Religion

1864: “Civilization To Our Headquarters”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 3 Comments

Jany 23/64

…Tonight we dedicated our new chapel and in remembrance of R.I. [Rhode Island] and in recognition of God’s goodness to use we have named it “Hope” Chapel. The building is made of logs hewn smooth on one side and built up cob fashion. Most of the hewing was done by Chaplain Beugless and Lieut. John M. Turner. The roof is covered by a large canvas, presented by the Christian Commission. Inside we have a fireplace and tin reflectors for candles on the walls. A chandelier made from old tin cans, or the tin taken from cans is in the centre. The pulpit or desk is covered with red flannel, and the ground or floor is carpeted with pine boughs. We sent a detail of men in command of Capt. John G. Beveridge to a deserted church near by and took out the seats and placed them in our Chapel. Our boys had a fight with the guerrillas but brought back the seats…

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1863: “Increased Religious Interest Among Our Troops Here”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / Leave a comment

April 10

…I trust that God is going to bless us with great success, and in such manner as to show that it is all His gift; and I trust and pray that it will lead our country to acknowledge Him, and to live accordance with His will as revealed in the Bible. There appears to be an increased religious interest among our troops here. Our chaplains have weekly meetings on Tuesdays; and the one of this week was more charming than the preceding one.

General Thomas J. Jackson to his wife, Mary Anna Jackson, April 10, 1863. Continue reading →

1862: “Near Manassas Junction”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 3 Comments

September 1, 1862

…We were engaged with the enemy at and near Manassas Junction Tuesday and Wednesday, and again near the battle-field of Manassas on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; in all of which God gave us the victory. May He ever be with us, and we ever be his devoted people, is my earnest prayer. It greatly encourages me to feel that so many of God’s people are praying for that part of our force under my command. The Lord has answered their prayers; He has again placed us across Bull Run; and I pray that He will make our arms entirely successful, and that all the glory will be given to His holy name, and none of it to man. God has blessed and preserved me through His great mercy. On Saturday, Colonel Baylor and Hugh White were both killed, and Willie Preston was mortally wounded… Continue reading →

1862: “Helpless Woman That I Am!”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / Leave a comment

June 16, 1862

I think of the many mothers, wives and sisters who wait as anxiously, pray as fervently in their far away lonesome homes from their dear ones, as we do here; I fancy them waiting day after day for footsteps that will never come, growing more sad, lonely, and heartbroken as the days wear on.

What woman has stretched out her hand to save them, to give them a cup of cold water? Where is the charity that should ignore nations and creeds, and administer help to the Indian or heathen indifferently? Gone! All gone in Union versus Secession. That is what the American war has brought us. Continue reading →

The Top 10 Things You Should Know About The Barbary Wars

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 3 Comments

19th-century-american-maritimeSo, America built six frigates, but those weren’t the only warships in the fledging navy. The Barbary Wars tend to be forgotten conflicts in overview studies of U.S. History, but they are incredibly important for understanding diplomacy and America’s earliest national interactions with Islamic countries.

They are particularly interesting to our study of 19th Century maritime for two reasons. 1) They take place at the very beginning of the 19th Century 2) They are fought to protect American maritime commerce in the Mediterranean.

Here are the top 10 things you should know about the First & Second Barbary Wars:

(And just to be clear, here are the conflict dates. First – 1801 to 1805. Second – 1815 to 1816.) Continue reading →

1862: “How I Long To Hear From You”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 2 Comments

1862_-in-their-words

January 20, 1862

My own precious Child,

I may venture to write now, that it may be, you are stationary. It has not heretofore occurred to me that a letter upon my part was to be thought of. How I long to hear from you, how I long to see you, but I must wait, you are in the Path of duty, & may God grant it to be the path of safety for this world, as well as the next. I am a poor weak Christian, but I am greatly supported, I do try to rest upon my Heavenly Father, & look to him for that help that he alone can give, your great exposure to the cold & wet, the fatigue you undergo & sometimes hunger too, are calculated humanly speaking to injure your health extremely, but I know with the kind protection of Heaven you can escape all harm & I pray God to grant us such a mighty blessing… Continue reading →