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“That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom–and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Abraham Lincoln delivered these powerful words during the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. Over 50,000 soldiers had perished on the Gettysburg Battlefield, where Lincoln gave his famous speech. Their tragic deaths serve as a reminder that American citizens fought against each other in a war so brutal and devastating that it almost tore the country apart.
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One hundred sixty years ago, the Civil War ended, but its rumblings and echoes have returned. These days, it’s all too common for families and friends to be at odds with each other. Brother against brother. Daughter against mother. Best friends no longer speaking.
The political divide is growing wider by the day as people on the Left and Right become sworn enemies. All the while, everyone is on the same giant ship that’s headed for a massive iceberg.
Peace in the Midst of War
While the Civil War was described by many soldiers as “Hell on Earth” and “a bloody nightmare,” there were unexpected moments of peace and humanity that occurred in the middle of the turmoil.
Christmas was one of those times when the viciousness of war took a brief pause. A mysterious calm would wash across the front lines that nobody could quite explain. Artillery fire went silent as battle-weary soldiers sang Christmas hymns and read from their Bibles. It didn’t happen everywhere, but when it did, there was a peace that surpassed all understanding, and a hope that one day the bloodshed would end.
These Christmas truces were an interesting phenomenon that few historians talk about, but they were also moments in time where people put aside their differences to focus on something that transcended war.
Christmas on the Rappahannock
Perhaps the most famous Christmas truce during the Civil War was the one that happened after the bloody Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. After this violent conflict, the Union and Confederate armies remained in their camps near Fredericksburg, Virginia, across the Rappahannock River.
The frigid, unforgiving weather had taken a toll on the troops, and morale was at an all-time low. But as Christmas Eve approached, the atmosphere in those miserable camps changed. Suddenly and sporadically, soldiers began interacting with their adversaries. In areas where rival soldiers could see each other across the river, some would shout a Christmas greeting. Others traded items like coffee, tobacco, and food. Additionally, there were groups who gathered together around the warmth of a fire whilst singing Christmas carols.
In these rare moments of peace on the warfront, soldiers shared stories and laughter. The stress and clamor of the war faded away. Humanity returned as soldiers celebrated the birth of the ultimate peacemaker, Jesus Christ.
Hardship and Hope
While these small truces weren’t widespread, they were powerful nonetheless. Letters from soldiers reveal that even though these men were fighting on opposite sides, they shared the same hardships and losses. Most of all, they shared the hope that they could soon return home to loved ones.
A chaplain on the Union side described his encounter with Confederate soldiers on Christmas Day. As he “paced along his designated fifty yards of the river bank with ‘wet feet, empty stomach, and swollen nose,’ one of the Rebs made contact with his squad, asking if they had anything to trade.” Soon, this chaplain and his comrades “were placing rations aboard little boats and rafts that had been improvised out of who-knows-what and sent them across the Rappahannock.” Excited soldiers grabbed the boats filled with coffee, sugar, or pork. The Confederates sent back parched corn, Virginia tobacco, and persimmons. They called out, “Merry Christmas, Johnny.” In return, the Rebels shouted, “Same to you, Yank.”
The chaplain recalls, “We forgot the biting wind, the chilling cold; we forgot those men over there were our enemies, whom it might be our duty to shoot before evening…we were brothers, not foes, waving salutations of good-will in the name of the Babe of Bethlehem.”
Jesus: The Prince of Peace
Finding peace in times of war is rare. During the Civil War, the division and hatred between American citizens were so great that men found themselves fighting their own brothers. But Christmas offered a time where they could focus on the One who brought peace to the earth and remember His sacrifice on the cross that saved mankind from their sins.
It’s Christmas 2025, and most would agree that we are experiencing a spiritual civil war. Our nation is divided on many fronts. Bullets of hatred and cannons of discord are erupting everywhere. But even in the midst of our differences, we can find ways to have peace with those we disagree with. Most importantly, we should find moments to share the gospel and the love of Jesus this season.
The soldiers on the Rappahannock were in the middle of a war, and so are we. But this is a war for SOULS. There are two sides on this battlefield: the SAVED and the UNSAVED. In the end, we must remember that the goal is to win souls for Jesus.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16.
Lord Jesus, as we celebrate Your birth and the gift of eternal life, we ask You to direct our thoughts, actions, and prayers when it comes to the spiritual civil war that we are living in. Help us to see people not as enemies, but rather opportunities for us to share Your love and the gospel of salvation.
May the peace of Jesus Christ rule in your heart this holiday season, and into the coming year!
The Christmas truces during the Civil War were rare but amazing examples of how peace can be found even in times of war. How are you seeing this play out in our world today?
Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger, and former teacher who studies the signs of the times, as well as the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. She is also the author of Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus and Hallelujah’s Great Ride. Photo Credit: Thomas Nast, for Harper’s Weekly.
