by John McConnell
Augustus Woodbury, born on December 4, 1825, in Beverly, Massachusetts, graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard Divinity School before his 1849 ordination at Concord’s Second Congregational (Unitarian) Church. Fourteen months later, at age twenty-five, he married twenty-four-year-old Rebecca Bryant English. From 1853 to 1857, Woodbury ministered to the First Unitarian Society in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1857, he became the senior minister of Westminster Unitarian Church in Providence, Rhode Island, a role he held until retiring in 1892. Augustus and Rebecca remained married for forty-five years until he died in 1895.
Woodbury and the Rhode Island volunteers who responded to Lincoln’s call were among the first units to mobilize in the Civil War. At thirty-seven, he was the same age as his commander, Ambrose Burnside, a West Point graduate and namesake of “sideburns.” Amid boisterous fanfare, the regiment departed for the South to defend the struggling nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. The state’s governor and lieutenant governor accompanied the regiment.[1]
Woodbury’s first-person account, A Narrative of the Campaign of the First Rhode Island Regiment, captures these early days of conflict in the Spring and Summer of 1861. The narrative reflects Woodbury’s understanding of his Unitarian commitment as a call to service and unity in response to the challenges of the time. Describing the First Regiment’s departure for Washington, he wrote, “The streets of Providence resounded with the tramp of armed men and the notes of martial music. The vestries of the churches, halls, private dwellings, were filled with women at work upon the outfit of the soldiers”[2] as communities rallied in shared purpose. Woodbury believed in collective action where “young men buoyant with hope; middle-aged men, who felt the fire of patriotism kindling their hearts” joined “for the common weal.”[3] The chaplain’s call for unity highlighted his belief in the power of communal moral strength during a crisis. His words reveal a vision of faith that blends ethical responsibility with active engagement within a cause more significant than the self.
The First Battle of Bull Run, also known in the South as the First Battle of Manassas, occurred on July 21, 1861, thirty miles from Washington, D.C. Spectators, including senators, watched as Union Brigadier General Irvin McDowell’s outnumbered forces faltered due to poor coordination, delays, and lack of support from other generals. One senior commander was even accused of drunkenness. Unitarian chaplains, known for their precise reporting, were exemplified by Woodbury’s vivid account of the Union’s disarray. He noted their failure to advance with a “concert of action”[4] and detailed every misstep. The retreat became chaotic, blocked by abandoned carriages from senators and civilians who fled when the battle turned grim. Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson famously escaped on a mule. [5]
To Woodbury, the tactical and logistical failures reflected moral and organizational deficiencies, with the retreat showing a troubling loss of honor and discipline. Woodbury condemned the troops’ behavior in retreat, describing the forced entry of houses, destruction of furniture, and theft as “meanness and cowardice.”[6] The chaplain believed this lack of discipline betrayed the moral standards central to the Union’s mission. He felt the army must maintain poise and ethical behavior, even in retreat. His reflections on Bull Run reinforced his conviction that strategic discipline and moral integrity were essential to the Union cause, and he hoped to inspire these values in his troops.
Convinced that moral discipline was as vital as military strategy, Woodbury promoted regular religious observances to foster resilience and shared purpose. He questioned whether Rhode Island soldiers welcomed these services or found them offensive but observed a “serious and devout feeling” among the soldiers despite “the coarseness and worldliness”[7] of Army life. The chaplain informs that the soldiers often thanked him for this dedication.
Religious services in camp left a “permanent impression”[8] on the young men that grounded them in a shared moral purpose amid the hardships of army life. For Woodbury, these practices fostered resilience and community, reflecting his Unitarian values of shared ethics over doctrine. He warned that the camp, more than the battlefield, posed a greater moral danger, as “the most dangerous enemy to the soldier is… in the quiet of the garrison and the camp.”[9] Religious guidance, he believed, was crucial for maintaining discipline and moral strength against idleness and vice.
In his journals, Woodbury praised Colonel Ambrose Burnside, a Quaker and West Point graduate, as a paragon of humble and ethical leadership. Unlike officers seeking glory, Burnside “desired no pomp, no parade, no flattery, no preferment”[10] focusing instead on his regiment’s welfare. His humility and integrity, Woodbury believed, exemplified leadership that combined ethical standards with practical care, strengthening regimental bonds.
When the First Rhode Island’s enlistment ended, they returned to Providence to a warm reception, met with “joyful cheers and acclamations by the multitudes.”[11] This celebration affirmed Woodbury’s belief in the bond between soldiers and the society they served. To him, the official dismissal was more than a ceremony. Instead, it symbolized the covenant between the soldiers and their community.
Woodbury’s Civil War account highlights his dual roles as spiritual guide and historian, documenting the sacrifices of the First Rhode Island. His detailed lists of those who served and died under their regimental colors may initially seem morbid or excessive, but they reflect a deep commitment to honoring their memory. Woodbury’s war journals capture the courage and ethical dilemmas of the Civil War, offering insight into the chaplain’s moral responsibilities. His reflections illustrate how Unitarian principles shaped a vision of chaplaincy rooted in moral reflection and communal obligation. His disappointment in lapses of discipline at Bull Run underscores his belief that ethical responsibility is essential to military honor. Similarly, his admiration for leaders like Burnside highlights his commitment to humility, courage, and selflessness.
Through religious services, Woodbury strengthened regimental bonds and resilience, providing spaces for solace and moral clarity amid the crucible of conflict. His inclusive services reflected Unitarian ideals of dignity, community, and shared moral purpose. Grounded in ethical commitment and practical care, Woodbury’s leadership was vital to the First Rhode Island. By maintaining morale and preserving their history, he ensured the regiment would be remembered as a testament to faith, duty, and resilience during one of America’s darkest periods.
Bibliography
“Appletons’ Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889 – Ancestry.Com.” n.d. Ancestry.Com. Accessed October 29, 2024. www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16932:61360.
“Jan 18, 1896, Page 2 – The Buffalo County Sun At.” n.d. Newspapers.Com. Accessed October 29, 2024. www.newspapers.com/image/708384172/.
“Senators Witness the First Battle of Bull Run.” 2023. Senate.Gov. September 8, 2023. www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Witness_Bull_Run.htm.
“U.S., School Catalogs, 1765-1935 – Ancestry.Com.” n.d. Ancestry.Com. Accessed October 29, 2024. www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5093951:2203.
Woodbury, Augustus. A Narrative of the Campaign of the First Rhode Island Regiment, in the Spring and Summer of 1861. Providence: Sidney S. Rider, 1862. Kindle edition.
[1] Augustus Woodbury, A Narrative of the Campaign of the First Rhode Island Regiment, in the Spring and Summer of 1861 (Providence: Sidney S. Rider, 1862; Kindle). The world has changed so much. Imagine governors going off to war now. There might be fewer wars.
[2]Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc.149.
[3] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle Loc. 149.
[4] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle Loc. 149.
[5] “Senators Witness the First Battle of Bull Run,” Senate.gov, September 8, 2023, www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Witness_Bull_Run.htm.
[6]Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc.700.
[7] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc.357-358.
[8] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc. 355.
[9] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc. 357-358.
[10] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc. 1260.
[11] Woodbury, Narrative of the Campaign, Kindle loc. 1216.
