Bloodlines of Valor: A Family’s Civil War Story with Bill Eschenbaugh

On this episode of Spirits and Stories, Donald sits down with author and historian Bill Eschenbaugh, a man whose roots run deep into the soil of American history. Bill wasn’t just raised around Civil War stories—he was raised in them. Growing up in the very Pennsylvania farmhouse built by his great-grandfather, Bill inherited more than land; he inherited legacy.

With ancestors who served in multiple regiments—including one who never returned home from the horrors of Andersonville Prison—Bill brings firsthand family accounts, battlefield insights, and generational memories that textbooks simply can’t capture.

In this powerful conversation, Bill and Donald explore:

• Life on a farm where every field held echoes of the past
• The harrowing realities Union soldiers faced on the march, in the snow, and under fire
• The moral, spiritual, and patriotic motivations of Northern soldiers
• Bill’s deep dive into ancestry research that uncovered centuries of family service
• How his novel Up the Shenandoah brings his family’s Civil War story to life
• The rugged resilience, sacrifice, and everyday humanity of men who answered Lincoln’s call

Bill’s stories remind us that history isn’t something we read—it’s something we inherit. And in this episode, listeners get a rare look at the Civil War through the eyes of a family that lived it, survived it, and carried its lessons forward.

Pull up a chair, pour a drink, and settle in for a journey through courage, hardship, and the unbroken American spirit.