Methodist Newspapers Report on the War

Methodists throughout the United States learned about the progress of the Civil War through the weekly newspaper. Methodist newspapers offered readers a variety of stories on American politics, local and regional church news, and samples of sermons or theological treatises. Methodist papers also included poetry, advertisements, and obituaries.

During the Civil War, several Methodist weeklies (including newspapers from the Evangelical United Brethren tradition) helped shape the conflict for readers. Samples in this case include articles highlighting divinely-sanctioned Union or Confederate victories. The articles also supplied readers with updates on battles and reports from the battlefield. Some newspapers included the names of those killed in combat.

“War is Upon Us!”
“Aus dem Lager bei Sharpsburg, Md”
“Progress on the War”
“Patriot Dead”
“The End of the Rebellion”
“Assassination of President Lincoln”
Methodist Newspapers Report on the War