The Civil War started 150 years ago this month. The next four years are sure to bring a large number of activities related to the anniversary. We have had some great discussions here about the CW, including a little hijack the other day in a different thread. I would like to carve out a spot here for such discussions and I look forward to sharing thoughts and discussions with you all on this endlessly fascinating topic.
I will throw something out here to get things started. It always interested me how both sides in the CW seemed to firmly believe that God was on their side. Ironically, the South was perhaps most fervently convinced that God would sustain them. Stonewall Jackson was arguably one of the most religious military leaders, often refusing to do battle on Sunday and always referencing religious themes in his communications.
With that in mind, I ran across something the other day that struck me. A few weeks after Sherman had conquered Atlanta and sent Hood and the Army of the Tennessee off to the West, Sherman gave notice to the mayor of Atlanta that the city was now a military base and that all civilians should be evacuated as he did not want to be responsible for their safety and care. This resulted in a heated exchange of letters between Sherman and the mayor. I thought this part was terrific:
Mayor Calhoun: "Permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you propose transcends, in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever brought to my attention in the dark history of war. In the name of God and humanity, I protest."
Sherman: "In the name of common sense, I ask you not to appeal to a just God in such a sacrilegious manner. You who, in the midst of peace and prosperity, have plunged a nation into war - dark and cruel war - who dared and badgered us into battle, insulted our flag, seized our arsenals and forts, ... (he continued with a long list of confederate sins). Talk thus to the marines, but not to me, who have seen these things. ... If we must be enemies, let us be men and fight it out as we propose to do, and not deal in such hypocritical appeals to God and humanity. God will judge us in due time, and he will pronounce whether it be more humane to fight with a town full of women and the families of a brave people at our backs, or to remove them to places of safety among their own friends."
Source: The Civil War, a Narrative by Shelby Foote. Volume III, page 602.
I will throw something out here to get things started. It always interested me how both sides in the CW seemed to firmly believe that God was on their side. Ironically, the South was perhaps most fervently convinced that God would sustain them. Stonewall Jackson was arguably one of the most religious military leaders, often refusing to do battle on Sunday and always referencing religious themes in his communications.
With that in mind, I ran across something the other day that struck me. A few weeks after Sherman had conquered Atlanta and sent Hood and the Army of the Tennessee off to the West, Sherman gave notice to the mayor of Atlanta that the city was now a military base and that all civilians should be evacuated as he did not want to be responsible for their safety and care. This resulted in a heated exchange of letters between Sherman and the mayor. I thought this part was terrific:
Mayor Calhoun: "Permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you propose transcends, in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever brought to my attention in the dark history of war. In the name of God and humanity, I protest."
Sherman: "In the name of common sense, I ask you not to appeal to a just God in such a sacrilegious manner. You who, in the midst of peace and prosperity, have plunged a nation into war - dark and cruel war - who dared and badgered us into battle, insulted our flag, seized our arsenals and forts, ... (he continued with a long list of confederate sins). Talk thus to the marines, but not to me, who have seen these things. ... If we must be enemies, let us be men and fight it out as we propose to do, and not deal in such hypocritical appeals to God and humanity. God will judge us in due time, and he will pronounce whether it be more humane to fight with a town full of women and the families of a brave people at our backs, or to remove them to places of safety among their own friends."
Source: The Civil War, a Narrative by Shelby Foote. Volume III, page 602.
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