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The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor
ArtsBooks
The John Batchelor Show
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9777 episodes

  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1088: Ronald White, guest author, describes how, in his final decades, Chamberlain served as the surveyor of the port in Portland, a position that allowed him to continue writing and speaking while undergoing repeated surgeries for his Petersburg wound. Even in

    04/07/2026 | 8 mins.
    Ronald White, guest author, describes how, in his final decades, Chamberlain served as the surveyor of the port in Portland, a position that allowed him to continue writing and speaking while undergoing repeated surgeries for his Petersburg wound. Even in his 80s, his intellectual curiosity remained boundless; he traveled to Egypt and the Holy Land, reading the Bible in Greek and the Quran in Arabic each evening. He endured profound personal losses, including his wife Fanny and his brother Tom, yet he remained active in civic roles for the blind and Bible societies. Prevented by failing health from attending the 50th Gettysburg reunion in 1913, he died at home in 1914. He is widely remembered as the final casualty of the Civil War because his death was the direct result of the wound he received five decades earlier. He is buried in Brunswick's Pine Grove Cemetery near his beloved Bowdoin. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (8)
    1903
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1088: Ronald White, guest author, recounts how, in 1880, Maine faced an armed insurrection following a disputed election known as the "Great Count-out," where the Democratic governor manipulated ballot results. Chamberlain was summoned to Augusta to maintain or

    04/07/2026 | 11 mins.
    Ronald White, guest author, recounts how, in 1880, Maine faced an armed insurrection following a disputed election known as the "Great Count-out," where the Democratic governor manipulated ballot results. Chamberlain was summoned to Augusta to maintain order and famously faced down an enraged mob at the state house, opening his coat and daring them to kill him. This 12-day stand preserved the peace until the Supreme Court could rule, a moment he considered his finest service. Following his presidency, he testified to restore the honor of General Warren and attempted a failed real estate venture in Florida to secure his financial future. He also became a key figure in the "second Civil War" of words, using his rhetorical mastery to navigate fierce post-war debates among veterans over the true history of battles like Gettysburg. Despite his aging body and unhealed wounds, he remained a tireless defender of historical truth and veteran honor. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (7)
    1879 AUGUSTA
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1088: Ronald White, guest author, explains that after his governorship, Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, determined to modernize the institution. He introduced progressive reforms, including science, a medical school, and co-education,

    04/07/2026 | 6 mins.
    Ronald White, guest author, explains that after his governorship, Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, determined to modernize the institution. He introduced progressive reforms, including science, a medical school, and co-education, though these changes faced significant resistance from traditional alumni and faculty. His tenure was further complicated by religious tensions as Unitarianism challenged the college's Congregationalist roots, a conflict that reached into his own home as Fanny and his daughter Grace drifted from the traditional church. Despite his physical exhaustion and the heavy burden of fundraising for the college's infantile endowment, he remained a sought-after speaker who utilized his background as a professor of rhetoric to captivate veterans and civilians alike. He attempted to resign twice due to the stress, but the college refused to let its most famous son leave, recognizing his vital role in dragging the school into the modern era. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (6)
    1879 AUGUSTA
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1088: Ronald White, guest author, describes how, returning home as a hero, Chamberlain overcame a stutter to become one of the nation's most eloquent orators, focusing on the themes of national reconciliation. He was drafted by the Republican Party and served f

    04/07/2026 | 11 mins.
    Ronald White, guest author, describes how, returning home as a hero, Chamberlain overcame a stutter to become one of the nation's most eloquent orators, focusing on the themes of national reconciliation. He was drafted by the Republican Party and served four one-year terms as Governor of Maine, where he championed economic reconstruction, railroads, and the founding of an agricultural college. However, his public success hid a private agony caused by his unhealed Petersburg wound, which forced him to work while lying down or with his legs extended. This physical toll and his long absences in Augusta strained his marriage to Fanny, who may not have fully grasped the depth of his suffering. Despite his prominence and the respect of political giants like James G. Blaine, his integrity and refusal to self-promote likely prevented him from pursuing national office, leaving him to serve his state in persistent pain. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (5)
    1879 AUGUSTA
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1088: Ronald White, guest author, recounts how, in June 1864, Chamberlain led a perilous frontal assault at Petersburg, where he was struck by a minié ball that traveled through his hips, shattering internal blood vessels and his bladder. Surgeons gave him only

    04/07/2026 | 8 mins.
    Ronald White, guest author, recounts how, in June 1864, Chamberlain led a perilous frontal assault at Petersburg, where he was struck by a minié ball that traveled through his hips, shattering internal blood vessels and his bladder. Surgeons gave him only a 10% chance of survival, and he wrote a heart-wrenching final farewell to Fanny from his hospital bed. Defying medical expectations, he survived the infection-riddled environment and returned to the field to command a brigade during the final pursuit of Lee's army. At Appomattox, General Grant chose him to preside over the formal surrender ceremony of the Confederate infantry. During this event, Chamberlain sparked decades of controversy by ordering a "marching salute" to the defeated Southern soldiers to honor their courage. This act of reconciliation underscored his belief that the war's end required bringing both sides back together as one nation despite the deep scars of conflict. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (4)
    1864
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About The John Batchelor Show
The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.
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