One of the reasons the Amish left Europe was because of the military environment of the sixteenth and seventeenth environments. Their reformist beliefs put them at odds with established churches, and their nonresistant, peace-seeking beliefs put them at odds with the government. For many, emigrating to Pennsylvania seemed like a fresh start that gave them better economic prospects, greater religious tolerance, and freedom from forced military conscription for their sons.
At least it seemed that way at the time.
The Amish began arriving in Pennsylvania in the 1730s. A generation later the French-Indian Wars swirled around them. Though the Amish were not pressed to fight in the military, their nonresistance cost some of them their lives when they were caught in the middle but would not defend themselves. Another generation later, the American Revolutionary War was imminent. The Amish nonresistant stance put them at odds with both the Patriots and the Loyalists. Even apart from a few Amish who chose to join the military, others faced decisions about whether to provide nonmilitary support in some form to one side or the other, pay special taxes that supported the war, or pay for a substitute to take their place in the military ranks. In a few instances, Amish faced jail, property seizure, mob violence, or public humiliation.
When war reared its head again in the War of 1812, a Chester County, Pennsylvania, bishop named Christian Zook printed a handbill urging the Amish and other nonresistant church groups to elect officials who stood for peace.
At the time of the Civil War, Amish were living in both northern and southern states. A war that pitted states against each other, and on such a tragic scale, forced Amish to engage with politics and the general culture. On the one hand, the Amish opposed slavery wherever they lived. On the other hand, they also opposed the war that was meant to end slavery. They were caught in the moral dilemma of somehow being faithful to both positions.
If they wanted to preserve options not to serve in the military, such as being conscientious objectors, participating in the political process was essential. Others tried to withdraw from the cultural issues and remain apolitical, even though their land and animals might be conscripted for service on one side or other of the war. Still others resolved their moral dilemma by renouncing their nonresistant beliefs and joining the fight.
During WWI, the Amish sent a delegation to the Secretary of War to protect their conscientious objector status. Ninety-five percent of the Amish men drafted to serve were deferred on vocational grounds so they could continue to work on their farms. Others were posted to military camps with the hope they would be deployed to noncombatant service, but in the process they were subject to harsh bullying and humiliation for refusing to take up arms.
During WWII, the Amish continued to fight for their right not to serve in the military, insisting that they could serve the country in other ways. Many served in the Civilian Public Service in camps, hospitals, forestry, and firefighting work.
Over time the concept of conscientious objectors became more well formed in the general culture and the government was more accommodating, even though the draft was in effect through the Korean and Vietnam wars. While the Amish continue to be pacifists and eschew military service, the reality of war has followed them through their history, constantly challenging them to formulate responses to one of the very forces that chased them out of Europe.
Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. She chases joy in Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is. Her Amish novels include the Valley of Choice series along with Wonderful Lonesome and Meek and Mild
….The Amish at War by Olivia Newport