History That Doesn't Suck - Christmas Special: George Wishes Some Hessians a Merry F’ing Christmas

Episode Date: December 23, 2017

"These are the times that try men's souls." This is the story of the Battle of Trenton. George crosses another ice-filled river, this time on Christmas Day. Plenty will go wrong, but at the end of it... he's about to get off the naughty list. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red One... We're coming at you. ...is the movie event of the holiday season. Santa Claus has been kidnapped? You're gonna help us find him. You can't trust this guy. He's on the list. Is that Naughty Lister? Naughty Lister?

Dwayne Johnson. We got snowmen! Chris Evans. I might just go back to the car. Let's save Christmas. I'm not gonna say that. Say it. Alright.

Let's save Christmas. There it is. Only in theaters November 15th. From the creators of the popular science show with millions of YouTube subscribers comes the MinuteEarth podcast. Every episode of the show dives deep into a science question you might not even know you had. But once you hear the answer, you'll want to share it with everyone you know. Why do rivers curve? Why did the T-Rex have such tiny arms? And why do so many more kids need glasses now than they used to?

Spoiler alert, it isn't screen time. Our team of scientists digs into the research and breaks it down into a short, entertaining explanation, jam-packed with science facts and terrible puns. Subscribe to MinuteEarth wherever you like to listen. Preparing to do a few second edition Revolutionary Era episodes for January, I couldn't resist revisiting our first HTDS Christmas special, in which George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas 1776. So please, enjoy this retelling, complete with an updated sound design by Airship, and more details added to the story. Oh, and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year. Looking forward to telling you more stories in 2024. It's late in the frigid afternoon, Sunday, December 1st,

1776. We're on the Raritan River's East Riverbank, just outside the village of New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Continental Army Commander George Washington can do little more than watch as his forces exchange cannon fire with those of British General Lord Cornwallis. It's a dire situation, but that's just par for the course. For months, George has fought one hopeless battle after another as British Commander Sir William Howes better trained, equipped, and numerically superior redcoats, further supported by his brother, Admiral Richard Howes' warships,

have chased the Continentals from New York to New Jersey. At this point, the number of men with George are quite low. Between dividing his forces a few weeks ago, expired enlistments and desertions, the Virginian currently leads a mere 3,000 or so troops. Their situation feels so hopeless. And once again, the Continentals must retreat. Rowboats race back and forth

across the Raritan's ice-cold waters. Each time one reaches the river's west bank, shivering, ill-clad men with scant supplies step out as the rowers go back for the next group. George keeps a keen eye on the situation, but the towering Virginian's gaze also falls on the cannons covering this river-crossing retreat. These guns fire ceaselessly, accurately, and boldly. It's a display of skill and courage infrequently seen right now among his beaten down, depressed

army. George takes note and will praise this smart cannonade, as he puts it, in a letter to Continental Congress President John Hancock tonight. According to George's step-grandson, the Virginian General sends his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Colonel John Fitzgerald, to tell the young, diminutive yet commanding officer so brilliantly overseeing these guns to come see him after the retreat. If we trust this decades from now account, this will lead to George Washington's first real conversation with a fellow founding father

whom he'll love and mentor like a son, Artillery Captain Alexander Hamilton. But no one has the luxury of recording the details of George and Alex at their first real meeting. These continental soldiers are fleeing for their lives. Doing as he's done before, George has his men continue their river crossing retreat through the night. They then travel 30 miles southwest down the King's Highway, reaching Trenton by the following morning. All they can do is run. The open terrain makes guerrilla tactics impossible, and the king's highway, reaching Trenton by the following morning. All they can do is run. The open terrain makes guerrilla tactics impossible, and the region's civilians are of little help. Most have lost all confidence in the revolution. Scared New Yorkers and New

Jerseyans are eagerly taking advantage of the Howe brothers' offer of a general pardon by pledging their loyalty to the king. George desperately needs his second-in-command, General Charles Lee, to arrive with his 5,000 reinforcements. But where is the man? Not that the Continental commander can fully trust him. Mistakenly, George recently read a letter from Charles addressed to Adjutant General Joseph Reed that showed neither of them believe in him. Is Charles even coming then? George hints at his insecurity as he writes again to John Hancock on December 3rd, I have not heard a word from General Lee since the 26th of last month. It's now late at night, December 7th, 1776. Be it political reasons, hubris, or something else entirely, and historians will

never agree on what. Lord Cornwallis waited for General Howe at New Brunswick, meaning the Red Coats have only recommenced their pursuit of the Continentals today. The few days reprieve was a godsend for George, but now, under the dark of night, he must evacuate Trenton by crossing yet another freezing river, this time the Delaware. With their eyes fixed on bonfires burning brightly on the Pennsylvania shore, the men pull hard at their oars as they transport soldiers, horses, and supplies alike across the ice-chunk laden, several hundred foot wide Delaware River. They carry on this way for hours.

As the last of his forces come across, George makes sure that they clear every single boat from the river's New Jersey side. He hopes that this will keep British generals Howe and Cornwallis from following, or that this will slow them down at any rate. It's not much, but the Delaware River means some protection for his meager force, and right now, George will take anything he can get. It's now morning, December 8th, and as George's scant few thousand make camp not far from the shore, a unit of 1,000 Philadelphia militiamen arrive.

They're here to answer the general's call for reinforcements. One of these militiamen, an artist-turned-soldier, Captain Charles Wilson Peale, is heartbroken by the appalling scene before him. He sees frozen, half-naked, starving men huddled by fires. This is hardly an army. His eyes fall on one soldier staggering toward him. The man wears nothing but an old, dirty blanket jacket. His face is covered in a long, unkempt beard and painful sores. As this ghoulish figure approaches, Charles's heart truly drops.

Peering past the sores, the beard, and the dirt, the militia captain finally realizes why this wretched soul is coming toward him. It's his own barely recognizable brother, James. It's now two days later, December 10th, 1776. Situated in a brick house on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, just opposite Trenton, New Jersey, and a mere 30 miles north of the Patriot Cause's de facto capital of Philadelphia, George Washington is dashing off a letter to Charles Lee. Word has it that Charles and some 4,000 men are about 50 miles to the north in Morristown, and George is begging him to come

in all haste. In part, the letter reads, Dear Sir, General Howe is pressing forward with the whole of his army except the troops that were lately embarked and a few besides left at New York to possess himself a Philadelphia. I cannot but request and entreat you and this too by the advice of all the General Officers with me to march and join me with your whole force with all possible expedition. The utmost exertions that can be made will not be more than sufficient to save Philadelphia. Without the aid of your force, I think there is but little, if any, prospect of doing it." But Charles Lee won't be coming.

Only three days later, on Friday the 13th, two dozen British cavalrymen, including the soon-to-become infamous Bannister Tarleton, capture the recently awakened, unsuspecting British-born American general at a tavern, still in his nightgown and slippers no less. Worse still, that same day, the Continental Congress prudently flees Philadelphia for Baltimore. With a mere 3,000 frozen, starving, often sick and morally broken men, half of whose enlistments expire at the end of the month, our Continental Army commander's situation has reached a new level of desperation. How on earth can George Washington's broken army, chased into Pennsylvania, stand against the might of General Howe's 10,000

plus Redcoat and Hessians just across the Delaware River. The revolution, it seems, is at its end. In the words of patriot pamphleteer and soldier Thomas Paine, these are the times that try men's souls. Walk with us. Connect to the land that connects us all. Grow with us. Come together and make space for each other. Eat with us.

Taste the many flavors of our cultures. Laugh with us. Smile. Joke. And bring each other joy come walk with us indigenous tourism alberta this episode is brought to you by dyson on track dyson on track headphones offer best in class noise cancellation and an enhanced sound range making them perfect for enjoying music and podcasts. Get up to 55 hours of listening with active noise cancelling enabled, soft microfibre cushions engineered for comfort

and a range of colours and finishes. Dyson OnTrack. Headphones remastered. Buy from DysonCanada.ca. With ANC on, performance may vary based on environmental conditions and usage. Accessories sold separately. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck.

I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. Times that chime in souls indeed. Welcome to this second edition of the first HTDS Christmas special. It's a story of how George Washington took one of the lowest, bleakest moments the patriot cause ever faced and turned it into one of the sweetest of victories. I am, of course, referring to his daring Christmas crossing of the Delaware River that proves nothing less than the revolution's much-needed Christmas miracle. So grab another mug of eggnog and cozy up by the fire that George's army sure wishes it had, and I'll regale you with the heartwarming story of a Christmas surprise attack that will

leave some Hessians wondering if they're on the naughty list. Ready? Well then, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here we go. Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas! It's December 20th, 1776. We're a few miles west of the Delaware River, in Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania, encamped with George Washington's feeble force of a few thousand, now enduring a harsh winter snowstorm. As they suffer in the cold, George waits impatiently for desperately needed reinforcements. General Charles Lee might be out of the picture,

but the towering Continental commander still hopes that the captured general's men may yet arrive. Just then, a hopeful sight appears on the horizon. Trudging through the falling and settling snow is General John Sullivan and a train of musket-bearing colonials. Thank heavens! Yes, these are Charles Lee's troops! But hope fades a bit as they draw closer to camp. George and his officers soon notice that few of these men are properly dressed. Many lack shoes. As they wear a path in the snow, the shoeless soldier's feet mark the ground with streaks of blood. Somehow, these beleaguered troops are actually in worse shape than those who arrived with George. Nor is this the army of 4,000 to 5,000 the Virginian general expected.

The ranks have thinned to about half of that. And yet, dire as this sounds, let's point out that George has, in fact, caught a break. Back on December 8th, General Howe's forces occupied Trenton, New Jersey. Having only finished evacuating the town last night, George's ragtag American troops were only a few hundred feet away on the Pennsylvania side of the river. The two opposing forces even exchanged fire. Yeah, it's a good thing the Continentals took all the boats with them. Sir William Howe then spent the next week looking for a way across the Delaware River, but since he couldn't find an easy way to cross, and it was super cold, he decided that the war was done for the winter. Now, if you think that sounds lazy or just plain

stupid, let's remember that suspending a war during winter is kind of a thing in 18th century Europe. It's considered a gentleman's way of fighting. War is awful enough. No need to do it in the cold. There has to be a really compelling reason to keep going in the dead of winter, and that's something General Howe doesn't have. I mean, Congress has fled. The Redcoats have captured one of the few English born and bred Patriot generals, Charles Lee. So, it sounds like this war is done. Why break with social norms then? It's time to let the British army breathe a little easier. On December 14th, General Howe orders his men into winter quarters. Most of the Redcoats will winter in their prized capture of recent months, New York City. Meanwhile, Howe's nemesis underling, General Sir Henry Clinton, goes to Newport. Lord Cornwallis

is permitted to take leave back in England and see his wife. Ah, sounds nice, right? As for Sir William Howe, he will spend the winter in New York City. And how will he pass the time? Well, if you believe the rhyme that soon catches on in the area, Sir William, he, snug as a flea, lay all this time a-snoring, nor dreamed of harm as he lay warm, in bed with Mrs. Loring. Ah, yes. Remember, the fearless British commander-in-chief of North America is known for loving the pleasures of life almost as much as he is known for his bravery on the battlefield. And let's not forget that, as I mentioned briefly in Episode 7, Sir William Howe is alleged to have struck up a relationship with the beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed Mrs. Loring

back when he was in Boston. And to have done so with her husband's consent no less. And so, the rumors fly that the pair will continue to keep each other warm on cold New York nights all winter long. But wait, who's going to keep the pressure on George Washington? Who will maintain the occupation of New Jersey? Why, the hired help, of course, the mercenaries. Well, technically, auxiliaries, but all that is to say those German soldiers, the Hessians. General Howe orders them to set up outposts in the Garden State. He knows they're spread a bit thin, but he's got to offer protection to all those New Jerseyans

who took or are considering taking an oath of loyalty to King George. And besides, it's winter and George Washington's all but broken. The British commander assumes his colonial foe isn't a threat. But he's wrong. Really, really wrong. You can say a lot of things about George. Many of his contemporaries sure did. But one thing I've always personally admired about this tenacious Virginian is that he never quits. Never. He can be bruised, broken, and have failed a million times over, but as long as he has a pulse, George always gets back up. It's almost like he thrives on difficult situations. He's at his best when the odds are at the worst. When it's time for a clutch move in overtime, that's when George shines.

Meanwhile, as the Brits and Hessians get all cozy for the winter, George is getting a second wind as the headcount of his soldiers continues to creep up. As we know, a thousand Pennsylvanians joined him right after the Continentals crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. And likewise, we know that on December 20th, General Sullivan showed up with Charles Lee's men. Sure, they only numbered around 2,000 rather than 4,000 and are in rough shape, but nonetheless, these two additions have roughly doubled George's scant numbers. And there are just a few more still to count.

December 20th also saw the arrival of General Horatio Gates and his roughly 600 troops. This brings George's effective fit-to-fight count to about 6,000 men. Okay, so it's still a demoralizing figure given that the Virginian general was counting on significantly more reinforcements, but George is still gearing up for an offensive, even if his force is smaller, hungrier, and colder than he would like. Frankly, he has little choice. He must inspire his troops if he's to retain any meaningful army when so many of their enlistments expire at the end of the month. Thankfully, other patriot leaders seem to get this too. Even George Washington-doubting Adjutant General Joseph Reed. In a letter dated December 22, 1776, he writes to the Continental Commander,

We are all of opinion, my dear General, that something must be attempted. Even a failure cannot be more fatal than to remain in our present situation. In short, some enterprise must be undertaken in our present circumstance, or we must give up the cause. George couldn't agree more. And without Charles Lee around, he's got a reliable and loyal inner circle. This includes his dear friend, the Bostonian bookworm turned king of cannons, Colonel Henry Knox, the ever-reliable fighting Quaker from Rhode Island, Nathaniel Green,

and well, so many others who share the sentiment that Colonel William Tudor expresses in a letter to his fiance on Christmas Eve. I cannot desert a man, George Washington, who has deserted everything to defend his country. George decides he'll attack the town that his men evacuated just in time to avoid capture on the night of December 7th, Trenton. It's a small place consisting of about 100 homes on the Jersey side of the Delaware River. The target is Hessian Colonel Johan Rall and his three regiments, which are now using the town as a winter outpost. Here's the plan. George's forces will move out in three groups on Christmas night, December 25th. Our towering Virginian commander will personally lead the largest group,

accompanied by three generals, John Sullivan, Nathan, the fighting Quaker Green, and William Alexander, or Lord Sterling, as the Scottish-American is better known. George will take 2,400 Continentals and cross the Delaware, about nine miles upstream from Trenton, at McConkie's Ferry. American is better known. George will take 2,400 Continentals and cross the Delaware, about nine miles upstream from Trenton, at McConkie's Ferry. After crossing at midnight, his men will move south in two columns led by Generals John Sullivan and Nathan Green, respectively. George will ride with the latter. Each group will also take four of Henry Knox's cannons at the head of their ranks and surprise attack the Hessians in the village from the north before sunrise. Meanwhile, General James Ewing and his 700

Pennsylvanians will cross the river and occupy a position just on the south side of Trenton. They'll hold the bridge that goes over Assampink Creek, connecting Trenton to the road leading south to Bordentown. This way, if the Hessians try to escape George's attack from the north, they'll have to deal with James' crew. As for our third and final group, General John Cadwalladers and Joseph Reeds, 1,500 Pennsylvanians and Rhode Islanders, will cross even farther south at Bristol. These Patriot forces will deal with the Hessian outpost at Bordentown, thereby preventing them from reinforcing the outpost at Trenton. George lays all of this out for his officers as they dine at Samuel Merrick's home

on Christmas Eve. It's a daunting, daring plan with little room, if any, for error, that every single one of George's generals, save for Horatio Gates, who claims to be too sick to participate, are prepared to stand by their continental commander. Tomorrow night, then, Christmas night, they'll cross the Delaware. But there will be nothing silent about this night. Nothing calm and little bright. This episode is brought to you by Secret. Secret deodorant gives you 72 hours of clinically proven odor protection free of aluminum, parabens, dyes, talc, and baking soda.

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Shop holiday deals early on Amazon now. It's Christmas evening, December 25th, 1776. The sun is setting as a miserable mixture of snow, hail, and rain chills George Washington's marching continentals to the bone. Stretched out in a seemingly endless line of musket-bearing men, punctuated by 50 horses and 18 field cannons, these 2,400 souls on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River are pushing through the elements to reach McConkie's Ferry. Once there, they'll cross the river. It's madness trying to hear instructions

over the whipping wind and falling hail. Only Henry Knox's deep bass voice can cut through the elements in Dark Knight. He bellows out instructions, keeping the army from falling into total chaos. Waiting troops tear down nearby fences and build fires to keep from freezing to death. It's a good call, especially as the stormy weather turns into a full-on nor'easter just as the crossing really gets going around 11 p.m.

In successive waves, soldiers and horses clamor aboard flat-bottomed boats. Once a boat hits capacity, New Englander fishermen and other mariners from John Glover's regiment of Marblehead Massachusetts men put their lifelong familiarity with watercraft to use. With unparalleled skill, they ignore the hail while fighting the strong winds and current in order to navigate their heavy boats around chunks of ice and successfully cross the swollen 850-foot span that currently is the Delaware River. They do this over and over, hour after hour.

George Washington is among the first to cross, but I'm afraid this bears no resemblance whatsoever to Emanuel Leutz's gorgeous and famous future painting, Washington Crossing the Delaware. For one thing, they're not using mere rowboats designed for a dozen men. Some 40 soldiers all standing pack themselves onto 40 to 60 foot long vessels. They place their trust in the marblehead mariners who wield 18 foot oars to row and fend off sheets of ice. Second, George will not tempt fate by precariously balancing one foot on the boat's gunwale. Undoubtedly, the memory of falling into the Allegheny while trying to cross that freezing river two decades ago remains with him.

Just as we can recall this brush with death from episode one, I'm sure that cruel night crosses George's mind as he now crosses the ice-laden Delaware. It's a slow process. Slower than it was supposed to be, with the last of George's 2,400 continentals and equipment only making it to the New Jersey side of the Delaware three hours later than planned, at 3 a.m. There's no way they'll make the nine-mile march to Trenton before daybreak. Worse still, the storm has also rendered some of the men's muskets too wet to fire and prevented the two other groups assigned to cross the Delaware south of Trenton from doing so. That means there will be

no one to stop the Hessians at Trenton from escaping south, nor to prevent those at Bordentown from coming north to join the fight. While George did receive a note earlier indicating that the 1,500 troops intended to stave off Bordentown were facing trouble crossing, he doesn't know that he'll have absolutely no backup on the south side. And if their intelligence reporting 2,000 to 3,000 Hessians in Trenton is right,

then George could find himself outnumbered. But tardiness, failing muskets, and a lack of certainty as to what reinforcements he can expect or number of foe he'll meet be damned. George Washington will not back down. His 2,400 Continentals are soon marching south toward Trenton. It's 4 a.m., December 26th, 1776. The Nor'easter's foul weather has only grown worse now that George and all of his men, horses, and equipment are on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. All are freezing, and many fall victim to slick ice.

Connecticut soldier Elijah Bostwick will never forget watching as George Washington's horse nearly goes down on the river's slippery bank. Expert horseman that he is, though, George stays calm and seizes the steed's mane as the agile creature recovers. The Continental commander only continues offering encouragement while bellowing out instructions. Soldiers, keep by your officers. For God's sake, keep by your officers. Most soldiers will mind this wisdom, but even with George urging the men to stay close, not all will keep up.

Two tired troops fall behind. Both will freeze to death. With torches stuck on the exalters of their 18 cannons to light the way, the army marches through the dark morning and snow. After a few miles, they reach a crossroads where they stick to the plan and split into two columns. One led by John Sullivan, which takes the River Road. The other by Nathaniel the Fightin' Quaker Green, which takes the more inland Pennington Road. As we know, George is with the latter. It's now 8 a.m a full hour after sunrise the fight in quaker's column sees trenton before them

not one to lead from the back george washington calls out march on my brave fellows after me every bit with their commander the soaked frozen continentals ignore their fatigue and charge with unfathomable zeal into battle. Only minutes later, George can hear artillery on his right, toward the river. Ah, that means John Sullivan's column has also arrived and entered the fight. Peshin guards fire while falling back. They do so expertly, impressing George Washington. And luckily for the Patriots, they're finding that they not only have the advantage of the surprise, but they also have the numbers. American intelligence grossly

overestimated the Hessian numbers at Trenton. There are only about 1,500 of them. Hearing the sounds of battle and drums, black and blue uniformed Hessians pour out of houses and buildings to join the fight. Henry Knox's cannons quickly hem them in though, firing right down the town's two main and parallel thoroughfares of King and Queen Streets. Over on King Street, the young artillery captain, Alexander Hamilton, he's pushing through illness to be here with his men. They perform admirably as a Hessian cannonball

narrowly misses striking Alexander. Forced into Trenton side streets, the Hessians come face to face with John Sullivan's troops. With bayonets fixed, nasty hand-to-hand combat ensues. The Hessians try to level the playing field by bringing out a field gun on King Street, but never get a chance to use it. The teenage lieutenant and future fifth president of the United States, James Monroe, along with the commander-in-chief's relative, Captain William Washington, pounce on the field gun and turn it on the Hessians. Hessian commander, Colonel Johan Rall,

leads his men to the town's southeastern edge to reorganize. But as they do, a ball strikes him, knocking the 56-year-old from his steed. His men realize they have nowhere to go. Less than an hour after it started, the battle ends here with the Hessians' surrender. This Patriot victory is astonishing. Sources conflict on the exact casualties, but roughly two dozen Hessians are dead and about 90 are wounded. Only two Americans died, the two who froze to death marching in that morning.

The only American injuries were Captain William Washington, Lieutenant James Monroe, and one or two enlisted men. Even more impressive still, the Continentals have captured six German cannons, stacks of firearms and other supplies, and, incredibly, over 900 prisoners of war. A mere 400 to 500 Hessians in total, escaped. Now, a word deserves to be said in a defense of sorts for Colonel Johan Rahl, who, mortally wounded, dies the next day. The dead make for good scapegoats, and he's court-martialed post-mortem years later in 1782. The deceased colonel is found guilty of not making the necessary preparations in case of retreat. Truth is, Johan was diligent about keeping guards on the ready, probably more so than he

should have been. For example, only four days before the battle, he received a letter from his commanding officer telling him that the Americans were, quote, almost naked, dying of cold, without blankets, and very ill-supplied with provisions, close quote. That said, Johan did receive a warning about American troops moving on Christmas Day. It was the storm that convinced him things were fine with his usual level of security, though. He didn't think anyone would be crazy enough

to attack during a Nor'easter. What can I say? The colonel had not yet met George Washington. Finally, let me address the myth that Johan and his troops got plastered the night before. It's very doubtful. The later accounts by George's men do not indicate that they found the Hessians drunk or hungover. Those accusations are likely after the fact unfounded gossip. I'll tell you who does get plastered. Some of George Washington's men. After the battle,

George discusses taking the fight to another Hessian post down at Burlington, New Jersey. They decide against it, though, because the men are exhausted and because it turns out, rather than pouring the Hessians 40 barrels of rum on the ground, as George ordered, a sizable number of Continentals opted to pour that hard liquor down their throats instead. Hey, to be fair, they may have just saved the revolution. If any group ever deserved a drink, isn't it this band of brothers? The Patriot victory at Trenton cannot be overstated. It restored confidence and faith in the revolution, so much of which had been lost in recent months

as the Redcoats chased George Washington and his dwindling forces from New York to Pennsylvania. More than half of his men choose to stay in the army as their enlistments expire just a week later with the new year. Their souls have been tried indeed, but finally, it's starting to look up for the Patriots. History That Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Episode researched and written by Greg Jackson. Production by Airship. Sound design by Molly Bock. Theme music composed by Greg Jackson. Thank you. is supported by premium membership fans. You can join by clicking the link in the episode description. My gratitude to you kind souls providing additional funding to help us keep going. And a special thanks to our members whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Chloe Tripp, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Pullman, David DeFazio, David Rifkin, Denki, Durante Spencer, Donald Moore, Donna Marie Jeffcoat, Ellen Stewart, Bernie Lowe, George

Sherwood, Gurwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Janie McCreary, Jeff Marks, Jennifer Moods, Jennifer Magnolia, Jeremy Wells, Jessica Poppock, Joe Dovis, John Frugaldugel, John Boovey, John Keller, John Oliveros, John Ridlavich, John Schaefer, John Sheff, Jordan Corbett, Joshua Steiner, Justin M. Spriggs, Justin May, Kristen Pratt, Karen Bartholomew, Cassie Conecco, Kim R., Kyle Decker, Lawrence Neubauer, Linda Cunningham, Mark Ellis, Matthew Mitchell, Matthew Simmons, Melanie Jan, Nate Seconder, Nick Caffrel, Noah Hoff, Owen Sedlak, Paul Goeringer, Randy Guffrey, Reese Humphreys-Wadsworth, Rick Brown, Sarah Trawick, Samuel Lagasa, Sharon Thiesen, Sean Baines, Steve Williams, Creepy Girl, Tisha Black, and Zach Jackson. What did it take to survive an ancient siege?

Why was the cult of Dionysus behind so many slave revolts in ancient Rome? What's the tragic history and mythology behind Japan's most haunted ancient forest? We're Jen and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl. Join us to explore ancient history and mythology from a fun, sometimes tipsy perspective. Find us at ancienthistoryfangirl.com or wherever you get your podcasts.