This episode follows up with the previous. After focusing on what it was like to serve in the west after the Civil War, we close the circle with this episode where we focus on the campagin trail and combat. Rather than fighting standing armies

159 The West: A Soldier's Life

1 month ago 28m 2s

In this episode, we take a closer look at the life of officers and enlisted men on the frontier. We explore the motivations for joining and the challenges of serving. The post Civil War Army served in over 200 posts spread through the west. The

158 The West: Geronimo

Feb 29th, 2024 20m 55s

As we draw down the arc of episodes related to post-Civil War Indian Wars, in this episode we will concentrate on subduing Geronimo. Geronimo bedeviled the US Army as he left the reservation three separate times. For the last two campaigns, Gen

157 The West: The Navajo, The Apache, and the Border

Jan 26th, 2024 23m 41s

In the episode we move from the Lakota and Sioux to the border region. Long before the United States controlled what we know today as the Southwest, Spanish and then Mexican authorities had to contend with Navajo and Apache raids. Once the Amer

Special Holiday Message - 2023

Dec 25th, 2023 6m 19s

I wanted to ask you all a question and wish you a happy and safe holiday season. If you would like to respond to the query, you can either respond through the podcast's facebook page or drop me a line through the podcasts email at americawarpod

156 The West: The Great Sioux War

Dec 21st, 2023 23m 41s

The death of George Armstrong Custer and the destruction of the Seventh Cavalry is a touchstone for the Indian Wars. It is the one event that in many people's mind, is the touchstone for the post-Civil War conflicts with Native Armericans. We w

155 The West: The Midwest and Rocky Mountain States, 1865-1870

Nov 23rd, 2023 21m 55s

We are moving to the center of the country with this episode. Before the beginning of the Civil War through the decade of the 1870s, the Army was busy in the center of the country. This episode will serve as bridge between the end of the Civil

154 The West: The Nez Perce War, Part VI

Oct 28th, 2023 27m 53s

This is our last episode concerning the Nez Perce War of 1877. In the aftermath of Big Hole, the Nez Perce continued east, traveling through the newly established Yellowstone National Park. As it became clear that they were not welcome in Crow

153 The West: The Nez Perce War, Pt. V.

Sep 23rd, 2023 23m 16s

We continue our narrative on the Nez Perce War, concentrating on what happened at Big Hole Montana. After successfully eluding the army in Montana, they camped in the Big Hole valley, thinking they were safe. They were not. Colonel John Gibbon

152 The West: The Nez Perce War, Pt. IV

Aug 30th, 2023 22m 17s

We continue the Nez Perce War with this episode. After the various missteps and mistakes by General Howard, the Army struck the Nez Perce again at the Battle of the Clearwater. While it could be seen as a victory, the Nez Perce escaped, leaving

151 The West: Nez Perce War of 1877 Pt. III

Jul 31st, 2023 26m 35s

We are continuing our story of the Nez Perce War of 1877. In this episode, we will concentrate on the start of hostilities. With emotions running high, Joseph and his band left the Wallowa's of northeast Oregon for the now reduced Nez Perce res

150 The West: Nez Perce War of 1877 Pt. II

Jul 17th, 2023 26m 41s

With this episode, we continue the story of the Nez Perce War of 1877. With the onset of the colonization of the Pacific Northwest, tensions gradually rose between the Tribes of the Northwest and these newcomers. Once the border between Briti

149 The West: The Nez Perce War of 1877, Pt. I

Jul 1st, 2023 21m 26s

As we move to the Pacific Northwest from California, it is time to consider the Nez Perce War of 1877. The conflict captured the public's imagination, much like the Modoc War, of a Tribe wanting to establish a home, but not allowed. To understa

148 State of the Podcast 2023

Jun 9th, 2023 7m 25s

Once a year I post a short episode on the state of the podcast. It is an overview of where we are and where we are going. No someone who enjoys history? Tell them about this podcast! We could use some more listeners. Have a question, comment,

147 The West: The Modoc War Part III

May 31st, 2023 23m 41s

In this episode we will be concluding our series on the Modoc War of 1872-73. With the Modoc on the run, they retreated to a stronghold on the toe of a lava field, providing a bastion to protect their families from the U.S. Army. It took time t

146 The West: The Modoc War Part II

May 10th, 2023 24m 23s

This is part two of a three episode arc on the Modoc War of 1872-73. With an increasing number of Euro-Americans settlers coming into the Klamath Basin astride the Oregon/California border after the end of the Civil War, tensions rose. Modoc's

145 The West: The Modoc War Part I

Apr 12th, 2023 24m 45s

We are moving into our season on the wars of the western frontier. We are starting on the Pacific coast with the Modoc War of 1872-73, California's only large post Civil War conflict with a native people. This episode sets up the events of the

144 The West: Introduction

Mar 11th, 2023 30m 44s

We are now moving beyond the Civil War and examining the armies role in the western United States. In the decades after the Civil War came to an end, the regular army was sent west. After 1865, with the completion of the transcontinental railro

143 The Civil War: Reconstruction

Feb 10th, 2023 22m 31s

The period from the end of the Civil War until 1877 was known as Reconstruction. As the name suggests, it was the country's attempt to reconstruct and, perhaps, transform the South. The hope was to not only stitch the country back together agai

142 The Civil War: The War Comes to An End

Jan 23rd, 2023 34m 39s

We have reached the penultimate episode of our series on the Civil War. We briefly touch on the surrender of the Confederate field armies but devote most of our time to looking at issues related to the winners and loosers of the war. It is fair

141 The Civil War: Petersburg Falls and the War Draws to a Close

Jan 2nd, 2023 25m 54s

In this episode, we concentrate on the siege at Petersburg, VA. With Grant unable to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia in the 1864 campaign season, instead he maneuvered Lee's Army into Petersburg for an extended siege. While Lee's army was

140 The Civil War: Sherman's March Through The Carolinas

Nov 29th, 2022 20m 35s

In our last full episode devoted to the western theater, we know turn our attention to Sherman's next act, his march through the Carolina's. When he completed his march across Georgia, the thought was to reunite with Grant. Instead, Sherman wan

139 The Civil War: Sherman's March Through Georgia

Nov 4th, 2022 21m 43s

Once Atlanta was secured, Sherman considered next steps. Sherman mulled over an idea - marching through Georgia. After deliberations with the Lincoln Administration and General Grant, Sherman convinced them to back his plan. He wanted retributi

138 The Civil War: Petersburg and Shenandoah

Oct 20th, 2022 30m 9s

In this episode we journey east. In the aftermath of the disaster at Cold Harbor, Grant turned his eyes toward Petersburg, the critical supply hub for the rebel capital at Richmond. While giving Lee the slip, Grant's tired troops bungled the ca

137 The Civil War: The Siege and Fall of Atlanta

Sep 24th, 2022 21m 48s

In our last episode we covered Sherman's march to Atlanta. In this episode we cover the siege and fall of Atlanta. Dissatisfied with General Johnston's penchant for retreat, Confederate President Jefferson Davis replaced him with John B. Hood.