Portraits of Blue & Grey: The Biographical Civil War Podcast

Part B takes us through the end of the short life of rebel cavalier Jeb Stuart. Then, Chambersburg meets its unfortunate fate, courtesy of Jubal Early.

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For the most part, towns north of the Mason-Dixon line sustained a lot less damage during the Civil War than their counterparts down South. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, though, may be the single most glaring exception. Jeb Stuart paid a visit in 1862 and was a fairly polite guest, as military occupiers go--even taking the time to sign the guestbook at the small town's most high-brow hotel. But when Jubal Early's men came calling two years later, the stay was much less cordial.

In Part A of Raiders of the Lost Cause, we get acquainted with James Ewell Brown ("JEB") Stuart--one of the war's most colorful figures. Then, we follow Stuart through his 1862 Chambersburg visit. In Part B (coming soon!), we'll take a look at the experience of poor Chambersburg, PA, for the remainder of the way.

The next few episodes will focus on famous, interesting, and entertaining raids of the Civil War. Look for future shows on (in no particular order) Grierson's Raid, the Dahlgren Affair, the St. Albans Raid, and maybe something on the sinking of the CSS Albemarle.

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Part 4 of our series on Nathan Bedford Forrest picks back up with Forrest continuing to frustrate William T. Sherman and the series of Union cavaliers dispatched to neutralize him. As Union might becomes overwhelming, Confederate armies are forced to surrender, and the danger of Forrest assuming the role of guerilla leader looms large. Instead, he tries to quietly slip back into the life of a planter and businessman. Along the way, Forrest dips his toes into post-war politics and becomes the first "Grand Wizard" of the Ku Klux Klan.

You can reach Portraits of Blue & Grey at [email protected] with questions or comments about the show.

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"His eyes, usually mild in their expression, were blazing with the intense glare of a panther’s springing upon its prey....So fierce did his passion become that he was almost equally dangerous to friend or foe.."

--Major David Kelly, C.S.A.

Part 3 recounts two confrontations with fellow Confederates. First, the killing of Lt. Andrew Gould by his commanding officer, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Though probably self-defense, the incident underscores the centrality of violence in the life of the famed cavalry general. Chickamauga follows, and then Forrest lets Braxton Bragg know how he really feels about him.

The episode concludes with the infamous 'Massacre at Ft. Pillow.' In between, we take a look at Okolona, one of Forrest's most impressive victories.

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In Spring, 1862, Nathan Bedford Forrest's military acumen began to reveal itself, as he became a thorn in the side of Union operations in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Part 2 includes Forrest's impressive display of physical courage at Fallen Timbers, a chaotic escape at Parker's Crossroads, and a story of equine heroism at Thompson's Station--before concluding with an in-depth look at the April, 1863, Union mule raid led by Col. Abel Streight and opposed by Forrest's Confederate cavalry.

If you have questions or comments about the show, you can reach us at [email protected].

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Nathan Bedford Forrest was perhaps the most despised, though begrudgingly respected, Confederate military leader. After growing up poor on the frontier, Forrest ascended the ranks of Southern society and had amassed considerable wealth by the time the Civil War began in 1861. Although he was involved in numerous business ventures, the bulk of his fortune was derived from the slave trade. When the war began, Forrest's value to the Southern cause was immediately apparent--initially as a recruiter and then as a battlefield commander. In Part 1, we examine Forrest's early life, business ventures, and introduction to military life.

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Sherman's famous March to the Sea is one of the most well-known and noteworthy campaigns of the U.S. Civil War and probably contributed more than anything else to the hatred of Sherman that flourished in the South for 100 years after the war. After capturing Savannah, Sherman turned north, headed for Columbia, SC. Where Savannah survived occupation relatively unscathed, Columbia would not be so lucky. By the time Sherman reunited with Grant, the war was all but over, with only some relatively light mop-up duty left on the agenda.

Sherman played little to no role in Reconstruction, instead moving out west to focus on the Transcontinental Railroad and Indian Wars while in his new position as General of the Army.

If you'd like to reach out to the show, email us at [email protected].

Thanks as always for listening, and I hope you enjoy Part 4 of our Portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman.

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After Shiloh, Sherman got the opportunity to try his hand in civic administration as the military governor of Memphis.  And it was from Memphis that he embarked on a mission, with good friend U.S. Grant, to solve the riddle that was Vicksburg.  After months of frustration, Vicksburg fell in July, 1863.  The Sherman - Grant team's next test, which they passed with flying colors, was to save the Army of the Cumberland besieged at Chattanooga.  Now commanding Union forces in the West, Sherman then set off on a perilous campaign deep into the heart of Dixie, as he tried to capture Atlanta - and save President Lincoln's hopes for reelection in the process.

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Part 2 of our look at the life of William Tecumseh Sherman begins with Col. Sherman commanding NY volunteers at Manassas.  The battle goes poorly for the Union, but Sherman shows strong, earning a promotion to Brigadier and a transfer to Kentucky to serve as second in command to Gen. Robert Anderson.  Anderson's health problems leave Sherman in charge in Kentucky, and the resulting stress leads to mental health struggles for Sherman.  The press, which Sherman already detests, piles on, and Sherman reaches his lowest point in the war.  After a brief leave of absence, Sherman is assigned to serve under soon-to-be rising star Ulysses Grant, beginning a mutually rewarding friendship.  After taking Forts Henry and Donelson, Grant and Sherman move to confront the newly consolidated rebel western forces near Corinth, Mississippi.  A surprise counter-offensive climaxes in the bloody battle of Shiloh, which redeems Sherman's reputation as a soldier but also foretells the brutality that will come to define the Civil War.

If you have any questions or comments, you can reach the show at [email protected].  Thanks for listening!

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William Tecumseh Sherman is one of the U.S. Civil War's most controversial figures.  A "Fierce Patriot" (in the words of Sherman biographer Robert O'Connell), Sherman deserves more credit for holding the United States together than anyone save Lincoln and Grant.  His tactics left the South in smoldering ruins. Yet, in the years leading up to the war he resided in the South, helped to found the Louisiana Military Academy, and sympathized with Southerners politically - except on secession.  How could a man who counted dozens of Confederates among his closest friends go on to become the most hated man in the South?  Simple, Sherman was a soldier first, and he fought to win.  Whether subduing Georgians, Sioux, or Seminoles, Sherman didn't pull punches.  In Sherman's mind, War is Hell, and the primary objective is winning quickly and decisively.

In Part 1 of our portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman, we look at 'Cump's childhood, West Point time, early military career, role in the California Gold Rush, and clear-headed predictions about what to expect when the North and South finally came to blows.

If you have any questions or comments about this or any other episode, you can reach Portraits of Blue & Grey at [email protected].  Thanks for listening!

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