INFANTRY (Part the First)
In which we use several episodes to talk about the three combat arms of Civil War armies- the infantry, cavalry, & artillery.
Our book recommendations for this episode are The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy and The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union by Bell Irvin Wiley.
Listen to Episode 45: InfantryPartFirst
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| A cannon sits in front of the impressive equestrian statue of Union Major General John F. Reynolds alongside the Chambersburg Pike. |
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| John Buford’s statue looks down the Chambersburg Pike outside Gettysburg, where on July 1, 1863 his cavalry division delayed the Confederate advance long enough for Reynolds’ I Corps to come up. |
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| Rich & Tracy at the statue of Father William Corby, chaplain of the 88th New York of the famed ‘Irish Brigade.’ |
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| Wildflowers in the Wheatfield, where some of the bloodiest & hardest-fought combat of the entire war took place on July 2, 1863. |
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| The Irish Brigade Monument memorializes three of the brigade’s five units- the 63rd, 69th, & 88th New York regiments. |
The Maps of Gettysburg: An Atlas of the Gettysburg Campaign, June 3-July 13, 1863 by Bradley M. Gottfried
Rich is a huge, HUGE map geek so it’s no surprise he loves this book like a fat kid loves cake. Make sure you get the revised, full color edition.
Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage by Noah Andre Trudeau
We had a tough time choosing between this book and Edwin B. Coddington’s “The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command,” but Tracy is a big fan of Trudeau’s riveting narrative, so “Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage” won out. (Although, Rich says he may still sneak Coddington into the suitcase.)
The Complete Gettysburg Guide by J. David Petruzzi, maps & photography by Steven Stanley
Our choice of this book has nothing, NOTHING!, to do with the fact that Mr. Petruzzi and Rich’s dad happen to be from the same small town in north-central Pennsylvania.
The Gettysburg Companion: The Complete Guide to America’s Most Famous Battle by Mark Adkin
“This is the Gettysburg book that students and aficionados of the battle have dreamed about… The Gettysburg Companion is quite simply an absolute gem.” ~ D. Scott Hartwig, Civil War historian, Gettysburg, PA
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| Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) |
JEFFERSON DAVIS (Part the Second)
In which we continue the biographical sketch of Jefferson Davis’s life in order to bring him up to speed with where we are on the podcast timeline, the year 1861. We end this episode by taking a look at the formation of the Confederate cabinet.
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| Alexander H. Stephens (1812-1883) |
Our book recommendation for this episode is The Confederate Nation: 1861-1865 by Emory M. Thomas.
“Drawing on his own research and the voluminous historical literature, Thomas has provided an original and readable narrative of the Confederate experience.” ~ Eric Foner
Listen to Episode 27: JeffersonDavisPartSecond
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| Jefferson (1808-1889) and Varina (1826-1906) Davis |
JEFFERSON DAVIS (Part the First)
In which we use a special two-part biography of Jefferson Davis to bring his life up to speed with where we currently are on the podcast timeline, the year 1861.
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| Sarah Knox Taylor (1814-1835), age sixteen |
Our book recommendation for this episode is Jefferson Davis, American by William J. Cooper, Jr.
“Jefferson Davis lived seventy-seven of his eighty-one years as an American, and only four as president of the Confederacy. Yet it is for those four years he is chiefly remembered. William J. Cooper’s splendid biography- the best yet- does good service in reminding us that even during his years at war with the United States, Davis professed to be fighting for American institutions and ideals as he understood them.” ~ James M. McPherson
Listen to Episode 26: JeffersonDavisPartFirst
We remember & honor those American men and women who have died in the service of their country.
In which we take a look at some of the major differences between North & South on the eve of the Civil War.
Our book recommendation for this episode is Life in Civil War America by Michael O. Varhola.
Author and historian Michael Varhola takes you back in time to the Civil War, illuminating both the sweeping changes and cultural norms that shaped the everyday lives of soldiers and civilians during the conflict that divided the nation.
Listen to the Bonus Episode: http://civilwarpodcast.libsyn.com/the-civil-war-1861-1865-a-history-podcast
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