As news of end of the Civil War spread, officials made arrangements to get former POWs home. For union men, this meant traveling via steamship. A frequent method of travel, steamships had a reputation for bad accidents. A reputation that would prove true with the Sultana.

Join me this week as I dive into one of the most devastating maritime disasters in U.S. history: the sinking of the Sultana. Overloaded and plagued by a critical flaw, this steamboat’s final voyage ended in catastrophic explosions on the Mississippi River. Learn more about this disaster - and why it isn't more widely known.

As the Union continued to rack up military victories deep in Confederate territory, there was a sense the end of the war was near. Despite hopeful sentiments, Abraham Lincoln remained stoic and cautious in his second inaugural address in early March.

Little did anyone know that surrender would be in hand just over a month later when General Robert E. Lee requested to speak with General Ulysses S. Grant. What happened during their conversation? Tune in to find out.

For the final bonus episode in celebration of FOUR YEARS of Civics & Coffee, I am so excited to share a preview of a NEW bonus show I am hosting on Patreon: Civics & Cocktails!

By joining the Civics & Coffee Patreon on community, you will get historical goodies like stickers, and access to the Civics & Cocktails RSS feed. Each month, I will welcome a guest (or two!) to chat about history over a delicious cocktail. You'll get the same great history, but with an adult twist!

You can sign up searching for Civics & Coffee on Patreon, or clicking here.