lord say? "Verily, this woman hath cast in more than all the rest because they cast in of their abundance, but she cast in of her penury and her want." She gave everything that she had. So her sacrifice was basically far greater than those who'd given far more than her. When you remember the war, that war was referred to as a rich man's war and a poor man's fight because it affected the poor and the middle man a whole lot more than it did the rich man. It was usually the poor or the common men and women who suffered.

Now, I'm going to give you several illustrations today and I hope some of these will not only touch your heart, but I hope they'll encourage you to do some reading. Just to show you the condition of the Confederate soldier later on during the war and what some of these men went through. I hope what I'm about to share with you will be very touching to you. I really do.

The Hardships of Confederate Soldiers

A Union chaplain's account of a dead Confederate soldier with only roasted acorns in his haversack demonstrates extreme deprivation and patriotism.

Reverend or Pastor Robert J. Burdette was a Union chaplain. He was a federal soldier. And this incident that I'm about to tell you occurred at the Battle of Corinth, after the battle was over. In fact, he wrote concerning this battle and especially concerning this incident. And this incident demonstrates the physical condition of the Confederate soldiers who fought for independence. I want you to listen to what he said.

He had a man helping him. The battle was over. They were clearing the dead and the wounded from the battlefield. So he writes this. He said, "We found a dead Confederate soldier lying on his back, his outstretched fingers stretched across the stock of the rifle lying by his side. He was one of Rogers' Texans. Fifty-seven of them we had found lying in the ditch at Fort Robinette."

"I covered his face with a slouch hat and took off the haversack that was slung to his neck that it might not swing as we carried him to his sleeping chamber so cool, quiet, and dark after the savage tumult and dust and smoke after that day of horror." As he took the haversack off the Confederate soldier, the gentleman who was helping him said this, "Empty, isn't it?" asked the soldier working with me. "I put my hand in it and drew forth a handful of roasted acorns. I showed them to my comrade. 'That's all,' I said. 'And he's been fighting like a tiger for two days on that forage.' We gazed at the face of the dead soldier with new feelings. By and by, my comrade said, 'I hate this war and the things that caused it. I was taught to hate slavery before I was taught to hate sin.'"

"'I love the Union and I love my mother better. I think that this is the wickedest war that was ever waged in modern times, but this,' and he took some of the acorns from my hand, 'this,' he says, 'is what I call patriotism. Comrade, I'm going to send these acorns to the Peoria Transcript. I want them to tell the editor that this war won't be ended until there's a total failure of the acorn crop. I want the folks at home to know what manner of men that we and they are fighting.'" He writes, "This was my early experience as a soldier, and it never changed my opinion of the cause of the Confederacy. I was more and more devoted to the Union as the war went on, but I never questioned the sincerity of the men in the Confederacy again. I realized how dearly a man must love his own state, who would fight for it on parched acorns. I wish that his love and patriotism had been broader, reaching from the Gulf to the lakes, a love for the Union rather than for the state. But I understood him. I hated his attitude toward the Union as much as I admired the man. And after Corinth," the pastor says, "I could never get a prisoner halfway to the rear and have anything left in my haversack."

In other words, he had to feed them. Then he says this, "Oh, I too have suffered the pains of hunger for my dear country, as all soldiers have done now and then, but not as that Confederate soldier did. We went hungry at times when rain and mud, or the interference of the enemy, detained our supply train. But that man was half starved. That's different. Other haversacks we found that night on Corinth field had a slight ration in them." "Sometimes it was a chunk of corn pone. I used to think that hardtack filled the order for concrete breakfast slab, but corn pone a week old reconciled me to soft food. Hardtack for mine. So the Southern people loved the states for which they suffered and fought." Signed, Reverend Robert J. Burdett, a Union soldier. You know something, folks? We cannot even conceive of living on roasted acorns for several days. We cannot even conceive of going hungry for several days. It was not just that Southern men fought on empty stomachs. Many times they rode and they marched on empty stomachs as well. And oftentimes it was sheer exhaustion that claimed the lives of these men.

The Toll of Sleep Deprivation and Exhaustion

John Newman Edwards' eyewitness account describes soldiers going days without sleep, hallucinating, and suffering permanent mental damage.

I'm reading a book now, and I did not bring it to show you this morning, but I would highly recommend the book. The book was written by John Newman Edwards. John Newman Edwards was the editor of the Kansas City Star. He was a Southern man. He was also adjutant to General Joe Shelby. So what John Newman Edwards writes in this book, Shelby and His Men, and it's just simply a book about the exploits, basically, of General Joe Shelby, a lot of the battles that they fought and the men that he had and what they went through. And John Newman Edwards was there.

So this is an eyewitness. This is a first-hand account. And John Newman Edwards wrote this, and I want you to think about this. Listen to me, please, as I read this. I don't read that much. I'm going to read a little bit today because this has to sink down into our understandings of what our forefathers went through. Shelby is chasing a Union officer by the name of Cockrell.

There's already been a battle. Cockrell has been defeated. He's withdrawn his troops. He's on the run. And Shelby is trying to parallel him and get in front of him in order that he can destroy the enemy. Listen to this. "While this pursuit was fiercest, Captain Shelby gathered up his raw recruits and followed after Cockrell on a parallel and lower line with speed as great and anxiety as heavy."

"Though cohesive power of danger is probably stronger than any other. And in all that long line of undisciplined horsemen, fresh from the balmy breezes and downy beds, not one faltered, not one missed answer in the constant roll calls." So, Shelby has a lot of raw recruits. And they keep giving these roll calls to make sure that, you know, who's alive and who has fallen out, etc. And they're chasing Cockrell.

Now remember, "rest and refuge were almost gained. Crazy and blinded from eight days and nights of uninterrupted watching, riding, and marching, the command staggered into camp on the little stream at Coon Creek." Eight days of uninterrupted riding, marching, watching, listen. They staggered into the camp on that little stream of Coon Creek in Jasper County to snatch a few hours sleep before nightfall, before the march resumed, for Captain Shelby had wisely determined to leave nothing to chance that might be accomplished by energy. "To those unacquainted with the effects produced by loss of sleep, the sensations would be novel and almost incredible. Now listen, about the third night," that is the third night without any sleep, all you're doing is marching, riding, watching. "About the third night, an indescribable feeling settles down upon the brain."

"Every sound is distinct and painfully acute. The air seems filled with exquisite music. Cities and towns rise up on every hand, crowned with spires and radiated with ten thousand beacons." What's he talking about? You're hallucinating. You're seeing things that are not there. He says, "...long lines of armed men are on every side, while the sounds of bugles and harsh words of command are incessantly repeated." You're hearing things over and over. They aren't there, but you're hearing them.

"Often upon almost boundless prairies, destitute of tree or brush, the tormented dozer," that is the man who's sleeping while he's riding his horse, "turns suddenly from some fancied oak or mechanically lowers his head to avoid some sweeping and limbless branches which are not there. Beyond the third night, stolid stupor generally prevails and an almost total insensibility to pain." Are you listening? "Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad, and not a few cases of hopeless idiocy have resulted from his terrible raids." "On the march, men have dropped from the saddle, unawakened by the fall, while more than on a dozen occasions his rear guard has pricked the lagging sleeper with saber until the blood spurted without changing a muscle from their bloated, blotched, sleeping faces." Can you imagine going three days and three nights without sleep? What about four? What about five? What about eight? Can you imagine being so sleepy that you fall from a horse? And the fall doesn't even awaken you. Someone comes along and pricks you with a saber until the blood spurts. And you're still unawakened.

The Suffering of Southern Women and Children

Mary A.H. Gay's book details women and children scavenging for food, trading lead for provisions, and enduring Sherman's destruction.

The privations, the suffering and the sacrifices these people made for independence, for liberty, for freedom. It's absolutely phenomenal. And the amazing thing is, most of these men and women, I'm going to tell about that too, did so willingly without complaining. They were ready to make the sacrifices. One of the best books, I'd like to recommend this book, especially to our ladies, and I'm going to tell you men, you would benefit from this as well. You need to read this book, Life in Dixie During the War. It was written by Mary A.H. Gay. And Miss Gay was alive and suffered during Sherman's March, lived in Decatur, Georgia. Just to read what some of these dear ladies and children went through would blow your socks off. You talk about absolute horror. On page 207 in this book, in order to provide food for her mother and herself, and by the way, some of the other neighbors who were starving, I want you to listen to this. Let me just read this. "What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" "No. Only Maggie Benedict has been crying as if her heart would break, saying that her children are begging her for bread, but she has none to give them."

"Give me a little of the meal or hominy that you have, that we may not starve until we get something else to eat, and then take the remainder to her, that she may cook it as quickly as possible for her suffering children." Are you listening? "We had spent the preceding day in picking out grains of corn from cracks and crevices in bureau drawers and other improvised troughs for federal horses, as well as gathering up that which was scattered upon the ground. That which was scattered upon the ground was that which had passed through the horses, undigested. In this way, by diligent and persevering work, about a half a bushel was obtained from the now deserted camping ground of Gerard's cavalry, and this corn was thoroughly washed and dried, and carried by means of a cart to a poor little mill, which had escaped conflagration, because too humble to attract attention, and ground into coarse meal."

"Returning from the mill, and carrying myself a portion of the meal, I saw in the distance my mother coming to meet me, apprehensive of evil, I ran to meet her. 'What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?'" Which then she tells her about Maggie Benedict and the children. And they cook the corn in advance because they know the children will be too impatient to wait. They cook it and make mush out of it and corn pone and they carry it to this starving little widow woman and her children before they eat themselves. When you read this book, she then undertakes a trip of probably 100 to 200 miles round trip to take this little widow woman and her two children to a family up in Tennessee from Decatur, Georgia now. She has a black servant fix some type of wagon just out of what's available. She goes to the cane breaks and rescues a United States Cavalry horse that has been turned loose because of sores on his back and he's almost emaciated. She rescues the horse and she brings him and tries to feed him a little bit and gets him a little bit of energy and hooks him up to this wagon and she walks beside the horse while the little widow woman and her children ride with their few pieces of luggage all the way to where they're going. And then she turns around and walks back, not riding the horse because the horse is too emaciated. She and the horse become really good friends and she gets to keep the horse. And later on, by the way, she had named him Yankee because he was a U.S. horse. And later on, she said he was so loving and so kind and so faithful to her and to the Southern cause. She confessed that he was not a Yankee.

He was a rebel after all. And she changed his name to Johnny Reb. But just to read what these ladies went through is just unbelievable. And how they were willing to share. Let me just read you one other article here. This is just amazing. "After meanly renewed vows of allegiance to our cause and expression of a willing submission to the consequences of defeat, privations and evil diet, if need be, with my morning orison, yet I could not be oblivious to the fact that I was hungry, very hungry."

"And there was another whose footsteps were becoming more and more feeble day by day," that's your mother, "and whose voice when heard at all was full of the pathos of despair. I needed nourishment that could not be obtained in consolation which it seemed a mockery to offer." Now, to read of their faith and their trust in the Lord in this is unbelievable. But, she says, "in vain did I look around for relief." Remember, Sherman had come through. By the way, chimneys standing alone, the houses having been burned, were known as Sherman's Sentinels. And when Sherman came through Georgia, he killed every horse, every cow, every pig, every chicken, anything that he and his men could not eat, they mutilated and they killed so that no Southerners could eat them. And by the way, I'm going to remind you of this. I did not bring the quote with me, but you remember when I preached that message on the Union's war against women and children. It was General Sherman who wrote to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said, "There is a class of people, men, women, and children who must be killed if this war is to be won and this land is to be confiscated." And Stanton wrote him back and said, "Your letter of such and such date has reached me and I concur." So Sherman knew what he was doing.

He purposely slaughtered everything so that no one could live in the South. She writes, "In vain did I look around for relief. There was nothing left in the country to eat, yea, a crow flying over it would have failed to discover a morsel with which to appease its hunger. For Sheridan," General Sheridan, by another name, that is Sherman, "had been there with his minions of destruction, and had ruthlessly destroyed every vestige of food and every means of support. Every larder was empty, and those with thousands and ten thousands of dollars were as poor as the poorest men and hungry too. Packing trunks in every house of which refugees had returned contained large amounts of Confederate money. We had invested all we possessed except our home in land and Negroes, in Confederate bonds, and these now were insufficient for purposes of purchasing."

"Gold and silver had we none. A few more favored had little more desirable mediums of purchase, and sent great distances for supplies, but they offered no relief to those who had stayed at home and borne the brunt of the battle and saved their property from the destroyer's torch. What was I to do? Sit down and wait for the inevitable starvation? No. I was not made of such stuff." "I had heard that there had been a provision store open in Atlanta for the purposes of bartering provisions for munitions of war, anything that could be utilized in warfare. Minie balls were particularly desirable. I therefore took Talitha," her little black servant girl, "by the apron and had a little talk with her. And when I was through, she understood that something was up that would bring relief to certain organs that had become quite troublesome in their demands, and she was anxious to take part in the performance, whatever that might be. I went also to my mother and imparted to her my plans of operation, and she took that pathetic little backward step peculiar to herself on occasions which tried her soul, and with quivering lips she ascended in approving, though almost inaudible, words. With a basket in either hand and a competent Talitha who carried one that would hold about a peck, and two old dull table knives, I started to the battlefields around Atlanta to pick up the former missiles of death to exchange for food to keep us from starving."

Now listen, "it was a cold day. The wind was sharp and over the ground denuded of forest trees and undergrowth. The wind was blowing a miniature gale. Our wraps were inadequate, and how chilled we became in that rude November blast. Mark you, it was the 30th of November, 1864, but the colder we were, the faster we walked, and in an incredible short time, we were upon the battlefield searching for lead." "I made it a point to keep very near the road in the direction of Atlanta, and soon found myself on the very spot where the Confederate magazine stood, the blowing up of which, by Confederate orders, shook the very earth and was distantly and distinctly heard 35 or 40 miles distant. An exclamation of glad surprise from Talitha carried me to her. She had found a bonanza and was rapidly filling her basket with that which was more valuable to us than gold."

"In a marshy place, encrusted with ice, innumerable bullets, minie balls, and pieces of lead seemed to have been left by the irony of fate to supply sustenance to hungry ones and employment to the poor as all the winter to those without money to send more favored and disappoints found sure rewards for this lead mine. It was so cold. Our feet was almost frozen. Our hands had commenced to bleed and handling cold, rough lead cramped them so badly that I feared we would have to desist from our work before filling the baskets. Lead, blood, tears, oh how suggestive. Lead, blood and tears mingled and commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away. They would assert themselves and fall upon the lead stained with blood. God of mercy, if this be thy holy will, give me fortitude to bear it uncomplainingly, was the heartfelt invocation that went up to the throne of grace over and over, lead, blood, and tears that fearful day. For relief, tears did not suffice."

"I wanted to cry aloud. Nature would not be satisfied with less, and I cried like a baby, long and loud. Talitha caught the spirit of grief and cried too. This emulation of feelings on her part brought me to a realization of my duty to her, as well as to my poor, patient mother, to whom the day must seem very long, and I tried to stifle my sobs and lamentations." "I wondered if she had the forebodings of coming bereavement that were lacerating my own heart. I did not doubt that she had, and I cried in sympathy for her. At length our baskets were filled, and we took our line of march to the desolated city. There were no labyrinths to tread, no streets to follow, and an occasional question secured information that enabled us to find the commissary without delay."

Now listen to what this little Negro servant did. "Talitha was very ambitious that I should appear a lady, and wanted me to deposit my load of lead behind some place of concealment while we went on to deliver hers, and then let her come back for mine. But I was too much of a Confederate soldier for that, and walked bravely in with my heavy, precious load. A courteous gentleman in faded gray uniform, evidently discharged because of wounds received in battle, approached and asked what he could do for me. 'I have heard that you give provisions for lead,' I replied, 'and I have brought some to exchange.'" "What seemed to be an interminable silence ensued, and I felt without seeing that I was undergoing a sympathetic scrutiny, and that I was recognized as a lady to the manner born. 'What would you like in exchange?' he asked. 'If you have some sugar and coffee and meal, and a little of each, if you please,' I timidly said. 'I left nothing to eat at home.' The baskets of lead were removed to the rear and weighed in due time, returned to me filled to the brim with sugar, coffee, flour, meal, lard, and the nicest meat I had ever seen in a long time."

"'Oh sir,' I said, 'I did not expect so much.' 'You have not yet received what is due you,' this good man replied, and handed me a certificate which assured me would secure as much more on my presentation. Joy had gone out of my life, and I felt no thrill of that kind. But I can never describe the satisfaction I experienced as I lifted two of those baskets and saw Talitha grasp the other one and turn my face homeward." Some of the ladies who went on to dig for minie balls and in a lead mine lost their fingers to frostbite. And yet they were doing it just simply to keep themselves and their neighbors alive. There is a Confederate song that is one of my favorites. Some of you may know the tune, you may not know the words, I did not bring all the words. But the name of the song is "The Homespun Dress." And I'm going to confess to you the first time I ever heard that song, I cried.

The Homespun Dress and the Spirit of Sacrifice

The song 'The Homespun Dress' exemplifies Southern women's pride in making do, and Weaver laments the loss of sacrificial spirit today.

I wept like a baby. And the reason I did was because when you look at the Southern ladies during that time, you could see character, honor, determination. And you look around today and you see how we have deteriorated and it'll break your heart. But I want you to listen to the first two stanzas of "The Homespun Dress." "Oh, yes, I am a Southern girl and glory in the name and boast it with far greater pride than glittering wealth or fame." "We envy not the Northern girl her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair." They said, we're not concerned about all those things. Here's the chorus. "Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." The ladies in the South during this time, they didn't have anything. They just made whatever they could make. Here's the second stanza. "The homespun dress is plain, I know. My hat's palmetto, too. But then it shows what Southern girls for Southern rights will do."

"We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." Sacrificial living, sacrificial giving, sacrificial efforts were put out to preserve the independence and the freedom and the liberty that we enjoyed under the Constitution back in the 1860s. And may I point out this simple truth, that it is sacrificial living and sacrificial giving and sacrificing efforts that is needed today in order to restore that same independence. The truth of the matter is this, folks. We live in a day of plenty. We've never gone hungry. We've never done without. We've never suffered like these people. And the truth is, most of us are unwilling to sacrifice the way they did. The point I'm trying to make is this, folks: liberty, freedom, independence, honor, character, integrity meant far more to the people of the 1860s than it does to us today in 2006 and 2007. But we'll never ever regain what we've lost until we learn to sacrifice.

Modern Apathy and the Cost of Liberty

A story of a church that lost its sacrificial spirit after receiving a large inheritance illustrates how wealth can erode commitment, and Weaver calls for a return to biblical sacrifice.

Let me give you an illustration. I was visiting in Illinois. In fact, I was up there preaching. And the pastor of the church said, "Oh, by the way, there's been a new church building built about 20, 30 miles from here. It is really exquisite. I'd like to take you to see it if you'd like to go." I said, "Well, sure, I'd like to go and like to meet the pastor." Well, when we drove up, here was this exquisite brick building. I mean, it was an eye opener. It was a knockout building. It was a beautiful building. And when we went inside, here was the prettiest carpet you've ever laid eyes on. Very beautiful furniture. I mean, padded pews, yes, oak, stained glass windows, new pulpit. I mean, it was just simply top of the line. Well, the pastor came out and I was introduced to him and I said, "Well, I want to tell you that I really like your building. It is indeed a beautiful building." And the pastor looked at me and said, "It's the worst thing that ever happened to us. It's one of the biggest curses that's ever been placed upon us."

I said, "What are you talking about? Are you in debt?" "Oh, no. We paid cash for this building. We don't owe a penny to anybody. We pay cash for everything." I said, "Well, I want you to explain to me how this building and paying cash for everything turns out to be the biggest curse and the worst thing that ever happened to this church." He said, "Well, you see, we had a lady, a widow lady in this church who died." "And she left us about 20 million dollars. And part of that money built this beautiful building and everything that you see. We've got money in banks. We've got money in CDs. We've got money stacked everywhere coming out of our ears." I said, "Now go ahead and explain the curse." He said, "Well, you see, before she left us that money, we had a little building. We met together. We prayed together. Everybody tithed. Everybody gave. If we needed something, everybody sacrificed. If something needed to be done, we had a work day and everyone came and did it."

He says, "Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. If something tears up or we need something done, the people say, 'Well, hire somebody to do it. We got the money.' We have the building, but we lost the church." And you stop and think about that, folks. We've got more in 2006 and 2007 than our ancestors could ever dream of having in the 1860s. But we've lost what they had. We don't understand sacrifice. Let me give you one illustration. There is a book I have in my library that is entitled Cry Heart. And it is stories and incidents that came out of this war. One of the most touching and one of the most revealing is a story of Edward Cooper, a young artillery man, who is being court-martialed for desertion in the winter of 1862 to 1863. Colonel A.C. Battle and a number of other officers were holding the court-martial. During this court-martial, case after case was called and disposed of very quickly until they got to the case of young Edward Cooper. When Colonel Battle asked him who his counsel was, Edward Cooper says, "I have no counsel, sir."

The Court-Martial of Edward Cooper

A young soldier deserts to save his starving family but returns at his wife's urging to preserve his honor; General Lee pardons him.

Well, he said, "All right then, son. If you're going to represent yourself, call your witnesses." Young Edward Cooper said, "I have no witnesses, sir." Colonel Battle became upset, and he said this. He said, "Have you no defense at all? Is it possible that you abandoned your comrades and deserted your colors without any reason?" Young Edward Cooper replied, "There was a reason, but it will not avail me in a military court." "Well, you may be mistaken," replied Colonel Battle. Young Edward Cooper then trembled. Tears filled his eyes. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and he handed it to Colonel Battle. He said, "Here, sir."

"This is what did it. This is what prompted me to desert my comrades." Colonel Battle read the paper and soon he was weeping. He passed it to each of the officers on the court martial board and tears soon filled their eyes. Here was the letter. It was from Edward Cooper's wife, Mary. She had written, "My dear Edward, I've always been proud of you since your connection with the Confederate Army. And I've been prouder of you than ever before. And I would not have you to do anything wrong for the world, but before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die."

"Last night, I was roused by little Eddie crying, and I called and said, 'What's the matter, Eddie?' And he said, 'Oh, mama, I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry.' And Lucy, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she's growing thinner every day. And I repeat, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die." "What did you do when you received this letter?" asked Colonel Battle. Young Cooper said, "I applied for a furlough, sir." "And what was the answer?" "Furlough denied." "What did you do then?" he asked. "I applied for another furlough." "What was the answer?" "Furlough denied." "And what then did you do, sir?" "I applied for another furlough and the answer came back, 'Furlough denied.' And then, sir, one night as I was walking back and forth among the tents, I could hear Mary's words resounding in my brain."

"'Before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die.' I could hear my son begging for food. I could see my daughter dying. And, sir, all of a sudden, I was no longer a Confederate soldier. I was the husband of Mary and the father of Eddie and Lucy, and, sir, if every gun in the Confederate Army had been trained on me, I still would have gone home." "Well," he said, "sir, what brought you back?" "Why are you before this court-martial?" Young Edward Cooper said, "When I went home, Mary ran out to meet me. And as she threw her arms around me, she whispered, 'Oh, Edward, I'm so happy you got your furlough.' She must have felt me shudder. She turned pale as death, and catching her breath at every word, she said, 'O Edward, go back, go back.'"

"'Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.' And here I am, sir, not brought back by the military powers, but been obedient to Mary's command to abide the decision of your court martial." As moved as all the officers were, they did their duty and pronounced Governor Edward Cooper guilty of desertion. I hope you know that desertion carries the death penalty. Thankfully, the proceedings of the court were sent to and reviewed by General Robert E. Lee. He endorsed the record and then sent back these words. "Headquarters of Northern Virginia, the finding of this court is approved." "The prisoner is pardoned and report to his company." Signed General Robert E. Lee. Many sacrificed. Some sacrificed all. You know what Jeff Davis said? You remember Jeff Davis was thrown in prison for two years without trial. He suffered immensely, had to send his family to Canada to avoid persecution. President Jefferson Davis said this after everything was over. He says, "Nothing fills me with deeper sadness than to see a Southern man apologizing for the defense that we made of our inheritance."

The Biblical Foundation of the Confederate Cause

Weaver asserts that the Confederate cause was rooted in biblical principles of limited government, self-defense, and religious fidelity, and that restoration requires a return to Scripture and sacrifice.

We don't understand what it's going to take to regain our independence, our liberty, and our freedom. Now let me just show you something. If I were to ask you, what were the causes of the war? Think about this. What were the causes of that war? You can say, "Well now, Brother Weaver, one of the causes was states' rights or limited government." That's right. But let me tell you something. I can take my Bible and show you where limited government, limited civil government is taught clearly and distinctly in the Word of God. You say, "Well, Brother Weaver, another cause of that war was self-defense."

I mean, we didn't invade the North. The North invaded us. Fine. I can take you to the Word of God and I can show you the biblical right of self-defense. You said, "Well, wait a minute. There was another cause of that war. That was economics, tariffs, taxes." Fine. I can take you to the Bible and show you what God has to say about tariffs and taxes. You said, "But it was a religious war." Yes, it was. It was a religious war because the North was trying to impose their theology upon the South. The South was more Christian, more Calvinistic, more biblical. And the North was willing to introduce their Unitarianism. Let me tell you, I can take you to the Bible and show you where we must stand against wickedness even in the area and in the field of religion. All I'm trying to show you is this, folks.

Everything that our forefathers fought for, everything that they stood for, everything that they believed came straight out of this book. And we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage and our independence and our liberty and our freedom until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice. And we'll give all to restore what we lost. The greatest sacrifice that was ever given was when God the Father sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And because of His sacrifice,

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and prays for grace to serve God with reverence and sacrificial living.

we may now stand with Him. And sacrifice for truth and liberty and freedom. I cannot read these books, these first hand accounts, without feeling so shamed and so humiliated. Because I've done so little. When you read these, they ought to bring you to your knees before God. Mary Gay tells about how she walks into her house and her saintly, godly mother, who is wasting away. The commissary where they had traded lead for food had been closed.

Nothing left in the land. Nothing to eat. Mary walks in and looks at her mother and says, "Oh, mother, the commissary is closed. What shall we do?" And the old saintly mother says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." May God give us faith and character. Let's pray. Father, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us to understand the spirit of sacrifice, not only in Christ, but in Scripture and in the saints that have gone before us. Give us grace, dear Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask and pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Sacrificial Living

Summary: True sacrifice involves destruction, surrender, or loss for a greater object, and Confederate ancestors exemplified this in their daily lives.

Evidence: Webster's Dictionary says this: sacrifice, listen carefully, 'destruction, surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object.' ... the last group of people to really understand sacrifice and to really understand suffering were our Confederate ancestors.

Contrast Between Modern Comfort and Historical Hardship

Summary: Modern Americans, accustomed to instant gratification, cannot comprehend the hunger, exhaustion, and deprivation endured by Confederates.

Evidence: We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. ... We cannot even conceive of living on roasted acorns for several days.

The Cost of Liberty

Summary: Liberty and independence require sacrificial effort, and regaining lost freedoms demands a return to the spirit of sacrifice.

Evidence: liberty, freedom, independence, honor, character, integrity meant far more to the people of the 1860s than it does to us today ... we'll never ever regain what we've lost until we learn to sacrifice.

Biblical Foundation of the Confederate Cause

Summary: The principles for which the South fought—limited government, self-defense, economic justice, and religious fidelity—are rooted in Scripture.

Evidence: Everything that our forefathers fought for, everything that they stood for, everything that they believed came straight out of this book.

The Danger of Wealth and Complacency

Summary: Material prosperity can erode sacrificial spirit and communal commitment, as illustrated by the church that lost its vitality after receiving a large inheritance.

Evidence: He says, 'Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. ... We have the building, but we lost the church.'

Honor and Duty

Summary: Confederates valued honor and duty above personal survival, as seen in Edward Cooper's return to face court-martial and his wife's insistence on preserving his name.

Evidence: 'Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.'

Key Arguments

Modern Americans lack understanding of sacrifice

Summary: Weaver argues that contemporary society, with its instant gratification and debt, has no concept of the sacrificial living practiced by Confederate ancestors.

Evidence: We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. ... The truth is, most of us probably do not even know the definition of the word sacrifice.

Confederate sacrifice was widespread and voluntary

Summary: Both leaders and common people willingly endured extreme hardship for independence, demonstrating a cheerful commitment to principle.

Evidence: they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence ... the little man sacrificed just like the wealthy.

Historical accounts prove the severity of deprivation

Summary: Eyewitness testimonies from Union and Confederate sources confirm that soldiers fought on empty stomachs and went without sleep for days, suffering permanent damage.

Evidence: We found a dead Confederate soldier ... his haversack ... a handful of roasted acorns. ... Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad.

Women and children endured unique sacrifices

Summary: Southern women scavenged for food, traded lead for provisions, and walked hundreds of miles to help others, all while maintaining faith and dignity.

Evidence: Mary A.H. Gay's account of picking grains of corn from horse droppings and trading minie balls for food.

Wealth can undermine sacrificial spirit

Summary: The story of a church that lost its giving and serving culture after receiving a large inheritance illustrates how comfort can replace commitment.

Evidence: He says, 'Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. ... We have the building, but we lost the church.'

The Confederate cause was biblically justified

Summary: Weaver contends that states' rights, self-defense, economic grievances, and religious orthodoxy are all supported by Scripture, making the Southern cause just.

Evidence: I can take my Bible and show you where limited government ... self-defense ... tariffs and taxes ... we must stand against wickedness even in the area and in the field of religion.

Restoration requires a return to biblical sacrifice

Summary: Regaining lost liberties demands a return to the Bible and a willingness to sacrifice as Christ sacrificed for us.

Evidence: we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage and our independence and our liberty and our freedom until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice.

Scripture References

Romans 12:1-2

Context: Weaver opens the sermon by reading this passage, which calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices and be transformed by the renewing of their minds.

Mark 12:41-44 (implied)

Context: Weaver references the widow's mite to illustrate that the poor woman's sacrifice was greater because she gave all she had, unlike the rich who gave from abundance.

Psalm 23:1

Context: Mary Gay's mother quotes 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want' when facing starvation, demonstrating faith in God's provision.

Historical References

Robert E. Lee

Context: Lee sacrificed his home (Arlington) and wealth, gave his food to others, and lived on simple fare like cold sweet potatoes.

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Context: Forrest was a millionaire who equipped his brigade at his own expense and was left penniless after the war.

Francis Bartow

Context: A Georgia congressman who declared he would let Savannah's port rot rather than compromise the state's honor.

Battle of Corinth

Context: Union chaplain Robert J. Burdette found a dead Confederate soldier with only roasted acorns in his haversack, illustrating extreme deprivation.

General Joe Shelby

Context: John Newman Edwards' book describes Shelby's men going without sleep for days, hallucinating, and suffering permanent mental damage.

Sherman's March to the Sea

Context: Sherman's troops destroyed all food sources in Georgia, leaving civilians to starve; Sherman wrote to Stanton about killing a class of people.

Mary A.H. Gay

Context: Author of 'Life in Dixie During the War,' she scavenged corn from horse droppings and traded minie balls for food to survive.

Edward Cooper court-martial

Context: A Confederate soldier deserted to save his starving family but returned at his wife's urging; General Lee pardoned him.

Jefferson Davis

Context: Davis said he would endure all suffering again because the Confederate cause was just and sacred.

The Homespun Dress

Context: A Confederate song celebrating Southern women's pride in wearing simple homespun dresses as a symbol of sacrifice.

Important Quotes

We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. That's why most people are in debt over their eyeballs. They have no idea of what it means to wait.

Significance: Highlights the modern lack of sacrificial patience and contrasts it with Confederate endurance.

I have become absolutely convinced that we know absolutely nothing about sacrifice. We know nothing about sacrificial living. We know nothing about suffering. We know nothing about doing without for standing for truth and righteousness and principle.

Significance: Central thesis that modern Christians lack the sacrificial spirit of their ancestors.

I put my hand in it and drew forth a handful of roasted acorns. I showed them to my comrade. 'That's all,' I said. 'And he's been fighting like a tiger for two days on that forage.'

Significance: Vivid Union testimony to the extreme deprivation of Confederate soldiers.

Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad, and not a few cases of hopeless idiocy have resulted from his terrible raids.

Significance: Shows the psychological toll of sleep deprivation and constant warfare.

Lead, blood, tears, oh how suggestive. Lead, blood and tears mingled and commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away.

Significance: Mary Gay's poignant description of the physical and emotional cost of survival.

Before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die.

Significance: The desperate plea that drove a soldier to desert, illustrating the impossible choices faced by families.

Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.

Significance: Demonstrates the supreme value placed on honor over even survival.

Our cause was so just, so sacred, that had I known all that had come to pass, had I known what was to be inflicted upon me, and all that my country was to suffer, all that our posterity was to endure, I would do it all over again.

Significance: Jefferson Davis' unrepentant affirmation of the Confederate cause, used to inspire modern commitment.

Discussion Questions

How does the modern culture of instant gratification hinder our ability to live sacrificially for truth and principle?

Context: Weaver contrasts modern impatience with the willingness of Confederates to endure prolonged hardship.

In what ways can we cultivate a spirit of cheerful sacrifice in our daily lives, following the example of Robert E. Lee and others?

Context: Lee gave away his food and home, demonstrating personal sacrifice for others.

What does the story of the widow's mite teach us about the nature of true sacrifice compared to giving out of abundance?

Context: Weaver uses the biblical account to argue that the poor often sacrifice more than the rich.

How should the extreme sufferings of Confederate soldiers and civilians inform our understanding of the cost of liberty?

Context: Accounts of starvation, sleep deprivation, and scavenging for food show the price paid for independence.

What lessons can we learn from the church that lost its sacrificial spirit after receiving a large inheritance?

Context: The church stopped giving and serving when it became wealthy, losing its vitality.

How do we balance family responsibilities with duty to a larger cause, as seen in Edward Cooper's dilemma?

Context: Cooper deserted to save his family but returned to preserve his honor.

Weaver argues that the Confederate cause was biblically justified. How should we evaluate historical causes in light of Scripture?

Context: He cites limited government, self-defense, and religious fidelity as biblical principles.

What practical steps can we take to recover a spirit of sacrifice in our churches and personal lives?

Context: Weaver concludes that regaining liberty requires returning to the Bible and sacrificial living.

Applications

Embrace sacrificial living

Summary: Believers should reject the instant-gratification culture and willingly endure hardship for truth and righteousness.

Evidence: We know nothing about sacrificial living. ... they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence.

Learn from historical examples

Summary: Study the lives of Confederate ancestors to understand the cost of liberty and be inspired to similar commitment.

Evidence: I hope some of these will not only touch your heart, but I hope they'll encourage you to do some reading.

Prioritize honor and duty

Summary: Value honor and integrity above personal comfort or even survival, as Edward Cooper's wife did.

Evidence: 'Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.'

Guard against wealth-induced complacency

Summary: Material prosperity can erode sacrificial giving and service; churches must actively maintain a culture of sacrifice.

Evidence: He says, 'Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. ... We have the building, but we lost the church.'

Return to biblical foundations

Summary: Restoring lost liberties requires a return to Scripture and its principles of limited government, self-defense, and godly living.

Evidence: we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage ... until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice.

Trust God in deprivation

Summary: Like Mary Gay's mother, believers should respond to dire circumstances with faith in God's provision.

Evidence: The old saintly mother says, 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:28:39Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:28:03Z

Clean Transcript

Confederate Sacrifices

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

I want you to open your Bibles today to Romans chapter 12. And I am going to bring a message today that is going to be just a little different. And the reason I'm bringing the message today is because we will not be here next Sunday. And the message that I have prepared for the following Sunday will be in two messages. So rather than divide them up by missing a Sunday, I wanted to bring this today for you, and the message is entitled, now listen carefully, and I'm going to explain it, "Confederate Sacrifices." So look in Romans 12:1–2: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Several years ago, I spoke in Savannah, Georgia at the Monument on Confederate Memorial Day, and I brought about a 15-minute message on Confederate sacrifices.
#1 | 0:00 to 1:20 | cleaned
Well, this past week or the last several weeks, I've been reading several excellent, wonderful books and I'm going to recommend them to you just shortly. And my heart was so moved and so touched that I went back and looked at that message and I reworked it and I added a great deal to it. And I want to bring it because there are things in there that I believe that all of us need.
#2 | 1:21 to 1:46 | cleaned
Do you realize that the word sacrifice occurs over and over in the Bible? We use that term regularly. The term sacrifice is a word that is very easily pronounced. It is frequently used, but it is hardly ever exercised. And I'm going to be absolutely honest with you, as I have been reading some of these history books, I have become absolutely convinced that we know absolutely nothing about sacrifice. We know nothing about sacrificial living. We know nothing about suffering. We know nothing about doing without for standing for truth and righteousness and principle.
#3 | 1:47 to 2:30 | cleaned
We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. That's why most people are in debt over their eyeballs. They have no idea of what it means to wait. We want it, and we want it now. And everything in this day and age, have you ever noticed, is instant. I mean, we have instant banking, we have instant coffee, and God forbid we even have instant grits today. Just stop and think how we are so inclined to getting everything that we want when we want it. The truth is, most of us probably do not even know the definition of the word sacrifice, even from a secular standpoint. But Webster's Dictionary says this: sacrifice, listen carefully, "destruction, surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object." I think that's interesting, destruction or surrender or loss incurred for gaining some object. I'm just simply going to point out that I believe, really and truly, the last group of people to really understand sacrifice and to really understand suffering were our Confederate ancestors.
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Those people who lived during the War of Northern Aggression here in the South. They understood sacrificial living. They understood sacrificial giving because to them it was a way of life. And they were willing, listen to me now, they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence, in order that they might stand for principle and truth.
#5 | 3:54 to 4:19 | cleaned
Now, sacrifice did not begin nor end with the Southern leaders. I could just sit here today and name Southern leader after Southern leader, and you could understand they were men and women of sacrificial living. For instance, General Robert E. Lee. He sacrificed his home and his wealth. Everyone knows Arlington National Cemetery. But what many people do not know is that was Robert E. Lee's home. It was stolen from him by the North and then they buried federal troops on it so he would not want it back. He not only sacrificed his home and his wealth, he was a man that lived sacrificially on a daily basis. One day when General Ewell was visiting Robert E. Lee, Robert E. Lee asked General Ewell if he would stay and have supper with him. And General Ewell said that he would love to, but he just could not and did not have time, that he had to leave and get back to his men, and General Lee then insisted that General Ewell take his supper. And General Ewell graciously received the supper, and as he rode away, he unwrapped the supper and found it to be two small, cold, sweet potatoes.
#6 | 4:20 to 5:53 | cleaned
And that happened to be one of General Lee's favorite foods, but that was all he had. And he gave it to General Ewell. During the siege of Petersburg, General Lee was invited to a very wealthy home and they were having Thanksgiving dinner. And General Lee became embarrassed because his hostess observed him hoarding his piece of turkey and not eating it and trying to keep everything separate from the turkey. And when she asked him what he was doing, he was embarrassed and said, well, the truth was he wanted to save his portion of the turkey so he could carry it to one of his sick staff officers who had had nothing but sweet potato coffee and cornbread for several days. Now here's a man that would not even eat turkey in order that he might give it to one of his staff officers. Shortly thereafter, when General Lee got back to camp, there was a whole barrel of turkey sent to him by the same gracious host and hostess, and there was a turkey in the barrel for himself and each of his staff officers.
#7 | 5:55 to 7:11 | cleaned
When the barrel was opened and they saw the turkeys, General Lee said, "Well, I'm thankful for the turkey, but I'd rather mine be sent to the hospital so those wounded men will have something good to eat." And when the other staff officers saw the graciousness and generosity of General Lee, they said, "Well, ours too." So, the whole barrel of turkeys were packed back up and sent to the hospital.
#8 | 7:13 to 7:42 | cleaned
So, here are individuals that know what it means to sacrifice. Now, listen, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he entered into the war, was worth over a million and a half dollars. Now you've got to remember, back in that time, it was a million and a half gold dollars. If you were to compare that to our worthless Federal Reserve notes today, Nathan Bedford Forrest would have been a multi-millionaire many times over. And what many people do not know is General Nathan Bedford Forrest, when he raised his brigade, when he raised his own unit, he equipped those men with horses, saddles, weapons, out of his own pocket. And when the war ended, Nathan Bedford Forrest was basically a pauper. He was penniless.
#9 | 7:42 to 8:41 | cleaned
Now, I'm just simply pointing out the fact that there were multitudes of individuals who sacrificed, who were willing to sacrifice. There is a Francis Bartow camp in Savannah, and I think Roy is a member of that camp. It's one of the largest camps in the state, an SCV camp, and it was named after Francis Bartow of Savannah, who was a Georgia congressman. And when there was a measure introduced into the legislature that would compromise and allow the Port of Savannah to stay open, Francis Bartow arose and said this. He said, "Let desolation come if it must upon Savannah. Let every ship liner port in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season that he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity and the fair fame and the honor of the state of Georgia."
#10 | 8:43 to 9:40 | cleaned
Needless to say, he was not a modern-day politician, nor was he a member of the Better Business Bureau. He said, "I'm willing for everything to rot and go to pieces before we will compromise our honor and our principles."
#11 | 9:41 to 9:56 | cleaned
Now, it was not simply the rich who sacrificed. Everyone sacrificed. In fact, the little man sacrificed just like the wealthy. You know, sometimes today we stand amazed at individuals who give millions of dollars for humanitarian purposes. But do you realize, folks, giving millions of dollars is not much if you have millions left. Stop and think about that. If I had $30 or $40 million, I could afford to give away $2 or $3 million.
#12 | 9:58 to 10:38 | cleaned
But do you remember what our Lord said as He watched the people who cast their money into the treasury in the temple? All of these wealthy people came in, and the Bible says that they cast in of their abundance. And along came this little widow woman, and she cast in two mites. Not even a penny. And what did our Lord say? "Verily, this woman hath cast in more than all the rest because they cast in of their abundance, but she cast in of her penury and her want."
#13 | 10:40 to 11:14 | cleaned
She gave everything that she had. So her sacrifice was basically far greater than those who'd given far more than her. When you remember the war, that war was referred to as a rich man's war and a poor man's fight because it affected the poor and the middle man a whole lot more than it did the rich man. It was usually the poor or the common men and women who suffered.
#14 | 11:14 to 11:44 | cleaned
Now, I'm going to give you several illustrations today and I hope some of these will not only touch your heart, but I hope they'll encourage you to do some reading. Just to show you the condition of the Confederate soldier later on during the war and what some of these men went through. I hope what I'm about to share with you will be very touching to you. I really do.
#15 | 11:45 to 12:18 | cleaned
Reverend or Pastor Robert J. Burdette was a Union chaplain. He was a federal soldier. And this incident that I'm about to tell you occurred at the Battle of Corinth, after the battle was over. In fact, he wrote concerning this battle and especially concerning this incident. And this incident demonstrates the physical condition of the Confederate soldiers who fought for independence. I want you to listen to what he said.
#16 | 12:20 to 12:58 | cleaned
He had a man helping him. The battle was over. They were clearing the dead and the wounded from the battlefield. So he writes this. He said, "We found a dead Confederate soldier lying on his back, his outstretched fingers stretched across the stock of the rifle lying by his side. He was one of Rogers' Texans. Fifty-seven of them we had found lying in the ditch at Fort Robinette."
#17 | 12:59 to 13:30 | cleaned
"I covered his face with a slouch hat and took off the haversack that was slung to his neck that it might not swing as we carried him to his sleeping chamber so cool, quiet, and dark after the savage tumult and dust and smoke after that day of horror." As he took the haversack off the Confederate soldier, the gentleman who was helping him said this, "Empty, isn't it?" asked the soldier working with me.
#18 | 13:31 to 14:00 | cleaned
"I put my hand in it and drew forth a handful of roasted acorns. I showed them to my comrade. 'That's all,' I said. 'And he's been fighting like a tiger for two days on that forage.' We gazed at the face of the dead soldier with new feelings. By and by, my comrade said, 'I hate this war and the things that caused it. I was taught to hate slavery before I was taught to hate sin.'"
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"'I love the Union and I love my mother better. I think that this is the wickedest war that was ever waged in modern times, but this,' and he took some of the acorns from my hand, 'this,' he says, 'is what I call patriotism. Comrade, I'm going to send these acorns to the Peoria Transcript. I want them to tell the editor that this war won't be ended until there's a total failure of the acorn crop. I want the folks at home to know what manner of men that we and they are fighting.'"
#20 | 14:30 to 15:02 | cleaned
He writes, "This was my early experience as a soldier, and it never changed my opinion of the cause of the Confederacy. I was more and more devoted to the Union as the war went on, but I never questioned the sincerity of the men in the Confederacy again. I realized how dearly a man must love his own state, who would fight for it on parched acorns. I wish that his love and patriotism had been broader, reaching from the Gulf to the lakes, a love for the Union rather than for the state. But I understood him. I hated his attitude toward the Union as much as I admired the man. And after Corinth," the pastor says, "I could never get a prisoner halfway to the rear and have anything left in my haversack."
#21 | 15:04 to 15:47 | cleaned
In other words, he had to feed them. Then he says this, "Oh, I too have suffered the pains of hunger for my dear country, as all soldiers have done now and then, but not as that Confederate soldier did. We went hungry at times when rain and mud, or the interference of the enemy, detained our supply train. But that man was half starved. That's different. Other haversacks we found that night on Corinth field had a slight ration in them."
#22 | 15:47 to 16:17 | cleaned
"Sometimes it was a chunk of corn pone. I used to think that hardtack filled the order for concrete breakfast slab, but corn pone a week old reconciled me to soft food. Hardtack for mine. So the Southern people loved the states for which they suffered and fought." Signed, Reverend Robert J. Burdett, a Union soldier. You know something, folks? We cannot even conceive of living on roasted acorns for several days. We cannot even conceive of going hungry for several days. It was not just that Southern men fought on empty stomachs. Many times they rode and they marched on empty stomachs as well. And oftentimes it was sheer exhaustion that claimed the lives of these men.
#23 | 16:17 to 17:18 | cleaned
I'm reading a book now, and I did not bring it to show you this morning, but I would highly recommend the book. The book was written by John Newman Edwards. John Newman Edwards was the editor of the Kansas City Star. He was a Southern man. He was also adjutant to General Joe Shelby. So what John Newman Edwards writes in this book, Shelby and His Men, and it's just simply a book about the exploits, basically, of General Joe Shelby, a lot of the battles that they fought and the men that he had and what they went through. And John Newman Edwards was there.
#24 | 17:19 to 18:00 | cleaned
So this is an eyewitness. This is a first-hand account. And John Newman Edwards wrote this, and I want you to think about this. Listen to me, please, as I read this. I don't read that much. I'm going to read a little bit today because this has to sink down into our understandings of what our forefathers went through. Shelby is chasing a Union officer by the name of Cockrell.
#25 | 18:02 to 18:37 | cleaned
There's already been a battle. Cockrell has been defeated. He's withdrawn his troops. He's on the run. And Shelby is trying to parallel him and get in front of him in order that he can destroy the enemy. Listen to this. "While this pursuit was fiercest, Captain Shelby gathered up his raw recruits and followed after Cockrell on a parallel and lower line with speed as great and anxiety as heavy."
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"Though cohesive power of danger is probably stronger than any other. And in all that long line of undisciplined horsemen, fresh from the balmy breezes and downy beds, not one faltered, not one missed answer in the constant roll calls." So, Shelby has a lot of raw recruits. And they keep giving these roll calls to make sure that, you know, who's alive and who has fallen out, etc. And they're chasing Cockrell.
#27 | 19:10 to 19:39 | cleaned
Now remember, "rest and refuge were almost gained. Crazy and blinded from eight days and nights of uninterrupted watching, riding, and marching, the command staggered into camp on the little stream at Coon Creek." Eight days of uninterrupted riding, marching, watching, listen. They staggered into the camp on that little stream of Coon Creek in Jasper County to snatch a few hours sleep before nightfall, before the march resumed, for Captain Shelby had wisely determined to leave nothing to chance that might be accomplished by energy. "To those unacquainted with the effects produced by loss of sleep, the sensations would be novel and almost incredible. Now listen, about the third night," that is the third night without any sleep, all you're doing is marching, riding, watching. "About the third night, an indescribable feeling settles down upon the brain."
#28 | 19:39 to 20:52 | cleaned
"Every sound is distinct and painfully acute. The air seems filled with exquisite music. Cities and towns rise up on every hand, crowned with spires and radiated with ten thousand beacons." What's he talking about? You're hallucinating. You're seeing things that are not there. He says, "...long lines of armed men are on every side, while the sounds of bugles and harsh words of command are incessantly repeated." You're hearing things over and over. They aren't there, but you're hearing them.
#29 | 20:54 to 21:23 | cleaned
"Often upon almost boundless prairies, destitute of tree or brush, the tormented dozer," that is the man who's sleeping while he's riding his horse, "turns suddenly from some fancied oak or mechanically lowers his head to avoid some sweeping and limbless branches which are not there. Beyond the third night, stolid stupor generally prevails and an almost total insensibility to pain." Are you listening? "Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad, and not a few cases of hopeless idiocy have resulted from his terrible raids."
#30 | 21:23 to 22:05 | cleaned
"On the march, men have dropped from the saddle, unawakened by the fall, while more than on a dozen occasions his rear guard has pricked the lagging sleeper with saber until the blood spurted without changing a muscle from their bloated, blotched, sleeping faces." Can you imagine going three days and three nights without sleep? What about four? What about five? What about eight? Can you imagine being so sleepy that you fall from a horse? And the fall doesn't even awaken you. Someone comes along and pricks you with a saber until the blood spurts. And you're still unawakened.
#31 | 22:06 to 23:08 | cleaned
The privations, the suffering and the sacrifices these people made for independence, for liberty, for freedom. It's absolutely phenomenal. And the amazing thing is, most of these men and women, I'm going to tell about that too, did so willingly without complaining. They were ready to make the sacrifices. One of the best books, I'd like to recommend this book, especially to our ladies, and I'm going to tell you men, you would benefit from this as well. You need to read this book, Life in Dixie During the War.
#32 | 23:13 to 23:58 | cleaned
It was written by Mary A.H. Gay. And Miss Gay was alive and suffered during Sherman's March, lived in Decatur, Georgia. Just to read what some of these dear ladies and children went through would blow your socks off. You talk about absolute horror. On page 207 in this book, in order to provide food for her mother and herself, and by the way, some of the other neighbors who were starving, I want you to listen to this. Let me just read this. "What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?" "No. Only Maggie Benedict has been crying as if her heart would break, saying that her children are begging her for bread, but she has none to give them."
#33 | 23:58 to 25:05 | cleaned
"Give me a little of the meal or hominy that you have, that we may not starve until we get something else to eat, and then take the remainder to her, that she may cook it as quickly as possible for her suffering children." Are you listening? "We had spent the preceding day in picking out grains of corn from cracks and crevices in bureau drawers and other improvised troughs for federal horses, as well as gathering up that which was scattered upon the ground. That which was scattered upon the ground was that which had passed through the horses, undigested. In this way, by diligent and persevering work, about a half a bushel was obtained from the now deserted camping ground of Gerard's cavalry, and this corn was thoroughly washed and dried, and carried by means of a cart to a poor little mill, which had escaped conflagration, because too humble to attract attention, and ground into coarse meal."
#34 | 25:07 to 26:12 | cleaned
"Returning from the mill, and carrying myself a portion of the meal, I saw in the distance my mother coming to meet me, apprehensive of evil, I ran to meet her. 'What is it, Ma? Has anything happened?'" Which then she tells her about Maggie Benedict and the children. And they cook the corn in advance because they know the children will be too impatient to wait. They cook it and make mush out of it and corn pone and they carry it to this starving little widow woman and her children before they eat themselves. When you read this book, she then undertakes a trip of probably 100 to 200 miles round trip to take this little widow woman and her two children to a family up in Tennessee from Decatur, Georgia now.
#35 | 26:12 to 27:09 | cleaned
She has a black servant fix some type of wagon just out of what's available. She goes to the cane breaks and rescues a United States Cavalry horse that has been turned loose because of sores on his back and he's almost emaciated. She rescues the horse and she brings him and tries to feed him a little bit and gets him a little bit of energy and hooks him up to this wagon and she walks beside the horse while the little widow woman and her children ride with their few pieces of luggage all the way to where they're going. And then she turns around and walks back, not riding the horse because the horse is too emaciated. She and the horse become really good friends and she gets to keep the horse. And later on, by the way, she had named him Yankee because he was a U.S. horse. And later on, she said he was so loving and so kind and so faithful to her and to the Southern cause. She confessed that he was not a Yankee.
#36 | 27:10 to 28:15 | cleaned
He was a rebel after all. And she changed his name to Johnny Reb. But just to read what these ladies went through is just unbelievable. And how they were willing to share. Let me just read you one other article here. This is just amazing. "After meanly renewed vows of allegiance to our cause and expression of a willing submission to the consequences of defeat, privations and evil diet, if need be, with my morning orison, yet I could not be oblivious to the fact that I was hungry, very hungry."
#37 | 28:15 to 28:58 | cleaned
"And there was another whose footsteps were becoming more and more feeble day by day," that's your mother, "and whose voice when heard at all was full of the pathos of despair. I needed nourishment that could not be obtained in consolation which it seemed a mockery to offer." Now, to read of their faith and their trust in the Lord in this is unbelievable. But, she says, "in vain did I look around for relief."
#38 | 28:59 to 29:21 | cleaned
Remember, Sherman had come through. By the way, chimneys standing alone, the houses having been burned, were known as Sherman's Sentinels. And when Sherman came through Georgia, he killed every horse, every cow, every pig, every chicken, anything that he and his men could not eat, they mutilated and they killed so that no Southerners could eat them. And by the way, I'm going to remind you of this. I did not bring the quote with me, but you remember when I preached that message on the Union's war against women and children. It was General Sherman who wrote to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and said, "There is a class of people, men, women, and children who must be killed if this war is to be won and this land is to be confiscated." And Stanton wrote him back and said, "Your letter of such and such date has reached me and I concur." So Sherman knew what he was doing.
#39 | 29:22 to 30:35 | cleaned
He purposely slaughtered everything so that no one could live in the South. She writes, "In vain did I look around for relief. There was nothing left in the country to eat, yea, a crow flying over it would have failed to discover a morsel with which to appease its hunger. For Sheridan," General Sheridan, by another name, that is Sherman, "had been there with his minions of destruction, and had ruthlessly destroyed every vestige of food and every means of support. Every larder was empty, and those with thousands and ten thousands of dollars were as poor as the poorest men and hungry too. Packing trunks in every house of which refugees had returned contained large amounts of Confederate money. We had invested all we possessed except our home in land and Negroes, in Confederate bonds, and these now were insufficient for purposes of purchasing."
#40 | 30:35 to 31:30 | cleaned
"Gold and silver had we none. A few more favored had little more desirable mediums of purchase, and sent great distances for supplies, but they offered no relief to those who had stayed at home and borne the brunt of the battle and saved their property from the destroyer's torch. What was I to do? Sit down and wait for the inevitable starvation? No. I was not made of such stuff."
#41 | 31:31 to 31:54 | cleaned
"I had heard that there had been a provision store open in Atlanta for the purposes of bartering provisions for munitions of war, anything that could be utilized in warfare. Minie balls were particularly desirable. I therefore took Talitha," her little black servant girl, "by the apron and had a little talk with her. And when I was through, she understood that something was up that would bring relief to certain organs that had become quite troublesome in their demands, and she was anxious to take part in the performance, whatever that might be. I went also to my mother and imparted to her my plans of operation, and she took that pathetic little backward step peculiar to herself on occasions which tried her soul, and with quivering lips she ascended in approving, though almost inaudible, words. With a basket in either hand and a competent Talitha who carried one that would hold about a peck, and two old dull table knives, I started to the battlefields around Atlanta to pick up the former missiles of death to exchange for food to keep us from starving."
#42 | 31:54 to 32:57 | cleaned
Now listen, "it was a cold day. The wind was sharp and over the ground denuded of forest trees and undergrowth. The wind was blowing a miniature gale. Our wraps were inadequate, and how chilled we became in that rude November blast. Mark you, it was the 30th of November, 1864, but the colder we were, the faster we walked, and in an incredible short time, we were upon the battlefield searching for lead."
#43 | 32:57 to 33:23 | cleaned
"I made it a point to keep very near the road in the direction of Atlanta, and soon found myself on the very spot where the Confederate magazine stood, the blowing up of which, by Confederate orders, shook the very earth and was distantly and distinctly heard 35 or 40 miles distant. An exclamation of glad surprise from Talitha carried me to her. She had found a bonanza and was rapidly filling her basket with that which was more valuable to us than gold."
#44 | 33:24 to 33:51 | cleaned
"In a marshy place, encrusted with ice, innumerable bullets, minie balls, and pieces of lead seemed to have been left by the irony of fate to supply sustenance to hungry ones and employment to the poor as all the winter to those without money to send more favored and disappoints found sure rewards for this lead mine. It was so cold. Our feet was almost frozen. Our hands had commenced to bleed and handling cold, rough lead cramped them so badly that I feared we would have to desist from our work before filling the baskets. Lead, blood, tears, oh how suggestive. Lead, blood and tears mingled and commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away. They would assert themselves and fall upon the lead stained with blood. God of mercy, if this be thy holy will, give me fortitude to bear it uncomplainingly, was the heartfelt invocation that went up to the throne of grace over and over, lead, blood, and tears that fearful day. For relief, tears did not suffice."
#45 | 33:51 to 34:54 | cleaned
"I wanted to cry aloud. Nature would not be satisfied with less, and I cried like a baby, long and loud. Talitha caught the spirit of grief and cried too. This emulation of feelings on her part brought me to a realization of my duty to her, as well as to my poor, patient mother, to whom the day must seem very long, and I tried to stifle my sobs and lamentations."
#46 | 34:55 to 35:16 | cleaned
"I wondered if she had the forebodings of coming bereavement that were lacerating my own heart. I did not doubt that she had, and I cried in sympathy for her. At length our baskets were filled, and we took our line of march to the desolated city. There were no labyrinths to tread, no streets to follow, and an occasional question secured information that enabled us to find the commissary without delay."
#47 | 35:17 to 35:39 | cleaned
Now listen to what this little Negro servant did. "Talitha was very ambitious that I should appear a lady, and wanted me to deposit my load of lead behind some place of concealment while we went on to deliver hers, and then let her come back for mine. But I was too much of a Confederate soldier for that, and walked bravely in with my heavy, precious load. A courteous gentleman in faded gray uniform, evidently discharged because of wounds received in battle, approached and asked what he could do for me. 'I have heard that you give provisions for lead,' I replied, 'and I have brought some to exchange.'"
#48 | 35:39 to 36:19 | cleaned
"What seemed to be an interminable silence ensued, and I felt without seeing that I was undergoing a sympathetic scrutiny, and that I was recognized as a lady to the manner born. 'What would you like in exchange?' he asked. 'If you have some sugar and coffee and meal, and a little of each, if you please,' I timidly said. 'I left nothing to eat at home.' The baskets of lead were removed to the rear and weighed in due time, returned to me filled to the brim with sugar, coffee, flour, meal, lard, and the nicest meat I had ever seen in a long time."
#49 | 36:19 to 36:50 | cleaned
"'Oh sir,' I said, 'I did not expect so much.' 'You have not yet received what is due you,' this good man replied, and handed me a certificate which assured me would secure as much more on my presentation. Joy had gone out of my life, and I felt no thrill of that kind. But I can never describe the satisfaction I experienced as I lifted two of those baskets and saw Talitha grasp the other one and turn my face homeward."
#50 | 36:51 to 37:18 | cleaned
Some of the ladies who went on to dig for minie balls and in a lead mine lost their fingers to frostbite. And yet they were doing it just simply to keep themselves and their neighbors alive. There is a Confederate song that is one of my favorites. Some of you may know the tune, you may not know the words, I did not bring all the words. But the name of the song is "The Homespun Dress." And I'm going to confess to you the first time I ever heard that song, I cried.
#51 | 37:21 to 38:09 | cleaned
I wept like a baby. And the reason I did was because when you look at the Southern ladies during that time, you could see character, honor, determination. And you look around today and you see how we have deteriorated and it'll break your heart. But I want you to listen to the first two stanzas of "The Homespun Dress." "Oh, yes, I am a Southern girl and glory in the name and boast it with far greater pride than glittering wealth or fame."
#52 | 38:10 to 38:59 | cleaned
"We envy not the Northern girl her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair." They said, we're not concerned about all those things. Here's the chorus. "Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." The ladies in the South during this time, they didn't have anything. They just made whatever they could make. Here's the second stanza. "The homespun dress is plain, I know. My hat's palmetto, too. But then it shows what Southern girls for Southern rights will do."
#53 | 39:00 to 39:44 | cleaned
"We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." Sacrificial living, sacrificial giving, sacrificial efforts were put out to preserve the independence and the freedom and the liberty that we enjoyed under the Constitution back in the 1860s. And may I point out this simple truth, that it is sacrificial living and sacrificial giving and sacrificing efforts that is needed today in order to restore that same independence. The truth of the matter is this, folks.
#54 | 39:46 to 40:47 | cleaned
We live in a day of plenty. We've never gone hungry. We've never done without. We've never suffered like these people. And the truth is, most of us are unwilling to sacrifice the way they did. The point I'm trying to make is this, folks: liberty, freedom, independence, honor, character, integrity meant far more to the people of the 1860s than it does to us today in 2006 and 2007. But we'll never ever regain what we've lost until we learn to sacrifice.
#55 | 40:49 to 41:41 | cleaned
Let me give you an illustration. I was visiting in Illinois. In fact, I was up there preaching. And the pastor of the church said, "Oh, by the way, there's been a new church building built about 20, 30 miles from here. It is really exquisite. I'd like to take you to see it if you'd like to go." I said, "Well, sure, I'd like to go and like to meet the pastor." Well, when we drove up, here was this exquisite brick building.
#56 | 41:41 to 42:13 | cleaned
I mean, it was an eye opener. It was a knockout building. It was a beautiful building. And when we went inside, here was the prettiest carpet you've ever laid eyes on. Very beautiful furniture. I mean, padded pews, yes, oak, stained glass windows, new pulpit. I mean, it was just simply top of the line. Well, the pastor came out and I was introduced to him and I said, "Well, I want to tell you that I really like your building. It is indeed a beautiful building." And the pastor looked at me and said, "It's the worst thing that ever happened to us. It's one of the biggest curses that's ever been placed upon us."
#57 | 42:13 to 43:12 | cleaned
I said, "What are you talking about? Are you in debt?" "Oh, no. We paid cash for this building. We don't owe a penny to anybody. We pay cash for everything." I said, "Well, I want you to explain to me how this building and paying cash for everything turns out to be the biggest curse and the worst thing that ever happened to this church." He said, "Well, you see, we had a lady, a widow lady in this church who died."
#58 | 43:14 to 43:48 | cleaned
"And she left us about 20 million dollars. And part of that money built this beautiful building and everything that you see. We've got money in banks. We've got money in CDs. We've got money stacked everywhere coming out of our ears." I said, "Now go ahead and explain the curse." He said, "Well, you see, before she left us that money, we had a little building. We met together. We prayed together. Everybody tithed. Everybody gave. If we needed something, everybody sacrificed. If something needed to be done, we had a work day and everyone came and did it."
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He says, "Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. If something tears up or we need something done, the people say, 'Well, hire somebody to do it. We got the money.' We have the building, but we lost the church." And you stop and think about that, folks. We've got more in 2006 and 2007 than our ancestors could ever dream of having in the 1860s. But we've lost what they had. We don't understand sacrifice.
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Let me give you one illustration. There is a book I have in my library that is entitled Cry Heart. And it is stories and incidents that came out of this war. One of the most touching and one of the most revealing is a story of Edward Cooper, a young artillery man, who is being court-martialed for desertion in the winter of 1862 to 1863. Colonel A.C. Battle and a number of other officers were holding the court-martial. During this court-martial, case after case was called and disposed of very quickly until they got to the case of young Edward Cooper. When Colonel Battle asked him who his counsel was, Edward Cooper says, "I have no counsel, sir."
#61 | 45:39 to 46:42 | cleaned
Well, he said, "All right then, son. If you're going to represent yourself, call your witnesses." Young Edward Cooper said, "I have no witnesses, sir." Colonel Battle became upset, and he said this. He said, "Have you no defense at all? Is it possible that you abandoned your comrades and deserted your colors without any reason?" Young Edward Cooper replied, "There was a reason, but it will not avail me in a military court." "Well, you may be mistaken," replied Colonel Battle. Young Edward Cooper then trembled. Tears filled his eyes. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and he handed it to Colonel Battle. He said, "Here, sir."
#62 | 46:45 to 47:35 | cleaned
"This is what did it. This is what prompted me to desert my comrades." Colonel Battle read the paper and soon he was weeping. He passed it to each of the officers on the court martial board and tears soon filled their eyes. Here was the letter. It was from Edward Cooper's wife, Mary. She had written, "My dear Edward, I've always been proud of you since your connection with the Confederate Army. And I've been prouder of you than ever before. And I would not have you to do anything wrong for the world, but before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die."
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"Last night, I was roused by little Eddie crying, and I called and said, 'What's the matter, Eddie?' And he said, 'Oh, mama, I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry.' And Lucy, your darling Lucy, she never complains, but she's growing thinner every day. And I repeat, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die." "What did you do when you received this letter?" asked Colonel Battle. Young Cooper said, "I applied for a furlough, sir."
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"And what was the answer?" "Furlough denied." "What did you do then?" he asked. "I applied for another furlough." "What was the answer?" "Furlough denied." "And what then did you do, sir?" "I applied for another furlough and the answer came back, 'Furlough denied.' And then, sir, one night as I was walking back and forth among the tents, I could hear Mary's words resounding in my brain."
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"'Before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must all die.' I could hear my son begging for food. I could see my daughter dying. And, sir, all of a sudden, I was no longer a Confederate soldier. I was the husband of Mary and the father of Eddie and Lucy, and, sir, if every gun in the Confederate Army had been trained on me, I still would have gone home." "Well," he said, "sir, what brought you back?"
#66 | 49:32 to 50:06 | cleaned
"Why are you before this court-martial?" Young Edward Cooper said, "When I went home, Mary ran out to meet me. And as she threw her arms around me, she whispered, 'Oh, Edward, I'm so happy you got your furlough.' She must have felt me shudder. She turned pale as death, and catching her breath at every word, she said, 'O Edward, go back, go back.'"
#67 | 50:07 to 50:41 | cleaned
"'Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.' And here I am, sir, not brought back by the military powers, but been obedient to Mary's command to abide the decision of your court martial." As moved as all the officers were, they did their duty and pronounced Governor Edward Cooper guilty of desertion. I hope you know that desertion carries the death penalty. Thankfully, the proceedings of the court were sent to and reviewed by General Robert E. Lee. He endorsed the record and then sent back these words. "Headquarters of Northern Virginia, the finding of this court is approved."
#68 | 50:42 to 51:47 | cleaned
"The prisoner is pardoned and report to his company." Signed General Robert E. Lee. Many sacrificed. Some sacrificed all. You know what Jeff Davis said? You remember Jeff Davis was thrown in prison for two years without trial. He suffered immensely, had to send his family to Canada to avoid persecution. President Jefferson Davis said this after everything was over. He says, "Nothing fills me with deeper sadness than to see a Southern man apologizing for the defense that we made of our inheritance."
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"Our cause was so just, so sacred, that had I known all that had come to pass, had I known what was to be inflicted upon me, and all that my country was to suffer, all that our posterity was to endure, I would do it all over again."
#70 | 52:42 to 53:00 | cleaned
"Our cause was so just and so sacred. Had I known that all that I had to endure and what our country had to endure and our posterity, I would do it all over again." You know what one of our problems is today, folks? We have lost the spirit of sacrifice. We've put comfort and pleasure above everything else. Those few remaining Confederates in the South, unhappily most of the time have become country club Confederates. By that I mean this, we want the spoils of socialism and statism and fascism and at the same time we want states' rights and independence and those things just do not go together. And you know, when we do get someone who comes along with a little backbone and a little courage and a little determination to do what's right and wants to do what's right, unhappily, we won't support him. Why? We just have lost the spirit of sacrifice.
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We don't understand what it's going to take to regain our independence, our liberty, and our freedom. Now let me just show you something. If I were to ask you, what were the causes of the war? Think about this. What were the causes of that war? You can say, "Well now, Brother Weaver, one of the causes was states' rights or limited government." That's right. But let me tell you something. I can take my Bible and show you where limited government, limited civil government is taught clearly and distinctly in the Word of God. You say, "Well, Brother Weaver, another cause of that war was self-defense."
#72 | 54:37 to 55:29 | cleaned
I mean, we didn't invade the North. The North invaded us. Fine. I can take you to the Word of God and I can show you the biblical right of self-defense. You said, "Well, wait a minute. There was another cause of that war. That was economics, tariffs, taxes." Fine. I can take you to the Bible and show you what God has to say about tariffs and taxes. You said, "But it was a religious war." Yes, it was. It was a religious war because the North was trying to impose their theology upon the South. The South was more Christian, more Calvinistic, more biblical. And the North was willing to introduce their Unitarianism. Let me tell you, I can take you to the Bible and show you where we must stand against wickedness even in the area and in the field of religion. All I'm trying to show you is this, folks.
#73 | 55:29 to 56:19 | cleaned
Everything that our forefathers fought for, everything that they stood for, everything that they believed came straight out of this book. And we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage and our independence and our liberty and our freedom until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice. And we'll give all to restore what we lost. The greatest sacrifice that was ever given was when God the Father sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And because of His sacrifice,
#74 | 56:20 to 57:07 | cleaned
we may now stand with Him. And sacrifice for truth and liberty and freedom. I cannot read these books, these first hand accounts, without feeling so shamed and so humiliated. Because I've done so little. When you read these, they ought to bring you to your knees before God. Mary Gay tells about how she walks into her house and her saintly, godly mother, who is wasting away. The commissary where they had traded lead for food had been closed.
#75 | 57:10 to 58:05 | cleaned
Nothing left in the land. Nothing to eat. Mary walks in and looks at her mother and says, "Oh, mother, the commissary is closed. What shall we do?" And the old saintly mother says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." May God give us faith and character. Let's pray. Father, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us to understand the spirit of sacrifice, not only in Christ, but in Scripture and in the saints that have gone before us. Give us grace, dear Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we ask and pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:28:39Z

Confederate Sacrifices

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver contrasts modern comfort with the sacrificial living of Confederate ancestors, using historical examples to argue that regaining liberty requires a return to biblical principles and a spirit of sacrifice.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message 'Confederate Sacrifices' and reads Romans 12:1-2, emphasizing the call to present our bodies as living sacrifices.

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Several years ago, I spoke in Savannah, Georgia at the Monument on Confederate Memorial Day, and I brought about a 15-minute message on Confederate sacrifices.

The Lost Art of Sacrifice

Weaver argues that modern society knows nothing about sacrifice, contrasting instant gratification with the sacrificial living of Confederate ancestors.

Sacrificial Examples of Southern Leaders

Stories of Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest illustrate personal sacrifice, including Lee giving away his food and Forrest spending his fortune to equip his troops.

Sacrifice Among the Common People

Weaver emphasizes that ordinary people also sacrificed, citing the widow's mite and the greater impact of war on the poor.

The Hardships of Confederate Soldiers

A Union chaplain's account of a dead Confederate soldier with only roasted acorns in his haversack demonstrates extreme deprivation and patriotism.

The Toll of Sleep Deprivation and Exhaustion

John Newman Edwards' eyewitness account describes soldiers going days without sleep, hallucinating, and suffering permanent mental damage.

The Suffering of Southern Women and Children

Mary A.H. Gay's book details women and children scavenging for food, trading lead for provisions, and enduring Sherman's destruction.

The Homespun Dress and the Spirit of Sacrifice

The song 'The Homespun Dress' exemplifies Southern women's pride in making do, and Weaver laments the loss of sacrificial spirit today.

Modern Apathy and the Cost of Liberty

A story of a church that lost its sacrificial spirit after receiving a large inheritance illustrates how wealth can erode commitment, and Weaver calls for a return to biblical sacrifice.

The Court-Martial of Edward Cooper

A young soldier deserts to save his starving family but returns at his wife's urging to preserve his honor; General Lee pardons him.

The Biblical Foundation of the Confederate Cause

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and prays for grace to serve God with reverence and sacrificial living.

Confederate Sacrifices

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3707172246
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-12-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 028: The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	76

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver introduces the message 'Confederate Sacrifices' and reads Romans 12:1-2, emphasizing the call to present our bodies as living sacrifices.
The Lost Art of Sacrifice: Weaver argues that modern society knows nothing about sacrifice, contrasting instant gratification with the sacrificial living of Confederate ancestors.
Sacrificial Examples of Southern Leaders: Stories of Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest illustrate personal sacrifice, including Lee giving away his food and Forrest spending his fortune to equip his troops.
Sacrifice Among the Common People: Weaver emphasizes that ordinary people also sacrificed, citing the widow's mite and the greater impact of war on the poor.
The Hardships of Confederate Soldiers: A Union chaplain's account of a dead Confederate soldier with only roasted acorns in his haversack demonstrates extreme deprivation and patriotism.
The Toll of Sleep Deprivation and Exhaustion: John Newman Edwards' eyewitness account describes soldiers going days without sleep, hallucinating, and suffering permanent mental damage.
The Suffering of Southern Women and Children: Mary A.H. Gay's book details women and children scavenging for food, trading lead for provisions, and enduring Sherman's destruction.
The Homespun Dress and the Spirit of Sacrifice: The song 'The Homespun Dress' exemplifies Southern women's pride in making do, and Weaver laments the loss of sacrificial spirit today.
Modern Apathy and the Cost of Liberty: A story of a church that lost its sacrificial spirit after receiving a large inheritance illustrates how wealth can erode commitment, and Weaver calls for a return to biblical sacrifice.
The Court-Martial of Edward Cooper: A young soldier deserts to save his starving family but returns at his wife's urging to preserve his honor; General Lee pardons him.
The Biblical Foundation of the Confederate Cause: Weaver asserts that the Confederate cause was rooted in biblical principles of limited government, self-defense, and religious fidelity, and that restoration requires a return to Scripture and sacrifice.
Conclusion and Prayer: Weaver concludes with the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and prays for grace to serve God with reverence and sacrificial living.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Modern Americans lack understanding of sacrifice

Weaver argues that contemporary society, with its instant gratification and debt, has no concept of the sacrificial living practiced by Confederate ancestors.

We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. ... The truth is, most of us probably do not even know the definition of the word sacrifice.

Confederate sacrifice was widespread and voluntary

Both leaders and common people willingly endured extreme hardship for independence, demonstrating a cheerful commitment to principle.

they were willing to cheerfully sacrifice in order that they might have their independence ... the little man sacrificed just like the wealthy.

Historical accounts prove the severity of deprivation

Eyewitness testimonies from Union and Confederate sources confirm that soldiers fought on empty stomachs and went without sleep for days, suffering permanent damage.

We found a dead Confederate soldier ... his haversack ... a handful of roasted acorns. ... Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad.

Women and children endured unique sacrifices

Southern women scavenged for food, traded lead for provisions, and walked hundreds of miles to help others, all while maintaining faith and dignity.

Mary A.H. Gay's account of picking grains of corn from horse droppings and trading minie balls for food.

Wealth can undermine sacrificial spirit

The story of a church that lost its giving and serving culture after receiving a large inheritance illustrates how comfort can replace commitment.

He says, 'Now nobody gives, nobody tithes. ... We have the building, but we lost the church.'

The Confederate cause was biblically justified

Weaver contends that states' rights, self-defense, economic grievances, and religious orthodoxy are all supported by Scripture, making the Southern cause just.

I can take my Bible and show you where limited government ... self-defense ... tariffs and taxes ... we must stand against wickedness even in the area and in the field of religion.

Restoration requires a return to biblical sacrifice

Regaining lost liberties demands a return to the Bible and a willingness to sacrifice as Christ sacrificed for us.

we will never, ever regain our history and our heritage and our independence and our liberty and our freedom until we come back to this book and find the spirit of sacrifice.

Scripture References

Romans 12:1-2: Weaver opens the sermon by reading this passage, which calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices and be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
Mark 12:41-44 (implied): Weaver references the widow's mite to illustrate that the poor woman's sacrifice was greater because she gave all she had, unlike the rich who gave from abundance.
Psalm 23:1: Mary Gay's mother quotes 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want' when facing starvation, demonstrating faith in God's provision.

Historical References

Robert E. Lee: Lee sacrificed his home (Arlington) and wealth, gave his food to others, and lived on simple fare like cold sweet potatoes.
Nathan Bedford Forrest: Forrest was a millionaire who equipped his brigade at his own expense and was left penniless after the war.
Francis Bartow: A Georgia congressman who declared he would let Savannah's port rot rather than compromise the state's honor.
Battle of Corinth: Union chaplain Robert J. Burdette found a dead Confederate soldier with only roasted acorns in his haversack, illustrating extreme deprivation.
General Joe Shelby: John Newman Edwards' book describes Shelby's men going without sleep for days, hallucinating, and suffering permanent mental damage.
Sherman's March to the Sea: Sherman's troops destroyed all food sources in Georgia, leaving civilians to starve; Sherman wrote to Stanton about killing a class of people.
Mary A.H. Gay: Author of 'Life in Dixie During the War,' she scavenged corn from horse droppings and traded minie balls for food to survive.
Edward Cooper court-martial: A Confederate soldier deserted to save his starving family but returned at his wife's urging; General Lee pardoned him.
Jefferson Davis: Davis said he would endure all suffering again because the Confederate cause was just and sacred.
The Homespun Dress: A Confederate song celebrating Southern women's pride in wearing simple homespun dresses as a symbol of sacrifice.

Important Quotes

We live in a day and age where everyone gets what they want when they want it. That's why most people are in debt over their eyeballs. They have no idea of what it means to wait.

Highlights the modern lack of sacrificial patience and contrasts it with Confederate endurance.

I have become absolutely convinced that we know absolutely nothing about sacrifice. We know nothing about sacrificial living. We know nothing about suffering. We know nothing about doing without for standing for truth and righteousness and principle.

Central thesis that modern Christians lack the sacrificial spirit of their ancestors.

I put my hand in it and drew forth a handful of roasted acorns. I showed them to my comrade. 'That's all,' I said. 'And he's been fighting like a tiger for two days on that forage.'

Vivid Union testimony to the extreme deprivation of Confederate soldiers.

Soldiers in Shelby's division have been known to go incurably mad, and not a few cases of hopeless idiocy have resulted from his terrible raids.

Shows the psychological toll of sleep deprivation and constant warfare.

Lead, blood, tears, oh how suggestive. Lead, blood and tears mingled and commingled. In vain did I try to dash the tears away.

Mary Gay's poignant description of the physical and emotional cost of survival.

Before God, Edward, unless you come home, we must die.

The desperate plea that drove a soldier to desert, illustrating the impossible choices faced by families.

Let me and the children go down to the grave, but save the honor of your name.

Demonstrates the supreme value placed on honor over even survival.

Our cause was so just, so sacred, that had I known all that had come to pass, had I known what was to be inflicted upon me, and all that my country was to suffer, all that our posterity was to endure, I would do it all over again.

Jefferson Davis' unrepentant affirmation of the Confederate cause, used to inspire modern commitment.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the modern culture of instant gratification hinder our ability to live sacrificially for truth and principle?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts modern impatience with the willingness of Confederates to endure prolonged hardship.

[Question]

In what ways can we cultivate a spirit of cheerful sacrifice in our daily lives, following the example of Robert E. Lee and others?

[Context]

Lee gave away his food and home, demonstrating personal sacrifice for others.

[Question]

What does the story of the widow's mite teach us about the nature of true sacrifice compared to giving out of abundance?

[Context]

Weaver uses the biblical account to argue that the poor often sacrifice more than the rich.

[Question]

How should the extreme sufferings of Confederate soldiers and civilians inform our understanding of the cost of liberty?

[Context]

Accounts of starvation, sleep deprivation, and scavenging for food show the price paid for independence.

[Question]

What lessons can we learn from the church that lost its sacrificial spirit after receiving a large inheritance?

[Context]

The church stopped giving and serving when it became wealthy, losing its vitality.

[Question]

How do we balance family responsibilities with duty to a larger cause, as seen in Edward Cooper's dilemma?

[Context]

Cooper deserted to save his family but returned to preserve his honor.

[Question]

Weaver argues that the Confederate cause was biblically justified. How should we evaluate historical causes in light of Scripture?

[Context]

He cites limited government, self-defense, and religious fidelity as biblical principles.

[Question]

What practical steps can we take to recover a spirit of sacrifice in our churches and personal lives?

[Context]

Weaver concludes that regaining liberty requires returning to the Bible and sacrificial living.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:28:03Z