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“I’ve often longed to see a war; and now I have my wish. I long to be a man, but as I can’t fight, I will contend myself with working for those who can.”

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), writing in her journal in 1861

Wikipedia: “In 1860, Alcott began writing for the Atlantic Monthly, and she was nurse in the Union Hospital at Georgetown, D.C., for six weeks in 1862-1863.”

Recommended read:

Louisa May Alcott: A Biography
by Madeleine B. Stern

Book description:

Beloved juvenile fiction writer and author of sensational thrillers, Louisa May Alcott (1832-188 was also an ardent champion of reform movements in nineteenth-century America. Inspired by her parents’ zeal for the reforms of their day and influenced by a network of other New Englanders determined to remedy the many ills in American society, the spinster Scheherazade from Concord, Massachusetts, was a firm and convincing advocate in advancing measures extending from domestic reform and alternative medicine, to education and communal society, to antislavery and egalitarianism, to feminism and suffrage.

This innovative compilation sheds new light on Alcott’s commitment to ameliorating oppressive conditions of all kinds. Madeleine B. Stern pairs selections from the writings of reform leaders with excerpts from Alcott’s letters, fiction, and nonfiction works to demonstrate that Alcott was aware of and often moved by the words of other reformers. Stern illuminates the connections between Alcott and the printed sources that filtered into her life and work, and shows how she wove reformist themes throughout her writings, prodding her readers to right the wrongs at home and in the nation.

“I know there is a God, and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. If He has a place and work for me, and I think He has, I believe I’m ready. I am nothing, but Truth is everything.”

Abraham Lincoln, during his first presidential campaign

“As an American citizen, I take great pride in my country, her prosperity annd institutions, and would defend any State if her rights were invaded. But I can anticipiate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all the evils we complain of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation.”

Robert E. Lee, January 23, 1861 (in a letter to his son Custis)
When Lee wrote this, six southern States had already seceded.

About four months later he wrote to his sister, on April 20, 1861:
“With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home.”

That same day Lee wrote a letter to General Winfield Scott, tendering his resignation of the U.S. Army:
“I therefore tender my resignation, which I request you will recommend for acceptance. It would have been presented at once but for the struggle it has cost me to separate myself from a service to which I have devoted the best years of my life, and all the ability I possessed.”

“Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four millions of slaves in the South, I should sacrifice all for the Union but how can I draw my sword upon Virginia?”

Recommend read:

Robert E. Lee: A Biography, Emory M. Thomas

Book description:

The life of Robert E. Lee is a story not of defeat but of triumphtriumph in clearing his family name, triumph in marrying properly, triumph over the mighty Mississippi in his work as an engineer, and triumph over all other military men to become the towering figure who commanded the Confederate army in the American Civil War. But late in life Lee confessed that he “was always wanting something.”

In this probing and personal biography, Emory Thomas reveals more than the man himself did. Robert E. Lee has been, and continues to be, a symbol and hero in the American story. But in life, Thomas writes, Lee was both more and less than his legend. Here is the man behind the legend.

Order it from Amazon

Stonewall Jackson had great hopes the crisis leading to the war could be averted if Christians, people of the Land, would unite in prayer.

“Should the step be taken which is now threatened [by the general government], we shall have no other alternative: we must fight. But do not think that all Christian people of the land could be induced to unite in prayer, to avert so great an evil? It seems to me that if they would unite in prayer, war might be prevented and peace preserved.”
- Jackson wrote this in 1860 to a minister.

Jackson believed God to be in control of the affiars of man, and of the contigency of war; thus he had great confidence that is war were to come God would permit it for the good of His children.

“Why should Christians be disturbed about the dissolution of the Union? It can not come only by God’s permission, and will only be permitted if for His people’s good; for does He not say, “All things wortk together for good to them that love God?” I cannot see how we should be distressed about such things. whatever be their consequences.”

- Spoken in 1860 by Jackson.

Jackson’s faith in God and belief in knowing that his very life was in His hands provided him great confidence and peace even in the middle of battle. It is believed that Jackson spoke these words to Captain John Imbolden on July 24, 1861, after the First Battle of Bull Run.

“Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”
- Spoken byJackson in 1861.

Jackson handled the thought of promotion, or death, equally, as coming from the good hand of God. He wrote the following to his wife Anna.

“I am very thankfull to God who withholds no good thing from me (though) I am so utteryly unworthy and ungrateful for making me a Major General.”
- Jackson to his wife October 7th, 1861

In the same we that he considerd his own life as an instrument fit for use by the living God, Jackson esteemed the army he led to be such an instrument as well.

“Our gallant little army is increasing in numbers, and my prayer is that it may be an army of the living God as well of its country.”
- Jackson to his wife on April 7, 1862

Jackson was keenly aware of the need for what he considered Divine blessing or favor, no matter the circumstances.

“Under Divine blessing we must rely upon the bayonet when firearms cannot be furnished.”
- Jackson had ordered 1,000 bayonets on April 9, 1862, because guns were scare.

The following letter to his wife shows just how devoted Jackson was to making all efforts to keep the Sabbath holy by not fighting on it.

“You appear much concerned at my attacking on Sunday, I was greatly concerned too; but I felt it my duty to do it, in consideration of the ruinous effects that might result from postponing the battle until morning. So far as I can see, my course was a wise one; the best that I could do under the cicumstances; though very distatseful to my feelings; and I hope and pray to our Heavenly Father that I may never again be circumstanced as on that day.”
- Jackson on April 11, 1862

Jackson’s dedication to honor and duty is evidenced here. A major had asked for an extension of his furlough to attend to an illness of a family illness, after having already received the furlough originally because of a family death.

“From me you have a friends sympathy, and I wish the suffering conditions of our country permitted me to show it. But we must think of the living and of those who are to come after us, and see that, with God’s blessing, we transmit to them the freedom we have enjoyed. What is life without honor? Degradation is worse than death. It is necessary that you should be at your post immediately. Join me tomorrow morning.”
- Jackson wrote this letter August 2nd, 1862

The Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run II) was a hard fought battle and Confederate victory. Jackson knew whom to give credit to for that victory. His doctor, Hunter McQuire, told him that the day had been won due to hard fighting; to which Jackson replied:

“No sir, we have won this day by the blessing of Almighty God.”
- Jackson to his doctor Hunter McQuire on July 19, 1861

“God has been very kind to us this day.”
- Jackson commenting (September 17, 1862) after the Battle of Antietam.

“General Lee is very kind; but he should give the glory to God!”
- Jackson had just been given a note from Lee praising him for his success in driving back Union forces at Chancellorsville

Jackson understood the irony between war and beauty, both of which he felt ordained by God in their own way.

“But what a cruel thing is war; to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world.” He continued in his letter to Anna, “I pray that, on this day when only peace and goodwill are preached to mankind, better thoughts may fill the hearts of our enemies and turn them to peace.”
- Jackson on December 25th, 1862

Whether experiecing victory in battle or suffering from being wounded in one, Jackson knew all the same to whom to give the credit to.

“I consider these wounds a blessing; they were given me for some good and wise purpose, and I would not part with them if I could.”
- Jackson commenting to his soldiers on May 2nd, 1863; after having been mortally wounded by his own men at the Battle of Chancellorsville

Later that same week, just days before he died, he had this conversation with his aide-de-camp James Power Smith:

“Many would regard them [his injuries] as a great misfortune. I regrad them as one of the blessings of my life.” Smith replied by quoting one of Jackson’s favorite Scriptures, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” “Yes!” Jackson responded. “That’s it! That’s it!”
- As cited in Robertson [1997:744].

Jackson saw himself, or others, merely as instruments of God’s own choosing to accomplish His will.

“The manner in which the press, the army, and the people seem to lean upn certain persons is positively frightful. They are forgetting God in the instruments he has chosen. It fills me with alarm.”
- Jackson to a newspaper editor

Jackson’s view of duty allowed him to leave the consequences to God, no matter what they were.

“Duty is ours; consequences are Gods.”
- Jackson probably was aware that John Quincy Adams had originally said this.

Robertson [1997: 740] cites these words spoken by Jackson to his chaplain (Lacy) regarding his feelings to his own wounding on May 2nd, 1863:

“You find me severly wounded, but not unhappy or depressed. I believe that it has been done according to the will of God, and I acquiesce entire in His holy will. It may seem strange, but you never saw me more perfectly contented than I am today, for I am sure that my Heavenly Father designs this affliction for my good.”