Listen "Episode 29: Long Island Power Ballads"
Episode Synopsis
It’s National Poetry Month and we’re celebrating with a series of poetry/history mashups that we like to call Long Island Power Ballads. We’re dusting off some deserving yet obscure poems (and poets) dealing with Long Island history and giving them another look. Over the next few weeks you’ll hear stories of broken hearts, tragic deaths, and the indomitable human spirit. But when we say obscure, we mean obscure. If you’re looking for Walt Whitman, seek ye elsewhere. Today’s episode deals with “The Death of Woodhull: An American Ballad” which tells one version of the death of Nathaniel Woodhull, American patriot, Brigadier General and brother-in-law of William Floyd. Learn the history of the man and the story of the legend that sprung up around his demise. His connection to AMC’s Turn is also explained. Hear our fearless poetry reenactors bring this ballad back to life amid fanfare, galloping horses and flashing blades. Many thanks to Anne McCaffrey, Frances Schauss and Kristine Hanson. Audio Credits Let Me Like a Soldier Fall Marching Snare from lewk CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0 Horses from vincentmalstaf CC 0 License Reenactment from alienistcog CC 0 License Cannon from man CC Attribution License 3.0 Female breathing from Kuroseishin CC 0 License Horse neigh from dobroide CC Attribution License 3.0 Sword Battle from freefire66 CC 0 License El Miserere Breathing from lizanejordaan, CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0 Stabbing Watermelon from the shaggyfreak, CC Non-Commercial Attribution License 3.0 Passing Review Further Research “Death of Woodhull: An American Ballad” from The Mirror, 1823 Account of Woodhull’s death from Henry Onderdonk’s 1846 Documents and Letters Intended to Illustrate the Revolutionary Incidents of Queens County. Turn: Washington’s Spies on AMC Digital Public Library of America resources Freesound.org UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive National Poetry Month
More episodes of the podcast The Long Island History Project
Episode 208: Culper Spy Day
12/09/2025
Episode 207: Oral History with Erica Fugger
29/07/2025
Episode 205: Long Beach Oral Histories
30/06/2025
Episode 201: Isle of Ever w Jen Calonita
22/03/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.