In an extended tangent, we trace the history of a little-known part of the Transmississippi war from its roots in the deep history of the southeastern Indian tribes.

Skip to 11:10 to skip the long intro.

Border War timeline

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After his victory at Wilson’s Creek, Sterling Price campaigns to win Missouri for the Confederacy. Jim Lane returns to Kansas and raises a brigade of Jayhawkers. John C. Frémont scrambles to recover after the death of Nathaniel Lyon.

Border War timeline

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John Brown’s trial and execution, and the election of Abraham Lincoln as president, solidify the sectional split and spark civil war. Unionists and secessionists in Missouri scramble for dominance. The first two great battles of the war give the nation an ugly wake-up call.

Why the Soviets Invaded Afghanistan and Why it Still Matters Today by Burn These Books (referenced at 2:04:35)

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Thanks to my brother Zach for arranging and recording the intro music.

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The free state party, led by Jim Lane and the Danites, goes over to the offensive and exacts retribution against the proslavery side for the violence in the summer of 1856. Two mystic figures from very different times and backgrounds forge similar paths toward destruction in Virginia. All driving the nation closer to the brink of civil war.

To skip the gory stuff, jump to 2:10:15 when indicated.

Show email: [email protected]

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The backlash from the Pottawatomie Massacre hits Kansas Territory. Jim Lane returns to liberate the territory from the iron fist of the Missourians. While caught in the middle, settlers with sympathies to both sides, or neither, try to get on with their already-tough lives under constant threat of burning, pillaging, and cold-blooded murder.

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During the standoff on the Wakarusa, a man of destiny shows up in Lawrence. Kansans and Missourians alike learn just how ugly guerrilla war can get. It’s just a small taste of things to come.

Tragic Prelude (referenced at 7:30)

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Guerrilla warfare is ugly. It’s uglier when it’s between fellow countrymen. In this prologue of sorts, reckless pride and unintended consequences throw a nation into an unrecoverable tailspin.

Map (referenced at 28:26)

Christian history resource (referenced at 2:17:12)

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Thanks to my brother Zach for arranging and recording the intro music.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jasonmcginty.substack.com/subscribe