The men of the Mess take a look tonight at a controversial figure of the war in the West, Major General William "Bull" Nelson. Capable on the battlefield but personally abrasive, Nelson never proved to be an endearing character to those under his command which perhaps led to his demise in dramatic fashion. Norris gives us a look into the life and death of an intriguing individual.

In our living history segment, Chuck leads the discussion into how when building an impression, individuals must take care to understand the many differences between Eastern and Western Federal troops in physical kit, background and experience, and ideology.

To close this week's show, Wade attempts (most unsuccessfully) to lure Norris and Chuck into a "what if" scenario examining what might have occurred had Braxton Bragg turned and made a stand against Buell's Army of the Ohio after pulling away from Perryville as urged by his corps commanders Smith, Hardee, and Polk. The topic does lead to a good discussion of the Army of Tennessee after Perryville and Bragg's evaluation of the situation he found himself in.

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