![]() ![]() Once committed to what they regarded as a just and necessary war, these sons of Puritans hardened their hearts and became the most implacable of foes. But most New Englanders were not pacifists themselves. The New England colonies were among the first states in the world to recognize the right of conscientous objection to military service, and among the few to respect that right even in moments of mortal peril. ![]() With a few exceptions, they thought of fighting as a dirty business that had to be done from time to time if good men were to survive in a world of evil. They knew its horrors from personal experience. In 1775, many men of Massachusetts had been to war. They did not regard the pursuit of arms as a noble profession. “New England farmers did not think of war as a game, or a feudal ritual, or an instrument of state power, or a bloodsport for bored country gentlemen. ![]()
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