Southern Baptist efforts to supply religious reading material to Confederate soldiers are now well underway. George J. Sumner, Treasurer of the Baptist Colportage Board, is now living in Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate Capital. This month he reports that the board has received $3,500 to assist in providing religious reading material to the Confederate Army in Virginia.
The Richmond Daily Dispatch, routinely covering religious news as related to the southern war effort, publishes a partial listing of donations received by the Colportage Board, offering a glimpse into Southern Baptist support of the war effort in terms of religious literature for soldiers:
Rev. Dr. Quarles, Louisa co., sends from his school and churches $55 60
Rev. C. Tyree, Powhatan co 95 00
Several friends in Halifax co 100 00
Dr. Wm. H. Turpin, Augusta, Ga. 20 00
Young Ladies’ Missionary Society, 1st Baptist Church, Petersburg. 8 00
Collected by Rev. H. H. Wyer, Goochland co 50 00
Friends in Buckingham co 60 00
W. W. Waller, for 1st Baptist Church, Montgomery, Ala 160 00
First Baptist Church, Charleston, S. C. 50 00
Friends in Spotsylvania co 25 00
Collected by Rev. E. W. Roach, Charlotte co 50 00
Friends in Bedford co 30 00
Prof. C. L. Cocke, Hollins’s Institute 10 00
Dr. Wm. Gwathmey’s family, King William co 14 00
Some Christians in Knoxville, Tenn. 17 00
Friends at Rock Hill, Ala 43 50
Thos. D. Toy, Norfolk 50 00
Collected by Rev. Thos. Landsdell, of Louisiana 25 00
Walnut Grove Baptist Church, Hanover, per Rev. Mr. Patterson 26 50
Peter V. Daniel, Esq., Richmond, Va. 10 00
Rev. G. H. Northam, Richmond co. 35 50
F. M. Latham, Esq., Culpeper C. H. 20 00
Georgia Baptist Convention 40 00
Dr. R. H. Ryland, La. 10 00
Sparta Grays, per Rev. A. Broaddus 28 00
Thos. Hurt, Caroline co. 20 00
Collected by Rev. J. H. Fox, Scottsville 25 00
M. M. Anderson, per Rev. T. Hume, Portsmouth 10 00
Friends in Staunton, Va. 80 00
Rev. J. W. Ward, Southampton co 20 00
Source: “Contributions for the Soldiers,” Richmond Daily Dispatch, October 18, 1861 (link)