War is a scourge, but so is slavery ...

Colonel Joshua Chamberlain was a Christian who fought for the Union forces in the Civil War, on one occasion he was talking to his younger brother Tom, who was serving with him, about why it was right to fight against the South to free the slaves, "All these thousands of men, many of them not much more than boys, a mother's son, some sister's brother, someone's father, each one of them a whole person, cherished and gone away, many of them will never return. An army is power, it's entire purpose is to coerce. Misguided power cannot be used too callously or recklessly. Misguided power can do great harm. We have seen more suffering than any man should ever see and if there is going to be an end to it, it must be an end that justifies the cause. Now, somewhere out there is the Confederate Army. They claim they are fighting for their independence or their freedom. Now, I cannot question their integrity. I believe they are wrong, but I cannot question it. But I do question the system that defends its own freedom while it denies it to others, to an entire race of men! I will admit the entire war is a scourge, but so is slavery. It has been around since the book of Genesis. It exists in every corner of the world, but that is no excuse to tolerate it here when we find it right before our very eyes in our own home country. As God is my witness there is no one I hold dearer in my heart than you Tom. But if your life or mine is part of the price to pay to end this curse and free the Negro, then let God's will be done."