Table Of ContentTh e Routledge Sourcebook of Religion
and the American Civil War
In recent years, the intersection of religion and the American Civil War has been the focus of a growing area
of scholarship. However, primary sources on this subject are housed in many diff erent archives and libraries
scattered across the U.S., and are often diffi cult to fi nd. Th e Routledge Sourcebook of Religion and the Ameri-
can Civil War collects these sources into a single convenient volume, the most comprehensive collection of
primary source material on religion and the Civil War ever brought together.
With chapters organized both chronologically and thematically, and highlighting the experiences of sol-
diers, women, African Americans, chaplains, clergy, and civilians, this sourcebook provides a rich array of
resources for scholars and students that highlights how religion was woven throughout the events of the
war. Sources collected here include:
• Sermons
• Song lyrics
• Newspaper articles
• Letters
• Diary entries
• Poetry
• Excerpts from books and memoirs
• Artwork and photographs
Introductions by the editor accompany each chapter and individual document, contextualizing the sources
and showing how they relate to the overall picture of religion and the war. Beginning students of American
history and seasoned scholars of the Civil War alike will greatly benefi t from having easy access to the full
texts of original documents that illustrate the vital role of religion in the country’s most critical confl ict.
Robert R. Mathisen is Professor of History and Political Science at Corban University. He is the editor
of Th e Role of Religion in American Life: An Interpretive Historical Anthology and Critical Issues in American
Religious History.
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Th e Routledge Sourcebook of Religion
and the American Civil War
A History in Documents
Robert R. Mathisen
First published 2015
by Routledge
711 Th ird Avenue, New York, NY 10017
And by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2015 Taylor & Francis
Th e right of Robert R. Mathisen to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by him/her
in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or
by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Th e Routledge sourcebook of religion and the American Civil War :
a history in documents / edited by Robert R. Mathisen. — First edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Religious aspects—Sources.
2. United States. Army—Religious life—History—19th century—Sources.
3. Confederate States of America. Army—Religious life—Sources. I. Mathisen, Robert R.
E635.R68 2014
973.7'78—dc23 2014016154
ISBN: 978- 0-415- 84037-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0-203- 76761-0 (ebk)
Typeset in Adobe Garamond Pro
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
For Diane
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Contents
N ote on organization: Th e documents in each chapter appear in two sections: (1) a larger section of
documents arranged chronologically, and (2) a briefer section arranged topically under the heading
A CLOSER LOOK.
L ist of Figures xvii
F oreword xviii
I ntroduction xx
Chapter 1— From the Election through Secession: November 1860 to June 1861 1
“Th e Christian’s Best Motive for Patriotism”— Robert L. Dabney 2
“A Few Refl ections on Secession”—W ilmington (N.C.) Herald 4
“Our National Sins”— James Henley Th ornwell 5
“Against a Compromise of Principle”— Henry Ward Beecher 6
“Th anksgiving Sermon”— Benjamin Morgan Palmer 7
“I bow to what God will do”— James P. Boyce 9
“Th e Character and Infl uence of Abolitionism”— Henry J. Van Dyck 9
“Th e 20th Day of December in the Year of Our Lord, 1860”— Charleston Mercury 11
“To the People of the United States”— James Buchanan 11
“Fast Day Sermon”— Rabbi Bernard Illowy 13
“Prayer for Rulers, or, Duty of Christian Patriots”— William Adams 14
“Mutual Relation of Masters and Slaves as Taught in the Bible”— Joseph R. Wilson 15
“Farewell Address in U.S. Senate”— Jeff erson Davis 16
“Th e Scriptural Vindication of Slavery”— Ebenezer W. Warren 19
“Abraham Lincoln’s Illinois Farewell Address”— Abraham Lincoln 20
“Jeff erson Davis’s First Inaugural Address”— Jeff erson Davis 20
“Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address”— Abraham Lincoln 22
“Constitution of the Confederate States” 25
“Abolitionism Defi ned”— Illinois Daily State Journal 26
“Th e Battle Set in Array”— Henry Ward Beecher 26
“Cowardly and Unprovoked Attack”— Boston Advertiser 27
“To the Men of the North and West”— Richard Henry Stoddard 28
“May God Direct us All.”— Ann Stevens 28
“A Catholic Priest’s War Speech”— Father Creedon 30
“Th e War Begun”— C. D. Helmer 30
“Th e Camp, Its Dangers and Duties”— Henry Ward Beecher 31
“An Impressive Scene”— Frank Moore 33
“Christian Duty in the Present Time of Trouble”— Th omas Atkinson 33
“Th e Spirit Proper to the Times”— James Walker 35
Contents
“to get him appointed chaplain”— Robert McAllister 36
“Th e men enjoy the sunday service much.”— William Y. W. Ripley 36
“God has been good to me.”— James M. Campbell 38
“Th e Silver Trumpets of the Sanctuary”— Stephen Elliott 40
“the regiment marched to the First Baptist Church”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 41
“A Sermon Preached in the First Baptist Meeting- House, Providence”— Samuel L. Caldwell 42
“Baptism of the Big Gun”— Th omas H. Mooney 43
“National Responsibility before God”— Benjamin M. Palmer 43
“God’s Presence with the Confederate States”— Stephen Elliott 45
“God is still our Lord.”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 46
A CLOSER LOOK— AFRICAN AMERICANS 46
“Steal Away to Jesus”—Traditional Negro Spiritual 47
“My Father, How Long?”—Traditional Negro Spiritual 47
Th e Oberlin Social and Sabbath School Hymn Book — Sixth Edition— George Nelson Allen 48
Slave Songs and Spirituals 52
“Slave Song” 55
“Th e Heavenly Road” 56
“Th e Abolition of Slavery”— Orestes A. Brownson 56
“A National Hymn”— Park Benjamin Sr . 58
“Let My People Go: A Song of the ‘Contrabands’” 59
“Th e Freedman’s Song” 61
“Th e Yankee Canaan”— Macon (GA) Daily Telegraph 63
“A Negro’s Prayer” 64
“Th e Nation’s Sin and Punishment”— Stephen Alexander Hodgman 64
“Nellie Norton: or, Southern Slavery and the Bible”— Ebenezer W. Warren 65
“Th e Slave”— George Moses Horton 69
Chapter 2— From First Manassas/Bull Run to the Ironclads: July 1861
to March 1862 72
“Prayer was off ered by Chaplain Jameson.”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 73
“Let the world know you are a Christian.”— J. William Jones 73
“Th e credit goes to God.”— Th omas J. Jackson 75
“Our Duty Under Reverse”— John F. W. Ware 76
“Th e Glory of God, the Defense of the South”— John T. Wightman 77
“Lincoln and the First National Fast Day”— Abraham Lincoln 79
“We had a nice service.”— Robert McAllister 79
“To ask the Divine blessing upon our country.”—M acon (GA) Daily Telegraph 80
“God Bless Egypt.”— Illinois State Register 80
“A Soldier’s Funeral”— Alonzo H. Quint 81
“A Sermon Delivered in the Market Street M.E. Church”— Robert Newton Sledd 83
“Bring that High Power to our assistance.”— John Beatty 84
“Th e Justice of Our National Cause”— John C. Lord 84
“Th e Divineness of Human Government”— A. L. Stone 85
“Th e National Weakness”— F. H. Hedge 86
“to appeal daily for help from on high”— Abner R. Small 87
“Parson Strong is dull.”— John Beatty 88
“Th e Prayer of the C.S. Soldiers”— Max Michelbacher 89
“to live or die like a Christian soldier”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 90
viii
Contents
“How thoughtless are the multitude around us.”— Robert McAllister 91
“I hope you are getting on nicely.”— Levi Warren Norton 92
“open their eyes to see their folly and sin”—I llinois Daily State Journal 94
“I cannot feal as bad as his Mother.”— Henry H. Wilder 95
“God Our Refuge and Strength in this War”— T. V. Moore 95
“God in the War”— Henry H. Tucker 96
“enjoying the way of salvation”— Robert McAllister 97
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”— Julia Ward Howe 98
“I expect to begin to attend church regularly next Sunday”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 99
“Modes and Duties of Emancipation”— Henry Ward Beecher 99
“I could not preach in camp.”— James M. Campbell 101
“A Th anksgiving Sermon”— B. W.Chidlaw 102
“Hardships of a Chaplain’s Life”— Gamaliel Collins 103
“Th e Church and Slavery” —Quincy (IL) Daily Whig and Republican 104
“Address of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church” 105
“Th e Dictator in New York”— Macon (GA) Daily Telegraph 106
“the tide of irreligion that is rolling over us”— Robert McAllister 106
“attended church in the evening”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 107
“Chaplain Reports”— Chauncey Hobart 107
“Sketch of Dabney Carr Harrison”— Rev. William J. Hoge 108
“We pitched tents”— William H. Daniels 110
“Jeff erson Davis’s Second Inaugural Address”— Jeff erson Davis 111
“Fast Day”— Henry C. Lay 114
“New Wine Not to be Put into Old Bottles”— Stephen Elliott 115
“if I die upon the battlefi eld”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 116
“if it is my fate to die”— George M. Lanpher 117
“Grace to continue to serve Him and my country”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 118
“Stand by the Old Republican Party”—I llinois State Journal 119
A CLOSER LOOK— ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY 120
Chapter 3— From Shiloh to Emancipation: April to September 1862 127
“trusting that God will bring us safety”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 128
“Work in the Army of Tennessee”— J. William Jones 129
“Songs upon the Battle- Field”— Frank Moore 131
“Albert Sidney Johnston”— Kate Brownlee Sherwood 132
“George Barton’s Battlefi eld Angels”— George Barton 133
“I was greatly troubled but called on Him”— Edwin H. Fay 135
“First Proclamation for Th anksgiving”— Abraham Lincoln 135
“May God help us win the victory”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 136
“Treason was consummated!”— Henry Ward Beecher 136
“I have served the cause of my God”— Isaac T. Tichenor 138
“Oh, how necessary religion is to war”— Robert McAllister 139
“the war will end in God’s own time”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 139
“When will this horrid war cease?”— Edwin H. Fay 141
“Th e army was of God”— John Beatty 142
“God’s Providence in War”— Joel W. Tucker 142
“His Great Faith”— James F. Wilson 144
“May God help us”— Elisha Hunt Rhodes 145
ix
