Podcast Episode 69 - All Star Trainwrecks - Richard Nixon - Part I

 

As foretold by the prophecy—well, the one I made myself—I’m back, with the first episode of our series on All-Time, All-Star History’s Trainwrecks. Since I’m going in no particular order, I’m starting with Richard Nixon, our thirty-seventh president and first and only one thus far to resign before his term ended.

 

Before I started my research, I had the same sense that most people who lived through the seventies did (though I had barely started solid food when Nixon went home in disgrace).

 

In short, I thought he was an unpleasant, criminal douchebag who disgraced the highest office in the land. Good riddance, former President Nixon, I thought while I watched Sesame Street and waited for someone to change my diaper. Off to California with you.

 

Boy was I wrong.

 

This series about all our best trainwrecks will be quite the revelation.

 

For all of us.

 

I hope you enjoy it, and thank you as always for your continued support. I couldn’t do this without you.

Podcast Episode 68 - Where's the Conductor?

Where have I been?

I've kept busy, concocting torturous train metaphors and writing a history book about Ancient Rome.

Stay tuned...

Podcast Episode 67 - Valley Forge - Almost A Trainwreck - Conclusion

The Conway Cabal had been beaten.

This unholy trinity of general slimeballs—General Horatio Gates, General Thomas Mifflin, and General Thomas Conway—had schemed to get rid of George Washington, his best generals, his staff of wunderkind (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, and the Marquis de Lafayette), and then take over the Continental Army, which was huddled at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778.

George Washington proved himself to be no slouch at politics, using a combination of judicious silence, imposing dignity, and a Congressional delegation that came to visit the army’s winter headquarters and see for itself what was really going on to cut the cabal off at the knees.

With all that behind him and the weather getting better, George had to turn his attention to planning a campaign. There was a universal expectation that the army would spring out of its winter quarters (pun intended) and take the fight to the British. The Howe brothers were homeward bound, a new commanding general was appointed (Henry Clinton), and the French were on their way to help out.

But was the army ready for a fight?

Podcast Episode 66 - Valley Forge - Almost A Trainwreck - Part III

 Supplies are running low and snow is running high at Valley Forge, along with desertions and resignations. The remaining officers are sqabbling amongst themselves and the Congress is nearly no use at all, having fallen under the sway of the slimy and traitorous Conway Cabal. This band of cowardly malefactors has one goal—remove George Washington and his generals and take over the Continental Army.

Along the way, they also come up with a plan to invade and conquer Canada, that longstanding pipe dream of the American Revolution. So this episode comes with, at long last, an official apology from the History’s Trainwrecks Podcast to the country of Canada.

We tried. We failed. We’re cool now, though, right?

Speaking of Canada, check out The Secret Life of Canada wherever you find your favorite podcasts. 

The Secret Life of Canada Podcast

Podcast Episode 65 - Valley Forge - Almost A Trainwreck - Part II

 

On our last episode, we left George Washington’s ragtag Continental Army without any shoes in the snow, marching their bloody way to Valley Forge in December, 1777.

The year 1777 had been a lousy one for the American cause—Washington couldn’t seem to decisively win a battle against the British (who held the American capital of Philadelphia), other generals were actively conspiring to have Washington removed and replaced by themselves (most notably Horatio Gates, who actually had won a decisive battle against the British at Saratoga), Congress was in exile, unable to raise the money needed to keep the army fed and supplied, and it was winter.

The good news about winter was that armies tended to avoid campaigning when it was cold. The bad news was that it was cold (see the part above about no shoes).

So the situation was dire. The whole thing left me thinking that the army’s prospects were not good at all. The safe bet was on the British to win.

Since I don't know much about military history or strategy, I've brought in a special guest to help out.

Cullen Farrell is a co-host of the Drinks With Great Minds In History Podcast, a world history teacher, and a poet. Check out the links below for all the places you can find him:

Drinks With Great Minds In History

Cullen's Historical Poetry Books

Podcast Episode 64 - Valley Forge - Almost A Trainwreck - Part I

You know how I love a good trainwreck, with all the self-inflicted calamity thereupon, but I found an episode of American history that could have been a massive fireball of a trainwreck, but then wasn’t.

It's an inspiring story, one that should definitely not be lost on modern-day Americans. The enemy held the high ground, American unity was at a low point, and winter was coming. The cause of the United States hung in the balance, and everything was at stake.

There’s a contest in the middle of the episode, an easy question perhaps for you devoted listeners, and we look forward to a special guest on our next episode who knows stuff about history and isn’t obsessed with grumpy historical curmudgeons.

Thank you for your support, and for spreading the word about our little history nerdfest.

Podcast Episode 63 - Another Secretary of the Navy!

If you’re a fan of the Presidencies of the United States podcast, you’re familiar with the special series host Jerry Landry does called Seat At The Table, in which he and a special guest cover the life of a Cabinet secretary.

Most of whom you’ve never heard of.

Jerry does this because no president accomplishes anything alone. The President of the United States is at the top, but he needs someone to run foreign policy, handle the money, and keep an eye on the army as well as all the ships at sea.

This was never more true than in the early days of the American Republic, before presidents figured out how things worked and relied on these early Cabinet secretaries to define the departments of the Executive Branch and figure out how they were supposed to work, and what they were supposed to be doing. All the while dealing with things like economic calamities and wars, both declared and undeclared.

We know about some of these early Cabinet secretaries, like Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, who went on to be President themselves, and Alexander Hamilton, because of a certain Broadway play. But Jerry digs into the lesser-known ones, in many cases those who have never really been studied by historians.

Why? Because without them, America would have been in trouble.

Jerry seems to like talking about Navy Secretaries with me, despite my penchant for seasickness and me having no idea about how boats work. This is my second time as a guest on Seat at the Table, and it is our second Secretary of the Navy—William Jones, who served during the War of 1812.

Jerry also likes to keep the identity of the Cabinet member a secret from his guest, which adds to the suspense, but doesn’t make me look in the least bit knowledgeable. So I have to make things up as I go.

This is something you long-time listeners of History’s Trainwrecks may be acquainted with.

Take a listen to the story of one of the early Navy Secretaries and why they mattered so much to the early American Republic.

The Presidencies of the United States Podcast

Podcast Episode 62 - In The Shadow Of The Dam

Building Hoover Dam was difficult and deadly work. But there was a Great Depression going on and dam work paid real money. If it could be said that there was a choice between your family starving to death or you risking your life on building the engineering marvel of the age, you chose the dam.

Author Kelly Stone Gamble’s historical novel Ragtown tells the story of the dam and the desperate people who lived in its shadow. It’s a great story and great history.

Ragtown is available for preorder now and releases on September 12, 2023.

Check out the links below to get your copy of Ragtown and check out Kelly’s other books.

https://www.amazon.com/Ragtown-Kelly-Stone-Gamble-ebook/dp/B0CCF5PV4Y

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kelly-Stone-Gamble/author/B00JIPDBMW

Podcast Episode 61 - I'll Trade You A General - Part II

On our last episode, we left our favorite oppositionally-defiant crank, American Major General Charles Lee, in a precarious situation.


Good news, though. Someone was actively trying to save him.

Podcast Episode 60 - I'll Trade You A General, Part I

American Major General Charles Lee had picked a great place to hide.

Like big-city mobsters two centuries later, George Washington’s second in command had discovered that New Jersey was a great place to lay low if someone was after you.

Charles had a lot of people after him in December 1776. First and foremost was the British Army, commanded in that area by Lord Charles Cornwallis. After a string of British successes against the Continentals in New York, it wasn’t George Washington the English high command was afraid of.

It was Charles Lee.

So the British send some dragoons to nab the general and take him prisoner. Which they do. Which makes quite a lot of Americans sad. And it inspires one American in particular to find a British officer of high enough rank to trade for General Lee. 

As luck would have it, he finds one.

  

Podcast Episode 59 - Remember The Ladies

There's an awful lot of testosterone on History's Trainwrecks. 

I tend to think it's because men are far more likely than women to self-sabotage in a big way. But as Abigail Adams told her husband John, we should always "remember the ladies." 

Samantha Wilcoxson, author of the phenomenal Women of the American Revolution, joins me to talk about her book and see how the stories we've always been told about the women of the founding generation are really just the beginning. 

You can find Samantha Wilcoxson's books here:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Samantha-Wilcoxson/author/B00IGVWSCI

And all her other shenanigans:

Blog https://samanthawilcoxson.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/carpe_librum
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samantha_wilcoxson
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PlantagenetEmbers/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/samanthajw
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/samantha_wilcoxson/

Podcast Episode 58 - Great Mind In History - George Washington

It occurred to me that we’ve been doing quite a lot of talking about George Washington in this series—or more accurately, talking AROUND George, so I thought it would be a good time to stop and focus on the man himself, and delve into what made him so darn indispensable.

I didn’t exactly HAVE a George Washington episode, but I knew someone who did.

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know that I am a huge fan of the Drinks With Great Minds in History Podcast. The show is not only lots of fun to listen to, but the host, Mr. DGMH, otherwise known as Zach Debacco, has a historical insight that I truly admire. His approach to his great minds in history is unique, and he comes up with brilliant revelations about these historical figures that I had never before considered.

It's a great show, and if you aren’t already subscribed to it, you should be. If it helps, I can tell you that Drinks With Great Minds in History is the only history podcast that Mrs. History’s Trainwrecks listens to.

With all that that implies.

Podcast Episode 57 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part VIII

Here I thought things would get better for General Charles Lee once he got loose from British captivity before the Battle of Monmouth Court House.

Nope. Because Charles just couldn't help himself. 

We wrap up our story of Charles Lee, and talk about why he's such a great historical trainwreck. 

Podcast Episode 56 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part VII

Christmas 1776 wasn't such a great time for two American generals. George Washington was wrapping a Christmas present for the Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey. He was going to cross the Delaware and drop it down their metaphorical chimney like some kind of badass Santa Claus.

Second in command Charles Lee had checked into a tavern and sent his dogs and his army down the road a ways. With only a few guards and a dirty shirt, he was cooling his heels while waiting to decide to follow Washington's orders to join up with him.

In the meantime, British General Cornwallis, who was way more scared of Lee than Washington, sent Charles's old regiment of dragoons to find him and capture him.

Which they did. Merry Christmas, Charles...

Podcast Episode 55 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part VI

As Christmas, 1776 approached, it sure looked like the cause of American liberty was going to find a lump of coal under the tree.

The British had taken New York and had George Washington's army on the run. They had a massive force pointed right at Philadelphia, the American capital. The Continental Congress had placed their hopes in one man to swoop in and save them.

And it was NOT George Washington.

This gave General Charles Lee the idea that he could be the man of the hour, and then take George Washington's job away from him.

Sources

Ellis, Joseph J. “His Excellency: George Washington.” Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. 

George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “The ‘Indispensible Man’: Would the Revolution Have Succeeded Without George Washington?” Retrieved September 23, 2022 from https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/was-washington-the-indispensable-man/would-the-revolution-have-succeeded-without-george-washington/ 

McBurney, Christian M. “Kidnapping The Enemy: The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee and Richard Prescott.” Westholme Publishing, 2014. 

Papas, Phillip. “Renegade Revolutionary: The Life of General Charles Lee.” New York University Press, 2014.

 

Podcast Episode 54 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part V

1776 was a great year for Charles Lee. He had overseen the defensive preparations in New York, Virginia, and North Carolina. The British didn't attack those places, which Charles called a win. He successfully led the defense of Charleston, South Carolina against a British assault, which he also put in his win column. 

Then he was ordered to New York, which was under serious threat from the British, and where he would be, for the first time in his Revolutionary War service, under the command of someone else. 

This wasn't one of Charles's strong suits. But his luck was holding, and he was greeted in New York as the savior of the cause. 

George Washington's luck, on the other hand, was pretty bad. The British had him trapped between a massive army and navy, and the Continentals were suffering major setbacks. Plus, he had to listen to the cheers of his men when the most battle-tested general in the army showed up. 

But George's luck was going to change come December. He was going to have a great Christmas. 

Charles Lee, on the other hand, was not. 

Podcast Episode 53 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part IV

Brand new Major General Charles Lee was looking pretty darn indispensable in the early days of the American Revolution.

After the British abandoned Boston, their next move was unclear. The Continentals believed that the next attack would either hit Canada, New York City, or the Southern colonies.

It is worth noting that new General Charles Lee was appointed to each of these commands. He became the early Revolution's troubleshooter.

And there was a lot of trouble to shoot.

There were British Loyalists, runaway slaves, poorly equipped and trained Continental militia, and civilian governments who didn't seem to realize that the British were about to rain hell and damnation down on them.

 

Podcast Episode 52 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part III

If Charles Lee was alive today, he would be considered a master networker.

That guy knew EVERYBODY.

As we’ve seen in prior episodes, Charles was pals with a few kings and kings-in-waiting like Stanislaus of Poland, Frederick I of Prussia and his son, future king Frederick Wilhelm, as well as Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. He wasn’t a fan of King George III, but still managed to get a meeting with him.

Like any modern-day Wall Street capitalist on the make, Charles Lee could ALWAYS get the meeting.

With all these movers and shakers on his side, Charles was a front-runner for one of the top jobs in the upcoming war with Britain: Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. 

But there was ANOTHER fellow who also wanted the job, and he was willing to overlook the fact that Charles still owed him fifteen bucks from that time he and his dogs mooched at Mount Vernon and made Martha mad.   

Podcast Episode 51 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part II

Major General Charles Lee was a complainer.

It didn’t start when he joined the Continental Army in 1775. Charles was predisposed to crabbiness. His father was a British major general and his mother was descended from landed gentry. He was the youngest child, and the only son to survive to adulthood. A place of stature had been carved out for Charles, and he meant to have it.

He pursued a career in the British Army and served in the colonies during the French and Indian War, where he met George Washington and Thomas Gage. When the war was over he went adventurin', getting into duels, hanging out with kings, and sticking it to the Ottoman Empire, which is always a good idea. 

But his complaining, about his superiors in the army and THEIR superior, King George III, meant that England was a bit too hot for Charles. So he and his little dog went to America to see what kind of trouble they could get into. 

Which in part meant, just maybe, being appointed commander of the Continental Army instead of George Washington. 

 

Podcast Episode 50 - The Men Who Would Be Washington, Part I

Was George Washington truly America's indispensable man? 

John Adams thought so, and lots of later historians agreed. Washington had the qualities the country needed at the time - dignity, gravitas, and integrity. He was perceived to be above the kind of petty squabbles that would doom the newborn republic. 

But things very nearly didn't go his way. After his defeat at the Battle of New York in 1776, the war, and with it the Revolution, was nearly over. 

Had Washington not managed to get things back on track, there were a few other commanders who would have been quite happy to take the top spot. 

Washington saved the day with a couple of surprise wintertime attacks, but things had a way of turning against him. 

1777 saw a string of British victories, except for one smashing battle won by the Americans. The only problem - George wasn't the general who won the victory. 

Uh oh. 

Sources

Ellis, Joseph J. “His Excellency: George Washington.” Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

 

George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “The ‘Indispensible Man’: Would the Revolution Have Succeeded Without George Washington?” Retrieved September 23, 2022 from https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/was-washington-the-indispensable-man/would-the-revolution-have-succeeded-without-george-washington/