The Unconstrained Podcast

Today we will return to reading from General Grants book Personal No Mars of Ulysses S grant this is the reading of chapter 32.

Today we will return to reading from General Grants book Personal No Mars of Ulysses S grant this is the reading of chapter 32.

In today's episode I'll be reading from a life of general Robert E Lee by John Eston Cook's where we are joining this story at the second Battle of Maasnass or the second Battle of Bull Run. The second Battle of Bull Run, took place on August 29-30, on the same battlefield as the first Battle of Bull Run. It began when forces of General Pope attacked those of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, who had succeeded in flanking Federal forces and destroying the Federal supply depot at Manassas. Pope's initial attack against Jackson's well entrenched lines failed. The next day, when Pope resumed his attack, the Confederates, led by Longstreet counter-attacked. They forced back Union troops, who retreated across the stone bridge over Bull Run.

July 14, 1861Camp Clark, WashingtonMy very dear Sarah:The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few daysperhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more . . .I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution. And I am willingperfectly willingto lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt . . .Sarah my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood, around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to meperhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness . . .But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah do not mourn me dead think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again . . .Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later at the first Battle of Bull Run along with 846 other Americans, July 21, 1861.

This is Mike Vendetti a.k.a. John W Michaels, a pseudonym I have adopted as a narrator. I hope you have enjoyed the daily podcast of grant and Lee. I certainly have enjoyed narrating these two books. This is a special episode of the podcast, where I am publishing a portion of a book, ''The Creed of the Old South'' written by Basil L Gildersleeve that I narrated and published on audible.com. Basil L Gildersleeve was a 23-year-old professor of the Greek language at the University of Virginia in 1861 when the Civil War began. Like many Virginians, his sympathies were not necessarily with protecting slavery as he owned no slaves, but he was a Virginian and when Virginia joined the southern cause he joined the Confederate Army. Professor Gildersleeve had a rather unique perspective of the war, as he was a professor for nine months of the year, and a soldier for three months.Our story begins in 1916 as Prof. Gildersleeve is traveling on a train and two veterans engage in conversation behind him. He does not join in the conversation, but becomes engrossed in his own thoughts which he relates in this narrative. As is the case with most veterans who have ''Seen the Elephant'' he doesn't dwell on what he saw, but the veteran who has seen the elephant will understand what he is saying.I also believe that the veteran of the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict can better relate to the homecoming of the Confederate soldier. The welcome mat wasn't exactly thrown out upon our return.I hope you find this podcast thought-provoking. If you would care to comment please e-mail me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you.

Lee meets Generall Pope at Manassas

General Grant December 1862. The Campaign against Vicksburg

Lee begins to go on the offensive

Chapter 29 Ulysses S. Grants memoir ''Personal Memoirs of US Grant''

Reading from John Eston Cook's excellent biography of Robert E Lee. In today's episode Lee is out Generaled by McClellan as McClellan is able to retreat to the James River with his forces. It appears that the southern writers have given McClellan far more credit than the northern writers. Also the southern writers at the time attached far more significance to the battle of Cold Harbor then the northern writers. This chapter of A Life of Robert E Lee is brought to you by audio books by Mike Vendetti at www.audiobooksbyMikeVendetti.com, where the entire audio book is [email protected].