The News From Partisan Spring: Recent Episodes
Wade Gish
The world out there moves at a crazy pace. Thankfully, the Good Lord has blessed me with a place where time moves at the speed of me, and allows me an environment for reflection, for research, for vibrant conversation. Current events, sports, history, musings, and ramblings. If you're a Gen X'er standing at the intersection of middle age and dementia, you're my people. Pull up stump, grab you a dipper full from the spring, and let's visit.
The Confederate army enjoyed notable successes early on in their 1862 invasion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky with victories at Richmond as well as winning a fight with a new Union Colonel, John Wilder, and his Indiana troops at the small central Kentucky hamlet of Munfordville on the Green River.
Joining us this week on The Mess, Greg Ard and Chris Sanders, members of the Hart County Historical Society, share with us the story of the Battle of Munfordville, their efforts at preserving a beautiful piece of the original battlefield, and they also extend an invitation for listeners of The Mess to attend Hart County Civil War Days September 13, 14, and 15.
Learn more about Hart County's Civil War history at
hartcountykycivilwardays.com
hartcountymuseum.org
You can connect with The Wabash Inn Mess at
wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Visit us on the web at
wabashinnmess.com
And check us out on Facebook at
facebook.com/thewabashinnmess
Taking its title from a quote by Ernest Hemingway, this final episode of season 2 features a friend who brings to the world of Civil War study many of those loyal books, Ted Savas. Ted is a longtime leader on the historical literary scene, specifically American Civil War content. It was a pleasure to sit down with Ted and discuss how he discovered his Civil War passion, the origins of what is now Savas Beatie Publishing, and how he develops working relationships with so many talented artists in the field of writing. We hope you enjoy this season finale episode, and we'll be back in the fall with more new conversations in season 3 of The Wabash Inn Mess.www.savasbeatie.comContact us at: www.wabashinnmess.comwabashinnmess@gmail.com
As you hear the famous bugle call, imagine the tramp of boots, the creak of leather, and the rattle of the bridle and bit. The dispatch has arrived, and the cavalry has orders to screen the movement of the infantry.
This week on the mess, Eric Wittenberg shares his fascination with the cavalry arm of Civil War military, particularly as involved with the battles of Gettysburg and Chickamauga. Eric has also joined with noted war in the west historian Dave Powell and wrote the definitive volume on Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign which we also discuss at length. Among his newer work, he also partnered with past TWIM guest Scott Mingus to create the award-winning two volume opus "If We Are Striking For Pennsylvania", which is destined to go down in the annals of Civil War study as one of the finest stories ever assembled.
This, episode eleven of season two of The Wabash Inn Mess podcast, serves as part one of our two part season finale. We hope that you enjoy this week's special content and we do ask that you like our podcast on your favorite podcast platform and that you share with your friends.
Find Eric's books at
www.savasbeaty.com
and
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Eric-J.-Wittenberg/author/B001JP1KHM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1713373418&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Connect with our podcast at
www.wabashinnmess.com
and with the men of the mess directly at
wabashinnmess@gmail.com
The men of the mess are back with another conversation devoted to gaming! On the cusp of the annual Hardscrabble Invitational Weekend (which our crew are members of), the focus turns to developing your own gaming networks. We realize that many of our listeners may be new to the world of strategic gaming, so we step back and take a high-level view of what is involved in joining or creating your own gaming society. From starting with a simple interest in history to creating a pathway to put troops on the board, Norris and Chuck share their origin stories as well as tips for novice gamers and curios parties to get themselves involved in table-top miniature combat.
You may direct questions and comments to the messmen at:
wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Find additional information and resources at:
www.wabashinnmess.com
Kentucky was a border state considered to be dedicated to "neutrality" during the Civil War. That may have been the official position of the state government, but as we will learn from author Derrick Lindow on this episode of The Wabash Inn Mess passions of her citizens drove many to take up arms and join the conflict on the home front. Some of the best examples of this passion are detailed in Derrick's new book "We Shall Conquer Or Die: Partisan Warfare In 1862 Western Kentucky".
We hope you will give a careful listen to this episode as we scratch the surface of the story of the partisan rangers who defended or terrorized (depending on where your feelings lie) the area from the Green River to the Cumberland River. Scratched the surface, because to learn the whole story you have to pick up a copy of Derrick's book, available at
www.savasbeatie.com
You can reach out to The Wabash Inn Mess at:
wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Also visit our website for links and information:
www.wabashinnmess.com
A loaded episode this week features author and historian Gene Thorp as we revisit the Invasion of Maryland, especially Lee's Lost Orders, Special Order 191. We take up the need to go head to head with commonly accepted beliefs that question General George B. McClellan's leadership, especially his reactions to conditions presented to him during troop disposition as well as on the field of battle.
Gene co-authored the book "The Tale Untwisted" detailing the Union response to the discovery of the lost orders with past Wabash Inn Mess guest Alex Rossino, and continues his study of General McClellan and the Army of the Potomac today. For a full study of the import of the lost and found orders, please pick up a copy of the above as well as "Calamity At Frederick" which goes into detail on the Confederate involvement in the saga of General Orders 191. Links to purchase can be found below and on The Wabash Inn Mess Website.
To order "The Tale Untwisted" and "Calamity At Frederick":
https://www.alexanderrossinocom.wordpress.com/
www.savasbeatie.com
Connect with The Wabash Inn Mess at:
www.wabashinnmess.com
wabashinnmess@gmail.com
This week, we look at bringing historical circumstances to your gaming table with author and researcher Brad Butkovich. Brad has cultivated a passion for bringing historical circumstance and logistical accuracy to the gaming table. And in doing so, he has been able to utilize the research to draft a couple of beautifully crafted battle histories. You'll want to listen to this episode with a pen and pad to jot down some notes related to making your gaming experience more full. www.wabashinnmess.comwabashinnmess@gmail.com
The Wabash Inn Mess spends another week among the ranks of the re-enactors. On this episode, we visit the now retired unit, the 5th Kentucky US Infantry, also known as the Mudsills (known to some of you as "Thomas' Mudsills"). Our guest is the father of the Mudsills, Capt. George Derenberger. George was kind enough to join us via Zoom from his home in Ohio to discuss his 60+ years of Civil War living history, his vision for the Mudsills, and the creation and growth of the unit in the 1960's and 70's.
If you are a Civil War re-enactor, odds are that some part of your unit heritage has been influenced by the Mudsill regiment. We hope that you enjoy this conversation related to times and people past within our hobby, and come to an understanding of the spirit and example that the Mudsills left behind.
https://facebook.com/thewabashinnmess
https://wabashinnmess.com
This episode of The Wabash Inn Mess features guest Bob Bell, historian and re-enactor, a member of the 12th USCT Heavy Artillery living history group. Bob shares with us the story of the United States Colored Troops and the legacy they formed at Camp Nelson, KY.
Bob takes us through the origins of Camp Nelson, it's service as a supply and training depot for numerous USCT regiments, as well as it's accommodation as a refugee camp for those fleeing enslavement and retribution from sectional rivalry.
More can be learned about the USCT and Camp Nelson at the following links:
https://www.nps.gov/cane/index.htm
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/united-states-colored-troops
https://afroamcivilwar.org/united-states-colored-troops-history/
The third pillar of Civil War study moves front and center this week on The Mess as we welcome game developer and publisher, Dana Lombardy from his home in Northern California. Dana has 5 decades of experience in game creation, development, and marketing as well as being a long-time friend and colleague of Johnny Reb creator John Hill. Dana takes us through the early years of miniature gaming and the evolution of the rules we observe today as well as shares experiences and stories of John and why he was such a well-respected and beloved man. Links for this episode include:https://lombardystudios.com/www.wabashinnmess.com
This episode will stand out as special to those of us in the mess as we are privileged to have as our guest our good friend Jim Lewis from Stone's River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro, TN. Known as "Ranger Jim" to many, Jim has been working as an interpretive ranger and educational leader at Stone's River for nigh on 30 years now. Jim is recognized as one of the foremost scholars on Civil War era north central/north western Tennessee. As a matter of fact, it is almost impossible to pick up a Civil War volume written on that aspect of the western theater and not find Jim listed in the acknowledgements.
Our conversation with Jim ranges from the battle, it's aftermath and consequences, the battlefield itself, and preservation and remembrance efforts ongoing to honor the sacrifices of the troops engaged at Stone's River over the New Year's holiday of 1862-63.
Be sure to share and follow our podcast and as always, you can drop us communication at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Visit our website at
www.wabashinnmess.com
"Oh Captain, My Captain..." the words of Walt Whitman poured forth the searching sorrows of a nation that had not even had an opportunity to begin to come to grips with four years of bitter emotion and wholesale slaughter of Biblical proportion. In this month where we observe the 215th birthday of "The Great Emancipator", the Mess meets up with Scott Mingus author of
"A Carnival of Grief: Lincoln's Funeral Train in Pennsylvania" to look into a logistical wonder that was the first of its kind in our country - the cross country transport of a President for interment on his home soil. The trail of Lincoln's funeral train seemed to be the suture that mended a deep rift across our nation's heartland. Scott shares a brief glimpse into the rapid planning, the fastidious execution, and the momentous stops along the way as Honest Abe's cortege wound its way home.
Later in the episode, Norris and Scott belay some of the heaviness with stories of their early gaming days, learning from the creator of the Johnny Reb gaming series, their mutual friend John Hill.
Lots of territory is covered in this night around the battery wagon, in more ways than one. We hope you enjoy our fellowship with Scott Mingus.
As always, don't forget to subscribe and share The Wabash Inn Mess Podcast. Your feedback is always welcome at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
The Men of the Mess are back around the battery wagon for a second season. Joining us for this episode is one who is right at home rummaging through the fuses and powder bags, Dr. Rachel Lance, Associate Professor from Duke University's Department of Hyperbaric Studies. Dr. Lance specializes in injury biophysics and completed her doctoral dissertation examining what caused the mysterious deaths of the crew of the Confederate submarine, the HL Hunley on it's one and only mission. Rachel converted her hours, days, weeks, months, and years of research into the fascinating book "In The Waves: My Quest To Solve The Mystery of A Civil War Submarine". She shares with us a taste of her findings and provides an insight into how scientists can create circumstances in the present that give us a window into the past. We know you'll enjoy. Learn more about Rachel's work at:www.rachellancewrites.comand more about The Wabash Inn Mess atwww.wabashinnmess.com
Twenty-two miles slightly southwest of Nashville along I-65 lies the suburb of Franklin, TN. Today, Franklin is a destination for those seeking a day of shopping, culture, and Southern charm. 159 years ago, Franklin was the destination of General John Bell Hood and his Army of Tennessee, desperate for a victory and in need of a life giving spark to preserve the Confederate mission. CEO of the Battle of Franklin Trust Eric Jacobson and Chief Historian for the BOFT Joseph Ricci bring their knowledge and experience to the fireside in the Wabash Inn Mess Season One finale to talk about the history of the battle, the preservation efforts past and present, and translating the bloody Battle of Franklin to the Johnny Reb III table top. We hope you enjoy this presentation, and we hope that you will take advantage of TWIM's holiday hiatus to catch up on past episodes.
Battle of Franklin Trust: www.boft.org
The Wabash Inn Mess: www.facebook.com/TheWabashInnMess
Contact: wabashinnmess@gmail.com
A special Thanksgiving week episode of The Mess features one of the recognized authorities of General Lee's 1862 invasion of Maryland and General McClellan's successful strategy to thwart disaster north of the Potomac. Alexander Rossino, Ph.D. has exhaustively researched the stand-off between the AoP and ANV in and around his home area of Western Maryland. Wade and Norris welcome Alex to the fireside to discuss his collaborative work with Gene Thorp entitled "The Tale Untwisted" and also take a dive into his newest work "Calamity At Frederick".
The Mess is complete around the battery wagon once again as Norris makes his return from the field hospital. You won't want to miss this emotional episode as he shares his experience of trial and blessing from the last two months. We are excited and proud to have our pard back, and we hope that his story will both educate and inspire our listeners.
Kentucky author Stuart W. Sanders comes to fireside on this episode of the mess to discuss his 5 unique works of writing. A native of Lexington, VA who makes his home in Danville, KY has found room for some niche topics within his Civil War catalog that make for some fun conversation. We hope you'll enjoy our discussion and that it makes you put Stuart's books in your library.
On this 161st anniversary of the largest and most crucial battle fought in the state of Kentucky, The Wabash Inn Mess remembers that fateful day when the Army of the Ohio and the Army of the Mississippi locked in mortal struggle in the Chaplin Hills.
The men of the mess are proud to feature as our guest at the fire Mr. Kurt Holman. Kurt served as the Park Manager at the Perryville Battlefield and he and his staff were instrumental in much of the development and preservation to put the park in its current beautiful state.
We hope that you will enjoy this bonus-length episode and as always we welcome your questions, comments, and all feedback via email at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
The Men of the Mess are back around the battery wagon tonight and the topic is drill, formation, and movement of troops. Moving an army from point A to point B with a purpose, especially under arms using 19th century tactics, isn't as simple as just heading out down the road. General Warnick takes center stage to talk about the evolutions of moving elements from Camp to the Line of Battle. Norris utilizes examples posted on The Wabash Inn Mess Facebook page to demonstrate formations, both how they looked in real life and their generation on the gaming table. We hope you find this episode informative and useful. Please give us your thoughts and ask us your questions via email at wabashinmess@gmail.com
The men of the Mess take a look tonight at a controversial figure of the war in the West, Major General William "Bull" Nelson. Capable on the battlefield but personally abrasive, Nelson never proved to be an endearing character to those under his command which perhaps led to his demise in dramatic fashion. Norris gives us a look into the life and death of an intriguing individual.
In our living history segment, Chuck leads the discussion into how when building an impression, individuals must take care to understand the many differences between Eastern and Western Federal troops in physical kit, background and experience, and ideology.
To close this week's show, Wade attempts (most unsuccessfully) to lure Norris and Chuck into a "what if" scenario examining what might have occurred had Braxton Bragg turned and made a stand against Buell's Army of the Ohio after pulling away from Perryville as urged by his corps commanders Smith, Hardee, and Polk. The topic does lead to a good discussion of the Army of Tennessee after Perryville and Bragg's evaluation of the situation he found himself in.
Don't forget to like, follow, and share The Wabash Inn Mess on your favorite podcast platform.
Questions, comments, suggestions always welcome at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
A day late, but hopefully not a dollar short. We delayed recording of this episode by a day because our special guest needed to get the hay in the barn! We welcome Gen. Terry Crowder of the First Federal Division Staff and First Federal Division Cavalry as we sit around the battery wagon and discuss the mounted arms of the American Civil War. We engage at length on Cavalry, and spend some time on mounted infantry units as well. This episode is special because we get the thoughts of two recent division commanders in the living history hobby in Terry and Chuck.
Remember to like, follow and share The Wabash Inn Mess. We welcome your feedback via email at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Game on! In this episode of the Wabash Inn Mess, Chuck is away on a mountain retreat and Norris and Wade recap the gathering of Johnny Reb gamers known as "JohnnyCon" which took place at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville, TN August 17-19, 2023. The attendees found the city to be much more hospitable than did John Bell Hood, and all enjoyed a great time and made it home safely.
Pictures to follow this podcast visually can be found on the Wabash Inn Mess Facebook page.
Questions, comments, suggestions and such are welcome via email at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
The mess members set a plate and a cup for an esteemed guest at the wagon tonight - acclaimed author John Michael Priest. Mr. Priest has written several fine books detailing the stories of the fighting men at Antietam, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness. Join us for an hour of conversation on his writing process, his thoughts on the bloodiest day in American history, and how history and gaming work together.
Your comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
On this episode of TWIM, the mess-makers take a look at the importance of maps in the conduct and study of Civil War military scenarios. We cover how the two-dimensional representation of terrain was used various functional levels in developing and executing military movement, in planning and organizing living history events, and creating accurate, challenging gaming scenarios. Cartography and it's fruits are not to be overlooked in any serious study of the war. Map examples used in discussion are posted on The Wabash Inn Mess Facebook page, and we encourage you to pull them up and follow along with the discussion. Chuck, Norris, and Wade thank you for listening and invite you to give us your feedback at wabashinnmess@gmail.com
Every good thing has to begin somewhere, and so did this podcast. Episode number one is a broad introduction to your hosts Norris Darrall, Wade Gish, and Chuck Warnick and what we believe to be the three pillars of understanding the military side of the American Civil War: Research, Re-enacting, and Strategic Gaming. In episode one, you'll get your first taste of "Darrall's Dozen", a bit of re-enacting background, and the importance of strategic gaming to gaining the commander's mindset. We hope you'll settle in and enjoy our maiden voyage, and comments, questions and criticisms are always welcome at wabashinnmess@gmail.com.
People have gotten so used to the government thinking for them, when the government decides to stop they don't even know how to act. Luckily for them, politicians and the main stream media are there to guide them.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Well, my ego finally pushed me back behind the microphone to record yet another segment of self-promoting audio. I took advantage of beautiful late summer morning to test out some new broadcasting equipment and upload a few thoughts (trigger warning: vaccines and NFL football are mentioned).
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Driving South this afternoon and sharing some thoughts from the road.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
I'm back to talking to myself! In the 4th episode of 2021, I get lost in reflection on the weather, share some excerpts from Erwin Lutzer's book, and introduce a new outlet for my WW2 history passion.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
A look at what promises to be a very different Thanksgiving here in this curious year of 2020. Make the most most of it, no matter your circumstances.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
A few thoughts about Veteran's Day and that glorious lead-in to Winter: the Fall season.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Another election debacle in this little Banana Republic of ours. My thoughts on where this leaves us.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
I've been thinking about podcasting for a while, and finally my inhibitions were low enough to take a shot. Short, sweet, and solo.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app