Shield and a Hiding Place: The Religious Life of the Civil War Armies

The first study to compare the religious life of the Union and the Confederate armies. It also offers shrewd insight into the nature of Northern and Southern society. Describes the way that military defeat helped rejuvenate the religious tradition of the South. Provides fresh evidence of the difference between Northern and Southern society. The author s analysis of the different roles religion played in the two armies shows why cultural analysis is essential to understanding both Northern victory and Southern response to defeat. A useful beginning point for reevaluating the intellectual history of Civil War America. Illustrations.