22nd Annual Student Research Conference
Defining Loyalty from the Pulpit: The Civil War in St. Louis through Two Pastors' Eyes
Katie M. Werkmeister
Dr. Jeff Gall, Faculty Mentor
When asked to describe the American Civil War of 1861-1865, most responses will focus on the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, the military prowess of Robert E. Lee, and key battles such as Vicksburg and Gettysburg. Few, though, know how chaotic the war experience was in border states, where the war was fought between pro-Union and pro-Confederate forces on a very local level. Rising from the conflict over Bleeding Kansas in the years before the war, the fighting in Missouri was largely centered on guerrilla tactics. Although Missouri was technically still a Union state, the Unionist tendencies of the state were anchored in St. Louis, while a significant percentage of the state population was pro-Confederate. This paper will focus on the experiences of two pro-Union ministers in St. Louis as they dealt with issues of morality and the war, disloyalty, and slavery.
Keywords: Civil War, Missouri, pro-Union, pro-Confederate, St. Louis, pastors, loyalty
Topic(s):History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 42-2
Location: OP 2115
Time: 1:30