MM#248--Happy Independence Day 2023

Welcome to the Theory to Action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time, to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now here's your host, david Kaiser.

Hello, i am David, and happy Independence Day, america. Today is America's birthday, july 4th, and so we wish her a very, very happy birthday at age 247. She is still a very young, young country in comparison to other countries in the history of the world. But on July 4th, 1776, the true founding date of our country, don't let others tell you differently. That's when the United States declared her independence from Great Britain and that famous document called the Declaration of Independence was adopted. So we ask perhaps, if you could read that document today. We recommend reading it each and every year. It's a good appreciation of American history. I've already read it this year today. And to get a sense of our American history, we have just released a three part series on the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. So be sure to check out those three podcasts where we take a deep, deep dive into the battle of days one, two and three. We share with you that great American history and appreciation for it. But on our nation's birthday today, we also want to give you a sense of the cosmic sweep of that history, and we're going to stay with the 160th anniversary theme, but we're going to tell the story from July 4th of 1863 at a very high level, and we're going to do so not from a book but from a great article I came across that I wanted to share Now. Last year onto day celebration, on Independence Day celebration, we quoted Lincoln in January of 1861, our 16th president, before the Civil War had started. You know it wouldn't start for another three and a half months, in April of 1861. Well, lincoln told us that we must study and act to understand the points of danger with our representative republic. He was actually referring to our founding documents. In fact, let's grab that quote real quick. We could have declared our independence of Great Britain, but without it we could not, i think, have secured our free government and consequent prosperity. Yellow press people will fight and endure, as our fathers did, without the promise of something better than the mere change of masters. The assertion of that principle at the time was the word fitly spoken, which have proved an apple of gold to us. The union and the constitution are not the picture of silver subsequently framed around it. The picture was not made to conceal or destroy the apple, but to adore, adorn and preserve it. The picture was made for the apple, not the apple for the picture. So let us act, that neither picture nor apple shall ever be blurred or bruised. We were, we just were broken. That we made. So act. We must study and understand the points of danger. Those are important words from our 16th president. But now let's pivot to study and understand our American history, since, for what most people with children and teenagers are telling me these days is that our public education is breaking down everywhere and they're not being taught, our students are not being taught American history. They're not learning the history of the civil war, they're not learning the hardships that our forefathers fought and died for On both sides of that brutal, horrific conflict. So let us study that today and understand it. Let's turn to this article now that I want to share with you. It's well written. It's written by the Bill of Rights Instituteorg. I will put a link in the show notes. But let us turn now to this article to set the stage in a cosmic sweep at a very high level, looking at our country on July 4th 1863. The spring of 1863 was a time of mixed fortunes for the Confederacy. Robert E Lee had inflicted a major defeat on a Union army at Chancellorsville, but a Union army under Ulysses S Grant had besieged the important city of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, in Central South Tennessee, another Union army under William Rosecrans was in position to threaten Chattanooga, which, if captured by Union forces, would open the way to Atlanta, georgia, a major Confederate stronghold. Grant launched a brilliant campaign against Vicksburg. His problem was how to attack the city, which sits on a high bluff above DeSoto Point, a sharp bend in the Mississippi River. The city's gun commanded the river below to the Northleigh, the Mississippi Delta, a swampy area between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. The Confederates held strong defensive positions on the higher and drier ground to the east and northeast of the city. So to put all the pieces in place, grant has moved on Vicksburg in Mississippi and by May of 1863, he has surrounded that city and he's laying siege to it. Now, most likely we'll talk about the siege of Vicksburg next year, god willing, because it's another battle worth studying. Let's go back to the article. The Confederate defenders repulsed several direct assaults against Vicksburg's lines, so Grant settled in for a siege, the outcome of which was not in doubt. On May 24, grant advised General and Chief Halleck that the enemy was quote in our grasp. The fall of Vicksburg and the capture of the most of the garrison can be only a matter of time. Under steady fire, the city surrendered on July 4, 1863. After a 47 day siege of the city of Vicksburg along the Mississippi River, it fell to Union forces On July 4, 1863, then Confederate General Pemberton met with Union General Ulysses S Grant and they worked out a truce and a surrender of the Confederates. 10 am, some 27,000 Confederates marched out of their lines, stacked their rifles and furled their flags. With Vicksburg and Union hands in the Mississippi River in their control. Lincoln had great cause for optimism. Now, the casualties on both sides at Vicksburg was 49 or 4,910 for the Union and 32,363 for the Confederates, for a total of 37,273 people. Wow, the Vicksburg campaign began in 1862 and ended with a Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863. Now, with the loss of the Confederate General John C Pemberton's army, after the siege at Vicksburg and a Union victory, a port Hudson five days later, the Union controlled the entire Mississippi River in the Confederacy was split in half. This is a big deal. Grant's victory led to his continued command in the eastern Tennessee in his eventual appointment as general in chief of the Union armies, moving him east in late 1863. Now, if we shift our gaze from the western theater of the Civil War and we move back east and focus on south central Pennsylvania. We know that a huge battle had just been fought at Gettysburg, from July 1st to July 3rd. We know that from our three part episode on Gettysburg Be sure to check that out. But generally on July 4th is waiting for a counterattack to the failed Pickett's charge one day earlier. And as he's waiting, we know for sure by eyewitness accounts that there was a slow and steady rain all day on July 4th. But let's turn back to our article. Gettysburg remains one of the costliest battles to occur on the North America continent. Union forces suffered approximately 23,000 casualties and Confederates lost between 20,000 and 25,000 irreplaceable soldiers. On July 5th Lee moved south. Meade did not pursue the Confederates, much to the concertation, consternation of President Lincoln. But Meade was in no condition to pursue. The Army of the Potomac was only in marginally better shape than the Army of Northern Virginia, only in marginally better shape. So with that slow and steady rain all day on July 4th, you know, one of those dismal, slow, drenching and soaking rains that we have all been through Generally, finally begins moving late on July 4th, going into July 5th, begins to evacuate Gettysburg and begins his retreat, hoping to get back across the Potomac River without another conflict and live to fight another day And yes, he would live to fight another day another two very long years that the Civil War would drag out. Now, as Lee is retreating from Gettysburg in the center center of the country, a Chattanooga, tennessee, which is a vital and strategic southern city for the Confederacy, we find some more action happening, and our first quote we covered what was happening, but let me read it again because most people will forget about this event happening simultaneously, at the same time as Vicksburg and Gettysburg. It's often overlooked. Going back to the article, meanwhile in South Central Tennessee, another Union army under General William Rose Cranes was in position to threaten Chattanooga which, if captured by Union forces, would open the way to Atlanta, Georgia, a major Confederate stronghold. So Union General Rose Cranes would end up spending the rest of the month fortifying and repairing the railroads to ensure his supply lines are ready for the assault on Chattanooga. He's actually hoping for another Vicksburg to happen, but Confederate General Braxton Bragg retreats from Chattanooga South and he makes a stand along a small creek in North Georgia called Chikamaga. In September there will be a brutal fight there. Now you can check out one of my favorite YouTube channels called the American Battlefield Trust, for both their animated videos and maps on the Vicksburg campaign and on this little known Chikamaga, chattanooga campaign. I just love these professional videos and their maps and most especially, their walking tours across all these battlefields. This is really really well done and good history. They teach very, very well, with great facts at every turn. They're very quick, moving videos, but very deep too. So I'll put both the Chikamaga YouTube video in there and I'll also link the Vicksburg campaign as well. Now, finally, let me share with you that this Saturday we have a wonderful announcement coming We are launching Mojo Academy 2.0. I think you'll be excited about these new developments. Can't wait to share them with you. We've been working long and hard to make them come about, and so be sure to tune in this Saturday for a special Mojo Minute where we're going to detail everything. But for today, on our nation's birthday, and for this special Mojo Minute. Last year we read Lincoln's words to study our history and our founding documents and understand them. This year we learned all about one of the most important and vital battles of the Civil War, the Gettysburg, and today we learned the larger picture of what was happening on July 4th 1863 and the subsequent months afterwards. So on our national birthday, 160 years after these very, very tough battles and what would be at the time a very uncertain future for the United States of America and our countrymen, let us say again, with deep reverence for our true American history, let us say happy birthday America, and may God continue to shed His grace on thee.

Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this Theory to Action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademycom, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your Mojo on.