When Does A Scorched-Earth Policy Work? A Look at the Civil War's Final Year

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2019

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ulysses S. Grant arrives to take command of all Union armies in March 1864 to the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox a year later. Over 180,000 black soldiers in the Union army. And most of all, William Tecumseh Sherman launches his scorched-earth March to the Sea. Other events include the rise of Clara Barton; the election of 1864 (which Lincoln nearly lost); the wild and violent guerrilla war in Missouri; and the dramatic final events of the war, including the surrender at Appomattox and the murder of Abraham Lincoln.

Today I'm talking with S.C. Gwynne, author of Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War. We discuss unexpected angles and insights on the war. Ulysses S. Grant is known for his prowess as a field commander, but in the final year of the war he largely fails at that. His most amazing accomplishments actually began the moment he stopped fighting. William Tecumseh Sherman was a lousy general, but probably the single most brilliant man in the war. We also meet a different Clara Barton, one of the greatest and most compelling characters, who redefined the idea of medical care in wartime. And proper attention is paid to the role played by large numbers of black union soldiers—most of them former slaves. They changed the war and forced the South to come up with a plan to use its own black soldiers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Did you know choosing the train can take up to 500 cars off the road? Just one train at a time.
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0:29.0	last greener.
0:30.0	What was it like to watch the Twin Tower's collapse on 9-11?
0:34.0	How about to be sent to Auschwitz during the Holocaust?
0:37.0	Our past is a collection of stories that bring us to where we are and shape our perspectives.
0:41.0	Hi, I'm Josh Cohen, host of the eyewitness history podcast.
0:45.0	On my show, I interviewed guests who watched the events that shaped our world.
0:49.0	From heartbreaking war stories to hilarious memories from the SNL writers room, no recollection
0:54.0	is off limits. To start listening now for free, go to ParthenonPodcast.com or search eyewitness history on the podcast player of your choice.
1:06.0	Welcome to the History Unplugged Podcast. The unscripted show that celebrates unsung heroes,
1:12.0	Mythbust's historical lies, and rediscoveres the forgotten stories that changed our world.
1:19.0	I'm your host, Scott Rank.
1:27.0	The fourth and final year of the Civil War was one of the most important and destructive times in all of American history.
1:34.0	Ulysses S. Grant took command of all Union armies in March 1864 and 180,000 black soldiers joined the Union Army.
1:41.0	In this time period, the South faced almost total destruction with William T. Cumsha Sherman's March to the Sea.
1:47.0	While at the same time, guerrilla war rages in Missouri, all leading up to the surrender Appomattox Courthouse and the murder of Abraham Lincoln.
1:54.0	Today I'm speaking with Sam Gwynn, author of the book, Hems of the Republic, the story of the final year of the American Civil War.
2:00.0	There's lots of fresh angles about the war. For example, Robert E. Lee, known as a great general in Southern Hero, dealt with frustration, failure, and loss.
2:07.0	Ulysses S. Grant, known for his prowess on the battlefield, largely failed in the war, despite winning.
	...

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