This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Scribner, publisher of Hymns of the Republic,

the story of the final year of the American Civil War, by Pulitzer Prize finalist, S. C. Gwynn.

If Gwynn's name seems familiar to you, it might just be because we've previously recommended

his biography of Stonewall Jackson, Rebel Yell.

Here with his new book, Hymns of the Republic, Gwynn has put together another home run.

This one looking at the fourth and final year of the Civil War.

One of our favorite authors, Sebastian Younger, says,

S. C. Gwynn's riveting book, Hymns of the Republic, finally made me realize that one cannot fully understand America

without understanding the American Civil War.

Well, we agree with that. And since it's going to be a while before we get to the war's final year here on the podcast,

you can satisfy yourself with Gwynn's book in the meantime.

Hymns of the Republic is on sale now in Hardcover, e-book, or audiobook, so get your copy today.

Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to episode 304 of our Civil War Podcast.

Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to episode 304 of our Civil War Podcast.

I'm Rich. And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all, welcome to the podcast.

As you guys will recall in the last show, we talked about how important it is for a military commander to have good, reliable information

about the enemy's strength, position, activities, and intentions.

Knowing this to be true, when Joe Hooker replaced Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac in early 1863,

he issued orders for the establishment of a dedicated military intelligence unit.

This new organization was the BMI, the Bureau of Military Information, and it was headed by Colonel George Sharp.

As we talked about in the last episode, reports had been accumulating regarding a concentration of the rebel cavalry under Jeb Stewart at Culpepper Courthouse.

The Confederate horsemen were gathering at Culpepper, so the stories went, in preparation for a big raid of some sort,

...