But because the story of America is not the story of unending tolerance for slavery, the Civil War, the bloodiest war in American history, was fought. More than 600,000 Americans lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers marched into battle singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”: In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free!
