August 6, 2025

BONUS EPISODE: The CSS Shenandoah

LIVESHOW TICKETS FOR OCT 4TH IN GLASGOW AVAILABLE HERE:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-glasgow-4th-october-2025-tickets-1501072671769

LIVESTREAM TICKETS FOR OCT 4TH HERE:

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Thousands of miles away from the battlefields of the South, the final shot of the American Civil War is fired by a ship that had no idea the war was over.

Sources:

Lynn Schooler. The Last Shot: The Incredible Story of the C.S.S. Shenandoah and the True Conclusion of the American Civil War

James I. Waddell. C. S. S. Shenandoah: The Memoirs of Lieutenant Commanding James I. Waddell

William C. Whittle. The Voyage of the CSS Shenandoah

Mark Simmons. Swan Song for the CSS Shenandoah. Civil War Quarterly. Volume 5, No. 1

https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/how-the-rebels-saved-the-whales/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-25/australias-link-to-american-civil-war-remembered/6044832

Comments (38)

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John the Blasphemous · August 25, 2026

I was born in 1971 so I'm an old fart. I remember my grandmother doing a sweet thing and knitting me a gollywog. I had a gollywog (jeez, it feels bad just typing the word) cuddly toy for years. I still remember it being on the marmalade jars. Wow, thank goodness we've moved on. When I was a child the "Black and White Minstrel Show" was on the TV too. Thank goodness I've learned my way out of my childhood influences. Thankfully I've seen the light and I'm a lefty, unionist, anarchist, LGBTQ+ ally old fart now. Shit was so racist and bigoted in those days (I'm not seeking credit for this, I've merely managed not to be too much of a dick).

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Mitch Guerrerio · August 20, 2025

The story of this ship is kind of like that Japanese chad who held out for about 40 years after WwII

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Nick Anderson · August 13, 2025

Please we need stickers for the Australian confederacy and the Cookie Monster! I was rolling this whole episode

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Jonathan Grafton · August 12, 2025

"This army is going real fast and real left!" - Christian volunteers that ran from the YPG.

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William Wright · August 11, 2025

I was all “Ummm Vancouver was RIGHT THERE” then I checked, and actually, no it really wasn’t. So, Ok, why didn’t they make for Hong Kong?

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Monty · August 11, 2025

Did that little Irish fuck just call a parmi a parma! It's a fucken parmigiana parmi dickhead! You have spent too much time in that backwards place... Queensland

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Page Chase · August 10, 2025

Nate's story about working at Steak 'n' Shake and the Black Power Cookie Monster tshirt that he's been thinking about for 20 years is probably the most Nate that Nate has ever Nate'd.

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P.A.L. · August 10, 2025

Of course the ship's carpenter was Irish. If there's ever been one group who will overpromise and get way over their head it's an apprentice carpenter who has barely two weeks on the job trying to dodge a FAS course.

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Brendan Bonner · August 10, 2025

A friend of my wife’s is from the town in Brazil the confederates created after the war. They’re pretty much integrated into the population there. A lot of Americans who have visited these communities have noticed that many of the people there who speak English speak English with a southern accent, but one that sounds old and outdated. But it’s rapidly dying out. Same with many of the other languages spoken in Brazil. Most of the footage I’ve found of them speaking English is at least like 20 years old.

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Brendan Bonner · August 10, 2025

Fun fact about Jimmy Carter, a branch of his family moved to Brazil after they lost the war and are buried there. There are pictures of him in the cemeteries there with the stars and bars.

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Jake Rawls · August 9, 2025

Regarding the "child soldier" comment: My grandfather lied about his age and joined the US army when he was 15. Fucking 15. My mom has a photo of him shortly after enlistment and he is obviously a young child. I know lying to join during WWII was common, but it still blows my mind people just waved him in and nobody ever second guessed it.

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Jonathan Sutter · August 8, 2025

And now all I can think about it the fab four all in confederate outfits.....fml...is that where Sgt. Pepper picked up rank?

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EbolaHippo · August 8, 2025

Please! Make a sheep technical shirt! I will buy 4

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Rhiannon · August 8, 2025

I was so surprised to hear Australia in a US Civil War episode, I had no idea!!

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sasquatch6197 · August 17, 2025

I liked hearing my home town Wollongong by Tom

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Statistically Hunk · August 7, 2025

Ok was it just me or was that scouse impression dead spits tylerdaclaire

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Jack McReynolds · August 6, 2025

A sample Voight-Kampff test for Americans You’re in a desert walking along in the sand when all of the sudden you look down, and you see a burger. It’s sitting on a plate in front of you. You look at it, but you aren't eating the burger. The burger lays there. Its bun and patty baking in the hot sun. Desperate to be eaten, but it can’t. Not without your help, but you’re not eating it. Why is that?

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Page Chase · January 21, 2026

I said no onions and some monster put mustard on it.

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Kyle Johnson · August 6, 2025

Shoutout Steve1989MREInfo if you want to see a dude eat civil war hardtack and Boer War emergency rations.

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Peggy O'Connell · August 6, 2025

Where is Dr McNulty’s grave in Boston? I’ll go and get a picture. I’d piss on his grave, but it’s harder with female parts.

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William Shackelford · August 8, 2025

New Patreon Goal?

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Sort of Scorpion · August 6, 2025

What an utterly wild ride. Comparing the confederate sympathizer to being an Inuyasha gooner is a hilarious comparison I’m gonna use IRL.

1
19ZXB Donkey brains · August 6, 2025

I'm just a couple years older than Nate, and don't recall HV pizza flavored ranch. I'll assume it was only released in mid-west test markets. That being said, I've mixed ranch and pizza sauce for dunking tenders in...many times. It's an excellent option for the dunking of tenders.

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LeobaL · August 6, 2025

Oh wow, I never knew of Australia's involvement in the US Civil War! At this stage in continental Australian history, the colony of Victoria was just getting into the swing of its gold rush, which may have contributed to people looking to beat the shit out of anyone. And there would also have been a growing population of emancipated convicts and their families, who might have reacted with extreme violence towards anyone with a funny/posh accent.

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JM · August 7, 2025

* Drunk Australian commits battery on weird foreigner* Bystander: “Oh thank goodness you beat up that awful confederate!” Drunk Australian: “I uh a yes pro-union, I’ll go now.”

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Krootox · August 6, 2025

I really wasn't expecting the black face jam label and especially the hot air balloon.

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Noblese Oblahaj · August 6, 2025

There is a Warhammer 40k book that largely takes place on a series of Night Lord vessels. The ships, barely functionally, are totally dark inside. Murders, slaves,creatures stalk the darkness. You may be killed at any time. It sounds like this boat

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Noblese Oblahaj · August 6, 2025

A Confederate cavalry officer on a sheep, saber raised, shouting, "The South wool rise again"

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William Shackelford · August 6, 2025

YES! ANOTHER CIVIL WAR EPISODE! INSHALLINCOLN!

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Anarcho Slowpoke · August 6, 2025

Wasn’t expecting Hadouken of all things. Now I think about, what confederate electro-punk or whatever they called their music, would sound like.

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Matt · August 6, 2025

A Marylander being a Confederate sympathizer, or at least knowing enough Civil War equivalent of “Hell yeah brother fuck the *SLUUUURS* MAGA!” code words to pass as a Confederate sympathizer, isn’t that weird. They were a slave state and probably would have betrayed the country like the rest of the rapist human traffickers except for Lincoln suspending habeas corpus to keep them on the right side.

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Allen · August 6, 2025

Ah, Maryland Hulk Hogan (rot in hell asshole)

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Boden0 · August 6, 2025

I will buy 3 of those shirts

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iDoTechOK · August 6, 2025

Same here! It's so right on so many levels!

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mumbles march · August 6, 2025

Me a Melbournian absolutely blindsided by this piece of history….. also Joe I will never forgive “platypussy”

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Alex · August 6, 2025

Same lol.

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Jan · August 6, 2025

Lenin was a nice man

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JM · August 6, 2025

Woo been waiting on this one. knew it was a matter of time this cursed odyssey sailed its way into The Hague and came on the show.