The American Southwest

This is part eight of my ongoing series over the Mexican War of 1846-1848. In this episode I cover the only religious military unit the United States has ever created: The Mormon Battalion. I follow them as they leave Council Bluff’s Iowa, head down the Santa Fe Trail, down the Rio Grande, and across the American Southwest to California. It’s a long arduous journey and their march is the longest military march in history.

This is part Seven of my ongoing series over the Mexican War of 1846 to 1848. In this episode we follow General Kearny and the Army of the West from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe. And then from Santa Fe to San Diego where Kearny is ordered to take over from Fremont and Stockton. Upon reaching California, Kearny, Carson, and the men must race to the coast to fight the rebellious Californios who had staged a rebellion. You will hear all about the grueling marches through the hot prairie, deserts, and mountains of the Great Plains and the American Southwest. Kearny, Carson, Fremont, Stockton, and Gillespie take center stage in this exciting episode.

This is part six in my ongoing series over the Mexican War of 1846 to 1848. In this episode, we step back from Mexico and head to California. I talk about the lead up to the conquest in Californian politics, Kit Carson, John C Fremont, their third expedition, The Bear Flag Republic, Commodore Stockton, and a whole lot more.

This is the fifth episode in my ongoing series over the Mexican War of 1846-1848. In this episode I extensively cover the incredible and incredibly bloody three day battle of Monterrey, Mexico. Taylor and his army of Regulars and Volunteers attack the heavily fortified city from the east and the west simultaneously as the Mexicans put up extremely stiff resistance. Sam (Ulysses S) Grant, Jefferson Davis, Longstreet, Worth, Meade, Dirty Shirt Scurry, Thomas Green, Samuel Walker, McCulloch, Jack Hays, Twiggs, Bragg, Burleson, Napoleon Bonaparte Lamar, and countless other important historical figures all fight in this deadly urban combat battle that President Polk hopes will force Mexico’s surrender.

In this episode, I cover the capture of Dragoons by Mexican forces which kicks off the War itself. I then go into detail about the first two battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma before covering the arrival of the volunteers, the horrid conditions in camp, the politics in Washington DC, and the eventual march to Monterrey. The Texas Rangers, Jefferson Davis, Winfield Scott, and many more are introduced in this episode

This episode focuses on the decade following the Texas Revolution with Mexican reprisals, international intrigue, the annexation of Texas, and the coming war between Mexico and the US. It includes Sam Houston, Lamar, the Black Bean incident, President Polk, Sam Grant, and a whole lot more. It is the final episode in the lead up to the Mexican War of 1846-1848.

This is part two in my ongoing series over the Mexican War of 1846-1848. This episode covers the period immediately after the Alamo. I talk about Goliad, Houston’s retreats, and the Battle of San Jacinto which sees the Texans gain their Independence from Mexico

This is the first episode in a long series over the Mexican War from 1846 to 1848. I begin the series where it all started: The Louisiana Purchase. I talk about the filibusterers such as Nolan, Long, and others. I then tell the story of Austin and his Old Three Hundred before marching headlong into the beginning of the Texas Revolution with Sam Houston and William Barret Travis. I end the episode with the assault on the Alamo.

I am joined by Author Brad Kelly to discuss his incredible book The Earthen Dark. We also discuss archaeology, anthropology, Man Corn, Chaco Canyon, the Maya, all the fun stuff under the earth, and more.

After a few rewrites and edits, I have finally finished the third and final episode in the series over Confederate Treasure. Instead of telling the rest of the Rebel Gold story like I had planned, I decided to summarize a few parts without ruining it. I briefly talk about Bob’s adventures with the Wolf Map treasure of Oklahoma and the Lost Dutchman Mine in Arizona before imploring listeners to purchase Rebel Gold and reading it. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a ton of fun information and tantalizing clues, but after a discussion with author Warren Getler, I have decided not to ruin the book. I end the episode with two very recent finds in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Ohio Treasure was probably buried by the not assassinated Jesse James. Both are probably KGC related.