Episodes

  • Book publisher/historian/rock musician Ted Savas
    May 8 2024

    In Episode 13 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," military history book publisher Ted Savas — who's also a historian and passionate rock musician — talked with co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan about some of the more than a dozen Antietam books he has published. In the freewheeling chat, he also talked about the unheralded Virginia battlefield — a "little Shiloh," he calls it — that he helped re-discover in the 1980s. (On the battlefield, he and a friend unearthed roughly 2,000 artifacts — with the landowner's permission.) Plus, he explained the process for those who want to write a military history book. (Hint: Be in love with your project.)

    • Visit the Savas Beatie web site here.
    • Explore Savas Beatie's Antietam books here.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here

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    50 mins
  • Antietam ranger Brian Baracz on Elliott burials map
    Apr 24 2024

    In Episode 12 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," longtime Antietam National Park Service ranger Brian Baracz talks with co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan about the 1864 battlefield burials map of S.G. Elliott. Baracz also talks about his favorite Antietam monument, why the battlefield is so special to him and much more.

    • Explore the 1864 Elliott map — part of the New York Public Library Digital Collections — for yourself here.
    • Read more about the map on John Banks' Civil War blog here.

      The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

      Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

      McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    51 mins
  • Author Steven Cowie on 'When Hell Came to Sharpsburg'
    Apr 4 2024

    In Episode 11 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," Steven Cowie — author of “When Hell Came To Sharpsburg” — shares with co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan stories of the profound impact of the Battle of Antietam on civilians in Sharpsburg, Md. Among the stories Cowie tells is of the heartbreaking loss for farmer William Roulette of his 20-month-old daughter, Carrie May, who died of disease more than a month after the battle.

    Cowie’s book is the result of 15 years of comprehensive study. He unearthed a trove of previously unused archival accounts and examined scores of primary sources, including letters, diaries, regimental histories and official reports. The book is packed with explanatory footnotes, original maps and photographs. Purchase a copy of the book here on publisher Savas Beatie's web site.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    50 mins
  • Historian Damian Shiels on Irish Brigade
    Mar 13 2024

    In Episode 10 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," Irish historian Damian Shiels joins co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan for a fascinating discussion about the famous Irish Brigade that fought on the William Roulette farm and at Bloody Lane during the Battle of Antietam. Learn more about Irish Brigade commander Thomas Meagher, common soldiers in the unit, the "procession of death" for the Irish in 1864 and much more. Plus, no podcast with an Irish Civil War historian can go without mentioning Major General Patrick Cleburne, the famous Confederate commander who died at the Battle of Franklin.

    Shiels, an historian and archaeologist, has lectured and published widely on both social military history and conflict archaeology. He established and runs the excellent Irish American Civil War web site and is author of The Irish In The American Civil War. Purchase your copy on Amazon.com. Shiels lives in Finland.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    57 mins
  • Guide Laura Marfut on The Cornfield
    Feb 29 2024

    In Episode 9 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," Antietam guide Laura Marfut, a retired U.S. Army colonel, joins co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan for a discussion about the fighting in The Bloody Cornfield on the northern end of the battlefield. Learn more about artillery, Iron Brigade officer Rufus Dawes, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood — and, yes, dangling biscuits!

    Marfut graduated from the U.S. Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies. In 2019, she was certified as an Antietam National Battlefield guide. Marfut is also a board member of the Antietam Institute, which you can read more about here. | Join the Antietam Institute.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    50 mins
  • Dr. Emilie Amt on 'Black Antietam'
    Feb 11 2024

    In Episode 8 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," professor emeritus and author Dr. Emilie Amt joins co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan for a discusssion about her book, Black Antietam: African Americans and the Civil War in Sharpsburg. In her book, the experiences of Black Americans — enslaved and free — come to life in vivid detail, often in their own words. You may purchase Amt's book here. Read her blog here.

    A native of Maryland, Amt is an emeritus professor of history. From 1998 to 2021 she held the Hildegarde Pilgram Chair of History at Hood College in Frederick, Md. She earned a B.A. in medieval studies from Swarthmore College and a D.Phil. in modern history from Oxford University.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    55 mins
  • Antietam expert Dr. Tom Clemens
    Jan 28 2024

    In Episode 7 of "The Antietam And Beyond Podcast," historian and author Dr. Tom Clemens joins co-hosts John Banks and Tom McMillan for a chat about the Battle of Antietam, battlefield preservation and much more. Clemens, a Keedysville, Md., resident, is president of Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF), one of the country's foremost battlefield preservation organizations, and editor and annotator of three books on the Ezra Carman papers about the Maryland Campaign. You may purchase those books on the Savas Beatie site here.

    We discuss:

    • One of Save Historic Antietam Foundation's recent great saves of battlefield property.
    • The origins of SHAF.
    • Veteran Ezra Carman, who served as the historical expert for the board that created Antietam National Battlefield.
    • The greatness of Bonnie's at The Red Byrd restaurant in Keedysville, Md. (Brown gravy!)

    CORRECTION (3/4/2024): Clemens misspoke regarding Ezra Carman's wartime service. Carman was, in fact, present at Gettysburg during the battle.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    51 mins
  • Battle of Shepherdstown expert Tom McGrath
    Jan 18 2024

    In Episode 6 of "The Antietam and Beyond Podcast," historian and author Tom McGrath, a New Englander, discusses the Battle of Shepherdstown with co-hosts Tom McMillan and John Banks. Fought Sept. 19-20, 1862, the battle on what was then Virginia soil (it became West Virginia in June 1863) was the final clash of the Maryland Campaign.

    We discuss:

    • The 118th Pennsylvania and how a "Civil War badass" in its ranks became a hero.
    • The amazing terrain of the battlefield.
    • What you can see on the hallowed ground today (cement mill ruins and a house with a cannon ball embedded in it!) and much more.

      McGrath is author of Shepherdstown: Last Clash of the Antietam Campaign, September 19-20, 1862, which you can purchase here.

    The podcast is sponsored by Civil War Trails, which since 1994 has connected visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states.

    Join McMillan and Banks for regular podcasts about Antietam, the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War — the most compelling period in American history.

    McMillan is author of the recently released Our Flag Was Still There. Banks is author of the recently released A Civil War Road Trip Of A Lifetime. Find them on Facebook at Author Tom McMillan and John Banks' Civil War Blog. Banks' popular Civil War blog is here.

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    43 mins