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"THE EPISCOPALIAN" September 1976

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{image of Polk} Bishop-General Leonidas Polk of Louisi-
ana "sympathized so ardently with the
rebel leaders that he was induced in an
evil moment to resign his bishopric and
accepted from Jeff Davis a commission
in the rebel army as Major-General." Re-
ports at the time said since Bishop Polk
became a soldier, he "doffed the decent
manners of the episcopate for the habits
of a trooper - that he drinks, swears, etc.,
etc." But he baptized three generals on
the battlefield.
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{image of Polk}
LEONIDAS POLK

Throughout the South,
Asheville was regarded a
secure haven. Wounded of-
ficers came here to con-
valesce. Here elements of Jeb
Stuart's cavalry revived their
gay spirits, played banjos,
and rested their jaded horses.
Here Lieutenant General
Leonidas Polk sent his wife
for safety after he dropped the
bishop's frock and put on the
gray uniform to campaign
with the Army of Tennessee
until shot down in front of
Kenesaw Mountain.
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THE MOBILE REGISTER
MOBILE, ALA.
D. 43,516 SUN. 41,476

MAY 3 1969 B[ritelle's?]
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Relics Are Displayed
At Meeting Of UDC

Items presented to the Jef-
ferson Davis Chaper, United
Daughters of the Confed-
eracy, were displayed at the
meeting yesterday at the
home of Mrs. H. Abb Wool-
ridge.

Old UDC pins and a prison-
er's pass issued in 1865 were
given to the chapter by
George Arras through Mrs.
Martin Breisten. These in-
cluded a Robert E. Lee lapel
pin, a pin from a state UDC
reunion held in Mobile Nov.
15-16, 1904; and a pin from a
Washington, D.C. convention
in April 1905, issued in memo-
ry of Confederate soldiers.

The pass was issued from
the office of the provost mar-
shal in Selma on May 20,
1865, to Union Captain
William S. Taylor, a paroled
prisoner by order of Brig.
Gen. C. O. Andrews. The pass
was signed by George C.
Evanston, captain and provost
marshal.

Mrs. Ernest C. Edgar Jr.,
presented the program, "The
Fighting Bishop General Le-
onidias Polk, CSA." She said
that Bishop Polk graduated
from West Point Academy in
1827 and resigned his cavalry
lieutenant's commission to en-
ter the Virginia Theological
Seminary. He was ordained a
deacon in the Protestant Epis-
copal Church in 1830.

In 1860 the bishop laid the
cornerstone for the University
of the South at Sewanne,
Tenn., "the reality of his
dreams and labors."

At the age of 51, Bishop
Polk put aside his robes to
wear the gray and fight with
the Confederacy. Mrs. Edgar
said his special duty was to
defend the Mississippi River
and that he was killed in ac-
tion atop Pine Mountain, Ga.,
while viewing an enemy loca-
tion."

Mrs. Howard M. Wheeler
was a guest.

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