Disunion: A Civil War Podcast

Arthur MacArthur Jr. was more than just the father of Douglas MacArthur.- he was a great leader, a brave soldier, and a Medal of Honor Recipient. Hosts Jay and Chris discuss his life and career, and highlight his repeated acts of heroism during the Civil War.

Today we review the book Corporal Si Klegg and his Pard, a novel of the Civil War written and illustrated by Civil War veterans in the decades after the war. It still stands as one of the most accurate Civil War novels, and comes highly recommended by Jay.

Join us as Jay and Chris discuss the often forgotten battle of Bean's Station and General James Longstreet's East Tennessee Campaign.

In Episode 10, we cover the Battle of Averasborough. On March 16, 1865, William Hardee’s 6,000 Confederates held off Henry Slocum’s wing of Sherman’s army long enough to buy a few crucial days. That delay gave Southern commanders time to gather their remaining forces for one final effort against Sherman.

In this episode, we look at Cairo, Illinois and why it mattered during the Civil War. Sitting at the meeting of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, Cairo became a key base for Union troops in the West. Men, supplies, and gunboats all moved through the town in the early years of the war. We’ll break down how Cairo helped shape Federal operations and why it deserves more attention than it usually gets.

In this episode, we explore the Battle of Griswoldville, a largely overlooked action during Sherman’s March to the Sea. The clash between seasoned Union soldiers and Georgia home guards underscores the Confederacy’s mounting manpower crisis in 1864.

Dr. Lucas Wilder, the historian behind the popular Civil War focused YouTube channel History Gone Wilder, takes us through the history of the Cumberland Gap and its importance during the Civil War.

In this episode, Jay and Chris explore the strategic significance of Saltville and why its salt works became a target for the Union. We cover the two major battles fought over the town, the tragic massacre of United States Colored Troops (USCT) that followed one of the engagements, and the subsequent post-war trial.

In this episode of Disunion, we discuss the battle of Olustee (Ocean Pond), the largest engagement fought in the state of Florida. We talk about the economic and political reasons the United States conducted a thrust into the interior of Florida and how the Confederacy responded, what the outcome of the battle was, and the heroics of the US Colored Troops during and after the fighting.

In the second episode of Disunion, we take listeners through the daily life of a soldier during the Civil War. We discuss what soldiers wore, what they ate, and what they did when they were not fighting or marching. From hard tack to baseball, we explain what life was like in the armies of the North and South.

In this episode of Disunion, Chris and Jay explain the different branches of the army during the Civil War: infantry, cavalry, and artillery. We also discuss the weapons available to the men in each branch, and why those weapons were chosen over others.

John Bell Hood remains one of the most polarizing generals in the Southern Army, with many thinking he was the reason the south lost, and others believing he was put in an impossible situation. In this episode of Disunion, we dissect Hood's career from West Point to Gettysburg, and discuss how he rose to such a high rank so quickly. This is part one of a two part episode.

In this episode of Disunion, we pick up where we left off and conclude Hood's story. We then discuss Hood's legacy, and try to tackle the question that always come up when talking about Hood: was he a good general, a bad one, or somewhere in between?

The first five episodes of Disunion will release on January 6, 2026. In the meantime, please enjoy the first nine minutes of our first episode.

Welcome to the Disunion Podcast! Beginning January 2026, we'll start releasing episodes, but for now, please enjoy this brief introduction.