Don't know if Mq will see this or not, but: re Quakers and the Military....IF we didn't have Quakers and Abolitionists
during the Civil War, we may well still have had slavery.....
These people did a HUGE service to the US....
Patriotism and Paradox: Quaker military service in the American Civil War
by Mark A. Schmidt, HIS 480, April 18, 2004 (edited for the Web by Jim Jones
courses.wcupa.edu
snip>>>>> George Fox, the founder of the religious sect known as the Quakers, made this declaration in 1660 and in doing so established the foundation for the group's peace testimony. This testimony faced a severe trial during the American Civil War when many Quakers actively engaged in military service in spite of the continued opposition to war by their Meetings. Quaker abhorrence of slavery probably contributed to some individual decisions to engage in war, since the abolition of slavery was deeply rooted in Quaker beliefs. However, the patriotic fervor of the time and a desire to defend their homes provided a no less significant impetus for some Quakers to violate the peace tradition and engage in military activities. <<<<<
snip >>>>>The words of the Quakers themselves provide us with telling insight into their attitudes toward their service in the military. Letters from the field written by Quaker soldiers reflected the resonance of calls to patriotic sentiments and duty echoing from the festive atmosphere of the recruiting stations. Abner Hoopes wrote, "I do not believe there is a man in our army but what is willing to shed the last drop of blood in defence of his country."[16] Edward Ketcham, a New England Quaker, expressed similar sentiments in a letter to his brother when he wrote, " ... and am willing, if necessary, to die for the cause of the Unity entire of this government, and do not wish to live to see its overthrow ... "[17] Jesse Taylor wrote " ... I do feel that my life would be willingly given up for my country."[18] These men, prior to expressing these sentiments, had seen battle. These were not the words of idealistic dreamers, but the words of men who saw the death and destruction of war. They expressed grim determination to fight for their country. Although many Quakers Meetings opposed slavery, sentiments of patriotism rather than hatred of slavery were foremost in these soldiers thoughts as well as in their letters. <<<<<<
88888888888
An Example of Patriotic Quakers
Abstract
The Palmer brothers belonged to a Quaker family of Concord Monthly Meeting, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Three sons of William W. and Hannah Trimble Palmer, all birthright Quakers, served in the Union Army during the Civil War. This collection contains fifty letters and transcriptions of the same, written to family members by Quaker brothers, John, William T., and Edward L. Palmer during their service in the Union army. Letters from John Palmer also describe his post-military service employment in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1864.
swarthmore.edu |
