During the Civil War, chaplains lived a life defined by service, strain, and steadfast devotion. They carried no weapons, yet walked into every hardship the regiment faced — sickness, fear, grief, and the daily grind of camp life. Their ministry was not confined to Sunday; it was a constant presence in the lives of soldiers who often felt far from home and far from hope.

At Fort Duffield, this story belongs to Chaplain James G. Portman of the 9th Michigan Infantry and Chaplain John Hogarth Lozier, whose regiment passed through West Point. Their personalities could not have been more different, yet together they represent the full spectrum of chaplaincy: quiet pastoral care and energetic morale‑building.

Fort Duffield’s story is uniquely tied to one of the most famous hymns of the Civil War era: “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” The hymn was written in 1858 by Rev. George Duffield Jr., a respected Presbyterian minister from Detroit — and the father of Colonel William W. Duffield, commander of the 9th Michigan Infantry.

Rev. Duffield wrote the hymn after the death of his friend, Rev. Dudley Atkins Tyng, who urged believers to “stand up for Jesus” shortly before his passing. The hymn spread rapidly through northern churches and became one of the most beloved religious songs sung by Union soldiers.

Many of the men who built Fort Duffield grew up singing this hymn in Michigan congregations. Its themes of courage, duty, and steadfast faith resonated deeply with volunteers facing the cold, sickness, and hardship on Muldraugh’s Hill.

Civil War chaplains rarely had a church building. Their sanctuary was wherever the regiment happened to be — a muddy hillside, a clearing in the woods, a tent crowded with coughing men, or the quiet ridge above West Point.

Worship might be held in rain or snow, with men standing hatless in the wind. Hymns rose from tired voices, sometimes accompanied by the distant rumble of artillery.

Chaplains preached, prayed, visited the sick, wrote letters for the dying, and conducted funerals in all weather. They marched when the regiment marched, slept where the regiment slept, and endured the same cold, hunger, and disease that swept through every camp from Kentucky to Virginia.

Physical Hardship

Chaplains lived in the same conditions as the men: canvas tents, muddy roads, poor rations, and exposure to Kentucky’s winter storms. They spent long hours in hospital tents, surrounded by fever, dysentery, pneumonia, and measles — the same sickness that struck Fort Duffield in the winter of 1861–62.

Emotional Hardship

Chaplains carried the emotional weight of the regiment. They stood at countless deathbeds, listened to final words meant for distant families, and wrote letters home describing how a son or brother died. They conducted burials on cold hillsides, sometimes several in a single week.

Social Hardship

Not all soldiers trusted chaplains. Some saw them as unnecessary; others expected them to be miracle‑workers. Chaplains had to earn respect through presence — by walking the same muddy roads, eating the same poor rations, and showing up whenever a soldier needed them.

Spiritual Hardship

War tested their faith. Chaplains struggled with doubt, sorrow, and the sheer scale of suffering. Yet they were expected to remain steady, hopeful, and strong — even when they felt none of those things.

Portman left no published writings, but his voice survives through regimental records, surgeon’s notes, and soldier recollections. These sources paint a picture of a gentle, steady presence during the regiment’s darkest winter.

Portman embodied the pastoral side of chaplaincy: calm, compassionate, and unwavering.

Lozier, by contrast, was a force of nature. A gifted storyteller and performer, he later became nationally famous for his dramatic lectures. His writings — now public domain — give us a vivid, authentic voice.

Lozier brought humor, energy, and a booming voice that lifted spirits even in misery. He believed that laughter was as important as prayer in sustaining morale.

Together, Portman and Lozier show the full range of spiritual leadership in the Civil War. Portman offered quiet strength during sickness and sorrow. Lozier brought vitality and encouragement during hardship and fatigue.

Their work shaped the emotional landscape of Fort Duffield just as surely as soldiers shaped its earthworks.

Chaplains reminded men that they were more than soldiers — they were human beings with families, hopes, and souls worth tending. Their presence brought dignity to suffering and meaning to sacrifice.