Civil War Curious
The American Civil War remains one of the most pivotal and complex periods in our history. While much has been written, countless fascinating questions still spark our curiosity. In our podcast Civil War Curious, we enlist expert historians to answer your lingering questions about the conflict.
Have a Civil War question you’d like answered? Email [email protected]—we may include it in a future episode.
Published: 5/12/26
Episode 18: Soldier Life
Historian Aaron Sheehan-Dean answers questions relating to the wartime experiences of Civil War soldiers.
Published: 5/5/26
Episode 17: Soldier Training
Historian Aaron Sheehan-Dean answers several questions pertaining to the training that Union and Confederate soldiers received during the Civil War.
Published: 4/28/26
Episode 16: Chancellorsville
Historian Gary W. Gallagher talks about the Battle of Chancellorsville, including which army’s commander he thinks was more responsible for the battle’s ultimate outcome.
Published: 4/21/26
Episode 15: Gettysburg Battlefield Guides
Garry Adelman discusses the life of a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide and the questions he’s most frequently asked by visitors.
Published: 4/14/26
Episode 14: The Movie Gettysburg
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Garry Adelman discusses the enduring legacy of the 1993 movie "Gettysburg."
Published: 4/7/26
Episode 13: Ulysses S. Grant
Historian Brooks D. Simpson weighs in on U.S. Grant, from assessing his best and worst military moments to addressing rumors of his drinking.
Published: 3/31/26
Episode 12: Music
Historian Christian McWhirter discusses the importance of music during the Civil War, both in the armies and on the homefront.
Published: 3/24/26
Episode 11: Sherman’s March
Historian Anne Sarah Rubin discusses the significant and enduring impact of William T. Sherman's March to the Sea.
Published: 3/19/26
Civil War Curious Season 2 Trailer
Civil War Curious is back for a second season, in which expert historians answer more listeners' Civil War questions.
Published: 8/12/25
Episode 10: Postwar Drug Addiction
Historian Jonathan S. Jones discusses the causes and prevalence of postwar drug addiction among Union and Confederate veterans.
Published: 8/5/25
Episode 9: Black Confederates
Kevin M. Levin discusses the nature of black men's service in the Confederate military during the Civil War.
Published: 7/29/25
Episode 8: McClellan’s Pursuit of Lee
Historian D. Scott Hartwig discusses Union general George McClellan’s slow pursuit of Robert E. Lee’s army after the Battle of Antietam.
Published: 7/22/25
Episode 7: McClellan and Special Orders 191
Historian D. Scott Hartwig weighs in on whether George McClellan acted swiftly enough after receiving a copy of Robert E. Lee's operational orders for the 1862 Maryland Campaign.
Published: 7/15/25
Episode 6: Forrest and Fort Pillow
Court Carney discusses why Nathan Bedford Forrest was not held accountable for the massacre of black soldiers at the Battle of Fort Pillow.
Published: 7/8/25
Episode 5: Soldiering and Weaponry
Historian Eric Michael Burke answers questions about the lives of Civil War soldiers and the weapons they used.
Published: 7/1/25
Episode 4: Chamberlain at Gettysburg
Licensed Battlefield Guide Jessie Wheedleton answers questions about Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's performance at Gettysburg.
Published: 6/24/25
Episode 3: Alcohol in the Armies
Historian Megan L. Bever discusses the prevalence of alcohol in Civil War armies and the many issues that resulted from its presence.
Published: 6/17/25
Episode 2: Turning Points
Historian Jennifer M. Murray discusses whether she views Antietam or Gettysburg as the more significant turning point in the U.S. Civil War.