Martin sits down with author and historian Linda Zimmermann to explore her powerful new book, A Civil War Soldier and Me—the true story of Sgt. Albion Brooks of the 8th Connecticut Volunteers. Over the course of 30 years, Linda traced Albion’s life through original letters, diaries, and family papers spanning three generations. In this conversation, she and Martin discuss how a single Civil War soldier became a personal obsession, starting with a dusty trunk of documents and leading to thousands of miles of battlefield travel. You’ll hear about:

Albion’s journey from Maine and Bridgeport, CT to the front lines
His experiences at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Suffolk, Burnside’s North Carolina Expedition, Drury’s Bluff, Bermuda Hundred, and Cold Harbor
What his letters reveal about courage, humor, faith, and the emotional weight of war
Linda’s immersive battlefield visits that retrace where he marched, fought, and died
Albion’s final hours at Cold Harbor, as recorded by the chaplain who stood at his bedside
Martin also shares a brief anecdote about his own Civil War–era family history, adding another personal layer to the discussion

If you’re drawn to personal soldier stories, Civil War history, or the emotional power of original letters and diaries, this episode of The Everything Else Show offers a rare, intimate look at one young man whose words still speak across 160 years. SHOW NOTES Podcaster Martin Willis' great, great, great grandfather: William James Hipp (b. ~1842, SC; d. 1902, GA) served in Company F, 44th South Carolina, and He lost his arm at the Battle of Frazier’s Farm (Glendale, Virginia) in 1862. Furniture made with one arm below. http://antiqueauctionforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/albion.mp4

203. Linda Zimmermann on Civil War Soldier Albion Brooks