War File:Battle of Gettysburg

War File:Battle of Gettysburg


2007
NR 55 minutes

The Battle of Gettysburg marked the turning point in the American Civil War. Historian Michael Leighton narrates this in-depth look at the three-day conflict that ended in a decisive victory for the Union's Maj. Gen. George G. Meade. Re-enactments, 3-D maps and photographs and other imagery from the era illuminate details of the conflict. The documentary also includes dramatic readings from the writings of those who were there.

The Unknown Civil War: Greatest Battles of the Civil War

The Unknown Civil War: Greatest Battles of the Civil War
2000
NR
2 discs

This documentary series carefully and dynamically recounts eight key battles of the Civil War: Antietam, Chancellorsville, Chickamauga, Gettysburg, Shiloh, the Appomattox Campaign, the Petersburg Campaign and the Siege of Vicksburg. Rare period photographs, reenactments and interviews with leading Civil War historians illuminate the circumstances and personalities at the core of each of these struggles.



These two discs are packed with good information and really brought the civil war to life. They are very detailed, within the time allowed for each episode. That said, they are not organized very well. The proper order to watch is as follows: 1) Shiloh (Disc 2) 2) Antietam (Disc 1) 3) Chancellorsville (Disc 1) 4) Vicksburg (Disc 2) 5) Gettysburg (Disc 1) 6) Chickamauga (Disc 2) 7) Petersburg (Disc 2) 8) Appomattox Courthouse (Disc 1)

Unchained Memories: Slave Narratives

Unchained Memories: Slave Narratives

Throughout the 1930s, journalists and writers accumulated stories and photographs from former African-American slaves and compiled more than 2300 first-person accounts of this horrifying period in American history. This documentary project contains some of these histories, read by prominent African-American actors such as Oprah Winfrey, Ossie Davis, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Ruby Dee, and Angela Bassett. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg.

Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior

Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior / President: American Experience

2002 NR 213 minutes

Ulysses S. Grant was one of America's most paradoxical leaders. The greatest hero of the Civil War, Grant was a brilliant military strategist who rose from obscurity to George Washington's former rank. Propelled into the White House by his battlefield success, Grant lacked the political skills to deal with reconstructing the South and managing the nation's rapidly expanding economy, and his life after the White House was filled with disaster.

The Unknown Civil War: Gettysburg

Film: The Unknown Civil War: Gettysburg

The pivotal conflict at Gettysburg remains the deadliest battle ever fought on U.S. soil. This documentary series recounts how a calculated gamble by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee pitted him against Union forces led by Gen. George Meade. Each of three episodes covers a day in the three-day struggle via reenactments, photographs and commentary by Civil War historians; a fourth segment contains a roundtable discussion of the confrontation.

The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry

The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry
2005
NR 56 minutes

Narrated by Morgan Freeman and peppered with historical tintypes and expert commentary, this documentary tells the story of the Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry, the first all-black Union regiment depicted in the multiple Oscar-winning film Glory. The 54th was given the most dangerous assignments, and they fought valiantly to prove to the commanders and the rest of the country that black Americans had what it took to be first-class soldiers.

The Last Days of the Civil War

The Last Days of the Civil War

Produced for the A&E network, this 2003 documentary recounts the waning days of the Civil War, including Gen. Robert E. Lee's retreat westward from Petersburg (with the battles of Five Forks, Sailor's Creek and the eventual surrender at Appomattox). In addition, the bloody 10-month skirmish at Cold Harbor is chronicled, and Abraham Lincoln is extensively profiled, as is Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy.