Addressing Gettysburg Podcast: History Doesn’t Have To Be Boring

 

With confederate monuments being toppled and the Civil War seen to be a “last stand” by the defenders of slavery, you would think that a podcast about the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg would not be as incisive, entertaining and information-packed as it is. The podcast carefully slips the political landmines of deifying the Confederate officers and instead focusing on the military, political and socioeconomic importance of the battle.

The mantra of the Addressing Gettysburg podcast is that “history doesn’t have to be boring.” Here, the podcast receives kudos for truth in advertising. 

 “Our goal is to bring the harsh reality of the Battle of Gettysburg and the experiences of the soldiers and civilians to the masses in a comprehensive, immersive and entertaining way,” the podcast’s producers explain.

“We think this is the most compelling and important chapter of American history, and we want to show you why,” the producers add.

The voices of the podcast are veteran podcaster Matt Callery and Licensed Battlefield Guide Bob Steenstra. They, in turn, are joined by a panoply of other compelling voices, such as historians, National Park Service rangers, Licensed Battlefield Guides, artists, local businesses, and fellow history podcasters.

If you’re thinking David Attenborough or Shelby Foote grand oratorical eloquence to a podcast about Gettysburg, think again. Instead, the hosts keep the tone light but never frivolous and endeavor to offer insights into the Gettysburg of today as well.

Callery and Steensa have previous podcast experience and it shows and combined with their passion for history and Gettysburg, the hosts can help listeners smell the smoke from the muskets firing during the battle.

The podcast cleverly offers different types of episodes that provides variety to the listening experience. For example, “narrative episodes” are large-scale productions designed to bring the story of the Gettysburg Campaign to listeners in an engaging and dramatic way.

The podcast also offers Patreon Previews with microhistories and interviews with authors like Dr. Peter S. Carmichael and Cory M. Pfarr, GNMP rangers, LBGs, public historians, hosts of other history podcasts and just about anyone who can speak on a subject related to Gettysburg.

Then there is the “Ask a Gettysburg Guide” episodes that leverage the resources of the Licensed Battlefield Guide force. Here, listeners can ask question of the expert guides with their compelling answers making a fascinating podcast episode.

In Episode 21 about Little Round Top, for example, Licensed Gettysburg Guide Jim Pangburn recreates the struggle to control little Round Top in a compelling narrative. The podcast continues to underscore the importance of the Battle of Gettysburg in U.S. history. The battle was the turning point of the Civil War because Robert E. Lee's plan to invade the North and force an immediate end to the war failed.

The colossal three-day clash across hills and fields in rural Pennsylvania in early July 1863 was major news at the time based on the number of dispatches telegraphed to so many newspapers. In those fateful three days, a total of 170,000 Confederate and Union soldiers came together around a town that normally held 2,400 residents. The total of Union troops was about 95,000, the Confederates about 75,000. The total casualties for the three days of fighting would be approximately 25,000 for the Union and 28,000 for the Confederates.

Over time, the battle has seemed to increase in importance, as historians release that a confederate victory there could have spelled the demise of the United States.

Here’s what makes Addressing Gettysburg such a compelling podcast. If you’re a history buff, you’ll love the deep dive into American history. If you’re a Civil War enthusiast, you’ll love the focus on Gettysburg as the pivotal battle of the war. If you’re a military history fan, you’ll nerd out on the detailed descriptions of how the battle unfolded and the military strategies of each side.

Given all the social unrest today about persistent patterns of racial injustice, it seem easy to dismiss this podcast as a “Civil War” podcast, but it’s more than that. Gettysburg was THE battle where the fate of this nation truly hung in the balance.

The Addressing Gettysburg podcast gives listeners a front-row seat to the battle, the town where the battle raged for three days, the armies and soldiers, the sense of history endemic to the battle and the larger socioeconomic and political forces at play in mid-1863.

You can listen here.