THE TREATMENT OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS DURING THE CIVIL WAR BY GERTRUDE ADY A. B. Monmouth College, 1921 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN HISTORY IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, 1922 URBANA, ILLINOIS ^ ^09 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS THE GRADUATE SCHOOL . _i_J_une 192- 2 I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY __ The Treatment of Conscientious Objectors ENTITLED. _ during the Civil War BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR Recommendation concurred in* Committee on Final Examination* ■Required for doctor’s degree but not for master’s m" S'" , V"*'- h I^HHil ''' I ■':'''" traSE' ' T-L ’®tv- •*.,, -i' f .-.•'■•.A ■J'.u^t X ...,.;• "Vc'5 !^. • 7 ' -J,*. .1' '. .' ■ jf'jl .' 7i'.;3 i>%'» fl? ,.* S *>r r'.Ji'U^HnBr-]^ , - *• • * i V* » V p tV ' ■ ■ 'Li’S r , i ~.- M'lfflP-" • : r>Mi ' * Jh i iif'r.^* Ml'* ’ -n i* S' ’Wi'. •“ ■ ■ ■’ ' ^-TaHr ' ■ ■ v ' ■ 'm iTS-»- '«< ; •, '^P . TABLE OP GOIITENTS INTRODUCTION The Psychology of the Conscientious Objector CHAPTER I Northern Conscript ion--Its Effect on the Conscientious Ob jector CHAPTER II Pages 1 5 19 Confederate Conscription — Its Effect on the Conscientious Ob jector CHAPTER III 24 Attitude of the Northern Administration CHAPTER IV 22 Status of the Southern Conscientious Objector CHAPTER V 41 Individual Cases in the North CHAPTER VI 49 Individual Cases in the South CONCLUSION 69 APPENDIX 7 0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 71 A i 1 INTRODUCTION THE PSYCHOLOGY OP THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR The conscientious objector is one of the least under- stood among men. Because he is not understood he is not sym- pathized with. By those who misunderstand him and are there- fore uns3nnpathetic with his principles he is more often classed as a "slacker" or considered insincere in his belief. On the contrary his patriotism is of the purest stamp. His motives are thoroughly sincere. In the face of war the conscientious objector finds himself confronted with a peculiar situation. He is torn be- tween two conflicting forces — duty to country and duty to re- ligion. The position of the Quakers, the largest group of conscientious objectors^ is ssTJronjTnous with that of other non- combatant sects. The Quaker testimony against war goes far down into the tradition of the past. The Quaker belief resolves itself into this: that war and Christianity are incompatible. Either he must refuse to fight or must abandon Christianity. If the teachings of Christ command a man to love his enemies, what right has he to take up arms against them, or, in paying an exemption tax, to hire some one else to do so. To him there is no choice between military service or its equivalent. The Civil War put the Quakers to an unusua?>.ly severe test. Bitterly opposed as they were to the evils of slavery, many of them found it no little difficulty to resist the most effective means to destroy it. Those who had been so actively Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/detaiis/treatmentofconscOOadyg s interested in the cause of the slave for generations hack were to suffer from another conflict of ideals, this time between Christianity and freedom, the just dues of a depressed race. Most of those whose ideals of freedom and of religion struggled for supremacy were of the younger group of men and it was upon them that the heaviest burdens were to fall. To the Quakers the domain of conscience is almost sacred. The ideals which have become a part of his conscious- ness are not to be lightly considered. The dictates of con- science are not to be thoughtlessly trespassed upon. He lives by that "inner life" which is his divine guide. He is gener- ous and charitable in his attitude toward others whose opinions differ from his own. In turn he might expect others to exer- cise the same charity towards his opinions which are dictated by "conscience", but force is not Within his soul. If his neighbor smites him on the right cheek, he is ready and willing to turn the other also. The great poet, Whittier, who so ardently espoused the cause of the slave was himself a Quaker. He therefore sensed very keenly their peculiar position under the impending shadow of war. In a poem addressed to the Quaker alumni and read at the Friends* School anniversary at Providence, Rhode Island in the sixth month, 1860, he stated their case very plain- ly. He told them that they could not take the battle-brand, but just because they believed it was wrong to fight, they were not to think that they should be spared their share of sorrow. They would not only be compelled to suffer for the sake of their ';V‘. ■;,.*/ ’• ' ■>, t’ ,vf^ .»■• #({lf|^^!r tf 'f^ »i' '«r'-vi?j'^ 7 . • !;c- ai-. ui V . ‘ *' •jJ' I ww*s»v‘^ n|^#. . li . .♦ ., V’*S *?!■' ■ J > '• ,s -i/Ct. ft.;*',n:i;- itfTu ,< \m . ■*. ‘ f'..' ■ ‘ ■ pWpvil ., , V -/• "'.'■j '^■WV'! : . .JOf rf: i fe "'‘^i”;- v.n m • «. ail • O A’riiA.- 0 I ... * u* , ^ / i‘. ... ^ ^ f * > ‘i) y • ;' ■ ,. . ' ■ ^V k. ir-fc' Jii'W^i . c j%." .S/l.t •fjrtV.iW . ’* '^y'. /' ■: ■« ,qHp' f>- -• ■ •. .SK ti ’* ■TJ. ^ 'M . r ; ,9. > ifflS' V/.^.wLr 7 p.> n>‘4 pv.'a* M . ■ f./.;-:..'!' tJJ •. -VI.;;CV s-.iJ ‘ ' i»f 0(4 - '' 1* ,. ' H'vtJi ’ n'Bi«rtpg{.rr*.'.. -.J 4;a*;*'- S'- rVtftioi, -aJ.iSO* .' l4.;7 ./eij.-.<»3s»^.fl---A • w»'0» ■40mmm 3 country but for their principles as well. So we see the conscientious objectors as a perplexing problem not only to themselves cut to those who have to deal with them. What to do with them w, as the very d if f icult question. Their patriotism was of the truest and their principles were sincere. ITo doubt their type was to be respected. In what manner was this consideration to be accomplished? The Civil War was to be the testing time. The conscientious objectors were to suffer much for the sake of their faith, but they w ere to count their loss as gain and by their patient enduring to reap some fruits as their reward. On the other hand the law-makers of the nation felt their dilemma also. Although they realized the necessity of re- specting so sincere a group within the nation, yet they knew well also that their leniency should not be so elastic as to permit any chance of loopholes for less sincere persons to reap the advantages of their generosity. As the war went on not a few of the i’riends came to believe with Whittier and Garrison that it would be better to stand by "the sad spectators of a suicide" than to engage in war. As much as they loved the old Union they felt that they could not sacrifice their loyalty to their Master and their conception of His principles of Peace even to save Her if to do so meant the taking of a brother's blood. Instead they chose to take the hard path and tried to believe with the poet Whittier that ; KwJi ' fm^?:^<::m^ . ■" *-.-. '■^', ' . f r*j-cAt!f^'> -«i^^«'W.’' ■•’it ''•‘‘■W f i'?- ' Vs-,*' 'p« ■ .•■’'t' h I _-,i» ,;‘*a^ti„-«l^. F**: Mil C)I U|»,5 a*lSp!K?Ej^^ .'>: ts ^{l A' .i-i < 'I'vt //f^V I /p ’»\‘:U^ 14 »v:^'' > ^ ‘'' .^^" •■‘fvjafcM ‘s .1 r'ji*: ifc«. ■ 4^5 *• ' ij ••W ^ '2 zl ;Cti ‘t 6 ;. 't ^ '.< 0 'X .IT^j • 'i i . ^} fixt 4 ■ ' It 10 m-, j MH»M . I - M' . BT" ■ ■ . ■, ., •y , I * - yjf.A y.-^mmZdzM ^ !Zf9vKWL.IAfl .•,r-.i»|' ,p, ,»,- . ■. ■i;.,.'-::,!;^ I ’’Who may not strive, may yet fulfil The harder task of standing still, And good but wished with God is done.*” 5 CHAPTER I NORTHERN CONSCRIPTION: ITS SEPSCT ON THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS The Civil War vsas to discover the conscientious objec- tor in America. In previous wars he had not been appreciated be- cause he had not been realized. Under the old system of volun- teering in previous wars he had remained practically unmolested. The conscientious objectors of the north first came into contact with national military legislation in the summer of 1862 when the Militia Act of July 17, 1862 was passed. Here no mention was made of conscientious objectors or those per- sons with religious scruples against the bearing of arms,^ August 4, 1862 President Lincoln by executive order called for a draft of three hundred thousand militia to enter the service of the United States for nine months,^ The draft was completed early fZ in September,*^ In Indiana where a large number of Quakers were settled in the southeastern counties, the constitution of 1816 had provided that no person conscientiously opposed to bearing arms should be compelled to do militia duty, but that such per- sons should pay an equivalent for exemption^ This clause had been due to the influence of the early 'Quaker settlers in the state. After the passage of the Militia Act of 1862 representa- tives of the Friends came to Indianapolis to lay their claims be- fore Governor Morton who, though he was anxious to fill the 1. U. _S, Sta tutes at Large . 37th Cong. 2 Sess., 597-600. 2, Moore, Record of the Rebellion , V, 570; also in Richardson, Messages and Papers of the Presidents , VI, 120-121. 3. McDonald, oelect statutes of U. 3. Hist . , 68. 4, Foulke, Life of Oliver P, Morton , I, 199, ‘ ■'* ,«se j-i ?.v**:5r:?!w^|gl^ ••• l|ll^'l■li mj||^- !.>■ \\ v“ '■ ' -' ■■,, . ■'■■’c»"*- >’■>( W' !.*• -. ■• - .iX'jJ. -K 'if'?;i ;t,,. ■; • • t -5 (iiLilii I ,\>v ; 'ji»* ' .' ■»/ I*)--. tv ;'■... ( 5 :, ; 'iniii ' ' ''' '^ ' ■'*■ t. w, " '. 'n ■' 'F' r'"' W'-'‘ 4 r'^ 'tssL'-’ J '"■< '■ I' * ro > 0 , '.I -i.'. 't«iV > jt *}!." if.r, .* 'H'" 'ij-vc.-f .'“tv ‘ vi ajy^'l ; "’S? ' : . *?.■•■: ;;i - : v.'r® - n i" ir I * .'** w •rrli ^ ■V- '■«* 'ti ,. wiuit " -■ • I f ^ jf .if 'r.^- - Ti^' ,f I . 8 ®^ rd. " VI'; '*■ k^'l'-; . w.l •«- r J* !' V : ,'^H'£r.u‘ J't { .«'*?Cii'« ' iJ ’ ** 1 *' ‘X , till?*'"’ iJiy -*»• '£* K SI3 '*v ^cr< : » (. o ' V ; • ^ .?• . *h- • . - I . *aii, •• ; ■ . • y- ■ ^ m [ ■ . -Is^Vviifl’n ^ •i >7 - • 'i ?• •'r.- 1 ■ |. -‘.r '. ' ■ •. ^ j.v-'’/; ;&■) • /''■‘iij'' 4 ' i> J T ' V VQ^ r I -’i £ .{ .;i fe>l M-' - ’^’" vJ ^ ■ rt- . > .-. > -•’ y i'lT^ I ” ,1 ' ^'' V '* ■ ' f • *'X‘^!. ^i^rl'. V vj- • % . Wi>: "^. :k;, i 4 >.:y/>r. '< ' --y '^jp *'*• «. Ms?'; •■ i- ' ■ . "aiaa';ii'.: , 6 regiments, was not unfriendly to a society vihose members were strong supporters of the administration in every other way hut 5 performance of military duty. It was finally provided that members of any religious denomination which made opposition to bearing arms an article of their faith should presumably be en- titled to exemption upon pa^pment of such a sum a s was to be thereafter fixed. The decision called forth no small amount of criticism. Many people feared that if such generosity was ex- tended tenderness of conscience would develop where it had never been felt before. The War department fixed the equivalent for exemption at two hundred dollars. Under this provision some three thousand persons established their c la i iris and many of them actually paid the commutation. However, as the state legis- lature had not fixed the amount and also because it was finally decided that the War department had no power t o do so, the money was afterwards returned. //hen drafting by states had not proved satisfactory, some measure of compulsion was clearly necessary. Federal con- scription was first resorted to in the spring of 1863 with the passage of the Enrolment Act of March 3, 1863. This bill which provided for the enrolling and calling forth of the natioiri forces was reported in the Senate on February 9, 1863 by Wilson of Ivlassa- chusetts from the Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia 7 to whom the subject was referred. The Senate passed the bill 6. Foulhe, Life of Oliver ?, Morton. 199. 6. Ibid., 199. 7. Cong . Cl obe , 37th Cong. 3 Sess. Pt, I, p. 816; also McDonald, Select Statutes of U, _3, Hist . , 68. 5 1 f'.^ ; ' "■ “■ Hjpwir'! •' *i -< « 'w£ ■^i^-;»;iviiVv ' • 'V ttfe. k f ■’ ■ . ' - d^. M|||i ’':■ r ' - -to- '■■■i ^ • : , ’ V -^'.u fe /1 W' < ■:<& ^ ■' '■ ‘ i ni: - , '‘■'■•' ••'■' • ''''- ■ ' Jh’ ^ '• .'^ ^.’ '* 7 r^rc<. ■ ^..r:'*i^vff u'. ^ 1 / '-^ ^ ^^' 3 ^ -y !.(.'<••■•'# ''i ‘V . >• i-.' r>'^y, *^' ‘ - ‘ t ■ • - ^ t..T^ -.(iliTlQ i ■ T.i t yftr; ify } 4 : pJ^C ' A 1 - .^-i 1 ,.» • . ^ >’ .V'i » r» » -'•'u‘ . ■' • <.ii ’ t- Z. •' ^ m • > ♦ -% 1 yy yy v! •■•-•. .>-*f^ ■ - 'a V ^ 1. “ ■ .*'a^ .. ■*' ' '•rfe — -s' V; ‘fiw ■ K lS:i . : ‘p.* 1-. ” ■ ' f/’i » v : y ,- ?•* '* .f ■/ c^:l^yh ' A ’■ .-•: fcW f , • *'L <■ “ /.V . "■'■ •‘'"‘■iir"' •'**' ‘'•^' ’’ fOt;-. V *>' ■' i. V yH . ;'■ ■ «»*v» i^Mi • >-!P. •» *• ^ -;\ ',• .. ' 4 ;-c:y^ ■ i-u^\ ■ ■'■■■'<1 ^i'C [■: .'yyA-'y -•; i ‘ '^V^V' - : - •■ ^i'- " ' ;;f ^ , ‘ W ■ '"’ • ■■ ^ \ r . ' ■' •■ ,'/: '-!Sw( ►. ' ‘Jl.. , ;.‘,l!X>i! *j .* l«0^ ■fitr ftSfc' 4 ', IL^A*. ■ * ■'^ *V- 'xi" , ' ■ 'i^. J, -y ■ :• 4' si|™^ '■■• '■ 'n ' ? '^' i ^uLig i > r~ "' ■ */: 'riTtiir:>W .•M,'i ' ...(VW'il^. •’ ! 1 '^ •■l’'rV • f l #^4 ^ .' t j . . . !• 7 on February 16th by a unanimous vote but it received bitter opposition in the House. The Act as passed again made no mention of conscientious objectors or those opposed to bearing arms by the tenets of their religion. It did provide, however, for exemption by the furnishing of a substitute or the pajmient 8 of a three hundred dollar commutation tax. V^hile the Act was under consideration in the House an attempt was made to strike out the three hundred dollar commutation clause but it failed, the vote being sixty-seven to eighty-seven. The bill passed 9 the house on February 25th and was approved March 3, 1863. Under the existing law then all able-bodied male citizens of the United States between the ages of twenty and forty-five years were to constitute the national forces and be liable to perform military duty in the service of the United States when- ever called out by the President for that purpose. The Quakers rightly believed that the three hundred dollar exemption tax was intended to supply a substitute. All the official bodies of the Society considered it as an impossi- 11 ble solution of the difficulty. The minutes of Advice of the Meeting for Sufferings of Western Yearly Meeting expressed the feeling that the payment of the price of exemption or the pro- viding of substitutes ”for services required of us” were equiv- alent to service itself. They also added the worthy bit of ad- vice to a Friend who was drafted that he should in due time Annual Cyclopedia ^ 1863, 361-3; also U. S. Statutes at Large . 37th Gong. 3 Sess., 733. 9. McDonald, Select Statutes of U. S. Hist ., 68; also article in Illinois Daily State Journal (Springfield) of March 5, 1863. 10. U. 3 , Statutes at Large . 37th Gong., 3 Sess, 731. 11. Jones, Later Periods of ^- uakerism II, 729. Hi •♦A''- ■4 rs^n * AJO > ^Jrrfi-Jb. 'J ■f : '%3Si^V '-4?ii'i ' 'v; 'mX'V,' P'"', taii;. ‘rWi-Ji! iWltB- 5 ■' rS'W. .■-4:X /' ' . \v'.' ''■ ^sa£^' y .'• *• '.'v ' ^ ^ . .' •••^- • .« «‘. .ij' rcSSTOar ,.: ■ > :-: ' ' .. >' ..■ ■•, '^r •r^- ■ ' '-A V fA fc^', *' iM. > ^ Wii-J ?, Ay? i r V -' '■ ' '■ • t..' '* • '. rt./, A ' A. ■► \ T ,p .' - ' " ;. , . ■' ■ < T '■ ' ' 'i * • '1 * ' ■'<’ *' (• "if ' * '■ <> ' '’W'; ^ V ■ .,»^ >■ Js. a , - -, ' V •■' ’^'2 - ' ■ ■ ■ ' A - " i ’ Hv' •'"• v'. ', :'.v, ■ • !<■ , . ”! ; ■'ift-.ts. «. ■ af'4-t.’ (1 It '■■ £‘cH^- 8 appear before the Provost Marshal or Board of Enrolment, with the notice of the draft served on him and then state his con- scientious scruples against all wars and respectfully ask ex- emption on this ground, calmly submitting the issue. However, many individual Eriends did not feel the same scruple about paying commutation money and a considerable number of i’riends took that course. Those who did so were generally disowned by their meetings for unfaithfulness to Friends' principles of peace the same as those who actually volunteered for military service. If they expressed their regret for their actions and wished to be reinstated the meetings usually were lenient to 12 them and took them back. In Pennsylvania the committee of the House of Repre- sentatives to which the subject was referred reported a bill fixing the sum to be paid by those who were exempted from the draft on the ground of conscientious scruples at three hundred dollars, the money to be paid into the treasury of the county in which the persons resided. The legislature was not able to avoid imposing the tax as the constitution of the State re- quired it although a large number of Friends and other peace sects lived within the state. At an extra session of the General Assembly of Iowa in 1862 the Mennonites, Amana Inspirationists and German Baptists had petitioned for relief from military service. In September of that year Governor Kirkwood in a message to the General Assem- bly on September 3, 1862 had very strongly recommended that 12. Jones, Later Periods of ^luakerism , TT^ 730, 13. Article in Nationa 1 Intelligencer , Washington, D. C, , of April 28, 1863. f^J-. I'J ■ ■* i- ,•* 0 :• 5 hP.^<*. >^?»rr «tf|. , Ik ‘.'-'Jv.’tT/p. ^'*t - ' ' /'‘t''' j >tj‘ :. t 4 t.y4j>(i?-''rc kutl ] i es." •.• ' L ? .. J2)l. cl n ~T* ■ .,!T' >:< r * (T \W- : , It > i’*.- ■ ;!. r- ', t : : . ^-rto* - tf T.t«'-'{i;f ' : ^ •■ t r . . : < ■ X f. vTJM j . • i ,: ' •^'?||.' J>»Sf^ * *-(i ■liV- 'UB* -■ •■ ' . A- ' K *■ ' ^ ' ' « % •» ‘*^' ‘"fl “ |p^| * t'.- Tti. > #•• .(?<.«.' fv- '"c. t ^a^wl ,J 1^1, p ',ffl ; !r‘ '^-’’ ".' it. J^i.i . A- t^7 ‘IV'-'^’ir f ® ..a--.,-.- ,ilE5^ & 91 fr# si/ZU” t: ■ '■ ^-■‘■- '* ■' ’ -o. 4 fuJ f'.- ■ ,. ■■ i'-,' ■■ ■ ■'■ T<‘n ,^‘^.'■4 v' .„,, ’■’ . \Jm f' ^ ■•• .■’‘■-..i ?■ l'''/.-^S-’Sfc |S t'' ff • 8 ,.jt‘-:.C^>.iV’ 3 tf‘^r .wfw‘ ^ 'jHlW Wf ■', U 7 ' •"■Vjt '^^' ■ ”'y:^ ■ ( V' i pf, " :-i(||l'' ^ H 4 ‘ dl j. . : . , ■^' ,!>i iw . ' ' ;t' ^ V ' / ■ ■ ' ■ ■-;, • ' '.-i. *fl ,«<* .; ♦«»vfi;, Jo;T^£rSiiA’ W^'W' i ; \ •' k ' ' ’>i M-.. .1 1 S' ',»• "If, ctf‘ %'f H ■•■*<'i^‘' 4;%|j[ * 4 »^*<’ yi, ■ ^ 1 ^ 1111 I ' ■r**^** ^ .-S' .f iii, -;.... , , t ■ ?^-;V 2 » 5 Tr:? 9 "these who cannot conscientiously render military duty, iDe exemp- ted therefrom in case of draft, upon the pasnnent of a fixed sum of money to be paid to the State." About the same time petitions to the General Assembly for relief from the military draft were received from Friends in Dallas, Madison, Guthrie, Adair, Musca- tine, Jefferson, Warren, Clarke, Jasper, Ifehaska, Poweshiek, and Keokuk counties, but the bill anticipating such relief was killed in the House after a rather stonny session, Again in 1863 when the draft was issued, the Quakers and the other peace sects of the state appealed to the Governor and the General As- sembly for relief. Their reply was the much despised exemption tax of three hundred dollars or the furnishing of a substitute in case of any of their number being drafted. Late in the year 1863, the status of the conscienti- ous objector was a gain imperiled by a movement toward abolishing the three hundred dollar exemption clause, a refuge that not a few of the Friends especially had taken advantage of. ’With the greatly increasing demands for men as the war went on, it was natural that the causes for exemption should be made more strin- gent. November 7, 1863 Colonel James B. Fry, the Provost-Marshal- General, in a report to the Secretary of War recommended that the three hundred dollar clause as it was known should be abolished or limited to the cases of those whose religious creed, like that of the Quakers, would not permit them to bear arms, but who cer- tainly, he thought, could not be conscientiously opposed to con- 14. Jones, Quakers of Iowa . 333-4. 15. Ibid., 2^6-7. ' •'*( 1 5 i ‘■' ■ N.. ,KW ;ih. a,»A-v. i"! t: ; AiJ- ;t«^iinruM m :-^''V.'^"W*% ',.i;;:H ■ ’*1,, 1m ! 1^1^ ^ [ «4 J J.i / . 4- ^..i 4 ,4*^. -*-i "> *' ‘''^ “ !!®|j|iPv. -^' H’ I f OXiKv ^/*Xv\‘5;.V ?‘Xip>.' itM- >1. ^1^-. , ^>' 4) ^ t; wyrw! ' ‘'•’Ivy • . *;'i; ., 1« t- i.'V : ' , ..fr'» , ^ ■ "• , ' - «V arf ' , cri^. ^ ^ .n-ri? if .:i:>*. «Ttr-.'ifr'' ,i.,'f ^ V '-iydIW*' ^' ■ *iri fii ’K > ri-i:pr%.' V„ ^ n “ ..„; ‘*=- , jfl^.).^ i^'-v V -s. 5'.' .:i!> •■.’•fVfe-s-jr*'<>!?v.’ ’■*”■' , I ...C--j'J*'(i’.4 c>rtg * : ' j: iV '■■'■■ - * •■ ^ ,*. <...,^V • . ^' ‘ ,- ' ■' ' ''iU ‘ ^ .f *i ti X -i^e^ o-i.ti'tfc5[ 1o. *»■ u 'k"-" ^ ‘'V -^' .,,"■ '' * •'', '*- ; _■ .■•fi'Riffla • '''7 ,r ^ U _7 / ! I'|a vxf {j't'£i<>iaJr5[5ii *Jfc|'*iP»r' *«• v.^-^';3’»^jj) ^*r t:^.#'jTf^*5-> ,jC>yCvif> . f^.; * . '*“"'■ .’- -* • ;;i •• •• . - . . .. i<' c;’* ^‘•v’-“ ,t trf -^o ■ •tjif.. • a’fey; 'i # , iif - fif. w : T *-■ ■•''f ', • i '■ • •:’ TtM^f V« ^vJ' ,4' ^ ’i‘ .... Jt^ v‘V- ‘ -:{i>!lri'M .> ,.^- i S' '’ei-i/, ■i^. i ■'■• ; . i ,^, is* 4.4 yiillM ^ '' iV ■ X 10 contributing in that way to the support of the government which 16 protected them. On December 14, 1863 Mr. Holman introduced - a bill into the House proposing to repeal the thirteenth section of the Act of March 3, 1863 authorizing exemption from military service by payment of three hundred dollars. It was read a first 17 and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. A similar bill was introduced by Mr. Arnold on the same day and was also referred to the committee* Such a motion resulted in a storm of petitions from the various peace denominations. The first petition was sent 18 in from the Amana Society of Iowa on December 23, 1863. The Quakers of Baltimore and Hew York petitioned January 6, 1864 19 and also objected to the payment of money. Congress was not only besieged by petitions but on several occasions they were visited by delegations from different groups who sought relief for their conscientious scruples. On January 9, representatives of the Friends from Maine, Massachusetts, Hew York, Hew Jersey, and Pennsylvania went before the House Military Committee to get their sect exempted not only from military service, but from pay- 20 ing the exemption tax also. Two days later Mr. Dixon, Mr. Ram- sey, and Mr. Cowan each presented memorials to the Senate from the Society of Friends of the State of Hew York, praying for exemption from military duty, all of which were referred to the 16. Report of Sec*y of «Var and P. M. Gen*l, 1st sess., 38th Cong. , 113. 17. Cong. Globe. 38th Cong., 1st sess,. Pt. I, 20. 18. Tbid .. ^ 19. Smith, Mennonites of America . 118. 20. Hew York Times . Jan. 9, 1864. wvt .2 X"» ■ ' . • . ■ 0 ’ ; :.>■ 1 * ■ 1 ( V ' t '! 4 ‘V 4 - -■ ‘JW 'Vv|», . V , ; . ■• ./. < 5 ,.'',)).. _ , f i' ,'i ■ fi»/' tj .» i 7 ' <^ 1 ^ 3 '. y,: f“ r^ : v' A . vV r*f i; i'’.v ‘.i , ;v-iuVr i; I: »i.^ I 11 21 Committee on Military Affairs and Militia. Senator Sherman of Ohio presented a memorial January 15 from the Society of Friends in Ohio asking for exemption from military service and from all 22 penalties for non-performance of it. On the 18th lAr. V/ade also of Ohio presented to the Senate two petitions from the Society of Friends, one in Ohio and the other from a like society in south- ern Indiana and eastern Illinois. Both were moved to tie laid on the table as the subject of exempting those whose conscienti- ous scruples forbade them to bear arms was then under consider- ation.^^ On January 19 Mr. Reverdy Johnson of Maryland put be- fore the Senate a similar memorial from the Society of Friends pA of New York but it too was ordered to be laid on the table. January 22, 1864 the Society of Friends of Pennsyl- vania, New Jersey, Delaware, and a djacent parts of Maryland, sent a memorial to the President and the two houses of Congress in which they stated; "We respect, honor, and love this Government, which we believe Divine Wisdom has placed over us, and because of this, we desire that it may, in no particular, be found striv- ing against God, or persecuting His children, however humble in 25 position or numbers they may be." They realized their liabil- ity under the present draft law and asserted their position as a people who were unable to comply with such a law without diso- beying the command of God to them. Neither could they furnish 21. Gong. Globe. 38 Cong., 1 3ess., Pt. I, 144. 22. Ttrr^ T^TT: — 23. Ibid»,252. 24. ThTd' . , 262. 25. Mode, Source Book and Bibliographical Guide to Amer . Church Hist . , 617-618; also McPherson, Poli t . Hist , of U* 3. of Amer . dur ing the Great Rebellion . 503-504. -W ■m Is^F nft. u«i W^t•■ «.’♦ 'fl; if .f «►* «n '', . I i *»-^t 1 1' OvtV ?-■>' '. it f ' • »? .'P^' I XX- i u*i-'''t*icdfiii^- V i •■ f S' * j_, L'r.. r::- m :r-''5 ' *2-1 2.. ,111 ^ '* '-' ,^' ■ • I •' Rlji. ' 2*‘ I hr >A>r i Vi^‘ iw%ll5|>ir5 •-. . • .»i'< - i •■ (' ». .1 -fV I fc>^ ■ c»tr »-y. i i , > 0 .^/f.! < • '• , V^fTO-»-,'U, .< ■:t'V ^ ‘> ci.'Kta;- ^1.', '.'ni i*; -y^r-- m.t 'f ,■ . - ■; ■ # ^.•i.'-< ^'i^V'r,, ^ — ■-■. ' ’ #T ' rt> * '^'^- i* *“ ■ 1 ™^ 'i-^i tfr " ''• i vi y ^ r » »v'j '- ' ■ . i. . ' i'V# " ■ ■ 2 ’^' ^ 'V *-4S.r * 'Ai - 'i Jf* AVI .Ajfei'f. Xi ...' t.,-< ' , •fi'-K . ■ .«,• - Y.,-'. uU (tf Cl m } w^^- ;,t-'v., X^ ‘Vvi- ,■>;• ..’• Jf if^HP v> • -lil. • 2 j.>, .- :’2' *2 . ■f'^'*' *' /ivv-;»2U ■ • »T ■■ vu 4 * U'iafe^ •■'■■?< • W*x . • 2 ■ !’V ' VJ' .' , 2 v\*¥f- fO ' ■ ' * I f- 'V 1 MV ; , B- ,v ' fiiCVA* , '1' fl^-T ,1'ti ♦ ' A. ■;. > it -if ^ \1: IF, fVi £# i' ij' ^iU^siy ;. ^7. ft®' 4^ ■ I ■ -‘ -M^ ■ Y. , .r-2rI3-l ^■i 4 'i .'f, «".«■. -■ ivil It;' fc.r' " ' "'y™'-^ 'T^^.: ^', .':‘^ r ^ ^ : V \ -.4 4ffc ' ' : 2 . • 2i/^A,2 '■ '/tiJil ' ;'l ■li&i'?. 12 a substitute or pay any equivalent or fine imposed for exemption from military service, because in so doing they felt that they would implicate themselves in a violation of their conscientious scruples. They asked for a modification of the law not alone with a view to shield themselves from suffering but under a sense of duty to God. The memorial was laid before the Senate on February 8 by Mr. Wilson of Massachusetts. It met the fate of many of its predecessors and was ordered to be laid upon the table. Largely as a result of the numerous petitions and delegations before Congress, the conscientious objectors were able to secure more definite recognition from the government. Then, too, the strain of the war was demanding a change in the draft law to meet the need for men. On December 14 Mr. Lane of Indiana had introduced a bill into the Senate to amend the act for enrolling and calling out the national forces and for other purposes which was read twice by its title and referred to the 27 Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia. Section seven- teen of the proposed bill was designed for the relief of those whose religious scruples were against engaging in war. During the months of January and February the question of exempting members of the various peace sects was widely discussed in Cong- ress. The Senate debates are especially interesting. On January 14, 1864 Mr. Wilson moved that "members of religious 26. Cong. Globe, 38 Cong., 1 Sess. Pt, I, 520. 27. Tbll ., I, 17. »r.^ '.*1 ■ ■'^'i *' • ?V 'V-*' a ' V, ^ w--'Er ,:‘s ■ -Ti^.y' .V'3V ■% "'■ ■■■ ."" ■ 4! !f I. .'ir.f-* ft.. K..1W - -^r V. " ' - - »• . , te ■ , 3 r- ■ . ^ a. •!. - j g» • T " i : It 4? irl’ ,, I • "■' " . -V ' ' ■■^:*>"'‘:- ■ !^ „. -r' fc„ ' .--ft'/l. j.'i fiC •3'j'i ?•«;•#. -*4 . »' ^ ’P^ * ■ ^ ' *‘iwiw(W'''l li* :m i. ',*'k (, • ' '-. ■ ■ ■ I.. ' ■ '* '1 ^'4 ' * *'i '■ ’ - ■ . ■W|; '■''*» 7 [n' ^ — ■ wi- -i M, 6»f 'J *ntJf t" ,.■ t:. " j —.i ’'I ■*. ^ i^jsl ^ ^’>i‘ tU- ■- ' -'fw „,;: ■ ' ' ■J' f if . « Si’ i ‘ vi; v'S • «sij*NhJ •’»' r;p*ti> Ji"J: .;■ * ■■ S ^ i- M ',Ki cf jli'J.c^ r.t -eyi/ ■ <0 ? ''i-'it"- Atp' vtf vt' e■■!>' " ,,,-A. ' / ^."1 ■ '*'v ■?;''" . •■« 7 'AT'^ ’ , iv'' ,"'y ^* VV.itvA? ^h£^’ ‘''* -•♦ft. -'ry^ii>' ^ . rvi*' ' •♦’If '■•rtli>/^ 'i'Vji' V 'v/' V . M ' : 'f,, > A JT»*' tv ■M ^P> ^ '■' a <•' ^ *‘»'V \ ■ ^ '^ ' * ' • " ' **" b& .If -vT' . -i -'- ■ ( . ' : - # *:ur- %A ■u J.U .1 - .^. L - I ■t J . y,^* * 13 denominations conscientiously opposed to the hearing of arms may when drafted into military service he considered non- comhatants and shall he assigned hy the Secretary of V/ar to du- ty in the hospitals or to the care of freedmen or shall pay the sum of three hundred dollars to such person as the Secretary of War shall designate to receive it, to he applied to the benefit of the sick and wounded soldiers and such drafted persons shall then he exempt from the draft for the time for which they shall p Q have been drafted.” Senator Harlan thought this was not spe- cific enough so he added "and who are prohibited from doing so hy the rules and articles of faith and practice of said relig- ious denominations.” Mr. Doolittle then move'd to amend it by exempting those of good standing. Senator Anthony favored the amendment hut he thought that persons claiming exemption on grounds of religious convictions should make it appear before some tribunal, or officer that their walk and conversation had been in accordance with their religious profession. He thought that the Friends ought to be exempted from military duty, hut he agreed that there were many young persons who were members of the Society of Friends who had no objection at all to hearing arms and that a great many of them had gone into the military service. I’Sjc* Anthony was one of the warmest friends the con- scientious objectors ha^ in "the Senate. He considered it one of the most serious defects of the Enrolment Act of the previous year that it had invaded the rights of conscience. In a forceful 28. Gong. Globe, 38 Cong. , 1 Sess. , fFI T, 204. 29. Tbidt, 204. m il T iri'^ii i>i I ' '' “ ^ ‘ ., . "■ it' .' : '£ ^ '< -*'.‘IC 1 .:' ! *|l' '* ’^~iy‘\ <>}^ Vf ' ' ^ iA, f , •' - ^>'1 . ' . .* V 2 Ss^. ^..--- *. .S 0 cri 7 , 00 . I' -V: ,TC 'i 1; ‘ T*" i i' ■ ' ' ' .ikj • , • yfl7, ' • •■ ' JE .1 i-myJn V, ; r "^',, '’ 'Ti;’ ' . Y i ■■* X -' ■ V-..V ' I ."i ", •. ■' V *•" • . ^|i V' ‘ ‘-jn-. V. '. .«■ i ' ■' : ' ’Wfe .' '■sj « ■:■• ,.,- :-^ §iSm ' ‘V La'^' -'V’.i Vvi|^vt' ',^ 1 .-: ^ f •■ ‘ V r„?i ■■ *: "!»■ . '( 0 • 1 . t 'f ‘i '• .'fs ,) ■ / 1 u Ml. Vv*' 6;f4 v^jo Ayt,vU!?i^^ ^ .'”>7V "i* it -.' ''' ' 14 ^:.' . . %i* ifC .^iBjr'': * 1- W toTOO'U iv'i- ••.'*t‘^'.»' 3. ‘*4^ /'k - i'ltg tK{ fi *. * -i» ^ 4 > ■ ’ * . .' 1 •«. . ilti -( 0 -^ j^r,/-*-.\i'-. 1^1.11(5,' .0 V : ^ • |ii.r''W ',t*l '■,1, ' ' ■:Ai 'VjpI -c-' 'flr^TJtC ''dt .;». I* ■ t 'l-M, • (r, 'Hfl > i*', 7^7r%^.h'iv^ ^ i_; 3 |a .ir^ ^ .'jU.ii ■ * ‘ ' Jb.. 1 ' •' ' ***'-^ . i ■ A' )r'< ' / V#W . ■• . •■ ’(WT- , '*S/ • if .i*?d><-*y ■•■•;£ :'■/ ‘.v^, t ’ 1^/?' ij{iJ|J|i #.'"-TTrt7H r 1 ij 14 speech before the Seriate he said: "fhere has not been a single man added to the Army who was worth the rations that he ate by the refusal to exempt persons cons i cent iously scrupulous as to bearing arms. I might tell you, Mr .. President, the most piteous stories of the sufferings and persecutions of this class of people I might tell you of many instances of moral heroism in men of the humblest pretensions, who believed and I believe that they were sustained by no arm of flesh in the sufferings which they endured for the sake of conscience. 3ut I cannot show you and you can- not show me one single efficient man that has been added to the Army by the impressment of men conscientiously scrupulous against bearing arras.” Mr. Ten Syck who the year before had voted against giving the peace denominations any relief had changed his atti- tude and now joined the front ranks of those who were most anxious to respect the religious ideals of a worthy and upright class of citizenship. He declared that if the object of the amendment to the enrolment bill was to be secured that it must go further than mere exemption from military duty. He recog- nized the objections of Friends to paying any commutation money as a part of their scruples so he considered that if they were to be relieved at all because of their conscientious scrunles 31 that the 77 should be relieved of paying any exemption tax. Along with Senators Anthony and Ten Hyck, Mr. V/ilson 30. Gong. Globe. 38 Gong., 1 Sess., Pt^ 205. 31. Ibid ., 205. 15 had proved himself a loyal friend to the conscientious objectors. The Quakers had been represented before Congress by petitions and delegations. A delegation had even appeared before the Military Committee who had heard their views. He expressed the belief that the Quakers had contributed as much of money and almost of men to the war as any other portion of the community. In the latter statement Senator Anthony expressed the same opinion. Members of these 5'riends committees had told them that they knew families where nearly all the young men had entered the service. The Friends admitted that they still felt kindly toward such erring members and dealt rather gently with them. However, Senator Wilson recognized that the denomination as a class was consci- entiously opposed to bearing arms and for that reason he had a strong objection to forcing a group of men whose lives showed that they were conscientiously opposed to bearing arms to do 33 so. The Senator from Rhode Island estimated that under a draft for three hundred thousand men about one thousand mem- bers of the Society of Friends would be drafted. As one half of the quota was already filled, the number affected would be reduced to about five hundred and if still other states would fill up their quotas without drafting, the number would be pro- portionately decreased. In several of the states where the largest number of Quakers were found, the quotas had already been filled or soon would be filled without a resort to drafting. 32. Cong. Globe. 38 Cong. , 1 Sess., PtI T, 205. 33. Tbldl., 205-6. '« “« ^ ■' 4 ', • j-^ -'It# . iiflA : M ^.. ■ ^ " ... V<«wir It. f . ' .*f;Tt'.!!Kii-. ‘,i ,? \ .•.* ^ ^ «■ ';^-: , ' Iv • S -it' : ’' ‘ ^j. li, ! ' '•’'' V./' ,. '^*' ■■?. ,/i/^ , ^» : ^' *’l I..— ' it > !.• A. 1^ t ^ F flHIV' Ll. . - fif V . ^i jlXA ^ ^ ^ . V A a' < M_# .ah-T '. .1 If ■V. ■», ' HK' ■Tf , . , ■',> rm^ Xi} J r-ri., .#1 ' •' ® 'V N > ■• i C UfiiaV i ;Wi' I E;.’' ■ , ' , b 4 ' , ■ " "'iUif' ■•^■' 1 ^ t A'f. ,,« VO- isr. *--.'i*' I :#r»r. I K?>sa', . T 'l I I V ■' “t ^jL _ *»>iVj lil -> if J,, Ti ijj ''f I . '' .-/s : ‘ . „ , . C)^:. .''’-■' 31 '.’^#/:, e^t.' i..* .. i/i-- ^ iti. , \ r''i. 'm 1, t t X (II 'ftTHHttit . -'T^f 6i. •■- li -:,,Vfr- \ , ■ -.pX I- ' ■ ^’ ,. ■•' •( . ■irf ■ i 4 . MlSrvJr ■ 'i-ir-r m?'' .: '. ;.‘i' ® ," , ., . : : .■' ■ -^'dC^rV^ jhtf f >nSl,i -'^ '’ ^ ’• '^is»l^.'. •* ' .< '• ^ Wf 7 1 .. ‘ . I fiV.'. f.cfjfi' 4; *1* ?¥» '♦ I 4?(( „ j-fikR' ' i^Wl.**' MpffiubwlB iiT t*‘ "'t, ^ vivrf ,^Lw.i^,_, p i hu:{:’ ‘ ^ • v i .C?. ' »' %*,■ ^ ^ ,Cr • f '•.v ‘ • '; ■ % *.•' vtf . . >'■•> ? . %■.-.■.■ .f ' mamm :/ v ■' . . '.f#? I.U'C?: ' 0 ^ 2*1 ^ ;.■»;} 1. t*w.' *» SitiS-n- .•■■.. . ■*. It-' ■ ■' . 1 ,-' ■■ I -ijmi l‘ Jii-'-i fewwi?s-i-Ma?4«R!v*W^-‘'««|S'«r^:^ ■-. ■’■tS i> •'< *. w..iS -.Mr* .1' ■'„•«. 1- 1 1 ?Aftv.'i}..y •.1^ * • wif f5(3l ., ' r'^: *''... ' *ffl ^ ;^.. .^ v.‘ ; ;> 0 /' I /■; r v i- S';' k^- • 144 ^* 0 . ,: ; ■' ,;:- ■ f4',v /. ^W ' — . ^’A. k'l • ■. i - J,^‘ t aU ■ ': ■ . J - & ^ ((■■ '-r?^, it-ai : • $0 , f ^4 %■ h ^‘ ' ' ’• ’ ‘‘ f ' S'."% 4'!^ " i-' •■ — •.,S.'- * , »■ I ’ •>»• . *<■ Juj. l[UlA •J.-a*'*®,. ' . ,?R '^‘'li^‘- ''X ; V,;V jj^ , 1% ., ,1, 'P ! "’ ■’TrT T, ‘ ^w . ' " ', y :‘ Vij: 5J rxWT.:$£irgT if -^!t-:, I— 1”’W' ilj ' Id . y: ;(Ki r./mMAj 16 Such was the case in Indiana, Ohio, and several of the New Eng- 34 land states. Senator Lane of Kansas was no less a Eriend of tine Quakers than some of those already discussed. He expressed it as "perfectly ridiculous to attempt to force a Quaker into the ranks of the Army. It cannot "be done, or if you should succeed in doing it, he would be worthless as a soldier. Besides, the attempt to collect money from the Quakers in lieu of military service will cost the Government ten dollars where they obtain one if they get it at all. It is a losing business to attempt 35 to collect money from Quakers in lieu of military service," He thought that if only the proposition of ijenator Harlan of Iowa should be adopted, giving them the privilege of serving in hos- pitals and permitting them to pay their money in lieu of hospital service, that they would cheerfully pay that money because in doing so their conscientious scruples would not be violated^ Perhaps the most bitter opponent of exemption in the debate in the Senate was Gonness of California. In a strong speech before the Senate he declared that it was a Quaker's War, Eor two hundred years they had been teaching that slavery was the greatest evil that ever cursed the earth and had borne their uni- versal testimony against it everywhere. They had helped to foster the sentiment that aggressive slavery as an institution was bar- barous in its character and against the civilisiation of the world. They had been factors in making up that opinion and aggression 34. long . Slobe ^ 38 Cong., 1 Sess., I, 35, Ibid^ 206. ‘.n j^; .A I ; I :v w, -‘» ; ■••|'.f%™|l ■■y’* i* -Xv, ’ ■."' )■,> '>■■> ’y.! ..rjS* k .i\J ’ Mji-M ♦ . ' • j- ' r ^ : ■ ., V. . ] ■; '^a'Aj»Ji |Sr Vi rifS>« .:•»•. .< ^ 1 1. ‘ eG«^i ^ 1^.- 0 fv.;m r r ,t .‘ ,■ ’‘d-/‘ ^l Va l£ ^ ..f;t ; t t; ^ ^ *-T5 ‘■A \aA,N, » '■., }• i" ' '’’■it'' ■' ’ 7 '?!* **' , t . jv» ’I -i i:, .■ f -• 1 UrJ i ' i oq:a^j^ *' ' ‘Krt ^■; J ♦-« t ^‘:* lc!» ‘ i» :■ : -m' i- i,‘)ln}t . Rii -^X ^'- i-'"' ^1 ' ■' •■ c " ' -''''I ■ '■'JS '' ' n 1 i'thf V- ‘ >1 • r;? $>n‘ ,' fji. . ^ r' I?* n '». ^i 5 itjio ,f y//'K ^ j|v 4 ’*‘ i*'^ o P '^1 * .’j. ]''►■ ■ i.'»^ J?t I rr = T9 ! -^.H; ?jfl|M'TP® " f' *<'^, ' |X1 ’a' ','W.. ■ ; ■' ' /.'^ ■ .1^ ,n ' .^hn ) ’ i I >. A /iv *’»*{) ;v‘'n' O' .crt 'i jf., 4 .:L^ j Ia L-i ? !' Aiiii - :.' ■■ ■ .-vvm'o ‘.v 94 '^fl 434 ' fe' i’llj ’ »f‘{ > 4 !a.< '’•' 4 ; ;'A' ' Adi* A'; j ’ i:'i>. ■ '.rt’ .4^- '*-" VA]'"' . ^ , ■'t-' 't3 ■' .- -j ;,v! :,-; vn-T:r 'tVif t'ki.ii i :m‘^ .. J J ai 17 had taken place under their fostering care and direction. In the House the conscientious objectors had a staunch supporter in the person of Thaddeus Stevens, the representative from Lancaster. That locality was largely settled by the Menno- nites. As considerable numbers of the Mennonites were Republi- cans he could not afford to lose their support in his constituency Mr. Stevens had practiced law at Lancaster so in the performance of his legal duties among them he had come to know and understand the people of that county and their peace principles. When the matter of exemption was before the house, he did not take such an active part in the discussion on the floor, but his greatest influence in their behalf came in the committee room. The bill was finally passed with amendments by the Senate on January 18, the vote being thirty to ten. With further amendments, the House passed the bill on February 12 by a vote of ninety-four to sixty-five. The Senate refused to accept the amendments of the House so the bill came to its final form in 38 a conference committee. The Supplementary Enrolment Act as it was called was approved February 24, 1864. It was section 17 of this Act which provided that members of religious denominations conscientiously opposed to the bearing of arms and prohibited from doing so by the rules of their denominations were to be con- sidered non-combatants and assigned by the Secretary of ’War to duty in the hospitals or to the care of freedmen, or should pay the sum of three hundred dollars to the Government to be applied 36. Cong . Globed 38 Gong. , 1 Sess, Pt. I, 205. 37. 6mi th, l^ennoni tes of America . 117. 38. McDonald, Select Statutes of U. S. Hist . . 88. .■fap’ Si I'-i W ripm -4' ■/ e* fi: , ‘ i‘-c I 4 S' 'i « it-'W ^ ■'• ’>>^ >urr^^^v»fi'l!i ti? V A. V' Uqn ;: «,•* -f *. > 'j V.i^' Hi.-r’ ■ '"■ 4 Aur.l ■- ? -=» ■• ■'•I • tscfy .!<■» "j « A ., ' if' ■»' *‘M.i >>' V ^A>y'^V^'>eV 1 /:>.*; i .f-' i 4 4 jpl^' ■ i»' - ; •■ -ri ■ i?>; >* v%'5 4^ (#er3«> r-.i I- '.I' Ji ' ^ ?■*? ■'■ 'V' : ';? , ■ , V^ic-r< •sV f, / \ I , . V- <• • (■' jiii ^ *■7 r <4 ♦> «.< t)c4 t.tir4>S / t'lf.'.l/ ' . ' ' ' ’.I ‘■ ♦ *.‘iti:*' ,;*>A tM. .> J 4 ■■ •.'HVl'd Ir' ; ; f-4'o'JI,' ^ sh'irriy^p'* i^>r' ^j: f « ^rr. • • i ■ -*. ‘ x\y tt' . fish's*; .ilwU' i'j' f'lt'i m-'CL 'J - . . » ‘A^r. , St*- a:' 7 .,• ' u U|l/‘ ';V* -'i J!j_^^^ 3 Q ;4 7 nAiiC. T ^ ’ W- ''W. M ./♦(” ijifi ^ ‘ ‘ ' .&( ‘V- ’ * I I f . -.'♦" 'f “ "TT^ ■ .<* -J 3 Si ! / ijr ^ , . i jaaiB i ty w r • .1 18 to the uenefit of the sick and wounded soldiers. The proviso was also made that no person should he exempted in this way whose deportment was not cons istent with his declaration of 39 conscientious scruples against hearing arms. 39, McDonald, Select Statutes of U, 3, Hist ,, 92; also U, 3 , 3ta tutes at Large, 38 Cong., 1 Sess., 10. 19 CHAPTER II CONFEDERATE CONSCRIPTION: ITS EFFECT ON THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS In the South the largest number of objectors lived in Virginia and North Carolina so that they were a power to be reckoned with in their respective states before any Confederate legislation was enacted dealing with them* The code of laws in force in 1860 in ViTginia where the Mennonites were especially numerous made no mention of that sect or any others opposed to participating in war. There was, however, an old provision for a fine of seventy-five cents on all privates who failed to at- tend militia musters or other meetings required by law. This fine the Mennonites usually paid,^ A Militia Act was passed by p the state legislature March 29, 1862 which specifically exempted those who were prevented from bearing arms by the tenets of the church to which they belonged by the payment of five hundred dollars to the sheriff of the coimty and the further sum of two per cent of the assessed value of all their taxable property. They were also required to take the oath of allegiance to the f Confederate Government. If they refused to pay the fine, they were then to be employed as teamsters or in such other way as the service might require which did not demand the actual bear- ing of arms. To coipplete matters, those who expected to receive exemption were required to surrender all the arms which they 3 might own for public use. rii Smith, ^ 2. Ibid.,ir5. 3. TUTd., 115. of America, 114. f'l pe v’sr' if: P, '>'-l .. - ^ :v.;^Li^> . i-vJf ■; isi ’,>{■ -^g| i/. "■'■■-:) , ■ ■ , ' '. ■ ^ T . • - ■' A.- • > ■' ■ . ..f-, .. n. • ,^v<> ■ /.*V^»^ U-’ ’.^ P . ,f .. V lrt..;.,i^* -. .' f . j 5 .v--.f.V 'M- ^ r- i^} ■ ^ - If •: ! ; ...X ' y • , ^ ^ s . .-i if ■•' '^'fiLp' ' lid -\ ■ 'r> si W:,-j ftfx ’»*!>%> t.< ;■ ,'J.- Wi;. 1-.^%3 cj».«'.< 14,, :a,-;i,5^ ~ A is :• ‘ 'Ty^'C’ifc! •.#?A \*;tAs'&n /;(i . V «^^..,y. ■' / • ' . - \ •'.' J •''' ' - .. ■' I'. > '■• ■ 'K' 7M . ' |•y^i5>l,' .%4*. , >.£ . V.' *jf » W )-4i),v nid^tra^ f^-:v;'4^’'?vte*';‘f - .-i^^ 41 « ’v': y. '■ :;l ■ V X' ■™ '-;'^ ‘- «»*■;, ■?'. 'n - ’ “'i ■';,(st., jf^?’' * -i. ... .;<» -.] >* > -tsu V'V'; ^ ’ “ Aj'ftfi Ku(>itiiy C)t4 'I*'??/ '.’^'•*^‘4 ,.Vt >V L-l' ■■ ■■ li; f. %(V f? W/.i ••< ;m. « >X;P^ t K m- • "'fj;;:' ."'f’;( _, i^.f . •“ - or .“ 3 r 'a , , ‘ fcil ■»-«A«i>» ■■»*■ .. ■ 1 -’ «. — ' IV-. . 1 - 20 The largest numlDer of southern Friends lived in JNorth Carolina. In fact they were the only non-combatant sect residing within the stats'^ during the war period. In December 1861 "an ordinance concerning test oaths and sedition" had been introduced into the legislature by which every free male citizen of the state was required to appear publicly and renounce all allegiance to the government of the United States, and agree to support, maintain, and defend the government of the Confederate States. Due to the influence of Friends, the position of the Society was put before the legislature and the ordinance never 5 became law. Through the efforts of Jonathan Worth, Governor Vance in 1862 consented to the exemption of Quakers who would either labor in the salt works or would send a man who would or who would send eleven dollars per month to be used in making salt. In a letter to Ivir, Allen Mx, Tomlinson, a Quaker of Ashe- boro, Mr. Worth expresses his regret that the Society had re- fused the offer and said that he understood that the Quakers g who would not comply were to be sent to the hospitals as nurses. In April 1862 the Friends of North Carolina petitioned both the State Assembly and the Confederate Congress for relief. The state government was the first to act and passed an a ct of exemption releasing them from state military duty upon the pay- ment of one hundred dollars each' but this was soon overshadowed by a more stringent law from the government at Richmond. Because 4. Statement of Mr. D, H. Hill, Sec'y of North Carolina Historical Commission in letter to writer. 5. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism , II, 742. 6. Correspondence of Jonathan vVorth in Publications of North Carolina HistorTcal Commission, I7“l65. 7. Cartland« Southern Heroes , 12 B; and Boyle, Sufferings of Friends of N. C. Yearly Meeting , 7-8. I. i ; ) •! ,r S', J t*. ■■' •:*/■'< 1 '■ ■ rf • ^ '■, ,VT •.trj,; .* i ':r r ■ . ‘ ■ > trr ■ ^ v-r' . ’ , '» ■* »■.' t / * '/ , r / I ■ ■fk . .:# 'TA-iW / r-’i' ' \ .t' < \ 21 of reverses the Confederacy was forced to conscription at an earlier date than in the north. Under the conscription act of July 1862 every man between the sges of eighteen and thirty-five 0 years was required to join the army. During the months of Aug- ust and September memorials were sent to Congress from the various 9 peace sects of Virginia and North Carolina for exemption. A delegation of five prominent Friends visited the Con- federate Congress and President Davis in an attempt to secure exemption. The efforts of the delegation resulted in the pas- sage of a law on October 11, 1862 exempting those who had been or were then members of the Society of Friends and the Association of Dunkards, Na^arenes, and ^ennonites in regular membership in their respective denominations provided the members of those sects should furnish substitutes or pay a tax of five hundred dollars each into the public treasury. It was said that Algernon A. Gray who was well acquainted with the llennonites around Harrison- burg had great influence in securing the release of prisoners and 12 perhaps in the passage of the exemption clause of the Act of 1862. The Mennonite Confession taken before the Confederate officials by its followers had not been without its effect. Under the law of 1862 President Davis had been author- ized to call into the military service all "white residents of the Confederate states between the ages of eighteen and forty-five 8. Cartland. Southern Heroes ! 125. 9. Smith, Mennonite s of America . 121; also Journal of Confederat e Congress . II, Senate Documents, vol. 26, 58 Cong., 2 Sess, 239. 10. CartTand. Southern Heroes . 126. 11. Smith. Mennonites of America . 121; also Cartland, Southern Heroes . 125. 12. Smith, Mennonites of America . 122. jpW®. ' % *- n ; 'W r ■» wr ■■ ■ ' ■ ■■ ■> ,JLiAi - . y • I, :, 'liL ' A . . ^ . ’ ' \. *” • I.vi’.'svWi- ,8S ■ ;xri«ft...... 4 »r .7 IV .r^jfV o.-ft t '/ ' j ■ I - ':.v^ , . T vs 3 l ' V"' ' ■ -^ , ■ ' ' ■ '■r j./V ■'■ ' . ni.-.- ? ' ’'.‘,i)k.’> if-; : fu’v, : ''^v» A .1 ’ ;r ,. ; ft,*, «.*/oT V*’«3h/'Ai.a»l*l |»»wOP^ /■■iAf v 1 ,,*?“^ ' . ’' ■ .■• '^ “■ .. . ..;_ .Vi&: .L'' *'■ oriQ.'^.f ' 3 'c< 6 i , r r - . 4 : ' • ■» r U<(' ii‘%x; Jr^ ^Ci ^df>^cV tifo“ ■ ;« vift.. I >1: ■:._# ♦ tif, i- .«/ ■;- ’ lit' V wtf.. >.l •• iw.. • K ?> ^ swi. ■ .. .IP^'. . .,. m .'■>, a ■ •• . I y m. i V fM "it •^-’ rk • -*»i -^d - r^ r-— - - |iUTi&. r • 1 '> . I' fi jr fi v'L nj'' , ■ ' ■ .•‘p^i-' ' . ' . V . -' gg^ ' '■ ‘ "" .^' ' ]^i '!*' J :^i ^ , . V, : ■^4^4; ■' ■T^v--'^-jff™l. if '-i.n "fi.O' 1 ^ fc ■ t-' ‘Wk''Z i>-^, ' : -■% )•** ; :•'■> ‘ . \ - (‘ rV. BW* ■■ ^;. '••■■* '■ ; • if.' ’ • •II ;■ I v I w‘ •;. ^ ' * • ' .' \.n >i ';. r .' . ' ■ y^,. ,£ . ^ ><•.«??. C..,,' ' '{h V. T ■ 22 years except exempts. The first class, those under thirty-five were called out in 1862.^^ After the terrific losses of Gettys- burg and the discomfiture of Lee, Davis issued an address to the people July 15, 1863 in which he called out all between eighteen 14 and forty-five years of age as liable to bear arras. Early in December of 1863 President Davis suggested to 15 Congress that the list of exemptions be curtailed. Later in the month both houses of Congress passed an act which put an end to the exemption from military service of those who had up to that time furnished substitutes.^^ Such curtailments were only 17 to foreshadow the Act of February 17, 1864 which d eclared all white men between seventeen and fifty years of age in the mili- tary service of the Confederate States for the war. Section ten of this act repealed all laws granting exemptions from military service except to ministers of religion authorized to preach ac- cording to the rules of their respective churches and who, at the passage of the act were ■ regularly employed in the discharge of their ministerial duties. Under the provisions of this law no persons who had furnished substitutes were to be any longer ex- empted because of them. The one exception was made, however, that no person who had previously been exempted on account of religious opinions and had paid the commutation tax was to be required to 18 render military service. Hot until the summer of 1864 were the conscientious objectors to secure more relief. On June 7 Congress 13. Lessing, Civil War in America III, 96; and Cartland^ Southern Heroes , 125. 14. Lossing, Civil Mar in America , III, 96. 15. Smith, Llennonites of America , 122. 16. Jones, Rebel Mar C lerk^ s Dl^ry , II, 121-il22. 17. Confederate Statutes at uarge, 1 Cong., 4 Sess., 211-213. 18. Ibid . , 211. i i I ’ "f V ^ W * ' N y J t K fi r i^^.U ■ ^ ij^.i /“ • . '' • ' •« ,. >_.u ^ ‘ A * n..“- .■« '*r. *!*. - a'^"'"" * '■ ■ ' '■' • 'J- di *» ^ /«' fH*. '■y . •« ■ StJ : : it’ r . • \i: T'/r-it'fti.A i'Pi r tiSH-'-' "''‘3 -’ .« r- ■';>■. ^.I.. I 1 / IVWm t»? l.< V'o’i ^ 5 '' , ■-, ,. '• ‘ v.i ' '^1, ' »£**" •* ' 1 / >• , ■. 3 H_ a '■ ,v,f.- t "jji ''■ Vv-' 'i-' ■ ‘n^i .? . D ■ / k. -’ I M . .!'■ '.■■• ' ,fc>; Vo I , ,U' 7 ‘’ . !' <^f:J ; ,th-r^L -* '■:■<■;• ’g, \‘ i )' ]f-f' ' ■• s ■ ,‘ .4 ,u jV* i ?‘i'i.-,'«' i »> 1 4^‘^i , ^ V • : !. , ■'. -< ■ ^ ' ’ *' , f 4 f' * * ;♦.* „• \L - jl:*’C' ^ '«.'•• -^:l. -.■ftlii-CiSd ii$ ■ v>- •'2iiw&'l^i;i\ 'U- lyt ; >v^g. ' ••• , » .• o. - ■ " c » . Xi* *» ■ •’^ j v 4 yi t. •:; 5 'Vjr • ■ J <'nf-'.' If; Nv » '■i ' I ■** ■ f '.fi 'i . t . ■' • V ■ , . ■■ >,- I . j ■ ; ■ r' • ^m*' 4 t /^f'' •‘'<'.n- ' - : tii^it'CKt Wi 0 *" I. j'- 44 , 7 "': 1 ’‘' 7 *-'- — ' . 4 t.:. i* K ' r< 'Jt t ; I f •■/-'- W i> ‘- '• '. ' V r V »; .',’ ,f •* tv .» ■ i •■’ • d' , ‘jt ''^y' .,:j' , r* ; : '- V ■ ^ ■ 7 ) , -'-y -5 wy^ ' 4 /tt. ^ .;•, Ji, j« siri:' ‘ p • » t*'. Ik m t f 7S^. y f ''I. _ ' * i#' ?rt^l J4v i >d4 p ^ ' * Jg l! Rrg ! fc »8p' .." il/' ■■ ...v/,-'. 'ilK ■ft ' • A 23 passed an amendment to the Act of February 17, 1864 regarding the exemption of certain religious denominations. By this later act Secretary Seddon vias authorized to grant exemption to the members of the various denominations of Christians mentioned in the exemption Act of October 11, 1862, \’vho at that time, belonged to the same, and who were in regular membership, -tiny exemptions which were found to have been obtained fraudulently were to be revoked. Although the conscientious objectors of the South secured recognition under the laws of Congress before their northern brethren did, yet they passed through a period of sus- pension of exemption and were finally released under clauses so severely framed that the recently converted objector found no balm for his wounded conscience. 19. Confederate Statutes at Large, 2 Cong. 1 Sess, 261 24 CHAPTER III ATTITUDE OF THE NORTHERN ADMINISTRATION The position of those northerners who were conscien- tiously opposed to hearing arms though severe and difficult enough to hear did not compare with the lot of their fellow members in the south. The Friends and other non-comhatant sects had no cause for complaint against the attitude of the northern adminis- tration. The sympathies of the two administrations were as op- posite to each other as the principles for which they fought. President Lincoln, himself of viuaker ancestry, was appreciative of their religious views and was always ready to receive them^when they came before him in the interests of their sect. The Friends were in a peculiar position regarding the war. Their two chief religious tenets opposed both war and slavery. Lincoln recognized this and their readiness to favor every act of the administration which might abridge or terminate slavery, yet he keenly sensed the dilemma with which they were confronted when 2 it came to the only means left to preserve the nation. In all cases which came before his attention Lincoln showed the same sympathetic interest and a desire to alleviate the sufferings of a people who were resisting military service only by reason of 3 sincere conviction against the bearing of arms. He was in pe- culiar s:^,Tnpathy with their scruples and wished in every way to 1. Cartland, Southern Her oes, 129. 2. Nicolay and ^^ay. Abrah am' ’ Lincoln VI, 326. 3. B. M. Jones, Later^Prioas of Quakerism II, 736. — U* ' ••J !i . ’ k ■^f «•#... I f rr \ ).') ■il :.(■ T / ... \X^ ’ i„ ; 'i ’ 'i C' '• . .''•‘•(J.» , If '"•■r ^. . . I* -• .* ■:A ■ r f ."C j I' '1 Uj| ■jlki ,r ^ t'ft: '-iii- J. .'ll Vf • ( * Srt.} ‘i ' '■ v'!?'i?la ...1 '•> s •:. ?' ■-,0 :l ■ ‘c '■■ . rS i •: ii .< : - ^ V M VT -pV • \ ‘ • 4 ibk ■ '% ' ’■ !► ' '' ' ' /' "M /K.''; •■, ' ■ ■ r m ■ 1 * f .'fw ■ r ' ', Ji ‘ *' r J sT .'-■"•( V-v... \ 'X ■•■ It h- '■ ^,: ^ ift: •i.' ,;.(.■’ . "/i-' ■\'.i,.‘ J t'J <>»»*•• 25 relieve their burdens, yet constitutionally he f elt that he must do all within his power to enforce the conscription laws to their fullest extent for the most speedy prosecution of the war, ViOienever he could do so without deriding his powers, he intervened with his prerogative on occasions of peculiar hard- ship.'^ Lincoln in turn greatly appreciated the sympathy of Sbriends and others toward him in his great trials and responsi- bilities. In January of 1862 the Quakers of Iowa sent him an (5 address through Senator Harlan to whom he replied that it was most cheering and encouraging to him to know that in the efforts which he was making to restore peace to the nation that he was upheld and sustained by the good wishes and prayers of such a people. No one more than he was aware of the need of Divine Wisdom in guiding the great struggle of the nation. A few months later in answer to a letter from the 1-tiakers of Rhode Island he said: "Engaged as I am, in a great war, I fear it will be difficult for the world to understand how fully I appre- ciate the principles of peace inculcated in this letter and everywhere by the Society of ?riends,"6 iffhile Lincoln greatly appreciated the friendship of those who came to him and laboured about him, the friendship for none of them is more significant than that of a sincere Quaker woman. Eliza P. Gurney of Burlington, New Jersey, the widow of Joseph John Gurney, a distinguished English minister of the 4. Nicolay and Hay, ^^.br ^haitf Lincoln, VT^ 327 . 5. Ibid.., 327-8. ^ 6. Ibid^328. ' ■ ' i ’• ; , ,' M tr >■ L^- .rr « '^1;‘;!gf^^;l^|rl® :.v ■ '!■■'■*', aGniMl ■ ''S:^?: t->?- - ** — ’ ' ■' la /.: ' W*' ' • a 1' t K V, , ^ " '^' •■• / ' - '^' -7'^ ’ >^,i>-£>. '■ w^^t-ytmu ry4>:V*^ mM.. iPim "t'iitr^f£fml l Ej^ “ - & ' ."■ ■ ■ ; ■ W' -■• ' '\J:^^,,JWkJ^ I’i; ■ x4 r<-' '-,s?*'> 4t .V(T ClX ‘Wfcj4 '■‘^ 'fi' > X"" *n® «■ eff, 'V \ ■" ?; ' t -f < i ; ,^y U*g y'«; t^d 0< l*i»t • --'/ijfi/ ' ' . ■ : ^ .1|^S ■'iis 77^ ■ ain. ' ‘ ■:-% r^ 'Si#' .i?^'-': “ J u. .;.-i' .j 7, . " 7. ■ vf, 7® '^’ 4‘ '/J ff tL'^ ,; 0 • J-. , . ^JfV;1, 7 *' :« *'v ■ -c Jt' "f '? 7 ■■■ '■* ISE; , , 7". "' rrt'. "^ ’■■ ^ ''' ' jf Vv''*'''/»'7,»»k- 'n'V--‘ ^ ' • k iriSi^w vrf.diw 7 : ' ' mHUt : ‘ rr‘4 ’'f.)i,tii ’■'•'*^ XiA k '^- i. ,7':' J^Vk^Si. J^icit'^®*''^--' iSCf'- id® ^ ■ "wM' " 37' ■■ -> a. 7 ' W2 •^7 7' '7' , 7 '7 ^ L I id 26 Society of Friends, was a woman of deep spirituality, refined tastes, and much ability. One rainy morning during the first 7 week of 1862 she with a small party of Friends paid him a visit. During the course of the visit prayers were offered for the President and the nation. Lincoln was so deeply touched by Mrs* Ourney's prayer for him that silent tears rolled down the 8 cheeks of the great President. A few months later she wrote him a letter in which she expressed her sympathy for him and her appreciation of his attitude toward the Friends in the war. It is an interesting sidelight that Lincoln so highly prized this letter that it was found in his breast pocket when he was shot by J. Wilkes Booth, nearly two years la ter. ^ Lincoln's reply to her in September of 1864 is esoecially significant of the character of the man and his deep appreciation of her visit to 10 him. "My Esteemed Friend: I have not forgotten, probably never shall forget, the very impressive occasion when yourself and friends visited me on a Sabbath forenoon Uno years ago. Nor has your kind letter, written nearly a year later, ever been for- gotten. In all it has been your purpose to strengthen my reli- ance in God. I am much indebted to the good Christian people of the country for their constant prayers and consolations, and to no one of them more than to yourself. 'I'he purposes of the Almighty are perfect and must prevail, though we erring mortals may fail to accurately perceive them in advance. We hoped for Tl Car tl and. Southern Heroes, 132. 8. Ibid., 132. 9. Ibid ,, 153. 10. Nicolay and Hay, Abraham Lincoln , VI, 328-9; McPherson, Poll t . Hist, of U • S. of America during the Rebellion. 605-6; Amer- ican C Eurch HisTorv Serifts TTT. f v’* r ♦ V '■ Jj" \'\,''^»rl •^■' %'i 3 fi Ijfp.vUtirT ,v-' !( “^ -' U* iv ‘ ■ .' . ."“ 1 ' ■■•" e^ti; 'r. c-:;'! .s :^i ’ % v»- '<■■•'••••" •' ''...:. „ J):jiiy^ «§ 1 ' 4 V ^ 'u '■^c.-c i’' Tr t;» ..V '* ;-^!j s'-injESi ' 'nij ■'^ f i trm>^ V , r.,> -♦•?»<■ Jr *;»•■'' ‘-'0 *r) , * i^r' ' RH "'1 ® ■> '•! jf.l j^-,rfv..,,,,„, ■'if';".; •^' *‘'''' '^H ' _. -’^V ' ^ v; ■ -Ct)^ . I ^ -liv ,. f' •:iC r- }\ ^ . >V,r 3 |S^ ., ' ,-^i 4/' 4ii--;j •ir.N- Jsf?! . ,.- wjtSfifA .'.''y'-'i^jr '■•v>3fi ^ I , . ■ ''i'< ■.:. :j':. ‘ T * 3^4 ■V -•'^;, -4 •* i‘t\‘ ’ Hi-i M/' . -.r/M \ -.,wj ‘i' /' ®', *' .’ ’ jf X^'':' , . w* .' ■&">. ■«■ . . ■•'- -i 4 ‘-r ■ ' ■*' f ■“* j^-j 3 •. • ■'•;■(> ,;,= j f, 4 :. *N> «< 5 :vuW . V- •. '•’- ' -i ' '■ ■■ \*‘ ^ ■ !"• ^ i s?r •■ .. fcfit% rr< •• • ;/ ^ X- 4 'Aa®oi ■■ . .: — ■ ;rs^ r. ■ EQHHB , -:i- •» r 3 w'’ ,'H ' ii 87 a happy termination of this terrible war long before this; but God knows best, and has ruled otherwise, V/e shall yet acknow- ledge His wisdom and our own errors therein; meanwhile we must work earnestly in the best light He gives us, trusting that so working still conduces to the great ends He ordains. Surely he intends some great good to follow this mighty convulsion which no mortal could make, and no mortal could stay. "Your people — the Friends — have had, and are having, very great trials on principles and faith, opposed to both war and oppression. i'hey can only practically opoose oppression by war. In this hard dilemma, some have chosen one horn and some the other, "For 1hose appealing to me on conscientious grounds I have done and shall do the best I could and can in my own con- science under my oath to the law. That you believe this I doubt not, and believing it I shall still receive for my coun- try and myself your earnest prayers to our Father in Heaven, Your sincere friend, A. Lincoln" This promise Lincoln faithfully kept. The three hundred dollars was accepted for hospital supplies, hospital service was furnished, and where any conscience was not free to accept either or it seemed unwise, they we^-e "paroled until called for"and were never called for. Many Friends, however, vol- unteered to nurse the sick and wounded and some of them even went /II upon the battlefields to perform such merciful work..-- 11 , Gartland. Southern Heroes , 136-1Z7 . ■ : ■f'. .t' V .. r,-< f. ;r;a., \ )iik. JCl «1 !S ^ - fi * « ^ 28 Not directly bearing on the treatment of conscienti- ous objectors, but of interest, is an incident showing Linc- oln's leniency and sympathy toward that group of people. Eliz- abeth L. Comstock, a Eriends minister, made it a habit during the war to visit army hospitals and prisons. 3he was once re- fused admittance by some army chaplains to pray with the boys in one of the army hospitals whereupon she went to Lincoln and told him her story. He at once gave her a note granting her access to all hospitals and to all inmates with whom she 12 desired to hold religious services. It was only three days later that the a ssassin' s bullet put out that life which had been given so much to service for others. Lincoln's cabinet was popularly known as the "Quaker War Cabinet" because the members of it were always lenient to 13 the Friends who were opposed to fighting on consicentious grounds. Attorney-Ceneral Bates and Salmon P. Chase were said to have some connection with Friends, it is a rather more curious fact that H. W. Halle ck who was at one time General- in Chief of the armies remained a member of i^ewport, Hhode Island Meeting dur- ing the war, due to an over-'ight caused by his removal to the west. Of all the members of the cabinet perhaps none was brought into closer contact with those of the so-called tender conscien- ces than Secretary of War Stanton whose own mother was a minister 14 among the Friends and lived in Ohio during the war. It was 12. Cart] and. Southern Heroes, 137. 13. Ibid., 129. 14. Ibid .^ 129. “I ', ’r%, .r ij;.? >.f > t''T» ^ **?‘i Af* J. . . ^.<1 'JS- ^ \ r*. Hi^’.-'-J ? JPti. i„ 1 '■■^^1 .•- t.i^4;i<;i'^' V->*‘ h c-i>4'^0iyv' 'f ‘ •'■' ;•* **■ i . .' ■•;>- . .., ., . ’' " , y* "'■.<■.(}* '/ V ; "iW' J% ..; * nl'c ^ IV \ V 1 ^ u-v<*s 1 PV»'A^ v‘* i ■ V ...i ru f!"'! »s| 0 i ^-i." f .?/ i* -' t'vM' /■' llf'rf . 6o h\ _ ■'■ <■ . '* ^ Jj^ i-j . . • , ^ *;;/'x.' •• tiir v... j> air/ o'- r Ac '’/djf L;i i‘ V ’W via-^cp 5 ' /affifj tt'o 4 ^f r^S'0 , . ,c .;) e* to ’ Vf . . t*" . ' 0 l^!J^‘'^ ‘*j '«''C w. ■ ‘ ^ S: ^ '. • > ’ ->. » . u "S''" ' t' ' , ■ " ";r -iBKl b,. • -TkC . »?:?vr;;i. . ■ *4® ■*' '.-' r--’-». ' • "'^ JL-S%fr If i i i i J i . t ‘ir ff f ,^iff . - ■' j ^ ..*BM *j*\-j^«i«-i''' I/ .' {f^jT'i t;f*4 t-Vi 'V^.- i'vAiW'^' .-’O .U-*? Q.df,.,f^.. ■.:;.JS ' iai?^’.,: i. ~^'*^.H'.‘t< ■.:.( t'<' 1 1 ‘.t •’’.'4i, V- '-f "'.r V. <'f,r> t‘tr- tr .'4:' .1 ■■ .' ' '• • » ••■ '■•. .•i.ii.i ’‘a ; 'Ai ■ .^.'■■v tv.fi'! >' |ty^^."r.«o*'i||{^;.# ,Fvr'.!v, xJ .\iWtt'‘ v' 1/ '- ‘r'lJLWt '«'.' L: V.. 29 in ITovember 1863 that two members of the Baltimore Yearly Meet- ing (Orthodox) went before Secretary Stanton and set forth to him the sufferings of their fellow members under the existing 15 draft law. He deeply sympathized with them and would have willingly granted them release but because of his oaths to exe- cute the laws he felt he had no legal power to grant them com- plete and unconditional exemption. In view of the large draft expected he invited them to call a conference of Friends repre- sentatives from all parts of the country to draw up a plan of exemption to submit to the Secretary of War for his consider- 17 ation. His proposition which he hoped would at once both sat- isfy them and relieve him and the government of embarassment was to create a special fund for the care of freedmen by which each Friend drafted was to be exempted by the payment of 18 three hundred dollars. The payment was not to be as in other oases to the district provnst marshal, but to his fiscal agent at Washington, to be credited to the freedmen and the Friends should have the disbursement of it through their own agents or laborers. Mr. Stanton had expressed his appreciation of the interest of the Friends in the Freedmen and was willing to ac- cept this aid as the only legal means of relief which he saw in 1 9 his power. 15. R. M. Jones, Later l*eriods of Quakerism . TT^ 732. 16. Pringle, Record of a ^^uaker Gonscience . 82. 17. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of sluakerism , II, 732. 18. Gartland, Southern Heroes . 129-130. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism, II, 732-3. x9. Ibid, 732-3. ' » J I ij t ” r I ( i' C ' - u t 1 ► ) ii 1 1. i i),- t 30 In accordance x'sith Secretary Stanton's advice, a con- ference of twenty-five Friends representing New England, New York, Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana, and A^estern Yearly Meetings met in Bal- timore December 7, 1863, In a unaniinous minute the delegates declared their unshaken loyalty to their traditional belief that war is forbidden in the Gospel and therefore they could not con- tribute to its support or in any way participate in its spirit. They expressed their opinion that to render other service as equiv^ alent to or in lieu of any other military service would be a com- promise of a vital principle which they felt conscientiously bound to uphold under any circumstances and notwithstanding any trials which they might suffer. A committee of three composing Francis T. Xing of Baltinore, Samuel Tobey of New England, and Charles F. Coffin of Indiana were then appointed by the Confer- ence to visit Stanton and submit to him their decision. He received them with kindness, but was firm in his stand that the preferred plan was the only hope which they might expect of se- curing relief. Although the Conference had refused Stanton's of- fer, he succeeded in introducing his idea into the next new draft law and that which had not satisfied official friends wias made use of by many individual members. In the north, the attitude of even local officials was generally quite lenient. Alien Friends received notice that their names had been drawn in the draft they quite frequently sent word to the proper officials that they were unable to accept SO. R. k. JnHes, Later Periods of Quakerism , 733. wt/ ,i 7 ,; f ^T- !S ' ' ■ ■ . .. .I KT^ s '•.* *• ' ‘ J-M D > '-^' ■ JP' 1 .* . t- } ft .; ft.tr '. '■ > ’ '■■■ ’ ^ C> ?l\> - 'j - •‘' I’tfi.Sr- " f ; '■., foiV iff ,a>^'''”' ^' ♦ *“^iiiil(yifti^- .- X a*-tW t' . *., s'i (fUi i.": , .Cl Xf t f ' ■ f- ■ ' & ,:^ , f* i^TS - 5 .^, iaS t Hr^ / idSHl .• iv- ft«* 7 •* ./ifef^i^c’^, ; 51 ^£S.i a r ^ T -.« [. ,;ri; •>-*: ‘'i. .■ *\ 1 ^ ^ *'V ’ ■ P'r.* " ' t' ■ V . . ;.\X. < W. .Tfr “jn .. \i' ir I ■'' <^i ta. ■ ^ T . . . » . ■ ly'/T -FS,' , ■r i '^<1 .t Jt- JU £ y JA_ I. .'-. '■ ■■,.■■ . ' US ■ " • , ' . I ■• it^'v q a ft's '‘•'J/4F fjl .- ^ .< | - J ^ ■■ ■ ^' . ! « j,^ S>< “ X • ^■ .^la t: ^ " ffrl' -'-' ' \*'-v .. :,;V ' >'^ ^ , ,™. „„. , 5r, . ^ J ,/r^' j^-' •f*''ii "■ B.i - c;:. •■ -••«’ It* 4--,_ n--- b^T ' . 'I*'-. .■■ij • ' ■ *^■^5'' .11^ %4‘‘ '*’■■ " t' ■s^-.-'v-; ■“-■ SSsO’r-'tUc^ t:l’ 0 ! . l'/i> 0 i|f 4 > nr <■ ■x c ) -■ ^ * 0 » ■' lj7' ■ ^v'.' vw. ' >, >t "=‘’ I 16 ; m..:\ - I' !.( t ' I' 'J .;; » 1^7 . ;i^. . J * ’ r ," •!rl >-V," V.\ ^ ’ c I * I ^.i; *. ■ *^,1 :' r V‘ .ft ■ *r V ■ ;•'; y‘l(" ' ‘ ' t. ••,'M :si;::srt^; h: t.»! ' ' ifj " ff ■v^ ]if' /, i’n**i^ k'*fViSii,' T.:f^ /.yi.,? f-ri:v r'/Aff^j!',. ';■« V ’ ''f A ' jj4 iwt.’^ ..' .i ‘rrJ’ ■li'Ti ' 4 ' .■^i,'m..&''7'- i' .'^ti'^r^' V. 4*1 33 territory. It was said that during the war the Friends were only divided from their northern brethren by geographical lines and military law. After crossing Mason and Dixon's line they had only to find a community of Friends to find a home and all the necessaries of life. They were especially welcome in the West where many of the inhabitants, or their ancestry had moved away from the South because of their lack of s;.rmpathy with the slavery question. In many cases the refugees were related to 4 those among whom they went. The objectors of the South were found almost entirely in the three states of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Virginia was the only state in the south in which the Mennonites 5 were found. North Carolina had no other non-combatant sects within her borders besides the Friends. However, the great majority of that sect were located within that state. At the beginning of the war, most of the Friends were located in the central and northwestern parts of the state, in Iredell, Jakdin, Surrey, Davie, Guilford, Randolph, Alamance, and Chatham counties. There were also six small churches in the eastern part of the state in Wa 3 me, Northhampton, and Perquimans counties.® Because of their variance with the principles of slavery and the effect of their attitude on their economic and social position, many 4. Cartland, Southern Zeroes , 122. ^ ' 5. Smith, Mennonites of America . 121. 6. State ment of D. H. Hill, Sec'y of North Carolina Histor- ical Commission in letter to w*-iter. 7. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism . II, 742. 8. Cartland, Southern Heroes . 117. 34 9 Quakers sought homes, friends, and relatives in the west. So large were the migrations after the first conscription Act had been passed by the legislature in 1862 that the authorities took every means to prevent further emigrations. Several par- ties were arrested and brought back by soldiers sent in pursuit of them.^^ Before the war closed the emigrants usually went through Baltimore. They frequently arrived there in an almost destitute condition and were often forwarded to the west through the kindness of Baltimore Friends. As in the case of North Carolina Friends so many of the Virginia Friends had moved west because of their opposition to slavery that when the war began there were only a few small remnants of meetings within the state. One of these was in IP the vicinity of Winchester. Friends in that vicinity were generally considered as Union men and in consequence were shown special attention by groups of marauders who went about seizing whatever they could to further their own interests or the inter- ests of the Confederacy.^^ The Shenandoah valley was the coveted territory of the armies of both governments. Much of the support of the southern arnycame from that section because of which fact the northern army was more eager to deprive them of it. Winchester was the center of a most terrible struggle. Even the meeting-house at that place was occupied by soldiers 9T Boyle. Account of Sufferingi^ W, 10. Cartland, Southern Heroes . 125; also j bid. 142. 11. Weeks, Southern ^;.uakers and Slavery . 309. 12. Cartland. SoutHern ^e~roes . 330. 13. Ibid „ 334. ■-■ ‘^(f '- ■ '.V ' ’• t ' ;■ r.r*/: "K- *■••.-/• ^ •*■ / ^ T r . ’ • . ■ vf/ -■ “ . ' t’i' ’‘'*"\ '■ •'.{•.'• • •:% .V,. - • , ■*;■■*■ ‘ ''^ ,• “.‘-?.i^t 1 ^* 1 ' aa J rti - . '• i.'. ■ . .v.Bli'-. . , . ,';, '*>v..,» •^‘ - ' fr f;>V. B Jj/ n^iisrr^f ci • rrr.fiL ’ ?; t • di f " • t.. 2 Sr* \ . ■*' ’ (' ,.: *-*«:■ .. P y)y’' I n Ify ^>1^' ’ C‘ ^ . , , ■ I ■>-\j''f‘-y ' " >A.' '* 4 j| Wi.y-'tel frj' .;i, ’’*■■ :'i ■' . ' . ',i<*^^'t ’• ,- ;, ■■■.•■ '.. ■ 8 . •• '■■ ‘ t.fi x'7 •• •: [p' H!#. ’ ' ni^ , Hi /' . • )>'■'■ -.''s'y..': ■ . ^"i.„ ■ •’^■i y-^* <’l- r^'tifv. •. ?v ,, j I d>^*' ',' '■ ■ f-y " ' - ■ ■ '■ ^ '•'■■>'ii ' *>d' li»'- * '■ ' “• ^ '■* ’ ' ' ' ' i4 . '’'’K of '^' '* * * *i*'i'' ^ '* ^ * *Jf ^j. ^ y . *1 ' r-'.-W'^ ‘C' ■■ '■ . ■ ^-- '■►■:'■ ■■£;:u.v, _ , ■’■• ” -'■ -• './'* V, .' ^ * K ‘f-‘ '\iiK-’ ’ t■> /'IjsbHTw' j-^\ ^ 4 f- *#»v‘.'. ••« 'V r.flw^^Rr ..-* . > -♦ *•• ■ V i ^ y''^' t* , » ./ll ,*, ■,f\- i;v.r' N :V.(i'T, v; ■ ' i’*y n^T- ‘’^'•^^^Mr:‘ ■^w>r ■ ’r< 4i; ' tfr .>,|^j '1. ,|«ir -;'i4 ■ «!|TY^ 'Art' ' -' i'sFJ ■ ^ ■. .:t^- 1»< Tv ;.:>•. !&»■ •} • V I '■ V'^^'^-' -V ^ '. SM>-‘-.‘Vt* ■ >’’Y ■*;•*•’!» .tiilt. j,r.^ .iv '• ’ ' j '■ •; •.^.^•' . <:^; hM' . -' njSMK ■ w M4^r ■ ■■'i 'i'» mm-d ■«: ijaLi • ... *iV«-/^rN^- J •^ i . r , * . Fi f-‘¥ ^ ‘- Tr«^' . * I JP- .^r 36 of slavery or secession. Their straits were hard enough, tut it was much easier for them to escape them and migrate to the west than it was for those Friends who lived across the moun- tains in North Carolina, Quite a numter of those Tennessee Friends escaped military service by seeking refuge and an abode in caves, the two most famous of such caves being known as 2 P Providence and Cud jo’s Cave. The last and greatest factor in the southern hatred of the conscientious objectors came in their absolute refusal to fight at a time when preaching in almost every other place 2 gave way to a call for arms. So far as is known only one southern Friend gave up his faith and went into battle to fight. AS soon as it was known he was promptly disowned by the meeting. The Meeting did not consider a money payment a surrender of principle. Some prominent North Carolina Friends even advised it but only a small number took advantage of that alternative. In 1862 when the act proposing to exempt all those conscientiously opposed to bearing arms from military service upon the payment of five hundred dollars, or the performance of services in connection with the hospitals was being discussed, a delegation of five Friends went before the Confederate Congress to put before them the Friends’ principles of peace. The five were all men of ability and good standing in the cojnmunities 20. Cartland, Southern heroe^ i^oS, 21. Ibid. . 299, 22. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism , 745. 23. Boyle, Account of Sufferings, 8; and Cartland, Southern Heroes 126. 24. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism , 753. ■ • Aa. ■■ ^ Ti '.‘’ ■ ..' ■rS.u'- >ie ^^t<< .< r4ptt i ^ ■■• tv ■?*' I Jl'-^ t^ts ‘."‘^vu'iJ :* '^ ■ ’ ' ■ .,1 -i^, V.; :■ ', , j. ' f V , ■ Iff ^ y-:ur -Mt K-f i- fi^i> I' ’cJ'3^^", t . ’'■ft'*Cjtottr'®'ii' '■ Viv »ilG« ' • '-'^ ^ y^i t * ' . * ■ ,< 'I yA 'Z< > t I '■• .' 0 ''’‘i~'i«^ 'i .6 , *it? ' •< ^ • '•■ti h' ' :' ■ '■ "i. 'V .;V. 'M ^ 1 . ’ ^v-.tf^ iCtJ'Ho-. ■*i ^ . \>'\-¥'tmiM^JSa . 4^--' /' ^*' ^.' ' ' - *’ '-.f ^'‘'T^ ' OMvp .OY^ k't), '*,»’*■. V/ 'T->M ■’ ‘‘- * ‘ ' 1 , r ^ ^ f+ r ^Mjs'.ii.a « '-iui- ' ,-. ■>:...,- "r.i„ -t ^ t» '*7 ''^l ''^,^'0 1 . '! ,|JI .v« > Pf I vl y' ';. f.^ ' .%H 4 V ” '■m. ..-r, . :..,'"^- t '■'■ ‘>Vfi i Co/' ’ 1,1 ■J/ ^.V'f. 'A :;4.f!s.-;(«i-fi 4<}'U% o,»4V‘<^v* feo«‘|V Vnrc^^^iK . •■/. •’• :.'v'.* -■ / '• ' 1 ;: ■: ^ t f' '”i liMiiiti TV- ■: ■; ^ T ^ :• «V • %tff ^ i ? ojp., htfrlt' ^'i'>V‘ • l 3 ■^''■ V 3 ••■■- . ■: .■ ;,(<_ ' il^eK 'v !4 3 c ^j«i!Cf'.) Jf ytv ^.y^afr ;y T: It/)- -if ■ if#r 76 ^^ Mf' , ll il ^iV''rt-^ 1^ / ■■ p« 1 1 . t. '< ^1 ,^.n*'i-VH-4-'; •-' 'J-' -'■’ 0f^‘ ••• -■•■' , :riv. •;^', JW^4 #«'5f' .' ■'^V.*.>W ■'■■ fi: ■: -, . XJf ■ .. ‘ . .vt,f^jfe 4 ;ii .'^t«»v . iME L 'JjIL . (. ■ AU ‘ .ir' .'k •. ^■' ■• ‘ 'a,-: '■>1 .."I \j l> r. % - C !j: 'giBq yytu p tj i ^ 37 and known as Friends throughout the country. Their memorial to Congress was presented by John Garter and Nereus Mendenhall. It was laid before the Senate by Honorable William T. Dortch and T E6 before the House by the Honorable J. R. McDean. A most interesting account of this Quaker committee has been recorded: ”We were treated w ith r espect by every one with whom we conversed on the subject and by some, with tender- ness of feeling. We may particularly mention William B. Pres- ton of Virginia, chairman of the committee on military affairs for the Senate and William Porcher Miles, chairman of a similar commitee fer the House. On an interview with the former he told us to make ourselves entirely easy on the subject; that the Senate committee, in acting upon it, were unanimously in favor of recommending an entire exemption. He said that some were for requiring us to furnish substitutes but that he was well aware that we could not conscientiously do that, and that nothing but a clear and full exemption would meet our scruples* Miles, chairman of the House Committee invited us to a hearing, in their room, before the committee at large, and took pains to arrange the sittings as much as possible to suit our conven- ience. We here had the very acceptable company and assistance E7 of John B. Crenshaw, who labored faithfully in word and doctrine. John Crenshaw was a Friend minister of Richmond meet- ing. He really belonged to Baltimore Friends, but as he was 25. Cartland, Southern Heroes^ 126. 26. Weeks, Southern Quakers and Slavery, 305. 27. Ibid .. 305. 38 cut off from them, for the time being he identified himself with North Carolina Yearly Meeting whose members greatly ap- 28 predated his services. Owing to his acquaintance and influ- ence with men of authority, he was often called upon to aid 29 Friends and Dunkards who were drafted into the southern army. According to his widow, ”he finally gave up his time almost ex- clusively to looking after the interests of these people. He labored by day and by night, often making long journeys some- times on foot, to visit the Friends who were sick in prison, or in the army. Looking carefully into the merits of individual cases, and being able to present a clear case, the officials came to have great confidence in him, and for this reason and because of their regard for him as a Christian minister, they usually granted his requests. Besides the service thus rendered his home was frequently for weeks the home of those whom he was serving. " y/hile the matter was being discussed, one of the Conrnittee said to the delegation: ’^Doubtless your people are in the Northern army fighting us and why should you not join us in fighting them?” Isham Cox, one of the number, replied that he was not afraid to agree to fight, single handed, every true Friend in the Northern Army.^^ He was perfectly safe in making such a statement because he knew that no true Friend would be fighting in any army. They were against slavery, but they thought that they should not do evil that good should come. However, 28. Gartland. Southern Heroes, 347. 29. Ibid., 346. 30. Ibid. 4., 128; similar account in R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quak-^rism II, 741. 39 there were some whose education against slavery was so much stronger than their teaching against war that they entered the 31 service hut as a rule they were disowned by their meetings. The same delegation visited Jefferson Davis and al- though he received them with courtesy, he remarked that he re- gretted to learn that there was within the limits of the southern Confederacy a body of people unwilling not only to fight but if needful to die in defense of their country. Although Pres- ident Davis and many other southern officials were very unsym- pathetic, a number of individual southerners felt quite differ- ently toward their peaceful neighbors. Among such was Governor Jonathai Worth of Dorth Carolina who was of Ilantucket Quaker descent. He would gladly have excused those whom he believed to be sincerely conscientious in their religious scruples. He was 32 ever glad to cooperate in any meritorious case. The delegation did not secure their greatest object. Friends were exempted from military service only on the payment 33 of ,|500 each into the public treasury. But to Hereus I.ien- den hall's argument, perhaps more than any other one thing, was 34 due the passage of even such a provision. 'This alternative caused a great deal of temptation to purchase freedom from suf- fering because of the great deflation of Confederate money. The tax was accordingly not worth more than a barrel of flour or the price of a pair of boots. Even, then, however, there w ere many Gartland, Southern HeroeT j 188. 38. Ibid . , 145. 33. Weeks, Southern Quakers and Slavery , 305. 34. Cartland, Southern Heores , 128. ^ - ■ r.» ^ . - 'f '% ’i^.- ■?'; ' ■ : ' ' ' ■ ‘ . ' ft /'® m ^ ; X* ?T3< K. ' ■' ’^ri ■■•.;iK • .. '^.A • s/ , ’ S ' ■ . •■ i^i ■*/ r ..'5,1 £•" ' • ‘^'■' ^^v■ ^ ,j| ti^x.c ’ . ':' •'3‘N mi~:> fsr I?.. »''• . fr',,»-Tw»r^ ■''.■»'• '“•’tM*? • ‘ I' ^•^■■,tsJ: : rt X V it : .-.iTifT 4V .,♦ x^'i ivi'!:' >'i! 4:if' ■ “h' J VI '.. ,r?r.-‘»<». Id rf - . *■> -r .ImV„ ' «s 7v ■ .' h d' ■' iv ' ► M ».• 'K^ fttt, t ^ ' " ■ ■■^■^^./ ■■ 'mi:,.; Kt/.'‘ T-^ 3 •i'v #<■ - ■ •i* - •| "rf * ■'•,■ : 'V'^' ■t , , ■ 'vl • : ■ 'IS- WL Ht 'OT , ... i«^,1ri^v. AaJI'i? fTr-r. '_; 4 ,mdf- tM I-"'-’ •; ' ‘«'.’’4i! 1 m 0.*» '>0 V ^•^‘. , _ ^ ' " , ■ 'Mm y ' 'y ^ •’ • I ,'••'• /j.i * • ■ S ' • J'’ t ^ '3 , /-r. t'-^vv ■ I, ». ■ tt ; 'M^ ^ iS^i" ' iv ‘ ^ r'F-''.’ ^ r<^/rf-‘. I ■ . j'A# «--* tt'^>.v>-j" ;.'iv' £ji A. ■ ■ ■«-• „ • ^\«(v* * .■■ •■■i ’ iiP: ►♦■*. , * ' .1.* / . . -^ .•'i:,. ,T.- •-.«', Vf*|ll»,'. ,4 , vi . ‘ ; “ V '* » •- .T ■“ ' ■'* • V- )• ’ - , * • iii 'U»- i ji- *i i i i M i» k '^ A >^ “ ^‘ •rv’iiil' ."“**'** w ««« » ■ j i ;' « ^w ’ " syi' 'j&ii' ''^ ‘ w -' - . -"i' ' ;,^ . ,:V'i.'.‘iU'' ftiAwit '»S..’:|i- * ' s wy g wwfe ^4 t^ 40 who were so faithful to their conscientious principles that 35 they refused to purchase escape at so small a price. The action of the committee on the proposed exemption clause is significant of the wonderful stand, especially of that of the Friends against W/ar, "VVhile in accordance with the advice issued by our last Yearly Meeting, we do pay all taxes imposed on us as citi- zens and property holders r emembering the injunction, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, yet, we cannot conscientiously pay this specific tax, it being imposed upon us on account of our principles, being the price exacted of us for religious liberty” and then they added ”yet do we appreciate the good intentions of those members of Congress who had it in their hearts to do something for our relief; or we recommend that where parents, moved by sympathy, or young men themselves dreading the evils of a military camp have availed themselves of this law, that they be treated in a tender man- ner. The southern objector, then, still loyal to the old Union, with a hatred of the institution of slavery in the very depths of his soul and with real devotion to his traditional principles of peace found himself looked at askance by the Con- federate administration and an object of wrath at the hands of the military officials with whom he came into contact. 35. Gartland, Southern Heroes, 141. 36. Weeks, S ou th e'rn~~Yua ke r s and Slavery , 306. ’'i V ..t ■- M , •tfii - j • / ; n'v ; 5 ' :'[■ [if tftln ■- 1 •. fr ._. 'f 1 - i> 4 ' ^ ' ' iiM ■ i-.fJ .'. •■ r -» ' TJ » i(x 1 ' i .; • ' C '. ,. C - 9 v , *- j-:r 'f '• O -' 'i - V . j '' I - 1 . . .. i ! j . i ■ ; 1 ; ii '* A ' .■• j . A . 4 M \ j 0 n a.I \ TV . “ ,.A. . i ti sMB^nantsiiHl '■■inM ■\m. -sp!*rtsttTX •• . 1.1 41 CHAPTER V INDIVIDUAL CASES IN THE NORTH The records of individual cases of suffering among conscientious objectors in the north are very meagre in compar- ison with those of conscientious objectors whose homes fell within the Confederate lines. I’his difference as already cited was without any doubt due to the general attitude of leniency on the part of the northern administration. It is an interest- ing observation that so far as the writer has been able to find no cases of conscientious objectors ever reached the United State Supreme Court. Most of the cases on record in the north seem to have come from the New England states. Henry D, Swift ^ of NewEng- land Yearly Meeting was drafted and refused to pay for his ex- emption. He was sent from his home in South Dedham, Itossachu- setts to a military camp at Concord in the same state. He firm- ly refused to take any part in the military drill so he was put in the guard-house for disobedience. He was then sent to a military camp on Long Island, There he performed voluntary ser- vice in the hospital, declining all remuneration for it, but he still persisted in refusing to obey military orders. He was ^bucked down”, a very cruel method of treatment, and finally taken to the guard-house and made to witness the exeuction of a man. He himself was threatened with death. He was tried by R. M, Jones. Later Periods of Quakerism II. 755. '■ V* ^ ■ ■* ■f'» yji)\m [ i?.l '♦ ■y; ”W-iT.jT ■■ ■■ ^ ■ ’v"^l?.^:-'uHt)^■, E !' •• ■■fcS.'*»i’;‘'’ ■■ -s ii<*ii 'l«WtV^tfW'>«. ' 1 “' ■ m ' mm\ i'T F-yr^ -'r-i^ ..: iiV.f i.jJU'Si ■■» ,>;i"»- .$! >_■ - ,® i'-ii? ■> Vi * • '*. *■ ^Sv-“ ■ ■ ■^v*’ 91-'^. i ^*J|' * ^ I ' -■*'^ .;■ " 0 r'|^p5\ ■ -l^ 1 e'»» V '•> irjt .ir ■ .^l ;: . ‘ '.' ■■■> i!:C fc ' EvM. «r 1 'i ' j'-i ' ’ < O'i 9 :' 'M. V. i :yk '.Wy • • 'V.1 if ' 4,1 VI '■ J;^' -.nt" O',, .• '4/ ' •».!!> -^b 'fu isoc' -reV «?'5^'*9a ^'. ;; '■"' '" ;pp^.' , ■ ■"■ ■ ,., ^ , -^ vi'. A- Inb/ '•in J ^ ttJ ■: fv'j ■ ' ^; „ , r . "'cM ■' ■ ' !j ,v »>'i : v^tyia 'te.i i / •; • 4 .. 'iV ''< f-T},,r ■ * -r yV. 'i*-' 42 court-martial and sentenced to be shot, but on the intercession of New England Friends who put the facts before President Lincoln, he was ’’paroled until called for.” Some of those who were drafted and refused to serve entirely escaped any harsh treatment. Such was the case of William Burgess, a member of Miami M. M. in Ohio, who was drafted while attending school at Union Springs, New York on the 24th of July 1863. He informed the enrolment officers of his conscientious scruples against bearing arms. He was treated by them with all respect and after sixteen days was "paroled until 2 called for”. Joseph 3. Elkinton of Philadelphia took the same course of informing the officers of his nrinciples but he too 3 was never called for. A more persistent case presented itself in Joseph Gr. Miller of River Head, Long Island who was drafted In the 9th month of 1863, and was required to apnear at Jamaica, Long Island. A pass was forwarded to him to use on the railroad, but he did not feel at liberty to use it so he paid his own fare. He arrived at the place on the morning of the day appointed and was kept all day near the door of the Court House. On the next afternoon he was told that he must appear within nine days to be enrolled as a soldier or pay the commutation tax of three hundred dolla^. He promised to be there at the time appointed but explained that he could not pay a money equivalent or per- mitany one else to do so for him. He was true to his promise 2. R. M. J;;,nes, iater Periods of Quakerism. TT, 736. 3. Ibid ., 756. 43 to report at the appointed time but was told as some other Friends had paid the fine that he was acting wilfully in his refusal to do so. He took the Friends* Book of Discipline and pointed out the sections concerning military service and the payment of money in lieu of it. He was next taken to a house in the village where a soldier* s uniform was put upon him with- out his resistance. He was then taken before a military board in an adjoining room where he was confronted by a man who had been active in the court room, This gentleman ventured the remark that he thought it was the duty of every Christian to support the government, Joseph* s reply to the question, ”What would become of the government and of us> if we did not fight” seemed to have such an effect upon him that when Joseph was ready to depart, he took his hand and said, ”If we could only feel as you do what a happy people we should be. Hold fast to your trust in God and all will be well,” He then gave our Friend his address and requested that he should write and let him know how he fared. Miller was next taken to the camp on Rickers Island without an overcoat because he would not wear a military one, and he was not permitted to take his own. He possessed only one blanket so that he was forced to lie on the damp ground. As a result he contracted a severe cold which caused him much suffering in addition to the treatment he received from officers to whom he did not pay the usual military civility. Tnen they learned that he was a Friend refusing to bear arms because of Ai‘ '1 ■ W'\y' ' *" _ ■ ^ li 2'± - /4i M . 4 5 'i .4, >' ^■' ■ V" •' ’i' ‘.^.J- . . . m:.. ■ . ,/ . ’ ■ '^ al>a 91 :'*? f .'ljtd'fX'. M‘Wlk ' • 7^ UitX fifJ >"it( k<'/< : : * J^V.T.. ?. •';i ' Vr ' ;- , „ • "'■ ... ,>. '■ »■.. j.i» jf* J^ ii; ij-,.*‘f’iff2M». *<•-'■ .ft.‘i’.4 , '■■;*■ ' ^ .'riDrta ,"fi ’ i. . ^ 1 '» 1 , . ' . .-ll.-k • if •' • , * ■• - ' ^ L *' ! ■ ^ ' '' f .1- ' ,V%' 1': 'Vi'.’ ' ^ \ Xi'Yf s . 1 ^ i'r ' ■' '>?■ I ^ ^ •'{ •»«! t . uviv.'C*’^ ■ V*. .$'Tjs4v ; ,.j Jt =: y w- (vtVTj/,; r?<)T; ■ ini>'..U''‘i :r « ■ ' :.' . f y» 1 ; jjffi ■ {9 r . • L ;fc^v ' hi.’ ^msF^ i'-. ,, ‘ ' f; Uv ..'■ .i . '7ilH V* ::>«/<:• I ■ 4> ^ . t '^ ■ i V / ^ '* f j! V r *f'K‘'*V* ) **^18 E ■ '.r’ '» '■, •■ *' '"■' ’ ■ > ■' -, •• ■(.'■' ■ ‘ '' ' " ^'" ■* * ' ^l| ' '^ ' ' \- ^ ^ \ ' / ' • ^‘f ' ■■ ••’flW . -v.«'iv'v % • i, • h '. ■'' " »-a 1 ’ i ij !,*'JatV'.'.:, '■' I . /, ;,‘" S».“ •' ' • ,v'^' ''iA- '• '4-;' .>',,• ,* "' >' I _ ■**•' '■ , kt.'JOf* y -v R .r;|J 'ifJaJ j 44 conscientious scruples, their attitude toward him changed. A-gout three weeks later he was taken to Grovemors Island, Be- fore much time passed he was again allowed to resume his own clothes and was required to do nothing a gainst his nr incinles. 4 When the eleventh day of the eleventh month came he was paroled. By his own testimony he did not consider his sufferings as a loss but rather that his faith had been increased "in the suf- ficiency of that Power which would enable all who submitted to its influence to experience themselves the fulfilment of the prophetic declaration ’and the Lord shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations and they shall beat their swords into plough shares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.* '^5 Luring the discussion in the Senate on the amendment to the Enrolment Act in January of 1864, Mx, Charles Sumner of Massachusetts reported a communication from his Governor ad- dressed to the Secretary of War concerning a case which had been called to his attention. The communication is in part as fol- lows.^ ’’The following facts in relation to the young man we have from such authority as leaves us no doubt of their sub- stantial correctness. He has from boyhood been a non-resistant, and regarded all war as criminal, and has entirely abstained from voting as a religious duty. Since then, he has done 4. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism II, 731. 5. Ibid ., 731-2. 6. Cong . Globe , 38 Gong., 1 Sess., Pt, I, 255, r^ ■ ^fm:^i'-' -r.- " "'* ' ' ■ \ " ^* ' '■ ' ' '• ' ^^ , ■"'v.''^ ’ ‘ - - '•'‘•••a* . **'■ . : w ••■ '•'!’^W«( ■ • 1. . ■■Jki'' . " L. 'fej^.ij. ,•),•_ V(4i4# 'it; et ;*l*‘i;i;j(; ' ■ -J ';i..' t?I', &'-l »>j ItH n:«,?|(&' > ■*.<■■ .v;. r. ' * . '":. ' ® ■•' •■■;' ‘ •;■•:.■ ’. ^ J^a •'.•■.•. *-^Ti 4 -• ^T'i. ; ,.tfJ 7» u >’xt ?’^;£■>»//• 'V v-tf»'jife, V i^'i rt-' «i^f i .'Ax ,. v.. i.iiJ Aj.t^'AiJivi-v,'’itt. ' ' :..i-L I'i' - iisd ,'fr* / r . i* f?' •'''„ ■■ :L - iC' "i''*’.'* > ti M j 3 ! ■'<: ;,.• ' ;i- i f ''.i-' 1‘ 'v ' ' i-’ ;;H'' ‘HJ J!.’ 'ffjf? ' '!! , '♦'* 4 '•• ••« W 0r~ si(- itwt I l«jt''^v; at'-? .f- J i >f- ' 7-£^:: v-»». ^ l«C; ' 4-‘\ *• f;> • V S .'(?i».j.* '■■ i .f’ , -^ ;»t,4. .•/•f'jti'u. C£W • ■■■.*. ■ K“ ■' . ■ •y^'; . ■ ' V . ;' , / • • li-' iVr '•' • ' ■' . ■• •^ «, ■■.; ■<- t||P?, .' ' ■"■ ./mn . i' >.■' >'£.'. Hi _. ,i)3Cl.>'. •'r- . t?.7J ; ••«■ ,'.;'l;'t': ' " I ■' V ■■'■ ^' ’,' iV',. ‘ 4, ■■ ' TT^, , .,-£H H . ,» U4tiS' Jf*' J i ^ “ Ira-'-vV;,;'? _.aas ,I ,si . . -’ -i2 ■ '. i ■ ■ ■fcr*."' rirr»’'*Tii5fr^<=T» SLA'.. 45 everything in his power to aid the Government against the as- saults of the slaveholders. Drafted in October last, the au- thorities of the camp on Long Island appreciated his religious scruples against hearing arms, and treated him with kindness and respect. But in Virginia the officer in charge, a Ifejor Cook, of Gloucester, llassachusetts had endeavored to force him to yield his conscientious convictions. He has been tied up in the woods with mules, suspended by his hands after the manner of slaves, until he could hardly stand alone, deprived of shel- ter, food, and finally put in the guard-house where he has been for six or seven weeks. All this the soldier has borne with great courage and patience. His health is seriously impaired by such exposure and severity.” The communication concludes with a plea for the discharge of the young man who \ms suffer- 7 ing for adherence to his religious convictions. Perhaps the best known ease of suffering among the 8 northern objectors was that of Gyrus Pringle of Charlotte, Ver- 9 mont. He was drafted in Burlington, Vermont on July 13, 1863 in company with William Bindley Dean and Bindley M. Macomber. 10 Dean, however, was rejected upon examination of the Surgeon. They were urged by acqua intances to pay commutation money, but in the words of Pringle they felt they could not do this: 7. Gong . Glob e l 38 Cong., 1 Sess., Ftl Tj 255. 8. Pringle, Record of a_ Quaker Conscience ; similar accounts in R. M. Jones, Ba ter Periods of Quakerism II, 735; article in Atlantic Monthly" Peb. , 191'S’^i ” The United States Versus Pringle ”. 9. Pringle, Record of a Quaker Conscience, 23. 10. Ibid . , 24. 1 % • ••.n, f'-v' ... ^ V » / wf '; Lf ^ . ' J iu'-t ,* Tif.- ■■• <, »K •• ..^ 4 .v^ ,. t ■ '» r,j. “;r', .'t? #.y>" ,t ■■.•' I ■; I I ■ it r • ' -> ■ .‘.TV.''.':- N ^ ; i ' • ’■ ^ ^.. » ^ • ''. I ^ i 'Vf ' >Xi.' •f.#. II ■ v(. 4 j :y i‘, '' . '( .t .' 1 1 ^ 46 ”VVe confess a higher duty than that to country; and, asking no military protection of our Government and grateful for none, deny any obligation to support so unla\A/ful a system, as we hold a war to be even when waged in opposition to an evil and oppressive power and ostensibly in defense of liberty, vir- tue, and free institutions; and, though touched by the kind interest of friends, we could not relieve their distress by a means we held even more sinful than that of serving ourselves, as by supplying money to hire a substitute we would not only be responsible for the result, but be agents in bringing n others into evil.” In the case of Pringle a well-to-do uncle offered to pay the price of a substitute for him but the conscience of the 12 Quaker could not permit him to allOY;/ it. With the rest of the conscripts of that district they were taken to Brattleboro where Macomber and Pringle addressed a letter to Governor Holbrook in which they set forth that they could not violate their religious convictions either by comply- ing with military requisitions or by the equivalents of furnish- 13 ing a substitute or the payment of commutation money. On the 27th of the month they were sent to Boston to a military camp _ 14 on Long Island, Boston harbor. Upon their refusal to do fa- tigue duty_there they were put in the guard house. Various means were used to persuade them but they remained firm. A 11. Pringle, Record of a Quaker C onscience^ 2 ^, 12. Atlantic Monthly , Peb. 1913. Aytio - l - e -ea- ” The United States Versus Pringle ”, 145. 13. Pringle, Record of a Quaker Conscience, 34-5. 14. Ibid., 37. 1 ■■'■■• '■■ / '*r it' ;'s *jji , M *■• »y J r'. I'i , rrg^i^-'i .r««i ^cj tr'ii**%' ' ■* : / « ’ ■ -v;.- ’ , kii »'‘v c ‘ '. )' J ,’‘t>,. '’ 7 -;v it> '' I. 1C t ' ‘.■■W . ■')_^.' ICtOy, ''^J'WT ^■■j'wJ^-.W 1 , ^ ■ . ' , *'. «■■>„■■ V ' ■ ■■ ■ r''j"'J^lft ,< J/ ^ ^..’'rt ^'> v^J : 4 Si_ i>rTr '||fJ^, ''',1 ■ . ■ ■ ■ .. ■ „ '/I ■■' v:\ ,,,. !/' i'^':>% '' I '[ f :-.f»Vt U; t M .-. -'ii '^tu ‘'■“■i.j; '...'i-.', ..i^ •f ’ %i; ' h-'i i ■> :4 J ^'. ,, : ■: v:V:n'V' 5 ''~*:vv:,K--^ ifif^ ^f; i^ij''-.'. .'-■ •■.••*.»•> 1 y. V, • ’r ' *V' »"■'“'% fi, ^1 '• t.!.>- '. -V (,'t t ■ • C4*i tr* OV* 1 . y ;..1 !^ji_if i,. I, t V t ^-4 ,<^lo M" of>^' ^-’ m L. ‘" ,:' .'T?-*!;; ■ i'"^','-' ,;* ' 5 ' I' ■■«•'/' • '.- jf . U ■■ x>a '<♦ ^ 't'ik' ,^i / i^i: %ili / '’ • ■ K ' r , ^ n vii'Jw 2-1 ' , [ J 1 .1 1 U Pi.' j:/' f ‘■•"f'.1-.^ :<:' vt. I •r.f-'-i ■‘THtrr.r '4'.t^<)' ..’^t vi,.,l!i '; jc- ‘ .'i'tV Tf^aJiugg'' . ■' >■' ■'•.■'■ ':■■' "tr'’ " •.•k-*'?- n/ r.c’tc; ^ 1 . ' 9 .<^,;.^ ' ^Sli "^•■i..->; v' 4 Vi •/■^ ■ •.’ -. ■ ,” / ’.*V ' * ;’; V '■',. ,1 i \ ■ •- "•' ’. ' , ' ■ S '. ,■ I ./hs - JJ!>. V V *.-• ct ' ul ' . * ' ..■■'m . ., , ^ . >'•» ■ I .' V , , '<■ '<.4» , .'i . :' ’'■ 'jmU‘ ■r*^ti''iff^.t' i ct * . -V ^;i „' -;v ' „ -r^. /• 'iT ; ' '^lI .,, ■ '' '.''4u ■ ^'\.j } :.^/- ;o 4 f;' .f oi» 4 ^u/ii • •;» • ■» ' ' «jf/‘' 7 > . < i w i» »T < ♦ ■*»^i ' ■ ij ■■ 1^ ■» « ^ j i * WiP i fr' yiiyp r ■ f ',/., ■ ' '^liMiin,;'^ ■.• 4 ts 3 !?. . 8. 4. Gartland, Southern Heroes , 224. I I > ( ||1 L ( .r ir l‘-/r '.' ; ^'.-U'C'CH .' btUt t £fC . V < . L : ' • r -'f-r. i' cr . 50 dollar exemption fee. He was arrested on his way west and sent hack to a camp near Drury’s Bluff in Virginia. He was soon re- leased from there hut not until after months of trial, presumah- 5 ly on account of having had a broken arm and thigh. A large number of Friends took ’’bushwhacking” as a method of evading s ervice. ^ They left their homes and lived in the best way possible out in the woods or the caves. Their food consisted of whatever they could find about them or was supplied by their friends or family who often took no snail risk in at- tempting to provide for their needs. The bushwhackers were often hunted for by draft officers and their families subjected to much retaliation in an effort to force infer iiation from them. Such was the case of Yancey Cox of Holly Springs, North Carolina, a young man of seventeen years. He was forced into the service, but he refused to wear military clothes or carry a gun. After he had endured much suffering he made his escape with twenty- seven others and hid in a dense wood along Deep River which was not far from their own homes. They lived there for about a year, slept in piles of leaves for covering and endured many other hard ships. In the meantime Yancey Cox’s parents were tortured in order to force from them the knowledge of their son's hiding- place, but they remained firm in their refusal to divulge it. Cox managed to escape detection until Lee's surrender brought 7 him freedom. J. J. Allen avoided his pursuers in the woods for an even longer period of twenty-two months. His parents were 5. Cartland, Southern Heroes, 6. E. M. Jones'^ Later Periods of Quakerism II, 743. 7. Ibid., 743. m ' \ ™ -.iS^ 'tCffbj \1^r '^■ wr ^ V':r? M piTfet: ■ Fft. .. t P'lt^ .#■• .M-'; fti' ■•■•"\ ■"'/■■'^iv ■■ ■■ .: %i -oj tu^>'> • jl.'' M^V,' ^/' i.|t'-iT 'iit. fe *'1| I '^' V*'*v.'?2i ■' " '' ' ' ' **^^*^.-iM' ' ■ '#31 ' " ■ ■Pj^'lp/; . ■’' , : ' 1 (. ‘1 ;<•' Tr^tS, .; •3<^4 r^ — ' - .. i di-y tJ - n m *• ;.' M , _ »• ’'M if} \ M iW ** ' *0 ^ ■'« ' . ifByi ' ^Tu ’ • »6e':, iriy> r:\ / v*^> ^£,i‘ vq, -eitr «'- -a’J^. . . . *- ’ ', r. ..■ ^ ' -v.^i ^ - *-' 004 Vik^f] ^ 'it BE' ifj • » I - - ‘ - in- %H : : h\jif c.i^Sc 1 5‘* . !T ■ '■ ’;^ •; *'v A’.-.v ' t:' f’ ^niUytO'js'r .»*«•!?! /iiXvIt liOo'jj^T lo ■CT‘'8^ I y. ' ■■■■ '■■%» " ■ ’./' '■'■SB ■ , ■ — , ■ .IJ ,' , - ' 4 ■ V \..iTi»c l.l Ift- ' '** ■' ' *' ‘!^ '.. ‘-iiri»M»»ii -I ■■fti. y.-'*' ■ ’ • -V . . .. .• . ‘ TV-* ifi. ^r. A. s^roli 6qoni, ,^fJL•-^ ' / • ' • ^‘' I »' >S‘''“"'>' :'-•■> -' V . ' , . - •:'"^'‘r — . *'' ■. w'lia *. y i#'^l^^^i ■ , '■ TfiL •* -'.•: ^ -i.. -av r' ^ '*•''• -v^‘»; ..;< ■••*.‘ 51 likewise tortured for their refusal to make known his hiding place. .fhen he discovered that they w ere suffering on his ac- count he surrendered to officers and was taken to Raleigh where they endeavored to compel military obedience from him. However, he was able to make his escape from the camp and succeeded in 8 getting away to Indiana. In the search for conscripts, thousands of which were hidden in the woods, the Friends and other sects / were endangered and looked upon with much suspicion.. Ivlany were sadly mistreated because of their failure to carry their papers with them. In the spring of 1865 about forty men in search of conscripts came to a mill belonging to Joseph Dixson of Cane Creek , Chatham County, Horth Carolina. The miller was first hung up by a rope three times to make him betray his sons whom they suspected of being hidden. When he heard the screams of the miller's wife and children, J. D. went out to the crowd. The same information was demanded of him but he claimed entire ig- norance of their retreat. He was immediately seized and carried into a barn where he was mounted upon a box. A rope was put around his neck and thrown over a beam. Tightening the rope they said, "You are a Quaker and your people by refusing to fight and keeping so many out of the army, have caused the defeat of the South," and adding, that if he had any prayers to offer, he must be quick as he had only five minutes to live. J. D. replied that he was innocent and could adopt the language "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." They next said they would 8. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism , II, 74^^744. S;oS+, 1 v; r n % ;«,tn 5 i, "v !;' V ,' ; , ' r j j ' '. \) '.>.i-- iij. n '(f." v,ii : :r # i‘4v-"' ■ '5itei ■■ '' i i.i \:v)i ’{(i p: } '> ‘”5 ■:l’j ' : ■* C V' • *• v.fl. I . I ' I '.■ l)is ^ ' j t , LJ ’4 ,li lU^*' ';. .tt 't,T',. 'X .ivt-; > ■: ao.c 4 . v^:v' VV; , ' ' 4 . J •,! .-t-XT ’ :» 5 , i<3 tfii >.sif C' i ', /•' e<» tL V .'"V , t tJ- , . 4 «. i" '•>*■. i*r V 52 not hang him just then, but proceeded to rob him. I'hey ordered him to get under a horse-trough, meantime threatening to shoot him if he looked up. While he lay there he could hear them as they hung up the miller three different times, till the sound of strangling began, -finally after they had forced a promise from the miller to find his sons, they left, ^ivith a command to J. D. to lie still till they came back with others to hang. They did not bother to come back, but they did go on to one of the Methodist neighbors \i8hom they hung until unconscious and then left him in that state. On the next night the same searchers 9 found a missing conscript whom the^/ hung until dead. As has been s tated the most severe suffering was exper- ienced by those who were newly convinced members. This fact did not daunt the loyalty of new converts. It was estimated that the loyalty of Friends to their testimony against war resulted in an actual increase in membership in the South, as well as 1 1 in the North. It was said that no less than six hundred ner- 12 sons were received into membership during the period of the war. Seth W. Loflin had been a member of the Society of Friends but a short time when he was arrested as a conscript and taken to a camp near Petersburg, Virginia. He was ordered to take arms which he promptly refused to do because he said he was W, Boyle, Account of Sufferings' 9-10. Cartland, Seuthern Heroes. 227-8. 10. Boyle, Account of Sufferings, 11; and Amer. Church Hist. Series ZII, 287. 11. Official Records' . 7/ar of Rebellion . Letter of Richard I. Dodge to Col, Jas. B. Fry, Series III, IV, 994. 12. Boyle, Account of Sufferings . 11; and R. M. Jones, Later Per- iods of Quakerism II, 747, 53 a Christian and oould not fight. The officers in charge seemed to think that if severe means were used to compel obedience he would yield his conscientious scruples. They first kept him without sleep for thirty-six hours and stationed a soldier near by to pierce him with a bayonet if he should fall asleep. When this means availed them nothing they bucked him down for three hours each day, and then hung him up by the thumbs for an hour and a half daily for a week. Th^ qgain offered him a gun which he as promptly refused once more. Threats, abuse, and persecution were used to no end so in anger the Colonel ordered him to be court-martialed. He was sentenced to be shot. Preparations were made for his execution, and the soldiers detailed for it. Cuns, six loaded with bullets and six without, were given to twelve chosen men. Before the sen- tence was executed Loflin asked for a moment for prayer. Instead of praying for himself, he prayed for his persecutors; '^Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Such was the ef- fect unon the men that each of them lowered his gun and declared that he could not shoot such a man. The scene had a touching effect upon the offiC'^rs also and the sentence was revoked. He was then taken to prison where he suffered many trials. He was finally sent to 'Windsor Hospital at Richmond, Virginia. There he was taken seriously ill and after a long illness he died. Af- 13 ter his death one of the officers wrote to his wife. "It is my painful daty to inform you that Seth V/. Loflin died at Windsor Hospital at Richmond, on the 8th of 13. Gartland, Southern 'Heroes , S^-813; and R. LI. Jones, iiater Periods of Quakerism II, 751; Boyle, Account of Suffering , 17 a I,- >■ ’ ‘ »‘.i' '•■' ■■''■■ ^ (I ''^'’ "■ 't-A' A’ ^ ,^r-|lv. U' -,4i ii* .g,' J V I';";.,'' ', vttSSIS ••'* V,- j ' ’a? ' ^ ^■%!>'. ''''*'^'\^ ' ■''''•' *' ^ ^4 i- t,c \f\.v *;'j»'' ' \;^jr ••■•*’ . ■■“^1 w: ^ ■ — 1\ . riJ liar » \ . 7 . mM '■ [,, .»y»:>, tt. £ if. uln^ ' ■ ' ’ ■' t. ■*■’>»*. ,.., .’• •■ :,"< •• <' \'3 ^ . • --'C-J^ P'!-'': :, .".".Anxi;-’:* "lil^ -< X l^.JtA' :* If 'f . - ‘ '.y ^;, :VI;A t' f. ' '.f '. s ( >t54-'«i||[ ^ ioTC'^ i^ riP$%T ■'•. : iJ .: ,‘ , . . V ., ^. : .Mr ■ f ,> -.jV ' ‘:. ; i' / • ' : , . ^a\. ■ ’ ' *“*' ■' I M t ■J:^’' ajr .jjT '' . ^ ., '.' . W ..’ajH %^'^f J- tjv.- j'^r!^,.:r:-:.' f 5i ■ £jJR >i>ri ^^)'r ■ i ,,V’'’.^' " '■ -V ^ fv. ^ , J>, „:^i ..... ' ..'' ‘»' ■ i; - . -f .L . .• n '•>» ..•», •. '■• 1 * ,. ": ' ■ v»^( , , \ /'/I' ii:.,t .-‘^^ 4 ’. ,■*: V , .:;i:i^^.;iv^, :* 4 »'^ysiS ■r ife ■^lyfcv ■ I ' a .f?, l‘V'.-JK#Viff J i “ . fc.‘ ■ I ■■ •^UJ.V- ' Vv ' '■ ' ' "■ f •. l.i::''t:^ '■' \- ’' ',r ■'■'•■'*•• irfiTW ■ ’i'-' •' >■* fit *r. ar l,i"’ '^' ' . * % f. " ^ J *''*^**'*^ * — ■'■’« I ■*g»a ‘A * • -i-.4li».«L. ^ •- - :. - ■ \k!:^.J. ^. \ ■ r ' ' ' ! ww” ", v 'T*» «w | g ? 4g-. f -» " y.iiP * ’ *’ ' • 54 Deoember, 1864. He died as he had lived, a true, humble and devoted Christian, true to his faith and religion We pitied him and sympathized mith him but he is rewarded for his fideli ty, and is at rest." Jesse Buckner, of Chatham County, North Carolina, was at the beginning of the war a Baptist and a colonel in the militia. He had never given much thought to the principles of peace and in his position did much to support the war. Early in the war he was engaged in raising volunteer companies and was surprised to find that no Friends would volunteer or lend any support to military service. Their refusal to take part led him to s tudy their doctrines and he came to sympathize with them to such an extent that he hesitated to require his Company Captains to enrol them. His clianging attitude no doubt aroused some op- position among others. In the fall of 1861 he resigned his com- mission and was succeeded in office by another man. On a dark night not long after he started out for a political meeting but lost his way through a wooded section. Finally, in his distress he reached the public road and the steps of a building which proved to be the Friend^’ Meeting House. He entered and sat alone in the darkness. As he meditated there up- on the principles of the Friends and the awfulness of war, it seemed_-to him that it was his duty to become a member of the Friends, but he delayed in doing so for a time. 14 . Cartland. Southern H!eroes , 146-150; Boyle, Account of Suffer - ings, 13-14; E. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism II, 747-48. 4 % Tm '■" -• f 'i ‘A ,o. -« ■^tf>,i i j^, ', f; ■» — i**.( a:-'. l<. ' ' ' ' ’ ^ ‘ ' y If Jliri! . V, . ■ y .v^ ■■ .'W« ; ■■“^tpC5( , ' , > ,#41 if: 6'yl P41M^W'W I •." , .‘a- " ;&■'■••. ■'^^■' 'f..* -.yw JJ ^ • ip- T' mh]:' ' '^*^\ n ‘.fe-c » I ].;■ _4 f ■ t.f . ''!®Sf;;-|lH ; ff' ;,, ^ . \i _■ yr ' i‘i , "^' S > ' ' ■ ' |v’,^^ ir.‘3i; € n >ft/» 'lif >t-^v.^^ '■ m : »' ' t-, V /. U:-f-Ld 'J. - C'4 •' 5>)T»V Li'.,'i^ . I V'x’tij tA'- ■ ■ K. , ’■ T'- " I ^>vi, V : i‘, I :.j , ;.[ ■ *4 '^^ik >' 4 1 | •' '. ■’, '(ik-J^^r" VO *t<.,r»,fl!'u' I (A •.•i'/i- ;v Si- '• ^»'vv?Vo£^ . ■-* - o';^'" , , ; ■ f’Wn ■ ■'' v"^"' ^ ' a-. ‘ a'; A( J *L ^ .» ' ■ - ... i^ ji!t^ : \ l i>’ •. -i j?^ W -= jtUi ' 4 -fO-;.f f ^ i r,'c ■v^ - ■ ' ■ ^'' ' :S ■ ' »• ai ^ ' ■' ■■ " -• ^ 4 ,. 'lil. y- ' i?i; '4:. ■■m53??|!! ’ • r’ -, ' ■'• vwwlwft';! j V , f:rv ?., ’''A*'? ■ ■ .. d ^;'v i'i r&'j II ' . ' ,- ■ / . ; a 1 >•■ ' i^\. i' 55 On the 6th of Third Month, 1862 he was drafted. He decided not to fight so he left his home and lived as test he could in caves, woods, and bushes. After five months of such a life he returned home and for a time was unmolested. He was admitted into membership with Spring Meeting in the First Month of 1863, The law had been passed granting exemption to Friends upon payment of $500 which he promptly paid and received his exemption papers. His presence among his neighbors aroused their jealousy and enmity with the result that his exemption papers were declared void by a sub-officer. He was arrested and sent to Gamp Holmes, near Raleigh, and then to k*7ilmington where for about four weeks he endured much abuse. Friends ex- erted every effort to secure his release and s ent petitions to the authorities on his behalf. Tnen this method seemed hope- less he concluded to escape. He soon did so, and undertook the difficult journey of one hundred and seventy-five miles to his home. He endured much exposure, hunger, weariness and anxiety but he at last reached home, though foot-sore and exhausted. He enjoyed only one night of rest with his family until the next morning, when the ’’home-guard” who had seen him came to ar- rest him. He was taken back to WilijQington again where he suf- fered even more cruel treatment. He became more resigned to his fate and meekly accepted the abuse offered to him. He was soon taken very ill which led to his discharge. Upon his re- covery he was once more ordered to camp and put in jail for a week. He was passed on from camp to camp, but in each place he bore his testimony amid sneers and taunts and cruel threats, iliC fHiMM?* ’m-WiiwWiM''-'''^' ■, ■ • '■•■ •■■.:■■ '■■' ■ V' ■ ‘’S; ':'5! I i^.U* ;'-p .* ^ a'.’’ • '■ ^r ’’ ■■’*4. '. '-^ Wi — .?■ r ' '. ..J- '■»■ •„' ■ 'i ' . ■' 'g* V},f' i r;‘f .V’l- • '■‘♦■T'-i>C, i *.;u . f. • ™ MHHEF •fc'v‘;.U,U^»:.;. .' *\'- < '*’' wi-'^ 0 vE^‘4fc _ > • \ ’ ■ ■', .ID •’.\?.. -'^V''' ., . • a «•’' t*. I L*' , ‘ , • , . 1 ^' ’ 'T''J' ' 41 ^ ' *• V • • » 1 * ' V- , •. X : '. ■ -1 ^ •'■’|i!* 'SW>.' S>» i/ ■ ’ ?!»•••• ‘:j -j '*- ' .• i«- J;* ^ ‘ ■ -A*- 4 • -t 3 . '. i.r %jLijt: ?tiSi:i :)'^r **• 4 ■A.-'/vA •*^:4lf' ■ (! a I :v::-;v- f- '"'i' '^“«d • • ^ >4 ‘ • ■ ' ' ^ • • '■ ?'v’ * ,^'J?: - > : 1^- ■/■’ ' *.'t'»« ', >,M - ■ 0 . i- '■ ' : ti J ^■a •’■ '■ . ■>' ' ; »• •- \v i '-iA* f Tt f^A fc , ^ ^vhi hW^ *■ ''.r^'v,, ‘‘. 'V '■' *A^''''- ' ' ' - X 'f'lft’ — •<■ .-I J '■ f:/. -'-'miiikt ' At ' ; f • ' *■<■- 'A Vi.“ “' ' ■ J 'l »■ ' ' '•^?"»' *!luV ' S*- ; ' ■ * I' ' "* ■'• ' ' " ■•• uott *?A ■^..' A ^tt' . (*i.^i. ■■‘> tk. cax, : V, , \.f. 'i.T* hHR' ' > * «■• < .' I < ** . • • f • II ’/■• ’ J/.i 2 i. ri tr^^y y^ f " ■ . ^ 4 ' 'Ta «f '1 k f*^‘ i*-^' irf^* • I.A* lATi. 4f/'Un *•• - . -• .> 56 times he was treated more kindly and was permitted to do such work as he could conscientiously perform. He was finally re- leased by the surrender of Johnson's army, a fter suffering, for three years, much peril and hardness and for the last year almost 15 constant persecution. '^J. M. J., A. J., and D. J. , were three brothers, who joined Friends after the passage of the Exemption Act. After their names were placed upon the list of conscripts in 1863, they still remained quietly at home, not even hiding in the woods. Their protest against bearing arms was unheeded, and they were arrested and sent on to the army at Orange Court House, Virginia. There they were ordered into ranks but on refusing to obey, J. M. J, was knocked down with a gun and a long gash cut in his head. On attempting to rise, the blow was repeated, this ti ae nearly cutting off a portion of nis ear. This was done a third time, and he was then sent to prison. His brother A. was at the same time undergoing his trial, being pierced with a bayonet to the depth of nearly an inch. -L'he third brother though severe- ly tried, suffered less in person. They w ere soon after sent to the Hapid Ann to General Scale's command where new trials awaited them. The American officers finding all their efforts to fail in subduing them, turned them over to a German officer, who boast- ed that he could make soldiers of them. Various punishments and abusive, threatening language were used in vain. He then ordered 15. Cartland, S outhern Heroes. 146-150; and Hoyle, Account of Sufferings, 13-14; H. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism, 747-748. -K,, t: h>B. » ’ v'-j*i$' J ■■ ' V V ' 'Jir. ■ ■ '“v '\#V A l' ' 4 ' kl ■ '.' ‘ ' ■ ' ^ I ' ■ ' i. ^5fl‘ I' v; '•'$,# sill .f\ ' *■' li ,^t! ' 11 '^ ^ ■ '* ■■ ' '""ik j’ • w/<,; ''^''^i 4 ■ v: ■ ' ' 'f.t ■ fciX#s <’’ ; a . ■• '! '‘Ul if! 1 ' : rh*t . . 'h . f'i ■ dfl '■ f; *■..' ,av.i. .''k fii _ b; >!bii ''.4 Jfi > <,*';. ' ' '‘ ‘ *’'*, *•■ • ; ■• <•• • *.X ' ■ f| .,. * ■-...J'*. (' ; ■ i-' '■ ■'^ M- Co-’ ,v- w,r.- ..,; txi \ tW' €■-. . . ’■ " ■ •: ' . '.-<•* '. -i,. ^ i , 4 ■ ^>1 1--5- •4i;.fi- - *4l3£l V* '••’’• ' I*' ■• • '. ;J/| ,' V • : "'V' V ■ ' V^i? K i : :\ ^ '■ ' A • '^'a I®'- • • ••■ '■ *' •’•■> ' ■’■ ' '■,. •' *' . ‘■‘"ii^BSl U . O'J vurMm^i ijn- . •.•f‘3i4^i^-T’ f ‘ ‘ i " '• / ’ ',1 ■ ';■■ / ■,-*ii'. 'Sf-: f;, WA k ■J';’4^ -''''A''' t <><1 <'’it<-‘’i,^w .-w r*cijj^ ST-'’ ^ / '.'''ifip? i' '■■ ’V TV ,- 4 t/i 'F I w ij >.j. ;'s ■ ' J-'IH ■•.,.< , ' ■ ' • ■»V.J'''' 3 >' ^■It; ' , 4 #fU ; 'v ■■,■• “ v t; -V^i' ^T ■ ^ ■'*'•■ ',f ‘S ■;'»!/ . ^ . t y ^ ll I » . . « :^i ^ ' 1 V r ... IAv^M . k i ' 5 S V /J) tt M . VSJ^a.'*. w « i II^mii ^ » ■' ' ,V ' ■'?/*,!' , ' , ■• • ’, 1 ,.: ' ^ ' .• jf ■ K M ■ ■m :.;. V .-V :;s^ r ‘ ■> **^^! ' ft' ■ tuX'- .'■'■//'>■’ ' ' '■ . i.'l ‘ ' ■■"riW:‘, 5 i'?‘'*'i ■'■’is'wfclfe., ..- ■ '(^#«■:'^.-■^ .LMvM'.y: » '. w 4fV‘> ' - 1 V ^ . .4. ^ 'I'L^jJ'jdLm I I H >• ' i' i '^’v ^'' f »:<'i jf f . i ' • ’ ,ak^., / 1 : rfpii ,■ ■ f iLiwflUt inC.t. kt /t.Bwif,' '-JVI •>. ' ; >ii, ■’>/ e'tJ ’ ■ > q i* * X f iS C- / *“ .•’ • I '♦• ' i f'v' :\i / *'^./" ‘%7 V- , 'Jtt *v*'’.'“ ' *' ,'% ‘i MP * '*'' * ■ '■ ■ i **' I i t * j nr t — i tr iiti« i^‘ i im i- ■iili tiii m i ■!■ ■ i* *fl n ^ i i i — rfiAMia i i* i i . ,Lj^' : .;;ji . r'.V-i,, . ' ■' '‘e.w»',ii^n,mitM .fqt., Saiftti js V If ■« . ' .“S?6fA%' . Hlfjr- “'■'^'--w £:' -'■i'iV ■ ' v^' ' '* ' ' ■v./vv'. -,42 55.’, ,:p., t- -. > ^■•#1, An'If. IWL« o a 1 wivv ,‘i ■' ■ . < •• ' ' i' ,' / V'i '''*■**' ' ,/v , wj - ' rr*"^ -Ti^S-r-iaii' ■ ri .■ *■-■ ^ .:i^ ...'■' . j, it*.,'- e - . ..V^/ V rii . -. * •' •! - 1 T ^ : T. T** - f-H i mi iiji ■! . V*; # * ■ . '■ :'il??iiff5^'* :”3f 1 r'^ ', ':>iA' ^.. 'i \ ,. . A*Sl ;/!r" I IS ■a|i g » ; (?i n y M gi A * tii > y y a 4 S J ^ . 4 . .»< 58 sympathy of many and the respect of all for his courage. Solomon ?*razier of Randolph, North Carolina "became a member after the passage of the exemption act. He ^sas arrested on the Tweofth Month, 1864 and taken to Salisbury. ° Very bru- tal treatment was given him there. He was a large strong man, whom they thought would make a good soldier to f ight against the 19 Yankees. The only question was how to force obedience from him. When he refused to sear a gun, they subjected him to ^bucking" for two hours. This was a brutal method of treatment in which the person was placed in a stooping position, the wrists firmly tied and brought in front of the knees, with a pole tlirust be- tween the elbows and the knees, thus keeping the body in a pain- ful and totally helpless position. He was next forced to carry a pole around for two or three hours, and then tied u.p during the night. That same afternoon his persecutors tied a gun to his right arm and a piece of timber to his neck. When he was no longer able to endure the weight of it, he sat down in an at- tempt to support the end of it upon the ground. He was immedi- ately pierced with a bayonet for his action. He was then bucked down, and gagged with a bayonet and left for the day. The Captain, greatly enraged over the patience of our Hriend, swore at him violently and told him that he must now take a gun or die. While the Captain was trying to tie the gun upon his arm, Frazier said to him: "If it is thy duty to inflict this punishment upon me do it cheerfully; don't get angry about it.” 18. Boyle, Account of Sufferings , IFI 19. R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism . 744. 69 The Oaptain, turning to his men, told them: ”If any of you can make him fight, do it; I cannot.” Two young men then came up with their guns and threatened to shoot him. He replied to them that it was the Sabbath and as good a day to die as any. They took him to their Colonel who looked upon him with some degree of mercy at least. The Colonel urged him to consult a lawyer and, if possible to secure exemption, or otherwise, he must perform military service or die. I'wo days later a gun was tied to his neck by which he was dragged around nearly the entire day. The next day the method of bucking was again used. About this time a Friend visited the camp and after vigorous protests from him, brutal treatment was no longer used on him, although he was kept 20 there as a prisoner until the surrender of Salisbury. Thomas Kennedy, a Friend minister of near Goldsboro, was arrested because of supposed Union sentiments and taken to 21 Salisbury Prison. He was later sent as a prisoner of war to Richmond where he was taken ill. He was then taken to Washington as an exchange prisoner. As there was no one to care for him, he was found in a weak and delirious condition wandering the streets. President Lincoln heard of the case, and said that if he was a Friend, he was no prisoner of war. He had him cared for and informed Philadelphia Friends of his condition. Marshal Elliott who knew him was sent by the Friends there to bring him bac^ to that city where he was given every sort of medical 20. Boyle, Account of Sufferings . 12-13; and H. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism II, 744-745; similar account also Cartland, Southern Heroes , 202-4. 21. Cartland, Southern Heroes , 387-390. >i4 » 1 *0^ < i4. |,.yA^f.«5^^t*«»' c >V'\. V -u:.. ■•, -iii^' uai^. v^ • t^' ri^'' l »Vi ' • '* . Vay’'-'"' ‘:-7 "^ ' '. R fea lii .'. .' -V ■ ' 1 v: : s Ti ■4 .'• • -T .... "■! i ■, ; ^ ;'«■; ;:jM ■'.y-^.'- ; ,.■ ' .v'^^1 . f ’;, ^1 iv».;X<'5t v: .'- r. ' tqm :.-'-^;>":;^i;J>3g»'’ 4^ 'r>l'l8 ' --.ifi ■ a Yy' ;■> r.c: 'u:o' ,® * ' * ■ f. .: ’. _ , ,. Tj i.‘ • J . ' Tf "J' ■ • . ’i^f> ■' 4, • ■ . .^ ' li '*’ '*81^1??^ ’ '„’T^.^fe •«.. '. , .1 r- >v * ‘* e,r •V-**' . *!.:■'. ’ .' . .' . m . ASf Ai-Vi ia« :.j.i(*}rai <» , ' y A f W'**rt +ji.v.Wiv 1 ^ ... I. At . a*, ■ tv A ^-«' *.^ a. TiaS' V “» A .. ! ;V .'t t-ei J ‘ .ry^ ,.' 5: ‘ 7. .'^Y' ; ' i VM,. , _.. ,;v..'i; M0.. f Jy : .. - ^ .eo , i ' .'■ . ' '.'♦ ; ; S';* A u, ' -■! r ,TuM M -t- 1‘ . 'Ttl ».•■.. Jvtt_ ; -'/v brtv4T^1, M: n ■■■ • f^.{ U Y t I ‘Yj»i, JhiJifk . ' I.!.' - ,•■' J'-' r'?'. f iJi ft . u/' ;■ ' ■ .Afywu i i y' rj't.iu- ,'■■■; itti* l^i>* ,v.‘i '4^' -* ^ i JJtls ft.V»X'*'.V' ,'^u ik -.: '■■ ,?; y ■•'.&:i:r .'Sli - W :•■*. _ ■ ... .-.fy .‘ •,' r. ' ■ .‘Jfif . uc-'-niu ftif* .V jc.4j *,f^ fV1f,\l' fi rtil A V/*Y /'Vt r> lK **i*y y* r- * l**» i"^ >»i m jW i A i Mn^ nyi » ^I H t» j ,*i4i ■ t i ' i y wi l w sfa‘ ■'./ ]4"r" " ;i ^ "■ . ;l ' ■ ■ ■■ ' • '''/irjc '^"^ ■ 1 il <, ;. -‘r .., f‘V.' i .-, ' '■ ' 1 '■( 61 him with, the gun tut as he was afraid he might kill him, he struck him down with his fist instead. A gun, was next strapped to his wrists and he was ordered to march. Upon his refusal to do so he was cruelly pierced with a tayonet. They then took the straps with which the gun had been tied to his arms and hung him up by the thumbs. It was a cold day in December and snowing and sleeting, yet for two hours they allowed him to suffer in that way. Finally, a stone was placed iinder his feet and he was al- lowed to stand upon it long enough to answer whether or not he would consent to obey. As Jesse was still unwilling to take a gun and drill, the officer resorted to further means of force. Our Friend was next made to reach a round a tree and his hands were fastened together. A hundred lashes with a hun- dred good-sized hickory switches were then administered across his bare back until the blood flowed freely down biis body. 3ut still Jesse refused to take the gun offered him. The enraged officer said: "I am just going to hang you and be done with it, and then they will not send any more of the d d Quakers here unless they mean to fight.” He was then hung by the neck un- til he was too weak to answer their questions. When he was let down and the strap unfastened, he fell helpless to the ground. He soon became very ill and was taken to a hospital in Hichmond where he lay for three long months. 3y that time the Confederacy was weakening and their army moving southward. Jesse, though weak and feeble, walked with it toward his home. A few days later Lee J' a/K. f^c.Hki >.l^r o-‘^ t:i.. ■ ■Aiiir.rrf^ Na» 'j^|/m'ui.’e!!' :iil,.vft-H^;'f» U>x,i f ^i ., ?;. ‘"J , : ■/’ . . jv^' ■ ‘r •*■ ./■•.;a*« '■ A-"' ' mitii iS^^vaf-X-fcalR dip 'i ■I* . • '" .V. ,..• ’.' ' '^- 'v^^Iift. y f-'- ;* tM *h; «i h r> •’> . ''f'lfc (•-' A. Vt/i - ’‘ut'i-xi j,' i, -.^af ^ '.*iv i.* j. '’■ 'i’^C '■■ ■ '.•'.<' .. , ,. .'.5 "*;a ■ ■ , :l« qifid -V iMj- ' W-. ' ■ ' ' V-^' "* ■ _ / V - ] • A% ,U f • oi -)^iv • - J 'j iT.- -M(;b :■ '■^' '' ' ’’ 'wn.^ ':1 'W^V r ;;; i £ 0 1 !>? i-iiJ • f 0 ^ , t*?' »:;yO ^ -' * r’ ' ■ . .i V V ■■•■'i:-.',' '■ — Ik' iT

'4/ jrtf^^ ?ii« -^T>- ;V"V;^vy »T' oiv ^>.-. i '' ' ' T . , ■ .'•'^, ;. ^ ''J ^''- y • ■■ ■'•. ■'• ' • -V ^ Pi ■; ■: :jM '■ ' ^^:-‘ ly^v*^ .1|«^„ n /'!CuV. ‘ '.vi?M ''W ' U -»-r;A■. *rf.uin‘ \d ink,. . * 1 ^'^' , >• 'J . ■ . r. -v‘ '.'.-k-. .' I*' : T^. ' . -W , ■ *'' i ' - - 7 ■* ^l- ‘ '* . • -I*' 15 =- nEs&nt< ,♦ •'^’ ^0- ^ V ^»«n, t .tti : i» jf « t i&'lit c «»;f' ■'» \,C/^‘=r 7 - ^ ■' ■• '.V **,, '' ’a* .'.. I '.Wy, i r-i ;;v'C4<; j ■ v/fv'^ Itjn- ^rifv.y^iv^ n9kg -/i I ^.'^i^v''*' '■•'‘A*’' ■"''<•• .. '/ ■‘4iW3 1 f.iff.:r> .■•H'5:v^tn ‘ .piS* MiS. . - ip ^ ' ■ .'^ ' V , '■ . ■ •• ^/j! ; hi' ♦< ■ nV' * ■ .?-‘u; ■'.' '• ., ',' ..i,: ■'',■•■. ^ ■-'■ ■■ ' ; ■ 'jr. c ' •' m ♦AJP i^"J[- ' '•*"**■*• '**^^-^ ■ ' '>■■ ■ >■ ' *>' . '^1 4 * i jt" < I III! r B^» i ii V i 4' <>»^».»>--«,4i !| > u «U>.i..:a" 7 Tjr==^. ■ «t^: '-t . .<1 63 The next morning some officers came in to see and question them. They claimed it to ti e impossible for them to retain so much strength without any food or drink so they accused them of having obtained it. '«Chen the brothers told how they had refrained from taking any of the rainwater which had fallen the night before, the hearts of the officers were even touched. Soon after the four days and a half of abstinence, a little water was allowed, and about the end of five days their rations were furnished again. Jesse was then asked to clean streets as a part of his military duty. This sort of work did not appease his conscience in the least. '.Yhen he refused to help a log of wood was tied on his shoulders and he was marched around till exhaustion overcame him. After that he was sent to a guard-house, then placed in a dungeon for a day, and after that in a prison cell. As if that was not enough, a forked pole was thrust around his neck and a heavy block of wood fastened upon the prongs. , His angry cap- tain soon pulled it off again, but another log was tied upon his shoulder and he was again marched about until exhausted after which he was sent to jail. Himelius Hockett meantime was undergoing severe treat- ment but of another kind. He was hung up by the thumbs on three different occasions for nearly two hours each time. The bayonet was also used on him. 'J-'he men charged with his persecution told him that they had orders to pierce him four inches deep. However, they did not carry this threat to quite such an extreme. On one r^W "«e •' :'a'-; I* - / -Hf ■ .1 ^a/v‘ ' • ' 7 ^:M. t '■■- . a .., ■ .. -10 ^‘■’' * ■£< ■.. -->^ ^ ■'<'!' c-.t Oi- : ;»V ^'- ’ ••■’ .'■• ••■ rt ^ti£ 2 L .j» » i' ' ‘‘^' 1 4 ' ”■• J ' "1# * i^'-IP^ L .jy' ■ '■ i 5 ‘ V. " ^'- '' ' x< J ■" ;t 3 *al».«aj 7 u#to^4ygM\^'o ' ■ ■ « 3 -ii p 'Ovc */ 1 few-ji ,] ts!"'*'” -V 'Wy — ■' "' '•' -‘ ^ ' * I ;. . _ ... •J.'^.'Mt.®!^ ix ‘ , - V A p ■" ■■ ' i-"' ' -'■, -^ . ■* •*' . . ■ .... »■. ' ■ . *4 T i -7 ’ 'i « ^..' y* .. •■ A.’<' "^'4 ,i,iar ^ 17 . f .’ t-Jv 'v^y' . a: ^ , ' _^' > ivg ■ i:su . ■ ,:«f;i»’ jjoisri'iif ra |< ,.'■ Vy V'i' R-rj * Xt^TTTT?" t aiiii":* rJ ' 4: ^ ' > ' ’ 18 ’ ' ' ’ - ' , u y.*>' - v/ , ./•■ ■'•' — ^ ; 4 “i^P .c- .ft 0ivi{;‘i4 ^0. 'sat/JT ;w, mim* 'y • .' 4 ^ -•.'•yi-.#j^jfei.^ '■■■ "1 ' \.\ 4 ;C''’ *' » ... > ‘ ■' . / ' i'iu «- .',... • ',*■■ : • ‘ * .^': '.iV'-t.X‘'t , .’ - . ;: •;■..#/. i.vf '"O 'ftJ ■) 4 - «ftv/ •vaX 7 r 0 i* 0 r;. Di.'i,f!<'iijfl» V'! . ., /■ ■./’■■ ''i. ::},, ■ ■">' 4 /., «' ■ •. , ■■ * ! \- •’ f,’ 1$. h u . v^., , :::rM ■ " . 7 - .• a 4/;'^ . o£;'i;t dare-, -sn oi,:f 'Hit',* ^ ^0*^' ■■ ’ ffi ■ j .‘■'•' 7 '. “^'* t MW ?' '♦■'"'iF ' ii^' "* j. vtM«^ -r >iij L.'.-il W. Ifltl, . ■ at, ,. V'. ' d ■ ■ ' ^ : yj ’ ' ''<. . y.A ' '. ■ ,V- M..' r^i v-ai;* /' tJk ':l fyf# • •■<-.011 .ti X* 8 J; ■‘ *.. ‘ .ir.^i 3 ‘r ^i ' «y ; p) f i i ^^. ‘i ii i< ’ ■ r >r»y' f t. gji y .'.* ’, *; ? . ' ■ g ' j r :y !-B' r» . 3H i fc. »1 ^ in 1^ * 64 occasion, one of these men came back to ask his forgiveness, William Hockett, the third brother, was arrested on the 8th of Sixth Month, 1863. He explained his scruples against bearing arms, but the Colonel ordered him to be shot. His only choice then was to say whether he should meet his death that night or the next morning. William said that if it was his Heavenly Father's will that he should give up his life, they might shoot him, but if it was not His will, none of them could take his life, though they might give the order to do so. The officers were naturally confused at such remarks, so he was sent to the wagon road for the night. The next morning he was ordered to go out with a foraging party. He objected to such work not only because it was military work, but also because it was taking the property of others. This refusal exasperated the Colonel who promptly had Hockett laid on the ground while a gun was tied to his back. \?hen he refused to rise with it on, the men were ordered to bayonet him, but they only pierced his clothes, A firing squad was then drawn up to execute him, but just before the order was given our Friend raised his arms and said: "Father, forgive them f or they know not what they do." The men could not bear to shoot such a man. The whole proceedings enraged the officer who then struck at Hockett 's head but missed his aim. He then spurred his horse several tiaes to ride over him, but each time the horse sprang aside and left his intended victim unharmed. As the officer left he said he was not yet l * 5 ®' ' 1 , ^ V VS"' ■■' V/ ■ 'ff ' ‘4 ■ ■■ 1 ’^'' ■;‘^.> 'v>. *: ■ '^1 .■ ■ ^ /•'■ / ai, itpD^id '''’■'‘;^fc;^'^^''^^=f|l|^ ■‘V :;V .!«;• ., ,‘f ''^ ": , ‘‘ ,^r ' ■•'’•’ /']Ia >1 '&“•<> :^M-* . tK . , •' ■ , ■ 7 ^',^ !i V * Jj iJi»'^‘ ^'v>' rsi-'^ Aiisgi •.^.:- i T ‘Uli^*.’ ' ■ •■' " ' .V ' ■ '■ V/ ' ' ', '■,’. ' (,yv V ' . . V' , va . ^;j. , if’cBs ^{- ■ t^ 5 ,. .riua^om t ■ .. -*i-- ^»r «T^ 5 rr ' /BM. ' V"' -.a 4 ‘ ii; '7 v’T^*r ti»^: ^ r , ,YJ 0 . 4i' ifn^'^^Ag . li* V , ^ ■ ' •-•'■’ yvm .'■ .,•■■ • vv .»»• *;^. •i,'.-" ■ \. ^:-' ••>, V \j,_ «fig«or:.* 5 r* •.#»».- • 'I p* jj * 7 1 , ' *tf • a ^ r t\ijSS£lSPt^' i*7j i v ■»" 3 ^^ 7 lv ^vK^. ■7i>: >’ /la d V’ ’ . 'rVwJfw ' ' fcr'' '- ^ ’■'■^^' af' >■ * ‘ ’'tyv'Vi'fc/- IlSif - .. 4 :' J-mj*- bubs iV' 't ;',ign|H|||| )i^y »w»aai»giar»B^ j, - a^.y r v:i >^p> :|W [ Mg.^^i^fy)g,rf;ma« g L^ ^ ."n . . .1 t 1 T^fi ' I i.MlJii ' \''. IS4' . ii ij'iSi ,»f^!W ■ I'i* 73 T 65 through with him but he himself was killed that same day or the next day at Gettysburg. W. H. was ill at the time of the battle but in the retreat he was taken prisoner by the Union Cavalry and sent to Fort Delaware as a rebel prisoner. His case was made known at Washington and the War Office ordered his release if he would take an affirmation of allegiance to the United States. This he could not conscientious!’^ do so he was told that he might have his choice between affirmation or imprison- ment until the close of the war. Upon a fuller explanation of his principles, a change was made in the affirmation and he was released. He then went west to await the close of the war when 29 he might return to his family in the southland, John S. Moore, an elderly Friend of Dudley, North Carolina^ has written the following to the writer concerning the conscientious objectors: *’I was a boy about sixteen years old when the war ended but remember some things the conscientious objectors had to endure. "One of my cousins was imprisoned and required to walk a short distance back and forth from sunrise to sunset for three months at the point of a bayonet and W/as not allowed to go to the fire to warm but once during the winter; but he stood firm and lived to be eighty years old. Another young man, a friend of mine, was kept tied in a sitting position for quite a while from early morning till evening and still refused to take a gun; he was ordered to be shot and was tied to a stake. He ^9. Boyle. Account of Sufferings , 19-22; and Gartland. Southern Heroes, 232-85; R. M. Jones, Later Periods of Quakerism II, 748-751. -T^ :v’^ I^T' • '^V" ',.^,1 ;t I ^ t r4> j'!> j ' ‘ r t ^' ■ ; o 0 i: . I ’t" '.' ' ;' .•>^3wiis«i, «;»> ’iiiiftU<4Uwi^f- 4®. .!^&- = 1 , . ' , .\>;".o';''-:v , ‘ li ■ m r S' . ' ^*k '■ - *>#.!1- . ’i' . :Vi«(ite.' «. 'j* .. .f_ >-■ i' J- ' . - • ‘ _Mc;r • '^y^Ct r;£' '■i'.A!oi'.^>y>^i4^^ L/;^ iifW ^. •••:.■■* r ►'■ -if.iS; V 6-f* filf *L, ar'i./^ vfi ^ : .-‘t-'.. *•, ' . ■;. r . k jfj r »>i8r t>i;.- ?(?H ••na';ivWr.'*;V y.--?, iwiiw- **-• » c , n*f. v^i TV. «* »A .' <; *•■*'1 i O. t .*4'. ' , ', ■ w , , •; . ' -V C’ i’''vT‘y ^ iv'; <-v Jq-: t•8^^Jhr^ ''••.■ ‘r^ ‘ n^^t: '• ^ ft ■’■' ■-' :.. : ‘ ■ - '•'*•'♦•• %^-r:/' '..■••'• . *■ . * h r • r '-- .* A, ! I ' > .I#?:' ‘ • 1 ,' _cv/ t£o 1‘. ■- ' _ : /■*’ ' ,/•■ '. ; . • ' ' ' • ,'-.X ''i,i*''' ' n I ■ : iih 4<^, . r h^.4 ? Jfi t\y .' 0 V- nft\ ^(tl0 f • ' . ^' ^ I ' '■ i ' '■ ’’ ' I . V ' ’** ' ' ''^ ' " '■ )'-r -,' *'* "r^. .. ).f ,‘:. ?. trin ^ /* . : V., % l51. J..T i* 4-<^^fj|W. *.. ■ Aflr.j-i '^' '' l' .■•■'— /' ., AVD'lfltf -■' * I ^ ly*'' ..i ..' 66 said they finally ordered him to he put back in prison and told him to make up his mind to take a gun by next day, if he did not, he would be shot. He said he told them his mind was made up so they might as well shoot him. Then he was put back in prison and never heard anything more from it. On one occasion they took him out between the breastworks of the contending ar- mies where they were firing at each other; and they would look to 3ee if he would flinch when a gun would fire, but he stood firm and is still living. I remember visiting with my father Jesse and Himelius Hockett and W. H. Overman while they were in prison at one ti le and was very much impressed they seemed so cheerful. "How these are the facts as I remember them. Many others were taken to camps and kept for some time but were not so severely tried. At the close of the war it was said that not one Quaker who stood firm to his principles was killed.'’ Many other cases of individual suffering might be related. Some of them w eve not so severe, others were equally cruel. Besides personally suffering, the conscientious objectors suffered great pecuniary losses. Those living in the Shenandoah Valley especially suffered in this respect. After the supposed murder of Civil Iihgineer Meigs General Sheridan ordered his troops to burn everything within a ten mile radius. Again \’vhen Sherman retreated in 1864 houses, mills, and barns were burned and provisions of all sorts were carried away. Many Mennonites 30 were included within this area. The Friends were frequently marked out for special plunder. In a few small meetings of Tennessee included within 30. '.Vick, Amish Mennonites . 30-31. rr - A •••' - v.-^s^ "i ^ hA Jf^'' ;.g ■4;i‘j./y|KS^ j<>:’,j^P A,, w^.' •'^l” »<' ' rt r;ga;.?y;»gYfti5t IT , ■: V .. :/ ■'• ' ■' ■..?? '• ^ ' m rrfeu^i^' a^oa'v '; ! ,ff> ' 31 * 04 * -x+ ■^' ■'■■ ■ ' ■ .::■ '■ ■■ ' ■'■'■ a:** ^ It ^ ♦. ii',' *fr ■ 'i»M i tsi’#i!;.. •^‘'- /ni- ’ R*' -' AfiA?"" "*’ ■ '' ' ’" ' ' ’ ' •■" ' ' ' 'i' * ''Ia w r 4v# ' v-* 67 the North Carolina Meeting, the loss in gold was $35,000. In a Quarterly Meeting of about forty families in the vicinity of Gold-sboro, the loss was estimated at $98,220 from the quarter- ing of troops at various times during the four years of the war and from Sherman's ravages on his march in 1865. Homes were almost stripped of food, furniture, a nc clothing. Sven the stock 31 was not spared but was generously carried off. At Friendsville, Tennessee, the soldiers went so far as to enter a Friends* Meet- ing House, destroyed the Library, oroke up the seats and floor and made the place almost unsuitable for use. Much money and property were also taken there and the women of the neighborhood 32 were compelled to cook for the troops. Friends within the Hopewell Quarter of Northern Vir- ginia were perhaps the greatest sufferers because they were within the area contended for by both armies. Sven the Meeting- houses were occupied in turns by the two armies. Some were used as hospitals during most of the war. During Sheridan's raid, the Friends in Goose Greek Monthly Meeting lost about $80,000 and those of Fairfax Monthly Meeting about $23,000 worth of property which had been burned and of live stock taken. Later, however, the value of this latter loss was refunded by the Federal Gov- 33 ernment , After the war some financial claims were filed against the government and settled. Such was the case of Lazarus Pear- son. Sight years after Sherman's army left Goldsboro, the estate of Pearson was paid $1600 in the settlement 31. Hoyle. Account of Sufferings . 25 ~. 32. Gartland, Sop:them Zeroes, 315. 33. '^eeks. 3out:hern wuakera 68 of a claim for |3, 000 and interest for the provisions — cattle, 34 horses, and other property taken from him by Union troops. Although the conscientious objector of the south did suffer such dire trials of 'ohysical suffering and their mental anguish was further burdened by heavy pecuniary losses, yet the Friends of the south remained true to their ideals and by the end of the war they were able to say that Isaac Harvey alone was the only instance of a southern Friend who surrendered his 35 principles to take up carnal weapons. S4. Qartland. Southern Heroes . 408-9 . 35. Ibid . . 223. *i T ii t /l i iti iwn ti M i i ii e .: i^'- ■: * >. '‘*^Miff1i|l ' > w wmm rn'm ~ m i r T' ■• 7 < '/’^L-i’NA. V 'r - '* '• ' t'' Hjl V / .' T f|l '■ ' j *~*^ 3 TWWJ . , A*' ,i'd-.,-.,*r(^y.-.iv|iif'.'^ ■’.•r ’ .. - '-’^ /■ ••' '. ■ , '’v' ./kpii. j : h ^ V’ ’yf^-indd cj . i. r ,4s* W- ■• - rf J^^«i'-‘ ■ ".I!.' / 4 \^rttn't( A •f-'t’ • S if n . i v: I ,,.it'til 2 f ?o‘'^ v"- i> *' 4 ' i iT '*•* it ' , i* . ' ■ -•. Hf' *•■ 4-1 >r. '.^** . ■ ',"^J ^ ' T I ^..3 ■ i , i', ■ K 1 'ifUm¥v, M;,, •:. ■ :-i < * 4 ? , ’ ..'12 : V- ' .;S(,. , ? /,' ‘ ■/ , j.r .4 '* .“ ‘‘f' .' -^iJ ' ... ^ \i . »r.4''*,‘ . ,.s t '■' 't‘^ • '■■'u '■■ 'V- ^ ■ , '•■■, '■ ■ . < S ; ' Vl''- ._■. , j‘ ■ > '^- ' .-, ■' 'd''- . , i‘ ■ A. - , -. ; t.'i>\."/'’ '.'i'i r*...’ T '‘?'i .li- ,'v ■’' ' ’>1 '• ■' ’V^‘'. •• w'.‘*i ■•■ *4 i'.. 4 ‘ ■.•/'.;>T‘ ■ : '',* • •■'^'•^.. • ,* ,• ‘ lll ■ ‘.V*-'i"'iJ .• S' 69 G01T0LU3I0N Y/hatever may iDe our personal convictions of the righteousness of war, we cannot but admire the courage of those conscientious objectors of the Civil V/ar who suffered great trials, mentally and physically, for consicence’s sake and the recognition of their principles. The peace sects of the Civil War period played no small part in the education of public sen- tl'aent and the framing of laws which made the United States one of the foremost nations of the world in recognizing liberty of conscience, the sacredness of human life, and the equal rights of all people. The experiences of the war, terrible as they were, seemed, too, to prove a blessing to the Quakers and other conscientious objectors in s trengthening their loyalty to their ancient testinonies for peace. ’’The Quaker of the olden time I — How calm and firm and true. Unspotted by its wrong and crime, He walked the dark earth through. The lust of power, the love of gain. The thousand liires of sin Around him, had no power to stain Th e pur i ty w i thin 70 APPENDIX Since the completion of this thesis material has "been received concerning the Brethren or German Baptists of Virginia during the Civil War period. D, H. Zigler’s History of the Brethren in Virginia and Sanger and Hay's The Olive Branch con- tain much of interest regarding the experiences of this sect which was located in the Valley of Virginia in Botetourt, Roanoke, Rock- ingham, and adjacent counties. Like the --Quakers and other non-combatant sects the Brethren believed that the bearing of carnal weapons was contrary to the Gospel of Christ. Apparently, however, they did not en- dure the cruel treatment to which the Friends were subjected. This very probably was due to their v'9i llingness to pay an exemp- tion fee as an equivalent for military service. The only cases of importance reported in these works concern parties of Breth- ren refugees to the west in 1862. Two of these parties were cap- tured, brought back^ and imprisoned at Harrisonburg and Richmond for a short time. While they were in prison the Exemption Bill of March 1862 allowing them the payment of an exemption fee of $500 and two per cent on the assessed value of their property was passed by the Virginia Legislature^ and they were soon released. 71 BIBLIOGRAPHY Published Sources: ^)An Account of the Sufferings of the Pr lends of North Carolina Yearly Meeting in Support of Their Testimony against War, 1861-65. Baltimore: Steam Press of '.7. II, Boyle, 1868. /Congressional Globe. 37 Cong., 3 Sess., Part II, Vol. 33; 38 Cong., 1 Sess., Parts 1-4. 2ity of Washington: Congression- al Globe Office, 1864. Executive Loc^Jiments, House of Representatives, 38 Cong., 2 Sess. v7ashington: Government Printing Office, 1865. Doc, Nos. 53, 97. Extracts from the Yearly Meeting of Women Eriends Held in Philadelphia 1862. Philadelphia: T. Elli^ood Zell, 1862. 1 Jones, J. 3. Rebel Y/ar Clerk's Diary, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1866. Journal of Confederate Congress, Vol II in Senate Documents, Vol, 26, 58 Cong., 2 Sess. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904, ^McDonald, Select Statutes of United States History. New York; The Macmillan Co., 1916. Mode, Peter G. Source Book and Bibliogiaiiiical Guide for American Church History, Menasha, Wis,: Geo. Santa Publish- ing Go. , 1921. Moore, Prank. Record of the Rebellion. New York: Edw. :^ver- ett, 1861-65. 7 vols. /Pringle, C, G. Record of a Quaker Conscience. New York: i/Iacraillan Co., 1918, Report of Secretary of ’War and Postmaster General, 38 Cong., 1 Sess., V^ Washington: Government Printing Office, 1865. Richardson, Messages and Papers of the Presidents 1797-1897. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1897. 10 vols. ■ • ' ' r^A. . 'If V. ■■■•Ij *'rt i.’ «3 •,', *• ■ ‘ , •■ Vv=,.v ■■ < ■ ‘ V ' ‘^ '■' •■(fi' ,• •,! , ■ .* t 72 v'^Statutes at Large of the Provisional Oovernment of the Confed- erate States of America. Hichmond: R. M. Smith, Printer to Congress, 1864. United States Statutes at Large. Washington, 1861-63, United States Statutes at Large. Washington, 1863-65. United States Versus Pringle. Atlantic Monthly, 111: 145-162 (Peh. 1913). 'War of the Rebellion; Official Records of the Union and Con- federate Armies. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1900. 70 vols. Series III, Vol. IV. Y/orth, Jonathan. Correspondence in Publications of the North Carolina Historical Commission. Raleigh: Edwards and Broughton Printing Co., 1909. 2 vols. Newspapers ; Illinois Daily State Journal. 1863-65 (Springfield) National Intelligencer . VYashington, D. C., 1863. New York Times. 1863-65. Secondary Works: American Church History Series: The Friends. Vol. XII, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1900. Annual Cyclonedia for 1863 and 1864. New York: D. Anpleton and Co., 1867. Blaine, . James G. Twenty Years of Congress. Norwich, Conn. : Henry Bill Publishing Co., 1884. 2 vols. heartland, Fernando G. Southern Heroes or The Friends in War Time. Cambridge: Riverside Press, 1895. Foalke, W. D. Life of Oliver ?. Morton. Indianapolis-- Kansas City: 3owen-Merr ill Company, 1899. 2 vols. Hosmer, J. K. The Appeal to Arms. Vol. XX in American Nation Series. New York and London: Hamer Brothers Publishers, 1907. 73 Jones, Louis, -^-uakers of lo^a. Iowa Oity, Iowa: 1914. (Qrones, Rufus M, Later Periods of Quakerism. London; Mac- •'raillan & Oo., Ltd., 1921. Lossing, Benson J. Pictorial History of the Oivil War in the United States of America. Hartford: Thomas Belknap, publish- er, 1874. Nicolay, John George and Hay, John. Abraham Lincoln; A His- tory. Hew York: The Oentury Oompany, 1890. Vol. 6. McPherson, Edward. Political History of the U. 3. of America during the Great Rebellion. Washington, D. C. : Solomon & Chapman, 1876. Rhodes, James Eord. History of the Civil War 1861-65. New York: Macmillan Co., 1917. Rhodes, James Eord. History of the United States. New York: Macmillan & Go., 1907. Sanger, 3. F. and Hays, L. The Olive Branch. Elgin, Illinois: Brethren Publishing House, 1907. 03mith, C. Henry. Mennonites of America. Scotdale, Pa.: Mennonite Publishing House, 1909. Taylor, Frank H. Philadelphia in the Civil V/ar. Pub. by the City, 1913, Thomas, Allen. History of the Friends in America. Philadel- phia: John C, 7/inston, 1919. ■/weeks, Stephen B. Southern I’uakers and Slavery. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press, 1896, V/ick, Barthinius L. Amish Mennonites, Iowa City, Iowa: Published by the State Historical Society, 1894, Zigler, B. H. History of the Brethren in Virginia. Elgin, Illinois: Brethren Publishing House, 1914.