Christianity in Civil War POW Camps: Union and Confederate Differences

Throughout the Civil War, separated from home churches, Christianity came to most soldiers from chaplains serving on the battlefields alongside them. However, as the war waged, men on both sides became prisoners in need of spiritual care beyond the battlefield. With the establishment of Prisoners of War (POW) camps, the spiritual needs and availability of Christianity to prisoners became a vital component to the survival of the prisoners. Thus, to fully understand the treatment of the POWs, it is necessary to analyze the treatment of Christianity and chaplains within POW camps. Such analysis reveals surprising similarities and drastic differences in the relationships between the Union and Confederate armies.