Join us on Friday, March 13, as we commemorate Women’s History Month with a presentation by the Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale on the vital role chaplains played during the American Civil War.

Civil War chaplains served not only as captains on the regimental field staff, but also as pastors, confidants, spiritual guides, and paternal figures for the soldiers. Many of them willingly shared the hardships of army life and undertook various tasks that would help the men. Some chaplains risked their lives and freedom for the sake of their sense of duty to God and to their regiments. In their accounts, they share the perspective of men whose main concern was the spiritual and moral well-being of the soldiers, and these stories, some of which have not yet been shared in print, shed a different and sometimes very poignant light on the lives, faith, and sense of duty of men in the army, before, during, and after a battle. This presentation will introduce Civil War chaplaincy and will include a few stories of chaplains at Gettysburg.

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale is a United Methodist pastor and serves a church in Fayetteville, PA. She is also a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. Her research has focused on the lives and stories of Union chaplains, and she portrays the only woman to serve as a chaplain during the Civil War, Ella Gibson Hobart. Two of her articles on chaplains have been published in Gettysburg Magazine, and her novel “Faith and Duty” describes the challenges of a fictional chaplain as he learns how to be faithful both to God and to the men in his community as they enlist to serve in the federal army. Her latest book, “A Sight Never to Be Forgotten” (Gettysburg Publishing) includes first-hand accounts from Union chaplains who were present at the battle of Gettysburg.

Dinner reservations for this event must be made by noon on Sunday, March 1. RSVP to our membership chair, Michael Margolius, at membership@harrisburgcwrt.org.

Please pay in advance using PayPal or a credit card below, or pay by check, cash, or credit card at the door.  If paying below, you may make reservations for multiple guests. After selecting the month and entering the name of each guest, you will select the quantity on the next page.

Those who are unable to attend this engagement in person are invited to tune in to the lecture and Q&A session via Zoom.  Click on the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87148794302.   No password in required.  To dial in by phone, call 1-301-715-8592 or click on the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/87148794302/invitations?signature=Fxx4P19ceA-jnWjfq6-knzPVTaMjtmADSJdtdGJ7hvQ.  The meeting ID # is 871 4879 4302.  Zoom participants should join the meeting by 7:00 pm.