Author: Charles Demond

Unlike most of the USCC leadership, Charles Demond was not a minister.  He was a lawyer and served not only as the head of the Boston branch of the USCC but also on the Executive Committee of the national USCC organization.  He was born in 1822, married Ada B Campbell in 1858 and died in 1889.

On August 1, 1865, Charles Demond gave a speech to the alumni at his alma mater, WIlliams College. He reflected on lessons learned during the Civil War.  The speech can be read online or here.  In it he talks about how the US became a country and not just a collection of states, and also about how love of country and patriotism became strong for the first time.  He relates many stories of the work of the USCC and how Christian benevolence flourished during that difficult time. And finally, how the Christian life and values shown in the example of the USCC delegates affected the lives of soldiers during the war. It's a very interesting speech to understand the thinking immediately following the war.