Boom Goes the History

Welcome back for Part 2 of our special LIVE bonus episode of Boom Goes the History , recorded before a packed audience at Gettysburg History, home of the Adams County Historical Society! Co-hosts Kris White and Garry Adelman return with an all-star panel of Gettysburg experts, including Wayne Motts, Jim Hessler, Tim Smith, Sarah Kay Bierle, and Chris Mackowski, for another fast-paced, unpredictabl...

Join us for Part 1 of a special LIVE bonus episode of BoomGoes the History, recorded in front of a live audience at Gettysburg History, home of the Adams County Historical Society! Co-hosts Kris White and Garry Adelman are joined by an all-star lineup of Gettysburg experts, including Tim Smith, Jim Hessler, and Chris Mackowski, for an energetic, unexpected, and unscripted conversation about Americ...

We gave you "Why Gettysburg?" with Garry Adelman and now we present "Why Stonewall?" with our good friend and frequent American Battlefield Trust personality Chris Mackowski. Learn why a proud Upstate New Yorker has such a fascination with the famed Confederate General. Garry and Kris White join him on this week's episode of BOOM Goes the History.

In this episode of Boom Goes the History, hosts Garry Adelman and Kris White dive into Lee's critical decision-making during the failed Maryland Campaign. They explore the context surrounding Lee's actions, the strategic options he considered, and the outcomes of his campaign. What do you think? Was Lee's gamble worth it? Listen in!

What really happened at the Little Bighorn? In this special episode of Boom Goes the History, hosts Garry Adelman and Kris White saddle up with in-house Custer expert Dan Davis to tackle one of the most famous—and debated—battles in American history: The Battle of the Little Bighorn—on its 150th anniversary. From big personalities and battlefield blunders to myths, legends, and last stands, the cr...

What happens when two of America’s biggest revolutionary minds become one of its most famous political rivalries? In this episode of  Boom Goes the History , Kris White, Chris Mackowski, and Dan Davis dive into the fascinating feud between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams—friends, rivals, frenemies, and eventually something more. From politics and personality clashes to the legacy of their remarkab...

In this episode of  Boom Goes the History , historians Tim Smith and Garry Adelman dive into the powerful world of Civil War photography at Gettysburg. This isn’t about how to take a better photo—it’s about the men behind the camera and the haunting, iconic images they left behind. From the work of Alexander Gardner to Mathew Brady, we explore how these early photographers documented the aftermath...

What happens when the capital falls—but the fight is far from over? In this episode of Boom Goes the History , co-host Kris White is joined by historian Dan Davis and producer Andy Poulton to dive into the dramatic Philadelphia Campaign of 1777. From the shock of losing the American capital to the hard lessons learned on the road to Valley Forge, the crew unpacks how setbacks helped shape the Revo...

What happens when modern historians react to historians of the past? In this episode of  Boom Goes the History , Garry Adelman brings a wild idea to the table: watching and reacting to old clips of legendary historians. First up—Douglas Southall Freeman. We dive into Freeman’s thoughts on respecting the enemy, but the real surprise? Hearing his voice! Join us for a fun, slightly stunned, and occas...

Why Gettysburg? What makes one battle capture a lifetime of curiosity? On this episode of Boom Goes the History, we sit down with American Battlefield Trust Chief Historian Garry Adelman to talk about his lifelong obsession with the Battle of Gettysburg. From the dramatic three days of fighting to his love of Civil War photography, Garry shares how he became completely hooked on Gettysburg—and why...

The American Battlefield Trust’s Boom Goes the History podcast is back—and it’s louder, livelier, and more fun than ever. In this reboot of the fan-favorite show, we dive headfirst into the stories, personalities, and surprising moments that shaped American history. From the drama of the Revolutionary War to the high stakes of the War of 1812 and the epic clashes of the Civil War, no battlefield—o...

Join Kris White for this in-depth tour of the Bennett Place State Historic Site in North Carolina, where Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his Confederate forces to William T. Sherman in late April, 1865.

In this episode Chief Historian Garry Adelman is joined by special guests Derrick Brown and Colby Stevens. Stay tuned until the end for an impromptu stop at the Cole Plantation!

After capturing Wilmington, North Carolina in February of 1865, Union forces led by John Schofield moved inland to face Joseph E. Johnston and Braxton Bragg. Kris White gives a breakdown of the battle from the Wyse Fork battle monument in Kinston, NC.

After Fort Fisher fell to Union forces, the Confederates still held powerful Fort Anderson. Could a veteran of Antietam and Franklin compromise the fort? Join Chief Historian, Garry Adelman, historian Chris Fonvielle Jr. and Site Manager Jim McKee at the “best preserved Confederate earthen fort.”

On February 11, 1865, the little known Battle of Sugar Loaf opened up the Wilmington Campaign. Join Chris Fonvielle Jr. for this brief tour of the new Joseph Ryder Lewis Jr. Civil War Park, dedicated to telling the story of those who fought throughout Wilmington, North Carolina. After Sugar Loaf, we continue onto Forks Road. In 1980, Chris Fonvielle Jr. came across a piece of land that now sits ne...

Kris White and Chris Fonvielle Jr. complete their comprehensive tour of Fort Fisher in North Carolina. This is the second of two episodes. If you have ever wanted an all-encompassing tour of Fort Fisher in North Carolina, then you have found the right podcast episodes.

If you have ever wanted an all-encompassing tour of Fort Fisher in North Carolina, then you have found the right podcast episode! Kris White is joined by Chris Fonvielle Jr. for a walk around the historic fort. This is part one of two episodes.

Initially established as a Union railroad hub and hospital, Camp Nelson evolved into one of the largest recruiting and training centers for United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. Additionally, the site served as a refugee camp for these soldiers and their families. In 2018, Camp Nelson officially became Camp Nelson National Monument, the 418th unit of the National Park Service. Join Ga...

With names like Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant dominating the headlines, we often forget just how many different actions of the Civil War were happening at the same time. There is no better representation of this than the Battle of Tebbs Bend, which occurred on July 4, 1863 - one day after the conclusion of the Battle of Gettysburg and the same day that the Siege of Vicksburg came to a close....

We are joined by special guest Tres Seymour at the beautiful Munfordville battlefield to discuss the pivotal action here in September of 1862, leading up to the Battle of Perryville three weeks later.

Richmond, Virginia is known for being the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, but did you know that there is also a Richmond in the border state of Kentucky? Garry Adelman is joined by Phillip Seyfrit of the Battle of Richmond Visitor Center to discuss one of the most lopsided battles of the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory.

The January 19, 1862, Battle of Mill Springs put Union Brig. Gen. George H. Thomas on the map. Thomas defeated a force of Confederates commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. Crittenden and Brig. Gen. Felix Zollicoffer. Join Chief Historian Garry Adelman and author and historian Stuart Sanders as we explore this overlooked early action in the Blue Grass State.

On October 21, 1861, Union victory at Camp Wildcat in Kentucky, was overshadowed by the Federal debacle at Ball's Bluff in Virginia, which took place the same day. Join Kris White as he explores this out of the way Civil War action, which was the FIRST clash of arms in Kentucky during the Civil War. Then... On October 18, 1862, ten days after the Battle of Perryville a battle erupts in Lexingt...

Artifacts rule in part 2 of our trip to Perryville, KY with Chris Mackowski leading the way along with Garry Adelman, Joan Lee House, Chad Greene and Steve Zahn.