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Information about Churches in Richmond, VA during the Civil War.

This page gives information on the activities of the Churches and houses of worship in Richmond during the Civil War

Images

864 [Ruins of buildings, looking west, 2nd Presbyterian Church in background.] Alexander Gardner
937 [St. Paul's Church from Capitol Square.] John Reekie

3164

St. John’s Church, Church Hill, Richmond, Va.

3366

St. John’s Church, Richmond, Va.

3368

1st African Church, Richmond, Va.

3369

The Monument Church, Richmond, Va.

Written Accounts

Richmond Dispatch 10/30/1860; Political parties are meeting at various places, including Metropolitan Hall, First African Church, and Springfield Hall
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1860; description of the danger posed to men slating the steeple of the Broad Street Church.
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1860; Chapel of St. Paul’s on 5th, between Canal and Byrd Streets was consecrated yesterday
Richmond Dispatch 11/7/1860; Smith’s Armory Band plays at all the different political parties’ headquarters, including the African Church
Richmond Dispatch 11/12/1860; British account of the Prince of Wales’ trip to Richmond - notes on the ill-taste of the "ruffianly" Richmond crowds, the Prince’s visit to the state Capitol (important anecdote about the Houdon statue), St. Paul’s Church, the fair grounds, Hollywood Cemetery, Governor’s Mansion, Ballard House
Richmond Dispatch 5/4/1861; Rev. Francis Boggs, the Chaplain at Camp Lee, has been elected Captain in the 1st VA Inf.
Richmond Dispatch 5/29/1861; ladies of the Monumental Church are doing work for the soldiers in the Mechanics' Institute
Richmond Enquirer 6/19/1861; Notes that the St. Francis de Sales Hospital has been recently established, and is treating Confederate soldiers - laudatory of the Catholic Church
Richmond Dispatch 7/10/1861; Dr. Hoge, chaplain at Camp Lee, has set up collection place for donations next to the R. F. & P. depot
Richmond Dispatch 7/27/1861; brief description of the hospital at Mason Hall Church; also description of the "Springfield Temperance" hospital (future GH#26), in the same neighborhood; notes they are both filling up
Richmond Enquirer 8/5/1861; ladies of St. James Church have established a hospital at the corner of Main and 3rd (probably Robertson Hospital)
Richmond Whig 8/6/1861; ladies of St. James Episcopal Church have obtained Judge Robertson's house, corner of 3rd and Main, for use as a hospital (later Robertson Hospital)
Richmond Enquirer 8/20/1861; Centenary Methodist Church Hospital established
Richmond Enquirer 8/20/1861; Two hospitals have been established by the Centenary Methodist Church
Richmond Whig 8/20/1861; Sycamore Church establishes hospital in their lecture-room
Richmond Dispatch 8/31/1861; good description of Sycamore Church Hospital; opened 8/21
Richmond Enquirer 8/31/1861; notice that Sycamore Church Hospital has been established
Richmond Dispatch 9/11/1861; ladies of the First Baptist Church have procured a house on Fourth street beyond Leigh to use as a hospital
Richmond Enquirer 9/27/1861; description of the Bethel Church Sunday school (20th and Cary streets)
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1861; Rev. John C. McCabe appointed chaplain of area military posts
Richmond Dispatch 11/2/1861; more details on Rev. Dr. McCabe - came from the 32VA
Richmond Dispatch 11/22/1861; Dr. McCabe, post Chaplain, overwhelmed with work
Richmond Dispatch 12/7/1861; excellent directory of churches in Richmond, pastors, and times of worship
Richmond Whig 1/22/1862; Description of the funeral of Pres. John Tyler. Body taken from the "Hall of Congress" to St. Paul's, where the funeral sermon was delivered, and thence to Hollywood Cemetery. Notes that the weather was exceedingly bad.
Richmond Whig 2/17/1862; description of the funeral of Capt. O. J. Wise at St. James' Church and Hollywood Cemetery. A large number of people came to see the body while it was lying in state, in a metallic coffin, in the Confederate Senate Room at the Capitol.
Richmond Dispatch 2/25/1862; Wind storm: slate blown off steeple of Broad Street M. E. Church, also adjacent scaffolding; 100 yards of Petersburg RR bridge track and flooring blown into the river; 50 old pines at Howard’s Grove fall – smash into half dozen houses formerly used by 57 VA; tin roof at Greanor’s Factory (future Castle Thunder), 18th St., blown off.
Richmond Dispatch 3/6/1862; list of recent arrests of Unionists including Rev. Bosserman of 1st Independent Christian Church, Mayo St.
Richmond Dispatch

4/1/1862; 2nd Baptist Church melts bell for “2nd Baptist Church Battery;” John Tanner, of Tredegar, involved

Richmond Dispatch 4/12/1862; old cannon on street corners should be recycled – bell in steeple of Dr. Reed’s Church sent to the Armory to be recycled
Richmond Dispatch 4/14/1862; Shakespearian reading at African Church
Richmond Dispatch 4/28/1862; soldier of the 21st MI loitering about the "C. S. Military Prisons" [Libby Prison] is taken into custody, assaults "Mr. Ross, clerk of the prison" and Lieut. Turner "who has charge of the prison" sends him to the Provost Marshal. Man attempts to escape, shot at 19th & Cary, rear of Quaker Meeting House, taken to Libby Prison, where he dies
Richmond Enquirer 5/7/1862; congregation of the Disciples church makes a donation to Winder Hospital
Richmond Dispatch 5/13/1862; Peterfield Trent asks City Council to set aside Clay St Chapel as hospital - request denied; quarter ending 4/30: 114 white interments at Shockoe, 16 of them POW
Richmond Dispatch 5/15/1862; Editorial regret that Clay St Chapel not used as hospital
Richmond Dispatch 5/20/1862; little boy hurt by falling from wall at St. John’s Churchyard
Richmond Dispatch 5/29/1862; Ladies making hospital bedding at St. Paul’s church
Richmond Dispatch 5/30/1862; Monumental Church ladies sewing beds for hospitals
Richmond Enquirer 5/31/1862; ladies of the various churches are requested to make bedding for the hospitals
Richmond Dispatch 6/4/1862; New hospital established at Ridge Church (in the west end)
Richmond Dispatch 6/4/1862; Many churches sent pew cushions to Med. Dir
Richmond Dispatch 6/5/1862; Sycamore Church ladies making bed sacks
Richmond Dispatch 6/24/1862; Josephine Rupert, lady making “equipments for the soldiers” at St. Paul’s Church falls through trap door in belfry - not badly injured
Richmond Dispatch 7/1/1862; Seaman's Bethel church, 20th street, has been taken as a hospital
Richmond Dispatch 7/9/1862; Walter Coles in charge of Bosher & Spotswood Hotel hospital. Thanks donors by name. Rev. Hoge is among the contributors.
Richmond Dispatch 7/12/1862; details on funeral of a man who accidentally drowned at Drewry’s Bluff - funeral at Trinity M. E. Church
Richmond Dispatch 7/14/1862; Daily prayer meetings at 2nd Presbyterian Church
Richmond Dispatch 7/22/1862; Ladies at First Baptist Church Hospital thank a Mecklenburg lady for provisions
Richmond Dispatch 7/30/1862; special meeting for members of 2nd Presbyterian Church
Richmond Dispatch 8/2/1862; special preaching at Trinity Methodist Episcopal, 20th & Broad
Richmond Dispatch 8/8/1862; Sallie Tompkins thanks St. Paul’s Church, Hanover County, for money donated to hospital
Richmond Dispatch 8/18/1862; daily prayer meeting at Centenary Church
Richmond Dispatch 8/19/1862; Money and a prayer book found in “gallery” of St. John’s Church
Richmond Dispatch 8/25/1862; daily prayer meeting at 2nd Presbyterian Church
Richmond Dispatch 9/23/1862; Someone stole one of the old silver communion goblets from St. Paul’s
Richmond Dispatch 9/27/1862; Russell’s starch factory “in Rocketts old field” burned to the ground. Was lately in use as a hospital and formerly known as the Second Baptist Church Chapel.
Richmond Dispatch 10/7/1862; death notice, R. N. Holstead, ex-Parker’s Battery, died 10/5, typhoid, age 22 yrs, 1 month, 2 days. Druggist at Royster Hospital at the time of his death. Funeral at Union Station Methodist Church
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; Summary of synod of Presbyterian Church; Rev. J. D. Thomas holds regular services at Battery #8
Richmond Dispatch 11/11/1862; report on meeting of city citizens for shoes – J. L. Burrows, 1st Baptist Church, chairman. $4-5 thousand raised on the spot. List of committee members for various wards including Luther Libby, Wm. Greanor, Jno. R. Ballard, T. W. Hoeniger, James H. Grant, Joel B. Watkins, General J. R. Anderson & many more. One group to meet at J. R. Anderson’s home.
Richmond Dispatch 12/18/1862; an organist needed at St. John’s Church
Richmond Dispatch

12/20/1862; L. L. Lee “uneducated orator” to speak at African Church

Richmond Sentinel 1/6/1864; Ladies of Union Station Methodist Church furnished New Year's meal at Howard's Grove.
Richmond Whig 5/2/1864; description of the death of little Joseph Davis, son of Pres. Jefferson Davis, in a fall from a balcony at the Confederate White House.
Richmond Whig 5/14/1864; description of the funeral of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart and interment in Hollywood Cemetery; gives list of pall-bearers, including Pres. Davis, many generals, and members of Congress
Richmond Whig 9/17/1864; Rev. George Patterson of the Episcopal Church, officiated at Gen. Morgan's funeral
New York Times

4/11/1865; Article describing the White House of the Confederacy, the military governance of the city, the destruction done by the fire (particularly to the mills), the newspapers in Richmond and what has become of the editors, and an extremely detailed account of the jubilee meeting at First African Baptist Church.

New York Times 4/30/1865; Episcopal Churches are still closed. Author met Mathew Brady in Richmond 4/22/1865 and remarks on his photographs of Robert E. Lee.
Richmond Dispatch 12/31/1870; Memorial services for Erasmus Ross, former clerk of Libby, held in Monumental Church; Ross killed in the Spottswood fire
National Tribune 7/27/1899; "A Union Man in Richmond;" description of sentiment in Richmond leading up to secession; John Minor Botts' speech at the African Church, and the Secession Convention in the Mechanics' Institute.

Page last updated on 07/11/2008