© 2025 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Boise stations will be at reduced power due to ongoing work at the Deer Point transmitters. KLCZ in Lewiston and KBSY in Burley are currently experiencing an outage.

How untold stories of the Civil War help make sense of today's political division

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published September 10, 2025 at 9:49 AM MDT
The cover of "Midnight on the Potomac" and author Scott Ellsworth. (Courtesy of Dutton and Jared Lazarus)
/
The cover of "Midnight on the Potomac" and author Scott Ellsworth. (Courtesy of Dutton and Jared Lazarus)

A historian shatters myths from the last, desperate months of the Civil War to help us better understand the deep division in our country now.

Here & Now‘s Sarah McCammon speaks with Scott Ellsworth. His latest book is “Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination and the rebirth of America.”

Book excerpt: ‘Midnight on the Potomac’

By Scott Ellsworth

Reprinted with permission from the publisher, Dutton. All rights reserved.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR
Here & Now Newsroom

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.

Donate