In our last full episode devoted to the western theater, we know turn our attention to Sherman's next act, his march through the Carolina's. When he completed his march across Georgia, the thought was to reunite with Grant. Instead, Sherman wanted to march through the heart of the Carolina's to the border of Virginia. Imperiling Lee's supply line. Grant agreed to the idea. Sherman marched through the heart of the Confederacy, further wrecking the fragile Confederate economy, and driving morale down to the bottom of the barrel. Despite Jefferson Davis naming Robert E. Lee General-in-chief of the Confederacy, it was too little, too late. The end of the war was in sight. Take a listen!
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Once Atlanta was secured, Sherman considered next steps. Sherman mulled over an idea - marching through Georgia. After deliberations with the Lincoln Administration and General Grant, Sherman convinced them to back his plan. He wanted retribution and to demonstrate what the Union could do. In a severe blow to Confederate morale, Sherman wrecked the economy of Georgia. Rather than contesting Sherman, Confederate General Hood marched north to Tennessee to distract Grant and the Union high command. Grant and Sherman had planned for this. Hood wrecked the remainder of his army at the battle of Franklin. The heart of the Confederacy was defenseless.
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In this episode we journey east. In the aftermath of the disaster at Cold Harbor, Grant turned his eyes toward Petersburg, the critical supply hub for the rebel capital at Richmond. While giving Lee the slip, Grant's tired troops bungled the capture of Petersburg. A siege ensued. In the meantime, in an effort to siphon troops from the siege line, Jubal Early launched a raid on Washington, DC. While it temporarily succeded in drawing forces off the siege lines, it caught the attention of Grant, who ordered Phil Sheridan to the Shenandoah to stop Confederate intrusions. He did that and more - destroying Early's force and denuding the valley of supplies for the Confederates.
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In our last episode we covered Sherman's march to Atlanta. In this episode we cover the siege and fall of Atlanta. Dissatisfied with General Johnston's penchant for retreat, Confederate President Jefferson Davis replaced him with John B. Hood. Hood was the polar opposite of Johnston - aggressive to the point of recklessness. Upon taking command, Hood tangled with Sherman in attempt to stop his advance on Atlanta. Given Hood's desire to attack, he may have slowed Sherman down, but could not stop him from layng siege to Atlanta. In the end, all Hood accomplished was waste his army away with quesionable attacks.
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In this episode we head west and focus on General Sherman's march on Atlanta, Georgia. After the victory at Chattanooga, moving into the Confederate heartland and neutralizing Atlanta seemed a prudent next step. Over the summer of 1864, General Sherman and his opponent, General Johnston maneuvered, retreated, skrimished, and occasionally fought from Tenneesee to Atlanta. Johnston prudently chose to give up space for time to preserve his army, but the Confederates could not afford to do so. Faced with a great deal of criticism, as Sherman's army arrived at the gates of Atlanta, Johnston was replaced with John Hood who, in the later half of the campaign, would destroy the army Johnston wanted to preserve.
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In this episode we continue our coverage of Grant's overland campaign. After the wilderness and Spotsylvania Grant continued to move south with Lee moving in concert with him. After being stopped at North Anna, Grant continued south and wandered into the battlefields of McClellan's campaign in 1862. Grant and Lee met again at a place called Cold Harbor. Lee entrenched. Grant attacked. While Grant would recognize that it was a mistake to attack, for Grant's critics, Cold Harbor was synomous with his new nickname, 'butcher Grant'. I weight the evidence and conclude that Grant's failures at Cold Harbor can't be seen in isolation with the other battles of the Overland campaign. Take a listen!
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Grant's overland campaign began in 1864 as he moved south to engage Lee's forces. Grant was determined to destroy Lee's Army. While outnumbered, Lee adroitly moved south in concert with Grant, engaging the Army of the Potomac, first, at a place known as the wilderness, a tangle of undergrowth that was fought over the year before where it was known as Chancellorsville. Grant attacked Lee's forces and nearly suceeded but was pushed back. Disengaging with Lee, Grant moved south and re-engaged Lee at a place called Spotsylvania. Lee had the advantage over Grant, but the Army of the Potomac pushed hard. Grant's determination set him aside from his predecessors.
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As we mentioned in our last episode, we are ready to start 1864, the last full year of the Civil War. We will focus on Ulysses S. Grant's assumption of command of all armies that the Union could field. After years of searching, President Lincoln finally found a general he could work with. Grant, unlike his presecessors, was not only ready to commit the Army of the Potomac to battle, but pursue Lee until the rebel army was broken. Grant was also ready to apply force at every point of the map to keep the Confederates engaged. While these subsidary campgains failed, Grant was ready to battle Robert E. Lee.
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A short episode that will focus on what is next now that we are ready to start focusing on the last full year of the Civil War - 1864.
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In this episode we finish telling the story of the naval contributions to the Civil War. The story concentrates on the campaigns to close the final Confederate ports open to blockade runners - Charleston, South Carolina, Mobile, Alabama, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The naval forces of both sides made important contributions to their respective war efforts.
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One of the more compelling stories of the Civil War was the journey to freedom that many freedmen took. Beginning in 1862, and accelerating in 1863, many men of color took up arms to help defeat the insitution that had enslaved them. They made important contributions to the war effort, though faced many challenges - low pay, raical barriers, and threats of re-enslavement from the Confederate government to name a few. The story of the accomplishments of the men who fought for their freedom is the story of the Civil War.
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In our last episode we spoke of Chickamauga. In this episiode, we speak to its sibling, the battle of Chattanooga. General Rosecrans may have captured Chattanooga, but was summarily trapped by Braxton Bragg. Not satisfied with Rosecran, he was relieved and replaced with General Grant. Grant improved the supply situation and planned to dislodge Bragg and break his siege. His subordinate generals attacked Bragg's flanks and then broke the center of the line, sweeping Bragg's army from the field.
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As Meade battled Lee at Gettysburg, Grant captured Vicksburg, and William Rosecrans was wrestling with Braxton Bragg in Tennessee. For the better part of the 1863 campaign season, Rosecrans was far too slow in making his moves. While Rosecrans was able to maneuver Bragg out of Chattanooga, Rosecrans split up his army, providing an opportunity for Bragg to attack. Bragg put Rosecrans in his place at Chickamauga, narrowly missing an opportunity to destroy Rosecrans' army.
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We have come to the last day of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. The third day was dominated by the event known as Pickett's Charge. General Lee was convinced that a final push at the center of General Meade's line would destroy the Army of the Potomac. Unfortunately, it was wishful thinking. Despite the bravery of the men moving forward, the assualt failed. We spend the remainder of the episode exploring the legacy of this famous battle. Take a listen!
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In this episode we turn the page to the beginning of the second day of the battle of Gettysburg. As units of the Army of the Potomac concentrated south of Gettysburg, Meade recognized the advantages his position afforded and remained on the defense. Lee, not having a full picture of Meade's army, thought that a second day of attacks, along both flanks, would break Meade's position. As the day unfolded, Dan Sickles, Commander of Meade's Third Corps, upset the Union's position, which would become apparent as the battle commenced in the afternoon.
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