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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war--6714055</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/6714055/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>History</category><copyright>Copyright Biographies 2.0</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg</url><title>Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war--6714055</link></image><lastBuildDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 10:04:11 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Public Domain Books</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker11@adfreesounds.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="History"/><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Social Sciences"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>b29d519b-4172-5a81-883f-779049c4bccc</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Into The Valley Of Death Crimea, Balaklava, The Light Brigade Russell, Tennyson And Kipling-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/into-the-valley-of-death-crimea-balaklava-the-light-brigade-russell-tennyson-and-kipling-various--74363033</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74363033</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:06:03 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74363033/into_the_valley_of_death_crimea_balaklava_the_light_brigade_russell_tennyson_and_kipling_various.mp3" length="24861620" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3104</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Autobiography of Goethe Volume 2-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/autobiography-of-goethe-volume-2-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe--74170053</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74170053</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:04:06 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74170053/8949_autobiography_of_goethe_volume_2_johann_wolfgang_von_goethe.mp3" length="250804946" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31319</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Oscar Wilde Art and Morality-Stuart Mason</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/oscar-wilde-art-and-morality-stuart-mason--74112422</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74112422</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:04:14 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74112422/oscar_wilde_art_and_morality_stuart_mason.mp3" length="51510499" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6432</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters of a Woman Homesteader-Elinore Pruitt Stewart</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-of-a-woman-homesteader-elinore-pruitt-stewart--74071312</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74071312</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:04:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74071312/letters_of_a_woman_homesteader_elinore_pruitt_stewart.mp3" length="153681834" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19191</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Maoriland Fairy Tales-Edith Howes</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/maoriland-fairy-tales-edith-howes--74022845</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74022845</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:04:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74022845/maoriland_fairy_tales_edith_howes.mp3" length="126464081" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15792</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bay A Book of Poems-D. H. Lawrence</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bay-a-book-of-poems-d-h-lawrence--73954678</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73954678</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:04:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73954678/bay_a_book_of_poems_d_h_lawrence.mp3" length="15069886" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1882</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>In Kent with Charles Dickens-Thomas Frost</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-kent-with-charles-dickens-thomas-frost--73902436</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73902436</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:03:41 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73902436/in_kent_with_charles_dickens_thomas_frost.mp3" length="176971497" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22099</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Art of War (Neville Translation)-Niccolò Machiavelli</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/art-of-war-neville-translation-niccolo-machiavelli--73859602</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73859602</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:04:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73859602/art_of_war_neville_translation_niccolo_machiavelli.mp3" length="202287878" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25261</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent-Washington Irving</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-of-jonathan-oldstyle-gent-washington-irving--73822328</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73822328</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:05:37 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73822328/letters_of_jonathan_oldstyle_gent_washington_irving.mp3" length="47109909" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5883</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dread Apache That Early-Day Scourge of the Southwest-Merrill Pingree Freeman</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dread-apache-that-early-day-scourge-of-the-southwest-merrill-pingree-freeman--73784721</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73784721</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:05:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73784721/dread_apache_that_early_day_scourge_of_the_southwest_merrill_pingree_freeman.mp3" length="27937255" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3489</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Life and Adventures of Nat Love-Nat Love</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-and-adventures-of-nat-love-nat-love--73750468</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73750468</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:46:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73750468/life_and_adventures_of_nat_love_nat_love.mp3" length="126641582" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15814</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Pierrot, Dog Of Belgium-Walter Alden Dyer</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/pierrot-dog-of-belgium-walter-alden-dyer--73687732</link><description><![CDATA[Pierrot, Dog Of Belgium by Walter Alden Dyer tells the poignant story of a loyal canine companion whose adventures reflect the deep bond between humans and animals. This timeless narrative captures the essence of loyalty, friendship, and the trials faced by those in wartime, making it a compelling listen for anyone who appreciates tales of devotion and resilience. The themes of companionship and the enduring spirit of love resonate strongly today, reminding us of the connections that enrich our lives even in the most challenging circumstances. Pierrot's journey is not just a story of a dog; it is a celebration of the unwavering loyalty that transcends time and place.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73687732</guid><pubDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:04:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73687732/12872_pierrot_dog_of_belgium_walter_alden_dyer.mp3" length="53133703" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Pierrot, Dog Of Belgium by Walter Alden Dyer tells the poignant story of a loyal canine companion whose adventures reflect the deep bond between humans and animals. This timeless narrative captures the essence of loyalty, friendship, and the trials...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Pierrot, Dog Of Belgium by Walter Alden Dyer tells the poignant story of a loyal canine companion whose adventures reflect the deep bond between humans and animals. This timeless narrative captures the essence of loyalty, friendship, and the trials faced by those in wartime, making it a compelling listen for anyone who appreciates tales of devotion and resilience. The themes of companionship and the enduring spirit of love resonate strongly today, reminding us of the connections that enrich our lives even in the most challenging circumstances. Pierrot's journey is not just a story of a dog; it is a celebration of the unwavering loyalty that transcends time and place.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6635</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Life and Adventures of Jack Engle An AutoBiography-Walt Whitman</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/life-and-adventures-of-jack-engle-an-autobiography-walt-whitman--73652451</link><description><![CDATA["Life and Adventures of Jack Engle An AutoBiography" by Walt Whitman offers a vivid exploration of the life of its protagonist, capturing the essence of individual experience and personal journey. This work resonates with themes of identity, resilience, and the pursuit of meaning, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the human condition. Whitman's unique narrative style brings forth a rich tapestry of emotions and reflections that remain relevant today, inviting listeners to ponder their own adventures and the broader human experience. Engle's story serves as a reminder of the enduring spirit of exploration and self-discovery that transcends time.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73652451</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:02:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73652451/life_and_adventures_of_jack_engle_an_autobiography_walt_whitman.mp3" length="118992467" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Life and Adventures of Jack Engle An AutoBiography" by Walt Whitman offers a vivid exploration of the life of its protagonist, capturing the essence of individual experience and personal journey. This work resonates with themes of identity,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Life and Adventures of Jack Engle An AutoBiography" by Walt Whitman offers a vivid exploration of the life of its protagonist, capturing the essence of individual experience and personal journey. This work resonates with themes of identity, resilience, and the pursuit of meaning, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the human condition. Whitman's unique narrative style brings forth a rich tapestry of emotions and reflections that remain relevant today, inviting listeners to ponder their own adventures and the broader human experience. Engle's story serves as a reminder of the enduring spirit of exploration and self-discovery that transcends time.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>14859</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tree of Appomattox-Joseph A. Altsheler</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tree-of-appomattox-joseph-a-altsheler--73612398</link><description><![CDATA["Tree of Appomattox" by Joseph A. Altsheler offers a poignant exploration of the Civil War, capturing the trials and tribulations faced by soldiers during this tumultuous period in American history. Through vivid storytelling, Altsheler delves into themes of courage, sacrifice, and the human spirit's resilience amidst the chaos of war. The narrative resonates with contemporary listeners as it reflects on the enduring qualities of bravery and perseverance that remain relevant in today's world. This classic tale not only sheds light on the experiences of common soldiers but also invites us to reflect on the broader implications of conflict and the quest for peace.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73612398</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:35:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73612398/tree_of_appomattox_joseph_a_altsheler.mp3" length="253000978" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Tree of Appomattox" by Joseph A. Altsheler offers a poignant exploration of the Civil War, capturing the trials and tribulations faced by soldiers during this tumultuous period in American history. Through vivid storytelling, Altsheler delves into...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Tree of Appomattox" by Joseph A. Altsheler offers a poignant exploration of the Civil War, capturing the trials and tribulations faced by soldiers during this tumultuous period in American history. Through vivid storytelling, Altsheler delves into themes of courage, sacrifice, and the human spirit's resilience amidst the chaos of war. The narrative resonates with contemporary listeners as it reflects on the enduring qualities of bravery and perseverance that remain relevant in today's world. This classic tale not only sheds light on the experiences of common soldiers but also invites us to reflect on the broader implications of conflict and the quest for peace.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31593</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Secret Battle-A. P. Herbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/secret-battle-a-p-herbert--73568943</link><description><![CDATA["Secret Battle" by A. P. Herbert delves into the often-overlooked struggles faced by soldiers during the Civil War, exploring the internal conflicts and the profound impact of army life on the human spirit. This poignant narrative captures the essence of resilience and the complexities of duty, making it a timeless reflection on the sacrifices made in the name of service. Its exploration of the emotional and psychological battles that accompany physical warfare resonates deeply today, reminding listeners of the enduring nature of courage and the personal cost of conflict.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73568943</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 17:16:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73568943/secret_battle_a_p_herbert.mp3" length="172490921" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Secret Battle" by A. P. Herbert delves into the often-overlooked struggles faced by soldiers during the Civil War, exploring the internal conflicts and the profound impact of army life on the human spirit. This poignant narrative captures the essence...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Secret Battle" by A. P. Herbert delves into the often-overlooked struggles faced by soldiers during the Civil War, exploring the internal conflicts and the profound impact of army life on the human spirit. This poignant narrative captures the essence of resilience and the complexities of duty, making it a timeless reflection on the sacrifices made in the name of service. Its exploration of the emotional and psychological battles that accompany physical warfare resonates deeply today, reminding listeners of the enduring nature of courage and the personal cost of conflict.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21540</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Peeps at People - Being Certain Papers from the Writings of Anne Warrington Witherup-John Kendrick Bangs</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/peeps-at-people-being-certain-papers-from-the-writings-of-anne-warrington-witherup-john-kendrick-bangs--73516222</link><description><![CDATA["Peeps at People" presents a collection of writings by Anne Warrington Witherup and John Kendrick Bangs, offering a unique glimpse into the lives and thoughts of various individuals. This engaging compilation invites listeners to explore the nuances of human experience, highlighting the intricacies of character and society. The themes of observation and reflection resonate today, reminding us of the enduring relevance of understanding ourselves and others. As we navigate a complex world, the insights found within these pages encourage empathy and connection, making this audiobook a timeless exploration of humanity that remains significant in our contemporary lives.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73516222</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:15:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73516222/peeps_at_people_being_certain_papers_from_the_writings_of_anne_warrington_witherup_john_kendrick_bangs.mp3" length="73015004" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Peeps at People" presents a collection of writings by Anne Warrington Witherup and John Kendrick Bangs, offering a unique glimpse into the lives and thoughts of various individuals. This engaging compilation invites listeners to explore the nuances...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Peeps at People" presents a collection of writings by Anne Warrington Witherup and John Kendrick Bangs, offering a unique glimpse into the lives and thoughts of various individuals. This engaging compilation invites listeners to explore the nuances of human experience, highlighting the intricacies of character and society. The themes of observation and reflection resonate today, reminding us of the enduring relevance of understanding ourselves and others. As we navigate a complex world, the insights found within these pages encourage empathy and connection, making this audiobook a timeless exploration of humanity that remains significant in our contemporary lives.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9118</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Improvement of the Mind-Stephen Norris Fellows, Isaac Watts</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/improvement-of-the-mind-stephen-norris-fellows-isaac-watts--73465300</link><description><![CDATA["Improvement of the Mind" by Isaac Watts is a profound exploration of intellectual growth and the cultivation of the mind, emphasizing the importance of education and critical thinking. Watts, a notable theologian and philosopher, offers insights that remain relevant today, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own mental development and the pursuit of knowledge. This work serves as a timeless reminder of the value of self-improvement and the quest for wisdom, fostering a mindset that is essential for personal and societal progress. Engaging with Watts' ideas not only enriches one's understanding of the mind but also inspires a lifelong commitment to learning and intellectual enhancement.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73465300</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:04:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73465300/improvement_of_the_mind_stephen_norris_fellows_isaac_watts.mp3" length="199964702" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Improvement of the Mind" by Isaac Watts is a profound exploration of intellectual growth and the cultivation of the mind, emphasizing the importance of education and critical thinking. Watts, a notable theologian and philosopher, offers insights that...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Improvement of the Mind" by Isaac Watts is a profound exploration of intellectual growth and the cultivation of the mind, emphasizing the importance of education and critical thinking. Watts, a notable theologian and philosopher, offers insights that remain relevant today, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own mental development and the pursuit of knowledge. This work serves as a timeless reminder of the value of self-improvement and the quest for wisdom, fostering a mindset that is essential for personal and societal progress. Engaging with Watts' ideas not only enriches one's understanding of the mind but also inspires a lifelong commitment to learning and intellectual enhancement.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24970</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>26 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/26-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433990</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433990</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:48:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433990/26_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="7264996" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233/ab122f50-c9d5-401c-bd37-65f847435233.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>909</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>25 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/25-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433988</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433988</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:48:31 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433988/25_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="9840244" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d/7ccd70c5-35ff-4919-b05a-e11af55f862d.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1230</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>24 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/24-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433987</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433987</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:48:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433987/24_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="7563626" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04/1fb47460-87f5-4213-8589-1a4c82fbdb04.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>946</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>23 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/23-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433986</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433986</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:48:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433986/23_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="12216565" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b/310c1af3-bae6-4d74-9fe7-5d0c2f944d0b.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1527</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>22 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/22-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433984</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433984</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:48:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433984/22_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="10610134" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d/b5f0bae2-9b3e-4967-b296-2209abcbc81d.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1327</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>21 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/21-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433982</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433982</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433982/21_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="5905166" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec/b68dc21b-9640-4339-9553-29595c5d0eec.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>739</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>20 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/20-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433981</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433981</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433981/20_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="8984258" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153/a306c310-02e5-4bef-9c19-4d9122a55153.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1123</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>19 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/19-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433980</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433980</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:43 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433980/19_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="10656107" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d/9c342f82-89a3-4210-a97c-2fc0e1ab257d.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1332</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>18 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/18-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433978</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433978</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:35 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433978/18_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="8288791" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937/6660359e-ea71-4f35-b73c-6dac574e2937.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1037</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>17 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/17-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433977</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433977</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433977/17_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="6529401" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7/caef744e-e932-4c09-b903-590ab16c15a7.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>817</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>16 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/16-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433975</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433975</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433975/16_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="14753151" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1845</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>15 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/15-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433972</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433972</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:47:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433972/15_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="9669305" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1209</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>14 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/14-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433970</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433970</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:46:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433970/14_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="19808780" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2477</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>13 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/13-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433967</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1118</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>12 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/12-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433965</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433965</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:46:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433965/12_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="9800121" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433964</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:46:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433964/11_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="19372013" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433961</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:46:12 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433961/10_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="22601171" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433957</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:45:54 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433957/09_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="19456661" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433955</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:45:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433955/08_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="9248821" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433954</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:45:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433954/07_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="13857038" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1733</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>06 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/06-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433952</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433952</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:45:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433952/06_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="10392994" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1300</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>05 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/05-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433950</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433950</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:45:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433950/05_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="18064232" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2258</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>04 - Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War by Leander Stillwell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/04-story-of-a-common-soldier-of-army-life-in-the-civil-war-by-leander-stillwell--67433949</link><description><![CDATA[At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433944</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:44:33 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433944/03_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="8921787" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433943</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:44:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433943/02_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="15176749" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? 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Driven by a strong sense of duty to help preserve the nation, Stillwells youthful patriotism was laced with a mix of bravado; the thought of remaining at home to toil in the fields while the sound of cannons echoed nearby was simply unbearable. In January 1861, he enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry. However, his romanticized view of soldiering quickly shattered at the Battle of Shiloh, where he witnessed the brutal realities of war for the first time. His vivid and personal narrative captures the chaos of battle I distinctly remember my first shot at Shiloh... The fronts of both lines were shrouded in smoke... Suddenly, someone called to me from behind, Stillwell! Shoot! Shoot! Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67433940</guid><pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:44:13 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/67433940/01_story_of_a_common_soldier_of_army_life_in_the_civil_war_by_leander_stillwell.mp3" length="2464935" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Leander Stillwell</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>At just 18 years old, Leander Stillwell was a farm boy from Illinois, living a simple life in a log cabin when the U.S. Civil War erupted. 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Why dont you shoot? This compelling coming-of-age story, penned later in life at the encouragement of his youngest son‚Äîwhen Stillwell had become a lawyer, judge, and Kansas legislator‚Äîblends graphic details from his wartime diary and letters with the reflections of a thoughtful man recalling those harrowing times, making it an engaging read for Civil War enthusiasts and autobiography lovers alike.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>309</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>autobiography,battle,bravery,civil war,duty,history,memoir,narrative,reflection,soldier</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b7134c8aa6a93dadbce6e963e004ce7d.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
