STALEMATE ALONG THE RAPPAHANNOCK
In which we continue our march toward Second Manassas by looking at how Robert E. Lee forced John Pope to withdraw from his line along the Rapidan River, but then Lee’s advance stalled in front of Pope’s new position along the Rappahannock.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “The Second Bull Run Campaign: July-August 1862” by David G. Martin.
Hey, everyone! Guess what— the podcast just turned four-years-old! Woo hoo! Alright, that’s enough exclamation points for one post. Well, maybe one more—because we want to say “Thank you!” for listening to the show. Some of you have been with us from the very beginning. And there are even a few of you diehards who have let us know that you listen to each episode more than once. We’re not sure how much that has contributed to the three million-plus total downloads we’re up to right now, or the 150,000 downloads that we’re averaging each month, but we’re pretty sure our parents are only responsible for a few hundred of the total. We’ve shared with some of you that when we were first talking about starting this project, we decided we’d do the Civil War podcast that we ourselves would want to listen to. That meant beginning, not with the first shots at Fort Sumter in April 1861, but with some background to the war. How much background to include was a matter of some debate, but we started out thinking we’d cover the background-stuff in ten episodes and then get to Fort Sumter with Episode #11. Right. We actually spent over thirty episodes on the background to the war and run-up to the first shots at Fort Sumter, so we were a bit off in our original calculations. That’s why we think it’s kind of funny when people ask us how long we think it’ll take us to complete this series, through the Civil War and Reconstruction. We always say: “We have no idea.” But Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we plan on seeing it through to the end.
CEDAR MOUNTAIN (Part the Second)
In which we look at the action at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, which took place on August 9, 1862.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain” by Robert K. Krick.
CEDAR MOUNTAIN (Part the First)
In which we set the stage for the Battle of Cedar Mountain, which took place on August 9, 1862 on the road to Second Manassas.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “Second Manassas 1862: Robert E Lee’s Greatest Victory” by John Langellier.
“I HAVE COME TO YOU FROM THE WEST”
In which we look at the circumstances surrounding John Pope’s appointment to command the Union’s Army of Virginia in June of 1862.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “General John Pope: A Life for the Nation” by Peter Cozzens.
A NEW WAR
In which we discuss how the Seven Days’ Battles and the failure of McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign in the summer of 1862 was a turning point in the Civil War.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “Struggle for a Vast Future: The American Civil War,” edited by Aaron Sheehan-Dean.
“IT IS DETERMINED TO WITHDRAW YOUR ARMY FROM THE PENINSULA”
In which we look at the aftermath of the Seven Days’ Battles, and the decision to withdraw the Army of the Potomac from the Peninsula.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution” by James M. McPherson.
SEVEN DAYS’ BATTLES: MALVERN HILL (Part the Second)
In which we look at the action at the final battle of the Seven Days’ Campaign: the Battle of Malvern Hill, which took place on July 1, 1862.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “The Seven Days’ Battles: The War Begins Anew” by Judkin Browning.
SEVEN DAYS’ BATTLES: MALVERN HILL (Part the First)
In which we set the stage for the Battle of Malvern Hill, which took place on July 1, 1862.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “Voices of the Civil War: The Seven Days” by the Editors of Time-Life Books.
THE SEVEN DAYS’ BATTLES: GLENDALE (Part the Second)
In which we look at the action at the Battle of Glendale, which took place on Monday, June 30, 1862.
Our book recommendation for this episode is “A Glorious Army: Robert E. Lee’s Triumph, 1862-1863” By jeffry D. Wert.