Faith During the Civil War (Soldiers)

Catholic Mass, 69th New York

"There are no atheists in a foxhole."

While not strictly true, the decades old saying has considerable ring to it.  Most soldiers come into the service with whatever faith they had in civilian life.  The Civil War was no different. The strength of the convictions might wax or wane depending on the individual's experiences but it was an ever present reminder.

"Thou Shalt Not Kill." The commandment is familiar to many of all faiths, believers or not.  Given the massive slaughter during Civil War era battles this took on new meaning.  There were many soldiers on both sides that enlisted but found that they could not bring themselves to knowingly take the life of their fellow man. As officers wanted all the fire their unit could bring to bear on the enemy, this caused a dilemma for the religious soldier. Assuming the soldier wanted to remain in the ranks, the only solution was to miss on purpose. Sometimes suggested by officers just to keep men in the firing line, in small part this accounts for the tremendous expenditures of ammunition per casualty.

Church Service, McClellan's Headquarters, Peninsula, 1862

When the time permitted on Sunday, most units held religious services of some form per army regulations. If the army was marching hard or was in battle as was so often the case, these services might be postponed or omitted completely. The key difference between the civilian and military service was length. Civilian services were often two or three hours in duration.  Military services were normally a half hour or at most one hour in duration.  The routine of the army had to be maintained, Sabbath or no. Pickets had to be posted, horses tended, etc.  In some commands the services were mandatory and if not attended the Articles of War (military regulations) would be read to the men by an officer.

Soldiers often want the trappings of home and hearth when in the field. For this reason, soldiers of almost any era would prefer to have their services in an actual church structure.  During the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, soldiers on both sides had considerable time on their hands. The 50th New York Engineers built their own church. The figures standing by the entrance gives an idea of the scale these men built.

Poplar Grove Church, 50th New York Engineers

During the course of the war, several "revivals" swept through the armies of both sides. More common in the Confederate armies, the men would be baptized and sins forgiven. They might be given a sermon to give them heart and embolden them to fight the enemy that much harder.

Many officers were highly religious, the most famous of which being Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

"Stonewall" Jackson

Jackson was not the highest ranking religious figure during the war. Until his death in 1864 by artillery, this title would have belonged to Confederate General Leonidas Polk, Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana. Faith alone does not make one a good soldier though.  To closely paraphrase, it was said that God made a Bishop of Polk but He didn't make a General. 

General Polk in religious attire

As noted in our discussion of the civilian side, many of this era believed that to get into Heaven they would have to be bodily intact. How this affected the men will be discussed in our next post, on the wounded.

-Corporal



Sunday Morning Mass. Camp of 69th N.Y. SM. United States, None. [Between 1860 and 1870] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/cwp2003003505/PP/. (Accessed February 24, 2018.)


Waud, Alfred R. , Artist. Sunday at McClellans headquarters, Religious Services. Harrison's Landing United States Virginia, 1862. [July] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2004660455/. (Accessed February 24, 2018.)


O'Sullivan, Timothy H, photographer. Petersburg, Virginia. Church built by 50th New York Engineers at Poplar Grove. United States, 1864. Nov. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/cwp2003005235/PP/. (Accessed February 24, 2018.)


Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson CSA. United States, None. [Between 1860 and 1870] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/cwp2003004396/PP/. (Accessed February 24, 2018.)


Gen. Leonidas Polk, C.S.A. United States, None. [Between 1860 and 1864] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/cwp2003003634/PP/. (Accessed February 24, 2018.)