The Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville was fought April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Many historians consider the battle to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory. Facing a Union Army more than twice the size of his own, Lee divided his forces, sending 27,000 men under “Stonewall” Jackson on a 12-mile march to deliver a flank attack. In this program, we follow two National Park Service historians on a tour as they walk the same ground exactly 150 years after Jackson launched his attack.

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Historians John Marszalek and James McPherson examine the Battle of Gettysburg, with a focus on the second and third days of the fighting. The three-day battle fought in Pennsylvania from July 1-3, 1863, was the bloodiest of the war -- resulting in an estimated 51,000 total casualties -- and many historians consider it to be the turning point of the Civil War. Harold Holzer, chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation Chairman, moderates the discussion. This is the second in a two-part series on the battle hosted by the New-York Historical Society.
 

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Terry Teachout discusses his biography of jazz musician Louis Armstrong and his impact on music and culture.  Teachout portrays Armstrong as extremely talented and witty, but sometimes difficult with volatile temper.  Teachout is the Wall Street Journal drama critic and chief culture critic for Commentary magazine.  This event took place at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC.

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Author Catherine Clinton discusses how both President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis suffered the loss of a child while in office and how it impacted their wives. In 1862, the Lincolns lost their 11-year old son, Willie, from what was believed to be typhoid fever. In1864, the Davises lost their four-year old son, Joseph, in a fatal fall at the Confederate White House in Richmond. Professor Clinton also explores mid-19th century mourning practices and etiquette. The National Archives in Washington, DC, hosted this event.
 

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On this History Bookshelf, Julia Scheeres presents a history of Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, a cult that attracted hundreds to Jonestown, Guyana, where on November 18, 1978, they engaged in a mass murder-suicide. Nine hundred and nine men, woman and children died at the compound, and several others who had been investigating the cult were assassinated at a nearby airstrip, including U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and three members of the media. This event took place at Books Inc. in Berkeley, California.

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Author Harold Holzer examines Civil War artifacts featured in his book, "The Civil War in 50 Objects,” drawn from the New-York Historical Society’s collection. He’s joined by Columbia University history professor Eric Foner -- who wrote the introduction for the book -- in a discussion on the collection’s history and themes. Objects include Confederate flags, Grant’s handwritten terms of surrender at Appomattox, and framed leaves from Abraham Lincoln's funeral bier. The New-York Historical Society hosted this event. It’s just under an hour.  

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Historian George Daughan recounts the naval battles between America and Britain during the War of 1812.  Mr. Daughan examines how the American navy, a fleet of only twenty ships, outmaneuvered their opponent and supported the U.S. Army's ground forces.

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Author James Robertson discusses the life, death and legacy of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. He talks about General Jackson’s childhood, his education at West Point, and his military career. Mr. Robertson also looks at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where General Jackson was mortally wounded on May 2, 1863, in a “friendly fire” incident. He died of medical complications eight-days later. The Hanover Tavern in Virginia and the Museum of the Confederacy co-hosted this event. 

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Jonathan Hansen presents a history of America's presence at Guantanamo Bay.  The author reports on the United States' early interest in the area, which was central to U.S. plans to control the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.  Mr. Hansen examines the creation of the U.S. naval base and prison at Guantanamo and its continued use despite calls for its closure.

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Mary Elizabeth Bowser was a former slave who became a Union spy in the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. She was part of a pro-Union underground spy ring run by Elizabeth Van Lew, the daughter of a prominent Richmond citizen. In this program, authors Elizabeth Varon and Lois Leveen talk about the life and story of Ms. Bowser, as well as her relationship with Ms. Van Lew. The two authors also discuss how they wrote and researched their books. The event took place at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

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