While God is Marching On

While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers. Steven E. Woodworth. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2001. Pp. xii, 394.

As some historians tell it, the prestige of religious belief suffered great loss in the nineteenth century as more Americans looked to natural philosophy, moralism, and spiritualism to fulfill their longings for goodness, truth, and beauty. Yet a theme which merits greater attention is the extent to which Americans inhabited a profoundly religious world at the time of the Civil War. Those years, according to Ernest Lee Tuveson, were the last years Americans imagined a world in which angels and demons waged real combat for (and in) the souls and affairs of men. Historians now seem wary of historical depictions of orthodox religion. But with this book, Steven E. Woodworth makes a provocative and eminently valuable historiographical intervention: not only did Americans who fought in the Civil War possess keen religious dispositions, they also professed unabashed belief in, and (perhaps more startling still) practiced the precepts of American evangelical Protestantism. Drawing from diaries, correspondence, and vast experiences of soldiers in northern and southern armies, Woodworth renders a religious landscape of great continuity from the Old World to the New, a landscape that transcends geographical and even theological bounds. Woodworth contends that the religious world inhabited by Civil War soldiers was, in point of fact, the religious world of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, William Bradford, and Charles Finney.

As the title of the work suggests, Woodworth contents himself in this study with studying the common citizen soldier. This makes for compelling, “bottom-up” analysis. The camp experiences of soldiers in everyday life—spanning revival meetings, worship services, intimate devotional practices, the question of Sabbath worship, and even the existence of sin and vice in camp life—offer ripe historical evidence for assessing questions of personal belief, the religious meaning of the war itself, the righteousness perceived innate to both the northern and southern causes, and to the ultimate question: the salvation of one’s soul. The fires of combat compelled pious soldiers in both camps to formulate expressions of, and rest comfortably in, evangelical Protestant religion.

Throughout the study, Woodworth maintains focus on the center of American evangelical belief: notably, the religion of the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians. This is at once a great strength and weakness: a strength, because numerically these constituted the greatest number of Protestant Christians in the republic, and also a strength because these denominations—in their polities and theologies—lent themselves to what Nathan Hatch considers a more “democratized” Christianity. Thus, one might argue that this kind of religion adapted well to the political and social impulses of the common American democrat and, in time of war, to the citizen soldier. But it is at once problematic, chiefly because it eschews a range of Christian belief essential to the historical American experience and quite counter to the grain of evangelical Protestantism in the nineteenth century. Terms such as “the religion of Jesus Christ,” “the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and “orthodoxy”—all deployed by the author throughout the work—speak to a vast array of Christian belief in history through time and space from Constantinople to Rome, London, Geneva, and, ultimately, Plymouth Rock. The question remains: what constituted “orthodox” evangelical Protestantism? Belief in certain professed creeds? If so, which ones? And even if evangelicals agreed upon a common canon of creed and Scripture, did not differences exist between evangelical “orthodox” Protestants in how they chose to interpret the language and meaning of such creeds? Did evangelical Presbyterians believe in one “holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church” in a manner like unto the Baptists? Furthermore, what of pious German and Irish soldiers eager to prove their nationalist credentials? Understandably, such soldiers constituted smaller fighting forces in both armies. But as Confessional Christians (with legitimate claims to the mantel of Christian orthodoxy and “the Gospel of Jesus Christ”), they fall outside the author’s purview. To be sure, Woodworth’s study manages a valuable and beautiful achievement in that it depicts the very real and very “mere” Christianity of American Civil War soldiers. But roughly thirty Christian denominations existed in the United States in 1860, and the decision to cast such a narrow theological net invites inquiry.

In consistent fashion with the author’s other works, Woodworth writes with grace and with a firm command of his source material. War forces its participants to confront and come to terms with profound questions of human existence and the ultimate Order of Things. One of the several great accomplishments this book achieves is depicting how soldiers North and South believed in a real God who held profound meaning in their lives and in their national crisis. When Lincoln remarked in his Second Inaugural that “both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God,” his words—often appropriated to depict the intimate and fratricidal nature of the war—struck actually much closer to a profound historical and religious reality. This eloquent book helps readers to see how Lincoln came to such a conclusion, even as the president himself sought to comprehend the meaning of the war.

MITCHELL G. KLINGENBERG, Texas Christian University

While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers. By Steven E. Woodworth. (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2001. Pp. xii, 394.)

Steven E. Woodworth’s While God is Marching On is an informative study of the role that religion played in the lives of the men who fought in the Civil War. By emphasizing the place of religion in the Civil War, Woodworth addresses a gaping hole in the historiography of the conflict. Drawing upon the diaries, memoirs, and letters of the soldiers, Woodworth demonstrates that religion wielded an enormous influence upon the lives of everyday soldiers. He argues that Christian faith was central to both Northern and Southern soldiers, and that in order to comprehend the lives of these men, one must comprehend the religious worldviews that shaped them. Such an understanding likewise expands our comprehension of the war as a whole.

The book is divided into two sections. The first discusses the religious heritage and beliefs of the soldiers, while the latter describes the important role of religion throughout the conflict. In the first section, Woodworth explains important concepts such as Divine Providence and the role that the expectation of death played in shaping the soldier’s faith. He likewise demonstrates the important place that the Bible held within the lives of the men, noting the frequent excitement of the soldiers to obtain personal copies of the book. In the second section, Woodworth examines the changing religious views of the soldiers throughout the war and the various ways that religious experiences were incorporated into their wartime lives. Although noting the importance of army chaplains and various Christian societies upon the soldiers, he demonstrates that the religious experiences of the soldiers were largely the result of self-motivated participation in revivals and private devotions. Additionally, he addresses the important role of parents and other family members in encouraging religious practices among the soldiers. While the majority of the chapters are topically divided, chapters ten through fourteen chronologically trace the development of revivals and other religious experiences throughout the course of the war, and the way that religion influenced Northern and Southern views at the end of the war. The book ends with a discussion of the long-term impact of Civil War Protestantism upon the lives of the soldiers individually and the nation as a whole.

Although Woodworth’s volume is about the religious world of Civil War soldiers, he limited himself to a study of mainstream Protestantism. His book thus omits a discussion of Catholic, Jewish, and non-believer experiences. While there is certainly a need for additional research into the religious experiences of non-Protestant soldiers, Woodworth’s emphasis upon mainstream Protestants helped to narrow the scope of his study and allowed him to avoid the constant comparisons and contrasts that the inclusion of other faiths would have necessitated. Further, as he notes, the vast majority of the war’s participants professed Protestant faith. Hence, Woodworth’s emphasis upon Protestantism provides readers with a more accurate portrayal of the worldviews of Civil War Americans.

One of the most important contributions of this volume is Woodworth’s respectful discussion of the faith of the soldiers. He describes the faith and beliefs of these men with a measure of sensitivity and respect that avoids the usual skepticism with which academics frequently discuss the role of religious faith in history. The beliefs of the soldiers are thus treated as genuine manifestations of faith and religious devotion, rather than superficial reactions to the death and destruction created by the war. Indeed, Woodworth is careful to note that many of the war’s Christian converts retained their faith for the remainder of their lives. The result is a detailed depiction of men whose faith and religious devotion was influenced by but not wholly dependent upon the national crisis. The book accordingly makes a compelling case that a deep sincerity undergirded the faith and devotion of Civil War soldiers.

By demonstrating the important place of religion in the lives of those who fought the Civil War, Steven Woodworth has made an important contribution to our understanding of the war. Importantly, he has contributed to the dismantling of the Lost Cause theory, which postulated that Southern soldiers manifested a greater religious devotion than their Northern counterparts. Woodworth demonstrates that Northerners were at least as motivated by religious fervor as the soldiers in the South. Accordingly, neo-Confederates and proponents of the Lost Cause must either ignore or discredit the book’s extensive research if they are to continue to argue for the religious superiority of the South. Thus, in addition to establishing the important place of religion in the Civil War, this volume helps to undermine the persistent arguments for the rightness of the Confederate cause.

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While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers. By Steven E. Woodworth. (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, c. 2001. ISBN 0-7006-1099-5).

Although the Civil War has been studied in great detail, there is little information about the soldiers’ view on religion. Therefore, Dr. Steven E. Woodworth undertook the task of shedding light on this subject. In this work, he analyzed hundreds of soldiers’ letters, diaries and journals in addition to sermons from chaplains. From these resources, Woodworth demonstrates that the primary religion of most common soldiers was Protestant Christianity. Although there were a significant amount of Catholics, and a smaller amount of Jews and Atheists, their numbers comprised but a small number of Civil War soldiers. The goal of the author is to let the attitudes and beliefs of the soldiers set the mood for the book. By doing this, their thoughts and views spring to life for the reader. Throughout this book, Woodworth illustrates how men on both sides believed in the holiness of their cause, and that God was on their side. In addition to this, men regularly attended Sunday services, praying to God to aid them in their cause. Even when chaplains were scarce, men still held service and participated in religious meetings. Woodworth also illustrates the importance of religious revivals which swept through camps on both sides in 1862. These revivals largely came about as a result of the realization that the war would not be quick and painless, but rather long and bloody. Due to this, the revivals lasted throughout the war, and often grew in intensity as the war dragged on. As men prepared for the long haul, they knew religion would serve them well in coping with the hardships of warfare. Although religious revivals helped men deal with the horrors of war, they may have served a greater purpose during the Civil War. With these religious revivals, came thousands of conversions for both Confederates and Yankees alike. Woodworth estimates that as much as 10 percent of the Confederate army converted, as over 100,000 Confederates became Christian. He also claims that the amount of conversions for the Union army numbered between 100,000 and 200,000. Therefore, the Civil War led hundreds of thousands of men to Christianity that most likely would not have been Christians without the war. The author effectively helps these revivals come to life for the reader, so one can see the true spirit and energy that the men gave to their faith.

In analyzing the views of both Confederate and Union soldiers, Woodworth displays that their views towards religion were quite similar when he says, “Neither doctrines nor practices differed between sections” (20). Yet there was one large difference in the soldiers’ views, which were their contrasting attitudes towards slavery. Slavery made both Union and Confederate soldiers despise the either side’s religion for either condoning slavery, or opposing it. Therefore the political issues of slavery and secession made these similar religious views seem miles apart. Although they prayed to the same God for the same result, each side viewed the other religious beliefs with contempt. Despite this, religion still served a key purpose for both Confederates and Unionists alike. Religion allowed these men to endure the war and everything it brought. Consequently, for soldiers on both sides of the war, religion provided a way for them to make sense of the war and to keep fighting. While patriotism may have led men to enlist, religion helped them deal with death and horrific battlefields. It was the faith of these men that allowed them to persevere through the hardships of war, and to face their own potential death in support of their cause. When men lost friends or family members, it was their faith that allowed them to endure and keep fighting.

A great deal of attention has been given to the Civil War, yet not enough time has been devoted to the impact of religion on the lives of the soldiers. Woodworth greatly helps bridge that gap with this work. Throughout this book, he emphasized the prominence of Protestant Christianity, and how the men used their religion to endure the fighting. In addition to this, he conveys that the religious views of Northern and Southern soldiers were quite similar. Yet each side despised the other due to the political differences over slavery and secession. While the Yankees and Confederates differed over slavery, they shared a common belief that God would help them through this war, or that it was a noble cause to die for. Although the Civil War cost hundreds of thousands of men their lives, it also led hundreds of thousands to Christianity which most likely would not have been possible without the war.

While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers. By Steven E. Woodworth. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2001. Pp. xii, 394.

Steven E. Woodworth, associate professor of history at Texas Christian University, reveals the little explored world of religion as it existed during wartime in While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers. The author clearly explains the purpose of his work in the introduction. This publication serves as an original investigation into the perspectives, meanings, and evolution of orthodox Protestantism as used by both Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Clearly, this is a path-breaking work in Civil War history as it was selected as a finalist for the Seaborg Award for Civil War Nonfiction. This award recognizes books which take a unique approach, such as an interdisciplinary study or examination of an unusual facet of the war.

While most books on the Civil War explore isolated elements of the war (military, political, economics, and foreign policy, for example) from either a Northern or Southern viewpoint, this study proves unique as it discusses perhaps the one area of the war that both sides shared: a belief in Christianity. While religion may have united the nation to a degree, a variety of uncontrollably circumstances divided the United States in the decades leading up to 1860. Geographically, the climate and terrain of the North and the South determined the economies of the areas which proved to be drastically different. Likewise, the political concerns of the two sections contrasted greatly. Similarly, the concerns and values of the two societies also differed. But the practice of Christianity in both regions functioned as a cultural cornerstone as the United States retained a much stronger non-secular characteristic compared with contemporary society. Despite the important role religion played in nineteenth-century United States, only one publication considered Civil War religious history prior to the study at hand.

Woodworth divides his book into two parts. Part one, “The Religious Heritage and Beliefs of the Civil War Soldiers,” explores the place and meaning of Christianity in the United States prior to the Civil War. These five chapters thoroughly explain the tenets of orthodox Protestantism and the belief system by which nineteenth century Christians lived. While Christian readers may find this section mundane as it is common knowledge, the explanations are both necessary and helpful to other readers who may be more familiar with Civil War history and less familiar with Christian theology. The second part of the book, “The Civil War Soldiers, Their Religion, and the Conflict,” directly discusses the role religion played on a daily basis between 1861and 1865. In these ten chapters, the author smoothly synthesizes a wealth of letters and diaries written by the soldiers themselves. Woodworth allows both Union and Confederate soldiers to tell their stories and explain how religion guided their actions on and off the battlefield.

Readers may be surprised just how much Union and Confederate soldiers shared in their religious beliefs. Both armies prayed to the same God, shared the same belief in salvation, and read the same King James Bible. “Americans of the Civil War generation sometimes found an even greater shock in discovering ways in which their enemies’ religion was just like their own” (199). “Neither doctrines nor practices differed between sections” (20). What did separate the sections were the societies conflicting interpretation of the Bible, specifically the role of slavery. Protestantism, as the North viewed it, regarded slavery as a terrible injustice. The same Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians south of the Mason-Dixon Line, however, regarded slavery a peculiar but necessary institution. On the one hand, Southern Protestants argued that slavery existed in the Old Testament; therefore, they were a more religious people because they had slaves. On the other hand, they argued that the church should function as a spiritual institution, not a cultural one. While they compared their perceived persecution by the North to the plight of the Israelites, they also declared that “the church should have nothing to say about slavery or anything else in society” (17). At best, some Southerners reluctantly agreed to reform the practice of slavery but refused to apologize for or end slavery altogether.

Woodworth successfully explains the ways in which religion shaped the solders’ interpretations of the war. He reveals how both Northern and Southern soldiers used religion as a tool to justify their participation in the war and rationalize defeat on the battlefield. The author goes on to elucidate the legacy of the Civil War through a religious lens. Even in defeat, the South maintained their trust in God. This study is a model of historical research. The author’s research is extensive, his comprehension of religion sound, and his assessment accurate. Clearly, Woodworth’s publication opens a new arena in Civil War historiography.