The Civil War was trying, bloody and hard-fought combat for both sides. What was it, then, that sustained soldiers low on supplies and morale? For the Army of Tennessee, it was religion. Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion and the Army of Tennessee in the Civil War explores the significant impact of religion on every rank, from generals to chaplains to common soldiers. It took faith to endure overwhelming adversity. Religion united troops, informing both why and how they fought and providing the rationale for enduring great hardship for the Confederate cause. Using primary source material such as diaries, letters, journals and sermons of the Army of Tennessee, Traci Nichols-Belt, along with Gordon T. Belt, presents the history of the vital role of the army's religious practices. Traci Nichols-Belt is an ordained and licensed minister and holds a Master's degree in history from Middle Tennessee State University and a Bachelor's degree in political science from Anderson University. Her principal research interest is the Civil War, with a particular focus on the impact of religion on the military. Traci Nichols-Belt's article "Chaplains in the Army of Tennessee, CSA: Warring Disciples Carrying the Gospel" was published in the Winter 2004 issue of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly . Additionally, she wrote a review of Sam Davis Elliot's book, Doctor Quintard Chaplain CSA and Second Bishop of Tennessee for the Spring 2004 issue of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly . She has also written two National Register nominations for the Johnsonville Historic District in New Johnsonville, Tennessee, and the Historical AME Church and Cemeteries in Alexandria, Tennessee. More recently, Traci Nichols-Belt has appeared with her husband, Gordon T. Belt, in television and radio interviews, including Nashville Public Television's Civil War Sesquicentennial documentary, "Crisis of Faith." Traci and Gordon also co-authored an article for The New York Times Civil War blog, "Disunion." Gordon T. Belt is an information professional, archives advocate and public historian. He currently works as the Director of Public Services for the Tennessee State Library & Archives. He previously worked as library manager for the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Gordon holds a master's degree in history from Middle Tennessee State University and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is the President of the Society of Tennessee Archivists, and is the founding editor and publisher of The Posterity Project , an award-winning blog devoted to issues related to archives and local history in his home state of Tennessee.