Season 2 Episode 1 – Little Napoleons

Season 2 of Breaking Nation: A Civil War Podcast opens in the tense, uncertain spring of 1861—a moment when the fate of the United States hung by a thread. The guns of Fort Sumter have just fallen silent, their smoke still drifting over Charleston Harbor. Major Robert Anderson’s weary troops lower the Union flag as stunned Americans from Maine to Texas try to make sense of what has happened. Was it an act of defiance? A declaration of independence? Or the first shots of a long and bloody war?

In Washington, President Abraham Lincoln faces a crisis no one alive has seen before. The army at his command numbers barely 17,000 men—a peacetime force scattered across a continent. His cabinet is divided, Congress is out of session, and his own generals are aging or untested. Yet the nation waits for him to act. Should he call for peace? For patience? Or for arms? Within days, his decision will define the course of the war and, perhaps, the survival of the Union itself.

Across the South, the mood is equally electric. Crowds fill the streets of New Orleans and Richmond, celebrating what many see as a second revolution. Governors debate how far to go, how quickly to raise troops, and whether the new Confederacy can defend itself against the industrial might of the North. In the border states, loyalty is torn between neighbors, families, and conscience. In Baltimore, a city caught between two worlds, a northern regiment’s march sparks a deadly riot—the first bloodshed of a conflict still to come.

Amid this chaos, familiar names appear on the stage: Winfield Scott, the aging hero of America's army; Jefferson Davis, confident and defiant; and a thoughtful colonel from Virginia named Robert E. Lee, who finds himself facing an impossible choice. Each decision, each hesitation, pushes the country further toward an unknown future.

Through rich storytelling, historical voices, and contemporary accounts, this episode immerses listeners in the confusion, hope, and fear of a nation on the brink. The peace that had endured for generations is gone, replaced by a storm no one can control. As Lincoln takes pen in hand to summon 75,000 volunteers, the country begins its long march into civil war.

When the smoke clears and the drums of war begin to beat, one question remains: in moments of national crisis, who truly shapes what America becomes?

Breaking Nation: A Civil War Podcast explores the American Civil War, its turning points, and our national memory. Discover full episodes, transcripts, and resources at www.breakingnation.com — your destination for in-depth Civil War podcast content and fresh perspectives on America’s past. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.