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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 11:49 AM EDT
The cover of "Midnight on the Potomac" and author Scott Ellsworth. (Courtesy of Dutton and Jared Lazarus)
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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.

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Here & Now Newsroom