"There is much anecdotal evidence which indicates that General George Patton held himself to be the reincarnation of the Carthaginian General Hannibal; a Roman legionnaire; a Napoleonic field marshal; and various other historic military figures. Through a Glass, Darkly seems to describe those experiences."
I am glad you raised the issue of reincarnation. I agree with you that Patton's poem seems to reflect his belief in reincarnation. However, I am pretty sure that reincarnation is not an episcopalian belief. Apparently Patton differed with them at least on this point.
Either that or Patton's belief in reincarnation is just another one of those urban legends, so to speak.