A Worse Place than Hell
How the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg Changed a Nation
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A Worse Place than Hell
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Narrated by:
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David Colacci
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By:
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John Matteson
About this listen
Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Matteson illuminates three harrowing months of the Civil War and their enduring legacy for America.
December 1862 drove the United States toward a breaking point. The Battle of Fredericksburg shattered Union forces and Northern confidence. As Abraham Lincoln's government threatened to fracture, this critical moment also tested five extraordinary individuals whose lives reflect the soul of a nation. The changes they underwent led to profound repercussions in the country's law, literature, politics, and popular mythology. Taken together, their stories offer a striking restatement of what it means to be American.
Guided by patriotism, driven by desire, all five moved toward singular destinies. A young Harvard intellectual steeped in courageous ideals, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. confronted grave challenges to his concept of duty. The one-eyed army chaplain Arthur Fuller pitted his frail body against the evils of slavery. Walt Whitman, a gay Brooklyn poet condemned by the guardians of propriety, and Louisa May Alcott, a struggling writer seeking an authentic voice and her father's admiration, tended soldiers' wracked bodies as nurses. On the other side of the national schism, West Point cadet John Pelham achieved a unique excellence in artillery tactics as he served a doomed and misbegotten cause.
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This Hallowed Ground
- A History of the Civil War
- By: Bruce Catton
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 18 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 167
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 149
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Story5 out of 5 stars 149
This audiobook is the classic one-volume history of the American Civil War by Pulitzer Prize winner Bruce Catton. Covering events from the prelude of the conflict to the death of Lincoln, Catton blends a gripping narrative with deep, yet unassuming, scholarship to bring the war alive in an almost novelistic way. It is this gift for narrative that led contemporary critics to compare this book to War and Peace, and call it a "modern Iliad." Now over 50 years old, This Hallowed Ground remains one of the best-loved and admired general Civil War books.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Still one of the best!
- By Homer on 04-21-19
By: Bruce Catton
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Meade at Gettysburg
- A Study in Command
- By: Kent Masterson Brown
- Narrated by: Shawn Compton
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 159
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 148
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 148
Although he took command of the Army of the Potomac only three days before the first shots were fired at Gettysburg, Union general George G. Meade guided his forces to victory in the Civil War's most pivotal battle. Commentators often dismiss Meade when discussing the great leaders of the Civil War. But in this long-anticipated book, Kent Masterson Brown draws on an expansive archive to reappraise Meade's leadership during the Battle of Gettysburg.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic Book
- By Taylor Boulet on 04-14-22
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The Fall of the House of Dixie
- The Civil War and the Social Revolution That Transformed the South
- By: Bruce Levine
- Narrated by: Peter Jay Fernandez
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 135
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
The J. G. Randall Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Illinois and associate editor of North and South magazine, Bruce Levine presents a gripping chronicle of the cultural and economic upheaval the South experienced during and after the Civil War. Drawing upon a treasure trove of diaries, letters, newspaper articles, and government documents, Levine offers a unique perspective on the old South's demise through the voices of those who lived through the conflict.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Merely ok. . .
- By Steve E. on 03-19-13
By: Bruce Levine
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Voices from the Confederacy
- True Civil War Stories from the Men and Women of the Old South
- By: Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.
- Narrated by: J. Rodney Turner
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
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Story5 out of 5 stars 15
They say history is written by the victors. In the case of the Civil War, that's largely true. But historian Samuel Mitcham brings the Southern point of view to life in Voices from the Confederacy. In it, you will learn about the heroic, the scoundrels, the clever, the vanquished, and the hungry. Rich or poor, black or white, Voices from the Confederacy shares hundreds of poignant and revealing moments during the war between the states.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Enjoying
- By Anonymous User on 07-07-24
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"Lee Is Trapped, and Must Be Taken"
- Eleven Fateful Days After Gettysburg: July 4 - 14, 1863
- By: Thomas J. Ryan, Richard R. Schaus
- Narrated by: David Stifel
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
"Lee Is Trapped, and Must Be Taken": Eleven Fateful Days After Gettysburg: July 4 to July 14, 1863 focuses on the immediate aftermath of the battle of Gettysburg and addresses how Maj. Gen. George G. Meade organized and motivated his Army of the Potomac in response to President Abraham Lincoln's mandate to bring about the "literal or substantial destruction" of Gen. Robert E. Lee's retreating Army of Northern Virginia.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Detailed and Well Written
- By Ezekiel Z. Conover on 04-22-21
By: Thomas J. Ryan, and others
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Thunder in the Mountains
- Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard, and the Nez Perce War
- By: Daniel Sharfstein
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 203
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 182
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
Oliver Otis Howard thought he was a man of destiny. Chosen to lead the Freedmen's Bureau after the Civil War, the Union Army general was entrusted with the era's most crucial task: helping millions of former slaves claim the rights of citizens. He was energized by the belief that abolition and Reconstruction, the country's great struggles for liberty and equality, were God's plan for himself and the nation.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but lenghty.
- By Tristan on 05-10-18
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For Cause and Comrades
- Why Men Fought in the Civil War
- By: James M. McPherson
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 82
James McPherson shows that, contrary to what many scholars believe, the soldiers of the Civil War remained powerfully convinced of the ideals for which they fought throughout the conflict. Motivated by duty and honor, and often by religious faith, these men wrote frequently of their firm belief in the cause for which they fought: the principles of liberty, freedom, justice, and patriotism. For Cause and Comrades lets these soldiers tell their own stories in their own words to create an account that is both deeply moving and far truer than most books on war.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Ambitious idea but falls short
- By Matt M on 08-03-20
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Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War
- By: Tim Rowland
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 88
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 88
Strange and Obscure Stories of the Civil War is an entertaining look at the Civil War stories that don’t get told, and the misadventures you haven’t read about in history books. Share in all the humorous and strange events that took place behind the scenes of some of the most famous Civil War moments.
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4 out of 5 stars
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INTERESTING & FUNNY
- By The Louligan on 08-01-14
By: Tim Rowland
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Pickett's Charge
- A New Look at Gettysburg's Final Attack
- By: Phillip Thomas Tucker PhD
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 19 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 209
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 193
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Story4 out of 5 stars 192
Pickett's Charge is a detailed analysis of one of the most iconic and defining events in American history. This book presents a much-needed fresh look, including the unvarnished truths and ugly realities, about the unforgettable story. With the luxury of hindsight, historians have long denounced the folly of Lee's attack, but this work reveals the tactical brilliance of a master plan that went awry. Special emphasis is placed on the common soldiers on both sides, especially the non-Virginia attackers outside of Pickett's Virginia Division.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Worst CW book ever. Can't rate it low enough. It deserves negative 5 stars in all categories
- By rbergen on 05-10-18
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The Great Partnership
- Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and the Fate of the Confederacy
- By: Christian B. Keller
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48
The Great Partnership has the power to change how we think about Confederate strategic decision-making and the value of personal relationships among senior leaders responsible for organizational survival. Those relationships in the Confederate high command were particularly critical for victory, especially the one that existed between the two great Army of Northern Virginia generals.
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5 out of 5 stars
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No real surprises
- By Mike in NC on 12-29-19
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The Great Battle Never Fought: The Mine Run Campaign, November 26-December 2, 1863
- Emerging Civil War Series
- By: Chris Mackowski
- Narrated by: Chris Mackowski
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
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Story5 out of 5 stars 7
The stakes for George Gordon Meade could not have been higher. After his stunning victory at Gettysburg in July of 1863, the Union commander spent the following months trying to bring the Army of Northern Virginia to battle once more and finish the job. The Great Battle Never Fought: The Mine Run Campaign, November 26-December 2 1863 recounts the final chapter of the forgotten fall of 1863 - when George Gordon Meade made one final attempt to save the Union and, in doing so, save himself.
By: Chris Mackowski
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Mosby's Rangers
- A Record of the Operations of the Forty-Third Battalion Virginia Cavalry, from Its Organization to the Surrender
- By: James Joseph Williamson
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Story5 out of 5 stars 29
Mosby's Rangers were some of the most feared Confederate troops of the American Civil War. Under the command of Col. John S. Mosby, they executed small raids behind Union lines, raiding at will and then vanishing quickly into the countryside to remain undetected. James Joseph Williamson, a private who fought under Mosby from April, 1863, through until the end of the war, records in fascinating detail the activity of Mosby and his men from their companies' organization until the moment that they were disbanded.
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5 out of 5 stars
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One of best accounts on Mosby and 43rd Battalion
- By John Leutner on 03-02-20
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Stanton
- Lincoln's War Secretary
- By: Walter Stahr
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 20 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 73
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
Of the crucial men close to President Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was the most powerful and controversial. Stanton raised, armed, and supervised the army of a million men who won the Civil War. He organized the war effort. He directed military movements from his telegraph office, where Lincoln literally hung out with him. He arrested and imprisoned thousands for "war crimes" such as resisting the draft or calling for an armistice. Stanton was so controversial that some accused him at that time of complicity in Lincoln's assassination.
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2 out of 5 stars
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A bad narrator can ruin a good book
- By cathy on 11-01-17
By: Walter Stahr
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The Confederacy's Last Hurrah
- Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville
- By: Wiley Sword
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 22 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 109
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 94
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Story5 out of 5 stars 96
Though he barely escaped expulsion from West Point, John Bell Hood quickly rose through the ranks of the Confederate army. With bold leadership in the battles of Gaines' Mill and Antietam, Hood won favor with Confederate president Jefferson Davis. But his fortunes in war took a tragic turn when he assumed command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. After the fall of Atlanta, Hood marched his troops north in an attempt to draw Union army general William T. Sherman from his devastating "March to the Sea." But the ploy proved ruinous for the South.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Oh dear, pronunciation again
- By Charles on 08-07-20
By: Wiley Sword
Beautifully Artistic.
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Fantastic Intertwining!
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Very good!
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Brilliant
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Great contrast
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Fantastic Story
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