Boom Goes the History

Join us from atop Pittsburg Landing in the Shiloh National Cemetery for a summary of how the Union and Confederate Armies end up at Shiloh. Garry Adelman is the Chief Historian of the American Battlefield Trust, and General Parker Hills is representing Battle Focus Tours.

With a growing Federal Army engulfing the Fort Donelson garrison on the Cumberland River, Confederate Generals Gideon Pillow and John Floyd flee to safety, while the majority of their men surrender to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Grant meets with his old friend Simon Bolivar Buckner, now in charge of the Confederate garrison, at the Dover Hotel. Grant gives him his terms...unconditional surrender. It wa...

As the Confederate forces attempted to breakout from Fort Donelson at Dudley Hill, Ulysses S. Grant seizes the opportunity by launching an assault on the Confederate right. Headed by Gen. Charles F. Smith, the Confederate line is breached in heavy fighting, while the two principal Confederate commanders, Gens. John Floyd and Gideon Pillow prepared to flee to safety. Garry Adelman, Greg Biggs, and...

With their backs against the wall, and a growing Union force looming, Confederate Generals Gideon Pillow, John Floyd, and Simon B. Buckner attempt to breakout from Fort Donelson in February of 1862. Join Garry Adelman, Greg Biggs, Chris Mackowski, and Kris White as they visit Dudley Hill, land preserved by the members of the American Battlefield Trust and key to the story of the battle of Fort Don...

It's one of the most picturesque settings on any Civil War battlefield, Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. In February of 1862, the Federal Army and Navy combined their efforts to open the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. In the actions that followed, Middle Tennessee was opened to Federal incursions and the career of Ulysses S. Grant was placed on the fast track. Join Garry Adelman and Gr...

With this episode, we are launching our Western Theater of the Civil War swing where Ulysses S. Grant's career was launched: Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Join Garry Adelman, Greg Biggs, and Chris Mackowski as they take you to the banks of the Tennessee River, near Dover, Tennessee, where Fort Henry once protected the ingress to the heart of the Confederacy.

Pickett's Charge, the High Water Mark of the Confederacy, was the climatic phase of the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 3, 1863, more than 12,000 Confederate soldiers assaulted the Federal position along Cemetery Ridge. In less than an hour, the Rebels were dealt a stunning defeat. Explore The Angle, the High Water Mark, and the Copse of Trees with Wayne Motts of the Gettysburg Foundation, Chris...

Pickett's Charge, the High Water Mark of the Confederacy, was the climatic phase of the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 3, 1863, more than 12,000 Confederate soldiers assaulted the Federal position along Cemetery Ridge. In less than an hour, the Rebels were dealt a stunning defeat. Join us as we retrace the steps of Pickett’s Charge on our annual live stream, with some special artifacts waiting...

Join us from Gettysburg with Dr. Carol Reardon for forgotten stories at Steven's Knoll, a less visited part of the battlefield.

Culp's Hill marked the right flank of the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. The imposing tree and rock covered height played host to some of the most intense fighting. on July 2, 1863, Confederate forces under Richard Ewell and Edward "Alleghany" Johnson, attacked the all New York brigade of George Sears Greene. Timely Federal reinforcements from the 11th Corps, 1st Corps, and...

The Wheatfield at Gettysburg was a hellish landscape. Union and Confederate soldiers from Pennsylvania, Maine, New York, Georgia, South Carolina, and other states struggled in a chaotic seesaw action for hours. The once nondescript wheatfield of George Rose laid trampled and bloody. Join Garry Adelman, Kris White, and Sarah Kay Bierle from the American Battlefield Trust as they bring you eyewitnes...

Garry Adelman and Kris White are back for their annual tour of Devil's Den at Gettysburg.

You won’t believe what we have for you in this episode! In conjunction with the National Park Service and the West Point Museum, we are high atop Little Round Top with some amazing people and artifacts, featuring Gouverneur K. Warren's field glasses. We also give a behind-the-scenes look and update on the Little Round Top restoration progress.

The death of John Reynolds was a key moment on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Join Pete Miele, Dr. Carol Reardon, Sarah Kay Bierle, and Garry Adelman as they discuss the event.

We continue our 160th anniversary theme of eyewitness accounts by talking about the citizens of Gettysburg that witnessed the first shot of the battle on the Chambersburg Pike.

We’re discussing the town of Gettysburg during the battle with Adams County Historical Society Historian and Licensed Battlefield Guide Tim Smith.

On June 28, 1863, Pennsylvania Militia burned the Wrightsville Bridge to stop the Army of Northern Virginia from being able to reach the state capital of Harrisburg. Just a few days later, Robert E. Lee would call all of his forces back to Gettysburg for the most famous battle of the Civil War.

As the Army of Northern Virginia moved into Pennsylvania during 1863's Gettysburg Campaign, Confederate forces under Richard Ewell made it as far north as Carlisle, a small town which had already made a name for itself in American history. Garry Adelman and Kris White are joined by special guests Courtney Cauthon and Chris Jones of Barefoot Historian & Co. for a look into the Shelling of C...

Our coverage of the 160th Anniversary of Gettysburg begins with Kris White and Dr. Chris Mackowski discussing how the events at Chancellorsville lead directly into Robert E. Lee's Gettysburg Campaign.

On May 10, 1863, Stonewall Jackson died after being wounded in the Battle of Chancellorsville. Join Chris Mackowski and Sarah Kay Bierle from the Stonewall Jackson Death Site for this last episode of our commemoration of the 160th Anniversary of Chancellorsville.

We trace the final action at the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863, the Battle of Salem Church, which stemmed the Union tide rolling west along the Orange Turnpike.

We are LIVE following in the footsteps of the Army of the Potomac as they assault Marye’s Heights at Second Fredericksburg. Barksdale’s Mississippi brigade and the Washington Artillery tangles with the 6th Corps in the famed Sunken Road. The area came to be known as one of several "Gibraltars of the South."

Kris White and Chris Mackowski are on the ground at Chatham Manor in Fredericksburg discussing Chancellorsville’s forgotten front.

We wrap up our commemorative coverage of the Battle of Chancellorsville at the famous crossroads of the Plank Road and Elys Ford Road. Our full team of Chris Mackowski, Kris White, Steward Henderson, Greg Mertz, Dan Davis, Don Pfanz, Sarah Kay Bierle, Tim Talbott and Andy Poulton behind the camera are on the call. Thank you for joining us throughout our series and be on the lookout for future 160t...

The Battle of Chancellorsville raged for more than five hours near the crossroads "town." Fighting in the woods north of the Orange Turnpike was confusing and vicious throughout May 3, 1863. Fires engulfed part of the woods while Robert E. Lee's and Joseph Hooker's armies clashed for control of the Chancellorsville Crossroads. Jeb Stuart pushed the Army of the Potomac from the we...