New Books on Catholics and the American Civil War

Last updated on: December 26, 2018 at 7:51 am by Pat McNamara

New Books on Catholics and the American Civil War 2018-12-26T07:51:00-07:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As readers might guess, I’ve long been interested in the intersection between Catholic history and American history. When I was a History major at Fordham in the Bronx, I took a great course on the war with Dr. Paul Cimbala, for which I wrote a paper on Catholic chaplains. That was the spring of 1988, and almost nothing was written on the subject. Even books on American Catholic history passed it over, so I despaired of ever finding anything.

Things, however, have changed a great deal as the new year begins. I think it started in 2010 with my friend Jim Schmidt’s book Notre Dame and the Civil War: Marching Onward Toward Victory. Jim looked at the university, founded in 1842 by the Holy Cross Fathers, and its contribution to the Northern war effort: by students who fought for both sides, clergy who served as chaplains, and the women religious who served as nurses. It’s a great read, and I highly recommend it.

In 2015, Fordham University Press published Dr. William B. Kurtz’s book, the first scholarly and comprehensive of Catholics and the war: Excommunicated from the Union: How the Civil War Created a Separate Catholic America. While Catholics hoped their work for the war effort might lessen the anti-Catholicism that dominated the antebellum years, Dr. Kurtz argues that religious hostility actually did not abate. Dr. Randall Miller, a Civil War historian at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, calls it writes: “simply the best study of Catholics in/and the war and the way the war affected the place and perception of Catholics in the Union.” A much needed work.

In April 2019, the University of Notre Dame Press will release Irish-American journalist D.P. Conyngham’s hitherto unpublished manuscript Soldiers of the Cross: The Heroism of Catholic Chaplains and Sisters in the American Civil War. Edited by Dr. Kurtz and Fr. David Endres of the U.S. Catholic Historian, this book promises to be a major contribution to the growing historiography on Catholics and the Civil War. A comprehensive account, I for one can’t wait to read it.

(*The above drawing by Pat McNamara is of Father William Corby, C.S.C., who served with the Union’s Irish Brigade during the American Civil War. He went on to serve as President of the University of Notre Dame, and has a residence named after him on campus.)

Civil War

Previous Post

December 25, 2018

When Catholics Swept the Oscars

Next Post

December 27, 2018 The Briordys of Brooklyn

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What year was the Council of Nicea?

Select your answer to see how you score.

500 AD 325 AD 1054 AD 1517 AD