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Witness to War: The Civil War in 432 Voices (Ep. 292)
About this Episode
Tonight I sat down with author and former journalist J. Mark Powell to explore his new book, Witness to War—a Civil War narrative told entirely through previously unpublished, firsthand letters from everyday Americans.
We dug into how he spent decades collecting and curating more than 500 excerpts from 432 unique voices—men, women, soldiers, civilians, Northerners, Southerners, even teenagers—capturing the war in real time as it unfolded. Mark shared striking, often haunting scenes: botched executions, battlefield hospitals, family pleas to desert, humor in the midst of horror, and the shock of 1865’s rapid cascade—Richmond’s fall, Lee’s surrender, and Lincoln’s assassination.
We also compared the anxieties and divisions of the 1860s with today, and reflected on what these unfiltered letters reveal about endurance, conviction, and the human cost of civil conflict.
We covered how Mark verified authenticity, why he excluded famous figures to center everyday people, and tips for newcomers on studying the war and beginning a careful relic collection. Whether you’re a history buff or simply curious about how ordinary people navigate extraordinary times, this conversation offers an intimate, fast-moving window into America’s most defining crucible—and asks a timely question: not just what happened, but what, if anything, we’ve learned.
Guest: J. Mark Powell
https://jmarkpowell.com/witness-to-war/
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Special thanks to:
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Executive Producer Rosanna Rankin
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(00:01:49) Live from Asylum Studios: Show kickoff and date stamp
(00:02:40) Technical hiccups and plan B if things go sideways
(00:03:15) Recap of last episode with John David and May return
(00:04:47) Framing tonight’s theme: Understanding the Civil War through letters
(00:05:47) Housekeeping: website, contact, comments, live schedule, platforms
(00:07:12) Algorithms, likes, shares, and slow-but-steady growth
(00:10:06) Tonight’s guest intro: J. Mark Powell and Witness to War
(00:10:42) Guest joins with playful delay banter from “Artemis II”
(00:11:28) Icebreakers: vanished trends, man buns, and overcomplicating life
(00:15:03) From newsroom to history: Powell’s journalism journey
(00:17:13) Corporate shakeups and the changing CNN era
(00:19:31) Tough newsroom memories: the 11-year-old who lied about murder
(00:22:13) Finding the Civil War young: Pea Ridge to reenactments
(00:26:41) Building the letters collection and crafting a fast-moving book
(00:32:22) Gettysburg up close and the man who skipped Lincoln’s address
(00:35:00) Scale and shock: Shiloh, cost, and wartime technology
(00:37:21) What makes a letter historically valuable
(00:43:42) Research trails: ocean liners, shipboard tensions, and color
(00:45:22) Humor, heartbreak, and executions gone wrong
(00:47:31) Hospitals, suffering, and the grim work of bringing bodies home
(00:49:59) Saving history: numbering letters and preserving voices
(00:51:03) Do sacrifices matter? Home front opinions and scope of war
(00:52:50) Draft choices, substitutes, and the true cost of $300
(00:53:27) Will I be one of the twenty? Mortality math in the ranks
(00:55:19) What keeps them going: courage, reputation, and resolve
(00:58:26) Echoes with today: blue and red states and uneasy rhymes
(01:01:04) Many voices, not one verdict: letting letters speak
(01:03:25) The immeasurable loss: lives ended and what might have been
(01:03:28) So what did it all mean? The tangled causes debate
(01:04:02) How to begin: balanced study and starting a relic collection
(01:07:48) Craftsmanship shout-out and where to find the book
(01:09:18) Signed copies, contact info, and closing the interview
(01:10:21) Host reflections and why this book is worth your time
(01:13:29) Value-for-value, support, and production shout-outs
(01:13:29) Final reflection: living forward without clarity
(01:14:22) Show wrap: site, schedule, and sign-off
- Wayne Rankin
- Rosanna Rankin
- Carolina Jimenez
Hosts & Guests
No transcript available for this episode.
