Oregon Armories

Christian Faith in the American Civil War

Faith in God is tested in times of adversity and stress. The experiences of war are probably the most trying situations a human being can face. The American Civil War, while devastating to all involved as are all wars, was different in some ways from modern wars. In particular, the medicine was crude compared to modern medical practice and the supply lines were much slower. For injured, maimed and dying soldiers, both of these factors made war even more horrible. For a person to maintain a strong Christian faith in such times can be inspirational to those of use suffering through lesser struggles.

A search for testaments of faith during the Civil War produced many inspiring stories. Here are a few examples from an autobiography written by a Union nurse. 

• One handsome young man lay on one of the hospital boats who had lost both arms—a most noble specimen of the patient, cheerful, suffering soldier. Of this young man the Rev. Mr. Savage writes: “There he lay upon his cot, armless, and knowing that this must be his condition through life; but yet with a cheerful, happy countenance, and not a single word of complaint. I ministered to his wants, and as I cut up fruit in mouthfuls, and put them in his mouth, he would say, ‘Well, now, how good that is! How kind of you! The Lord will bless you for it. I don’t see why you are so kind to me.’ As if any one could be too kind to a man who had suffered such a loss in defense of his country. His soul seemed to be resting peacefully upon Jesus amid all his great sufferings. One thing touched me exceedingly: As I spoke of his feelings, the tears coursed down his cheeks and lay upon them. He had no hands with which even to wipe away the tears from his own face; and as I took a handkerchief and tenderly performed this office, that beautiful passage of scripture occurred to me with a force it never did before: ‘and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.’ “

• I went to another dying one who was bearing patiently all his sufferings. Oh, poor pale face! I see it now, with its white lips and beseeching eyes; and then the touching inquiry, “Do you think I’ll die before morning?” I told him I thought he would, and asked: “Has death any terrors for you?” He smiled that beautiful trusting smile which we sometimes see on the lips of the dying saint, as he replied: “Oh no, I shall soon be asleep in Jesus”; and then in a low plaintive voice he repeated the verse commencing, ‘Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep.’

• Near by lay another young man, an officer, mortally wounded—fast breathing his life away—he seemed unconscious of his dying state. I asked the nurse, in a low whisper, if he knew he was dying, but before the nurse could reply, he looked up with a smile, and said: “Yes, yes, I know it. Praise God! there is not a cloud between my soul and Jesus. I am waiting — I — waiting.” These were his last words. A few moments more and his tongue was silent in death.

The book from which these passages came is entitled:

Nurse and Spy in the Union Army: Comprising the Adventures and Experiences of a Woman in Hospitals, Camps, and Battle-fields by Sarah Emma Evelyn Edmonds. It was published in 1865.

About the Author

Jim Rupp is a history buff and partner in Jiggsy Communications, LLC which operates American Civil War Photos, a site with over 7000 photos and drawings from the Civil War, and Bowie Knife, a site dedicated to everything about Bowie Knives.

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