Reading and War

Reading was central to Civil War soldiers’ daily lives. In camp, hospital, or on the march, books and pamphlets provided mental escape, moral guidance, and emotional resilience. Soldiers read newspapers to stay informed, letters to remain connected to home, and devotional manuals to nurture their faith. Quintard’s Balm for the Weary and Wounded was designed precisely for this purpose. Its prayers, hymns, and meditations offered soldiers a way to structure their days spiritually, reinforcing discipline and hope. Reading became a form of resistance against despair.

The act of reading was often communal. Soldiers shared texts, read aloud in camp, and discussed their meaning. Chaplains distributed booklets in hospitals, where wounded men found solace in familiar words. Beyond devotional texts, soldiers consumed a wide range of print culture. Newspapers and journals circulated widely, appealing to all literate people.[1] Dime novels, cheap and sensational, provided entertainment and escape from the grim realities of war.[2] The American Antiquarian Society notes that reading practices varied—some soldiers barely opened a book, while others discovered literature for the first time in camp or hospital.[3] Quintard’s book thus functioned not only as a devotional aid but also as part of a broader reading culture that sustained identity, morale, and community.

[1] Penn State University Libraries, “Newspapers and Journals during the Civil War Era,” The People’s Contest: A Civil War Era Digital Archive, accessed November 11, 2025, https://peoplescontest.psu.edu/newspapers-and-journals-during-civil-war-era/index.html

[2]The Historical Association. “American Dime Novels 1860-1915.” June 6, 2011. https://www.history.org.uk/student/resource/4512/american-dime-novels-1860-1915.

[3] American Antiquarian Society, “Reading in the Civil War Era,” Collections Spotlight, accessed November 12, 2025, https://collections.americanantiquarian.org/reading/civil.htm