The Confederate Soldier’s Pocket Manual of Devotions Including Balm for the Weary and the Wounded. Devotions for Warriors.
The Confederate Soldier’s Pocket Manual of Devotions Including Balm for the Weary and the Wounded. Compiled by Charles Todd Quintard. Pocket Manual of Devotions originally published 1863, Balm for The Weary and Wounded originally published 1864. Reprinted by Mercer University Press. http://www.mupress.org/ 173 pp., 2009. $18. Devotions for Warriors. A Christian Perspective of the Civil War. Mike Fisher and Joe Jared. Photographs, bibliography. 380 pp., 2009, Tate Publishing Enterprises, www.tatepublishing.com, $21.99. These two books share common goals based on common ground. Written over 100 years apart, both use religious themes to encourage those serving in the military. However, there are differences created by the passage of time and the definition of victory that create a contrast. Minister and medical doctor Charles Todd Quintard penned The Confederate Soldier’s Pocket Manual of Devotions in the midst of the war to reassure those in the field that God’s love would never leave or forsake them. Quintard was acutely aware of the physical, emotional and spiritual costs of war. As he was unable to personally console every soldier on the field or in the many hospitals throughout the South, he reached out to them through this publication. His sincerity and compassion speak through selected hymns and Bible verses, as well as his devotional writings. His writings bear the mark of the official creed of Army Chaplains: “Nurture the living. Care for the wounded. Honor the dead.” Balm for the Weary and the Wounded contains Scriptural passages dealing with pain, suffering and loss. Quintard admonishes his readers that pain can be the catalyst for a deeper relationship with Christ. He steeps his writings in the religious doctrines of his time. He encourages the weary and wounded to remain true to their faith; their suffering will end with their faith strengthened. This reprint of Quintard’s writings offers readers a wonderful insight into the Civil War religious experience. He wrote out of the love and convictions of his heart. I recommend this collection of primary documents for use either by researchers or reenactors. It opens a window into the fears and sufferings that existed in the country during the conflict. In Devotions for Warriors. A Christian Perspective of the Civil War Mike Fisher and Joe Jared demonstrate their religious beliefs through a combination of anecdotes involving prominent Civil War leaders and related spiritual homilies. The book offers a unique perspective on religious thought during the war when both North and South believed God was on their side. The first entry of this volume of daily devotions offers a reflection on Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, explaining its reach and intent. However, Fisher and Jared add, “There is a more terrible form of slavery than that which man can impose on man. It is slavery to sin. A greater Person than Abraham Lincoln brought about a greater emancipation.” The day’s entry includes a verse and prayer, thus establishing a format for the book. Entries deal with the consequences of arrogance, greed, ambition and war, as well as the sorrow of loss and fear. The authors are “sons of the South.” The entries focus on Confederate leaders such as Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Patrick Cleburne and Nathan Bedford Forrest. The authors’ stated intention is to present a balanced view of these leaders and their actions, as well as the consequences of their attitudes. In the introduction they write that they do not adhere to any doctrines that “defend slavery or racism. We do, however, seek a balanced view of history.” They fail to achieve this balance and discuss virtually no Union leaders — an omission not made clear by their title. While I appreciate the authors’ determination to focus predominantly on male leaders, I was disappointed to discover the absence of women in the volume. The dedication reads, “These devotions are dedicated to America’s brave military people and veterans whose sacrifice has kept us free.” Yet, only one entry reflects the brave women, North and South, who daily prayed for the protection of their soldiers and themselves. Any woman who managed a farm or business, nursed the wounded, or worked in a mill or munitions factory was a warrior as well. I hope the authors correct this oversight if they publish a second volume. I commend Fisher and Jared on this volume and the requisite research. It is important to remember that military leaders struggled with the dilemma of faith in the midst of war. The book can be a path to discussing the righteousness of the war, as well as the decisions of some of its leaders. Devotions for Warriors is reasonably priced and intended for use on a daily basis as a devotional guide. The bibliography gives the reader some solid sources for further reading. Both books reviewed here contribute unique discussions of life and faith during conflicts past and present. Reviewer: Janet L. Bucklew Janet L. Bucklew, M.A., American Studies, Pennsylvania State University, has worked for several museums including Gettysburg National Military Park and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. She wrote Dr. Henry Janes: Country Doctor & Civil War Surgeon and has extensive background in public history, research and interpretation.
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