Advertise on podcast: The History Things Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail For centuries, sailors have told stories of a phantom ship doomed to wander the oceans forever, its ghostly sails appearing through the mist as a warning of disaster. The Flying Dutchman has become one of the most enduring legends of the sea—but what happens when the tale is connected to a royal encounter? In this episode of Campfire Ghost Stories, Patrick explores the haunting legend of the Flying Dutchman and its place in maritime folklore. We venture into a world of storm-tossed seas, mysterious apparitions, and sailors who believed they had witnessed something that defied explanation. Where did the legend begin? How did it become entwined with stories of royalty and seafaring history? And why has the phantom vessel continued to capture the imagination long after the age of sail? Settle in, dim the lights, and prepare to encounter one of the sea’s most famous ghost ships.

Send us Fan Mail Deep in the woods of Chickamauga Battlefield, where the echoes of America’s bloodiest conflict still seem to linger, a strange figure has become part of local legend. Known as “Old Green Eyes,” this mysterious presence is said to haunt the battlefield long after the guns fell silent. In this installment of Campfire Ghost Stories, we venture into the shadowy intersection of Civil War history, battlefield folklore, and the unexplained. What lies behind the legend of Old Green Eyes? How did this eerie tale become associated with one of the Civil War’s most fiercely contested battlefields? Gather around the campfire, turn down the lights, and join The History Things Podcast for a chilling journey into one of America’s haunted historic landscapes.

Send us Fan Mail On September 17, 1862, the rolling farmland around Antietam Creek became the stage for the bloodiest single day in American military history. Across cornfields, through woodlots, and around the Dunker Church, Union and Confederate soldiers fought a desperate battle whose consequences would reach far beyond western Maryland. In Part Two of our Maryland Campaign Revisited series, Patrick reunites with acclaimed historian D. Scott Hartwig to explore the Battle of Antietam itself. We return to the battlefield to examine the fighting, the commanders’ decisions, the experiences of the men caught in the struggle, and the terrible human cost of Lee’s invasion of the North. The outcome would shape the next phase of the Civil War and help create the circumstances for Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Join us as we revisit the battle that changed the course of the war—and left an enduring mark on the American landscape.

Send us Fan Mail Patrick is joined by acclaimed historian D. Scott Hartwig to retrace the opening movements of the Maryland Campaign of 1862. We explore the strategic calculations behind Lee’s invasion, the Union response, the movement of armies across Maryland, and the events that brought the opposing forces toward Antietam Creek. From the roads and towns of western Maryland to the decisions made in headquarters and on the march, this episode examines the campaign as a living story of uncertainty, ambition, and military consequence. What did Lee hope to accomplish by invading the North? Could McClellan stop him? And how did a campaign intended to reshape the war lead to a confrontation that would shock the nation? Join us for the first part of our return to one of the most consequential campaigns of the American Civil War, with one of the leading historians of the Maryland Campaign as our guide.

Send us Fan Mail When the guns fell silent on a Civil War battlefield, another desperate struggle began. Wounded soldiers lay scattered across fields, roads, and woodlots, awaiting help that could mean the difference between life and death. Getting those men to safety was a monumental challenge—and one that helped transform military medicine and battlefield evacuation. Recorded live at Union Mills, this episode of The History Things Podcast explores the history of the Civil War ambulance corps. We look at the men, methods, vehicles, and evolving organization behind the effort to remove wounded soldiers from the battlefield and deliver them to medical care. How did armies manage the overwhelming number of casualties? What did an ambulance crew’s work actually involve? And how did the experiences of the Civil War influence the future of military medical services? Join Patrick and Kyle Dalton for a fascinating look at a vital but often overlooked part of Civil War history: the people who risked their lives to bring the wounded home.

Send us Fan Mail While the great armies of the Civil War clashed in the East, another campaign unfolded across the vast deserts and rugged mountains of the American Southwest. In 1862, Confederate forces pushed into New Mexico Territory, hoping to secure valuable resources, expand Southern influence, and potentially open a route toward the Pacific. But conquering the Southwest would prove far more difficult than the Confederate leadership imagined. Harsh terrain, scarce supplies, long lines of communication, and determined Union resistance turned the campaign into a struggle for survival as much as a contest for territory. Patrick is joined by historian Phillip Greenwalt and guest host Kyle Dalton to explore the New Mexico Campaign of 1862. From the ambitions behind the Confederate advance to the fighting that helped determine its fate, we uncover a lesser-known chapter of the American Civil War. Discover why the war in the West mattered, how the campaign unfolded, and what the struggle for a desert empire reveals about the broader ambitions—and limitations—of both sides.

Send us Fan Mail As the American colonies moved toward revolution, the struggle for liberty was not confined to disputes between colonists and the British Crown. Across the countryside, ordinary people were also challenging the economic arrangements and powerful landowners that shaped their daily lives. In Loudoun County, Virginia, tenants confronted a system of rents, landholding, and obligations that had become a source of deep resentment. Their revolt in 1775–1776 unfolded at a remarkable moment, when arguments about authority, property, and the rights of ordinary people were transforming the colonies. Patrick welcomes special guest AnnMarie Chirieleison to explore this lesser-known uprising and its place in the revolutionary era. Who were the tenants? What grievances drove their resistance? And how did their struggle intersect with the larger upheaval of the American Revolution? Discover a different side of the revolutionary story—one that brings the experiences of working people and rural communities into the foreground.

Send us Fan Mail The sinking of Titanic did not end when the great liner disappeared beneath the Atlantic. For the survivors, the bereaved, and the rescuers aboard Carpathia, the ordeal was only beginning. Across the ocean, families waited for news, recovery ships prepared to search the wreck’s aftermath, and investigators began asking how a supposedly extraordinary vessel could have suffered such a catastrophic loss. In Part Two of Titanic Revisited, Patrick and Parker  examine the difficult work of recovering the dead, the efforts to identify and care for the victims, and the investigations that followed on both sides of the Atlantic. We explore the British and American inquiries, the controversy surrounding the SS Californian, and the questions of responsibility, safety, and preparedness that haunted the disaster. We also consider Titanic’s enduring legacy, from the changes that reshaped maritime safety to the continuing public fascination with the ship—and the modern tragedy of the OceanGate Titan submersible. The disaster left more than a wreck on the ocean floor. It left families searching for answers and a world forced to reconsider the price of confidence, progress, and human error.

Send us Fan Mail On April 10, 1912, RMS Titanic departed Southampton on her maiden voyage, carrying passengers whose hopes and ambitions ranged from a new life in America to a luxurious crossing aboard the world’s most celebrated ocean liner. Four days later, in the darkness of the North Atlantic, a collision with an iceberg set in motion one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters. Patrick and Parker retrace Titanic’s final voyage, from the excitement of departure and the ship’s calls at Cherbourg and Queenstown to the ice warnings that preceded the collision. We follow the unfolding emergency, the desperate preparations to abandon ship, and the choices faced by passengers and crew as the situation grew increasingly hopeless. Through the stories of those aboard, this episode explores not only the mechanics of the sinking but the human experience of a catastrophe that unfolded in a matter of hours. Who found a place in the lifeboats? Who remained behind? And what happened when Carpathia arrived to rescue the survivors from the cold Atlantic? Join us for Part One of Titanic Revisited, a journey into the final hours of a ship whose name has become synonymous with tragedy.

Send us Fan Mail As the American Civil War drew to a close, the nation faced a question almost as difficult as winning the war itself: how could a fractured country be reunited? The fighting had devastated communities, destroyed slavery, and left millions facing an uncertain future. Victory on the battlefield would not automatically produce peace in the hearts or lives of the American people. Patrick is joined by guest Codie Eash to explore the meaning and historical context of “With Malice Toward None,” the famous phrase associated with Abraham Lincoln’s vision for reconciliation in his Second Inaugural Address. We consider the political and moral challenges confronting Lincoln as the Union approached victory, and the competing ideas about punishment, restoration, and the future of the former Confederacy. What did Lincoln hope Reconstruction would achieve? Could a nation so deeply divided find a way forward? And how did his assassination alter the possibilities for reconciliation? This episode examines the ideals, tensions, and unfinished questions surrounding one of the most consequential transitions in American history.

Send us Fan Mail In the nineteenth century, Japan stood at a crossroads. Foreign powers were pressing for access to its ports and markets, while political and military factions inside Japan fought over how the country should respond to a rapidly changing world. At the centre of these tensions lay the strategically important Shimonoseki Straits. Patrick and Parker are joined by Kyle Dalton to explore the conflict surrounding the straits, where Japanese resistance to foreign passage brought local political struggles into direct confrontation with Western naval power. We examine the historical background, the forces involved, and the wider consequences of the fighting for Japan’s relationship with the outside world. How did a dispute over maritime access become part of a larger struggle over Japan’s future? What did foreign intervention reveal about the balance of power in East Asia? And how did these events fit into the dramatic transformation of Japan during the final years of the shogunate? Join us for a look at a fascinating episode in nineteenth-century military and diplomatic history, when the waters off Japan became a stage for a much larger contest over sovereignty and influence.

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail Another year of history, stories, and fascinating conversations comes to a close! In this special end-of-year episode, Patrick looks back on the journey of The History Things Podcast and celebrates another year spent exploring the people, events, and unexpected stories that bring the past to life. From memorable historical discussions to the discoveries and conversations that made the year special, this holiday episode offers a chance to reflect on the history we’ve explored together and look ahead to what awaits in the coming year. Whether you’ve been listening since the beginning or have only recently discovered the show, join Patrick for a seasonal visit filled with the spirit of curiosity, appreciation, and a shared love of history. Here’s to another year of uncovering the stories that deserve to be remembered!