Robert E. Lee came, in time, to become the arch-nemesis of the Union. Yet from his family history and life until that point, you would never have believed it. What drove this man, and why did he make the choices he made? What shaped him, and how?

As a side note, Union sources at the time called the battle “Fair Oaks”. However, most of the fighting was around the crossroads of “Seven Pines”. The two locations are not far distant, and either name is correct.

Side note: I didn’t describe Brigadier Robert C. Shenck very closely. He was however a interesting man who previous served as Ambassador to Brazil, would later serve as such in Britain, and literally wrote the book on poker (well, one form of it anyhow).

Plus: Joe Hooker becomes Fighting Joe, and Lincoln undertakes an extraordinary role in the field.

Shiloh is very well-preserved today if you would like to visit, with good paths explaining the battlefield. Also you can visit the Cherry Mansion in nearby Savannah. It served as Grant’s headquarters and hosted W.H.L. Wallace and C.F. Smith during their final days.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_Mansion

As explained in the episode, I tried to mostly keep these related to the Civil War instead of completely branching out into the worthwhile, but deeply complicated exploration of great tribal leaders such as Mangas Coloradas or Cochise, or later figures such as Geronimo. However, if you’re interested in hearing that as well, drop a comment and I will look at adding that to the series.

Note: Some of the officers in this episode may have held different ranks than described. It’s somewhat unclear to me, for example, whether William Scurry was a Lieutenant Colonel or a full Colonel at the time of these events. I regret any errors I may have made.

On March 8th and 9th of 1862, ironclad warships would emerge onto the pages of history. The USS Monitor and Merrimack (or CSS Virginia) weren’t the first ironclads, nor even the first into battle. Yet the legendary Battle of Hampton Roads would overturn centuries of naval doctrine in a matter of hours. Success and failure, calamity and courage, and a few remarkably coincidences would combine to reshape both the war and the world. Listen now to the story of the men, the material, and the moment.

Link to map of showing the ships’ movements in the channel: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/maps/hampton-roads-mar-9-1862

Sherman was a rather unique individual who experienced nearly everything our country had to offer in his time, from great success to crushing failure. A study in paradoxes, we have a banker who hated bankers, a lawyer who hated lawyers, and a soldier who went his entire militry career without actually fighting anybody. Or at least, that’s how his story would have gone if not for the Civil War.

Join us for the story of Sherman: the most human, most fallible, and perhaps most American of the great leaders of the war, a man who somehow kept finding himself at the center of action whereever he went.

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Also appearing in this episode: submarine fortresses and the world's first floating tanks.

Note: As detailed in the episode, the Battle of Mill Springs is also called “The Battle of Logan’s Cross Roads.”

And also, how did a conman create them, and then go on to become a Confederate General after failing to launch an invasion of Mexico?

Of the course, the task would have tested the mettle of even the greatest of men, but McClellan’s behavior in the fall and winter of 1861 raise serious questions about his ability and character. Join us for an exploration of a man rapidly making enemies where he ought to have made friends.

This remarkably change came due to the support of Major General John C. Fremont and Congressman Elihu Washburne. If nothing else, the United States owes both of those men a debt of gratitude for their perception.

In addition, the nation owes Confederate General Leonidas Polk a small debt for occupying parts of Kentucky and thereby practically gift-wrapping the state for Abraham Lincoln. Before 1861 ended, the entire border region lay in Union hands, with dire consequences for the Confederacy.

Show notes: I apologize as my voice seemed on the brink the entire episode. This show also includes experimental transcript generated by Substack.

Yet he never gave up, never quit, and did whatever he found necessary to provide for his family. At the same time, Ulysses Grant never lost his fundamentally good view of human nature and never became embittered by his tough times. He could always sympathize with a friend, and those willing to take advantage of his kindness found it easy.

In ten years of failure, he endured more than most. In the end Grant had been tempered enough to lead men into battle, humble enough to know he must improve, and wise enough to accept his own faults. This is the story of a ten years of failure, yes, but years that led to undimmed glory.

Hiram Grant didn’t start life with his more famous name. And unlike many other famous commanders from the war, he found himself driven by events rather than driving them. Join us as we explore the humble origins of a legendary leader.

In the decade or so before the Civil War, small changes in the technology of the infantry led to a radical strengthening of their impact on the battlefield. Join as we explore this transformation, as well as the direct response of cavalry and artillery to the newfound power of the rifle. The proudest horse soldier and the best-trained artilleryman would quickly come to respect the common infantry.

This episode cover the prelude to Bull Run.

As it turned out, it ended rather quickly, when the Border States stopped short of Secession.

The episode examines the Cornerstone Speech, an infamously racist revelation of the gruesome reality behind the Confederacy. Unfortunately, there is no way to properly explain the speech without directly examining the words of Alexander Stephens in detail. Although I am deeply uncomfortable with repeating them, an honest examination of the Confederacy and the true ideology that lay behind requires an understanding of his words.

The language, though antiquated, was not considered especially offensive at the time. The ideas behind the words, however, are intensely troubling. Use your own judgment regarding this episode.

This episode appears somewhat outside of the intended order, as I have not yet completed the look Lincoln’s inaugural address. My apologies for the delay.

Between his election and and inauguration, Abraham Lincoln had many preparations to complete. When South Carolina finally bit the bullet after decades of Secessionist threats, it up-ended the politics of a nation. Lincoln, however, affected little concern in public. Yet behind the scenes he immediately began to devise a strategy for resolving it.

Some parts of the speech are recouted in this episode. As with all of this series, please do not confuse analysis with either symapthy or endorsement. It is historically important to understand what major figures such Jefferson Davis were thinking, saying, and doing. The episode picks apart the speech to look at the key ideas it contains, but also to question much of its content. We will continue to analyze speeches in the near future, including the words of Alexander Stephens and Abraham Lincoln in turn.

The full text of Jefferson Davis’s speech may be found here as of the date of uploading this episode: https://jeffersondavis.rice.edu/archives/documents/jefferson-davis-first-inaugural-address.

Note: Late in the episode I accidentally said “Jefferson C. Davis.” His name was properly Jefferson F. Davis. There was a separate Civil War general on the Union side by the name Jefferson C. Davis. I apologize for the error.

By way of a correction which I discovered too late, at 17:35 I inadvertently said that Lincoln laid out candidates for each state. This is obviously wrong. He set up candidates for each state “seat”. I apologize for the error.

Edit: For some reason I titled this episode as 16 instead of 20. This is now corrected.

That’s not rhetorical. I’m asking a question here.

*As a special treat, listen to me attempt to sing the original Marine Hymn, very badly. Laughter is permitted and, indeed, encourage.

Also there’s some guy named Sam Houston, but probably nobody remembers him.