To those of you listening to this episode in the future, what we say in the next couple of minutes may not have much context.

But as we sit down to record today on Sunday, June 7, 2020, we just wanted to take a few moments to address some current events.

Since we've been struck by how much that is going on today in our nation is connected to issues that are directly linked to the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Although we've never met most of you, we feel as if we've been joined together with you through this podcast, joined together in a community of people who value and uphold the lessons of history.

It gives Tracey and I a great joy to view our past through the lens of this podcast, and it makes us happy to be able to share that joy and that view of the past with each of you.

The source of that happiness is our hope that as each of you shares this journey slash adventure with us, that each of us is enriched by the connection we formed through the telling of the story of the Civil War era.

But lately we've been wondering, is there a wider purpose to our connection? Is there something in the retelling of the entire story of the Civil War and Reconstruction that can inform the people we are now, even in the light of the people who lived and died before we were even born, yet struggled with these same issues our nation is still grappling with even today?

Does this look back hold for us a glimmer of understanding and hope that we might attach to our shared future as Americans?

We hope so.

Our wish for all of you is that you will be safe and well, and that this podcast would be a benefit not only in understanding the past, but in assessing the problems of the present and planning for a better future.

If the past teaches us anything, it's the value in listening to, learning from, and respecting others.

Any other way leads down the slippery slope of intolerance, hatred, and violence.

Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to episode 326 of Our Civil War Podcast.

I'm Rich.

And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast.

As you guys will recall, we used the last episode to talk about Major General George Mead, the commander of the Federal's Army of the Potomac.

And now, with this show, we'll be turning our attention to General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederates Army of Northern Virginia.

As we said previously on the podcast, Lee had established his headquarters just outside Chambersburg in a grove of trees known as Messerschmitt's Woods on June 26, 1863.

By June 28, Lee's orders had placed Yule's Corps in a position to capture the Pennsylvania State Capitol of Harrisburg after it had advanced to the Cessque-Hanna River.

And the Confederate Army commander had also drawn up orders that would set Long Street's Corps and Hills Corps in motion, marching eastward from their Bivouacs around Chambersburg to support Yule.

But that night, the night of the 28th, those plans suddenly changed when the Spy Harrison brought Lee News that the Union Army had already crossed the Potomac River.

This was a pivotal moment in the campaign. Lee was surprised by Harrison's report and had to act quickly in order to meet the threat posed by the Federal's.

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