Sherman's March: Invading the South

Sherman's March: Invading the South

Author: History Hit September 10, 2026 Duration: 55:31

General William Tecumseh Sherman's famous invasion of the Confederacy in 1864 has become American legend... but what did Union troops do along their route and how consequential was it to the final defeat of the Confederates?


Our guest today is Anne Sarah Rubin, professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is the author of ‘Through the Heart of Dixie: Sherman’s March and American Memory’, and her most recent work is ‘The Perfect Scout: A Soldier’s Memoir of the Great March to the Sea and the Campaign of the Carolinas,’


Produced by Tomos Delargy. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music from Epidemic Sounds.


American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Dive into the stories that shaped a nation with American History Hit. Hosted by Don Wildman, this podcast from History Hit moves beyond textbook dates to explore the pivotal moments and forgotten figures that define the American experience. Each episode is a journey, whether it's into the tense world of wartime codebreakers intercepting Japanese plans or the complex political landscape where figures like Walt Disney leveled serious accusations. You'll encounter the perspectives of leaders like Chief Powhatan on the eve of conflict and dig into the layered past of landmarks like Central Park. The narrative stretches from pre-colonial times through the forming of the modern United States, connecting historical dots to contemporary understanding. By focusing on specific, often surprising events, this series provides a grounded and compelling look at how the past actively informs the present. Tune in for a thoughtful and detailed exploration of history, where every story adds depth to the ongoing American story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

American History Hit
Podcast Episodes
A Day in the Life of a Puritan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:36
What if we told you that puritans were actually sex-crazed? Well maybe not crazed but definitely not opposed to it.What if we told you that, actually, the entire mainstream belief of puritans being bound to strict moral…
George Washington's Spies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
During the Revolutionary War a vital web of intelligence was established, with General Washington at its head. Operating through coded letters, hidden signals, and a chain of ordinary civilians turned spies, their secrec…
Geronimo's Rebellion and the Apache Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:01
Geronimo's name is famous across the world: the Apache warrior who led a resistance movement against the United States out in the South West for years...But what happened to Geronimo (or Goyaałé) that led to his campaign…
The Astors, The Gilded Age & The Building of New York [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:29
From fur traders to rulers of the New York social scene - how did the Astors rise to the top? What did it mean to be 'Old Money' in the Gilded Age? And where did that power go?Don is joined by New York Times best-selling…
Shays' Rebellion: An Honorable Rebellion? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:44
Shays’ Rebellion has long been taught as a dangerous uprising, one that risked shaking the newly founded United States of America. But by tracing the events from mounting grievances to the march on the Springfield Armory…
How to Escape Alcatraz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:51
What was it like to live on Alcatraz? And was it possible to escape? In this episode, Don speaks to a historian with the unique experience of growing up there.Jolene Babyak's father worked on Alcatraz during its 29 years…
When the Mormons Rebelled Against America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:27
Driven from the United States, the Mormons journeyed West to build a new society in the desert- one that would challenge the political, economic, and moral norms of the nation they had left behind. But when the United St…
The Origins of Chicago [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:11
Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States. It's the windy city, the railroad capital, and home of countless film and tv hits.But when was it founded? Who were the first people living and working on thi…
Nat Turner's Rebellion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:00
In 1831, a rebellion erupted in Virginia that sent shockwaves across the United States, and challenged the brutal system of slavery in a way that white slave-owners had long feared. Led by an enslaved man named Nat Turne…