America at War

In our last chronological episode, we ended with Ambrose Burnside's disastrous campaign against Lee's army entrenched above the heights of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Undeterred, Burnside launched another march against the Army of Northern Virginia which was ruined by the weather. Tired of the relentless attacks on his character, Burnside attempted to have his critics removed. Lincoln turned the tables, accepted his resignation and elevated Burnside's vocal critic, Joseph Hooker, to be commanding general of the Army of the Potomac. Hooker unleashed his considerable energy in restoring morale. Take a listen!

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When we think of the Civil War, the titanic struggles that occurred in the mid-Atlantic states and the southeast comes to mind. What is largely forgotten was what was occurring in the American West. From 1862 through the end of the war, there were clashes in the upper Midwest with the Sioux in Minnesota, in the Southwest with the Apache and Navajo and Colorado. The clashes with Tribes that would dominate the actions of the post-Civil War Army can be traced to the Civil War and, in many cases, even before the war. Take a listen!

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Geographically, to this point, most of our focus has been on the campaigns in the Mississippi River Valley and the mid-Atlantic states. In this episode we explore what was happening in the far west. In 1862, a Confederate force launched an offensive into the territory of New Mexico. The plan was bold, but risky. The Confederates were going to depend upon captured supplies to sustain them. After occupying Tucson, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, it looked like they were going to succeed. Alarmed, reinforcements from Colorado and California halted the Confederate advance at the Battle of Glorieta Pass. Whatever chance the Confederates had, faded. Take a listen!

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In this episode we return to the sea and look at what was going on to stem the tide of Confederate blockade runners and commerce raiders. Knowing that Union commerce was vulnerable, a small number of Confederate raiders made their reputations known around the world. Confederate raiders were enough of a problem to ratchet up insurance rates and cause some worry among Union officials. In the second part of the episode we focus on the various attempts to close the port of Charleston. Take a listen!

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The Civil War was as much as struggle to keep armies supplied as it was to vanquish an adversary. Logistics during the Civil War had many modern qualities, in particular, using railroads to supply and move armies around the country. Both the Union and the Confederacy used their railroad networks to keep their armies fed. Unfortunately, the Confederates were not as well prepared as the Union due to issues with rolling stock and the mileage of track laid. Take a listen to learn about this neglected but important topic.

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The great leveler in the Civil War, or any war for that matter, is getting wounded or killed on the battlefield. In this episode we focus on what was going through a soldier's mind as they prepared for battle. We also discuss the medical establishment and how they handled wounded, and preventing disease. While we tend to see Civil War medicine through the lens of the 21st Century, making the 1860s seem primitive, in fact, the medical establishment made great strides in trauma care. It is a difficult topic to talk about, but necessary. Take a listen!

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In this episode we will return to our mini-series on the experiences of ordinary soldiers with a focus on camp life, food, and recreation. For a majority of the men who served, military life was foreign. Experiences in camp and training molded these men into soldiers. Thankfully, due to a rise in literacy, we have a rich tapestry of memoirs, letters, and diaries that tell the stories of service. Take a listen!

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We are taking a break from battles and leaders and looking at the men who composed the armies of the North and the South during the Civil War. This episode will be the first of several that look at the lives of the ordinary soldiers. It seems appropriate to start with a broad overview of the motivations that compelled men to serve. On the flip side of the coin, we will also discuss conscription in the north and the south. Take a listen!

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1862 started off well for the Union. As the year progressed, their hopes were dashed as the Confederates bested the Army of the Potomac at the gates of Richmond, Virginia, and at the end of the year in front of Fredericksburg. Even with a new commander, Ambrose Burnside, Robert E. Lee proved to be an impressive opponent. In the west, even though Bragg's raid into Kentucky had been pushed back, despite wrestling some border states from the Confederacy, Union efforts had stalled along the Mississippi River and in the mountains of Tennessee. Perhaps 1863 would be decisive?

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When we last covered the western theater, the focus was on the pivotal battle at Shiloh. After focusing on the east, we now return to the west. In the aftermath of Shiloh, Grant was replaced with Henry Halleck. Halleck was far too slow in continuing the advance to Corinth, Mississippi and he was booted up the chain to Washington DC. In the interim, the Confederates took advantage of the stretched Union lines. Braxton Bragg pushed through Tennessee and raided Kentucky. While failing to bring the Commonwealth back into the Confederacy, it temporarily put a halt to the spectacular Union advances that had occurred earlier in the year.

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