Anybody watching the Civil War on PBS this week?

[country lady]

We are interested in Civil War history, too, and have been to three sites: Shiloh, Franklin, TN, and Ft. Donalson. We keep learning things about that era. For example, the invention of the cotton gin played a huge role in the Civil War history. An interesting book is: "At the Edge of the Precipice: Henry Clay and the Compromise that Saved the Union" by Robert Remini, about the 1850 Compromise. Another interesting book is Grant's bio. Robert E. Lee is still my favorite character because of his "character." Another favorite of mine is Stonewall Jackson.

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
I'll have to check it out

 

[country lady]

Kristy, if you want to read an interesting article, google the Carnton Plantation/Carter House. Franklin, TN, had a bloody battle in 1864. An interesting thing about the Carter House is that the doctor was a Union sympathizer, and the blood stains are still on the floor in the house. One Confederate soldier, as he was being driven away, saw his amputated leg/boot on a pile of body parts in a wagon. Thirteen Confederate generals were killed, wounded, or captured there. The five hour battle cost over 6,000 Confederate lives and the Union over 2,000. Franklin, TN was a beautiful little city in the 1990s but now it is a bedroom of Nashville so, IMO, has lost a lot of its charm. My maternal family was originally from Williamson County and years ago I went there to look for family genealogy. I found so much info there. It is rich in history. Also, in that general area, around 1800 it was an Indian hunting ground of the Creeks, Chickasaws and Cherokees. Don't you just love history!

 

[welsummerchicks]

We love anything Civil War and look forward to seeing this series.

We have the DVD's Gettysburg and Gods and Generals. The scenes from Gettysburg with Jeff Daniels playing Col Chamberlain are my favorite of anything done on the Civil War.

When they formed the line on the hill and prepared to swing down, when he told them if a man falls to pick up his weapon and take his place in line, Chamberlain told his men, 'You are the end of the Union line, we are it, we are the end of the line', then he took his place right beside his men.

The way they showed the union men holding that line, and the confederate men charging up again and again, into certain death, it was unbelievably moving.

By the time they fixed bayonets, even my SO was teared up.

Unbelievable show. Unbelievably good.

 

[33yardbirds]

What has always impressed me is the command of writing skills down to the infantrymen, granted their were numorous illiterates, but those who wrote wrote (good) well. I wonder if they spoke as they wrote. Today we write in abbreviation and letters. BRB, LOL, and my favorite BMA!

 

[woodmort]

Don't you mean the "War Between the States"?

 

[EweSheep]

Yep War Between the States or Aggression between States, same thing.

As for the bayonets, it would not be keen to use the bayonets while shooting, that is NOT what it was for? Most of the time it was pulled off to shoot and once you are out of ammo or so close to hand to hand combat, the bayonet played a part in it. . The rifles themselves mostly were smooth bore and bullets would go anywhere so you would not use the bayoneton the rifle for shooting.

Yes we have seen all movies of Gettysburg however the last one, I had to critized the widower, no widower would show her face, it supposed to be totally BLACK. Yes I've worn mourning outfits and tell ya, its HOT to wear in the summer. How they did it, I bet the ladies fainted often.

The greatest thing in our reenactment years is the battle of Wilson's Creek, down in MO. We played and fought on that actual battleground. Such an honor! However call me strange but standing on the battlefield during prayer, I felt a very cold chill down on my feet going up to my legs. I moved away, it was normal. It was a very warm breezy day. Then I step back again, cold spot. An eerie feeling, a soldier has died on this spot. I told hubby that stood next to me about it and he took me seriously. SUch a beautiful, beautiful area! Anyone going there, better stop there and see it from sunup to sundown, just goreous all around! Great resturaunt across the park!

I have so many stories, tales and funny things being happening on our years of reeanctments.

The soldiers, no matter, what sides, they fought for our country, no matter how divided their views were but they were true to their honor, dignity and compassion for their country.

Country Lady, we want to go visit Shiloh and see this Carter house. Hubby went by a general house on his way to WV and sadly that house is run down, short of funds. Hope they will fix it up.

 

[MustLoveHens]

We're are watching it!! Both my dh and I are avid civil war history buffs.
My mother in law refers to the Civil War as the "War of Northern Aggression" because her Granny called it that while she was growing up. My dh was a re-enactor for the Third Georgia-they were one of the units that held the bridge at Antietam. Untimately, the Third Georgia was just about wiped out at Gettysburg. Only 8 men survived but they went on to fight in every major battle in the Eastern Theater and survived the war.
He was a re-enactor for the Quantum Leap episode when Sam went back to the Civil War. His unit also were re-enactors in the movie Gettysburg but he could not go.
He had some great times while re-enacting. When we lived in TN, we never got a chance to see the Carnton Plantation/Carter house. However we did see the Confederate Cemitary in Hermitage, TN.
While we lived in TN, my dh worked for a funeral home helping veterans with their pre-planning services and making sure that they got what the government provided for their burials. He was helping a 90 year old black gentleman who was a Marine in WW11. Anyway, this gentleman told my dh what TN was like when he was a boy growing up in Shelbyville. He remembered riding in a wagon pulled by his mother to the general store to buy food. He was about 5 years old and he remebered that there were a bunch of old Civial War vets that would hang out at the store, smoking and drinking. Most of them with missing limbs. His mother told him not to look at them, but being a 5 year old kid, he would wave to them and they always waved back.

 

[Q9]

PBS? "Civil War" series? Yep. It's about that time where I grab my books and documents and march off to war, Confederate flags waving to the sound of "Dixie."

Yep. I'm still fighting it.

I need to check my ancestry - I have a hunch that I'm related to Confederate soldiers. It'd be dang cool if I was.

To all you un-Reconstructed Southerners -

Deo Vindice!

 

[WyandotteTX]

If you are any type of student of the Civil War you will love this series by Ken Burns. Find it on Netflix or wherever but take the time to watch it if you can. It was made in 1989 but holds up to anything you will ever see made. It is probably around 10 hours total and tells so many extraordinary stories of so many people across both sides.

Q9....I know for sure I am a Son of the American Revolution, Son of the Texas Revolution and a Son of the Confederacy. My ancestors first settled in Virginia in 1619.

So many quirky, interesting things I have learned from this series. When Abraham Lincoln learned of the end of the war from Appamattox, while fireworks went off all over Washington DC, he ordered the band nearby to play Dixie...........
Shelby Foote, the noted Civil War historian, who is in the series more than anyone else. Died in 1995 and is buried in the plot next to Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who he claimed was the best military commander of the war......