Imagine being rounded up on land or captured at sea and then being forced to work on an enemy ship. The practice was called "impressment," and as Neil Chatelain explains, navies during the Civil War—North and South—carried on the infamous tradition.

The Emerging Civil War Podcast is hosted by Chris Mackowski. This episode is brought to you by Civil War Trails, the world’s largest open-air museum, offering more than 1,500 sites across six states. Request a brochure at ⁠⁠⁠⁠civilwartrails.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ to start planning your trip today.