“Lincoln has hit the nail on the head with the Emancipation Proclamation. I think God will bless us now since we have struck at the root of the evil.” —C. Van Vleck, 78th Illinois.
“I remember well that reverses and disasters attended all our efforts until the government was compelled, as by an overruling Providence, to free the slaves of rebels; and that from the moment these measures became the fixed policy of the government, reverses ceased.” D. Lane, A Soldier’s Diary (1905).
After a surprising dearth of studies on the topic, a torrent of historical scholarship over the last thirty years has underscored the centrality of religion to the Civil War experience. As historians have shown, many Americans understood the cause and meaning of the conflict through the perspective of Christianity. As part of the most religious army in U.S. history, many chaplains and soldiers interpreted the major events of the war through the lens of the Bible and a steadfast belief in God’s sovereign guidance and control of all that happens in the universe. In a word—Providence. One such event that elicited much debate and reflection was Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. In spite of its limitations, it essentially transformed the purpose of the war into one fought not only to preserve the Union but also to abolish slavery. Many Union chaplains welcomed it. Yet, most men who had enlisted in 1861 and 1862 would not have cited liberating enslaved blacks and abolishing the institution of slavery as motivations for why they fought. Rather, they fought to crush a treasonous rebellion that undermined the Constitution and threatened to destroy the country. For them, saving the Union was both a patriotic and a sacred duty.
Having examined diaries, letters, and memoirs, I seek to answer three questions with this poster. How exactly did chaplains articulate a Providential understanding of emancipation and abolition? What influence did they have on the views of the men in their regiments? What did the men think? While probably not as strong of a motivating force as their resolve to preserve the Union, my research suggests that many soldiers, while initially ambivalent or resistant, came to see the Proclamation as having a moral purpose. And they began to view the abolition of slavery as an act of divine justice—a righteous cause that put God even more on the side of the Blue.
My poster will display quotes from chaplains and soldiers. These quotes represent the range of religious and political viewpoints on emancipation that I have uncovered in the sources. Annotations alongside each quote will provide historical context and advance the argument. The poster will also feature photographs of chaplains and soldiers pictured within religious scenes, such as camp revivals.