CIVIL WAR, THE, EPISODE 2: A VERY BLOODY AFFAIR (1862) (TV)
Summary
Episode two of this nine-episode documentary about the American Civil War, narrated by David McCullough. Subtitles include "Politics," "Ironclads," "Lincolnites," "The Peninsula," "Our Boy," "Shiloh",,"The Arts of Death," "Republics," and "On to Richmond." Writer Shelby Foote offers his expertise. Expectations of a short, bloodless, war end as engagements become increasingly violent and new weaponry is introduced. Battles discussed include the Battle of the Ironclads, between the ships Monitor (Union) and Virginian (Confederate), which revolutionizes naval warfare, and the Battle of Shiloh. The Confederate chain of command, from Pvt. Sam Watkins to President Jefferson Davis, and the Union chain of command, from Pvt. Elisha Hunt Rhodes to President Abraham Lincoln, are reviewed. Julia Ward Howe writes "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"; the Union occupation of Clarksville, Tennessee, begins; and Gen. George McClellan builds a strong Union army only to fail to take any decisive action against rebel forces, constantly demanding reinforcements, to Lincoln's growing frustration. Considered are the condition of the Confederacy, including its decentralization efforts and economic growth; the contribution of women, such as Mary Chesnut, to the war effort; and how the shrinking army led to the first national draft in American history. Other topics include Lincoln's problems with his Cabinet and the death of his son, Willy; descriptions of typical soldiers, army camps and officers; discussion of the weapons used and invented during the war and their effect on war strategies; and Frederick Douglass' bid for the emancipation of slaves. Ulysses S. Grant makes himself known in the war effort after numerous western victories and through the Battle of Shiloh. Other important figures include George Templeton Strong and William Tecumseh Sherman. As this installment concludes, McClellan, outsmarted by the smaller Confederate army, stalls in his Peninsula campaign, ending up very near Richmond.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: September 24, 1990 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:07:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T91:0019
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; History - American; U S - History - Civil War, 1861-1865
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 1990
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ken Burns … Executive Producer, Writer, Music direction by
- Ric Burns … Producer, Writer
- Stephen Ives … Co-Producer
- Julie Dunfey … Co-Producer
- Mike Hill … Co-Producer
- David McCullough … Narrator
- Geoffrey C. Ward … Writer
- Robert Burgess … Camera, Still photography by
- Stephen Petegorsky … Camera, Still photography by
- John Colby … Music (Misc. Credits), Music direction by
- Jacqueline Schwab … Instrumentalist, Pianist, Traditional music performed by
- Jay Ungar … Composer, "Ashokan Farewell", Instrumentalist, Fiddle and mandolin player, Traditional music performed by
- Matt Glaser … Instrumentalist, Fiddle player, Traditional music performed by
- Jesse Carr … Singer, Instrumentalist, Guitar and recorder player, Voice, Traditional music performed by
- Molly Mason … Instrumentalist, Guitar and bass player, Traditional music performed by
- Peggy James … Instrumentalist, Violinist, Traditional music performed by
- Yonatan Malin … Instrumentalist, Flutist, Traditional music performed by
- Peter Amidon … Instrumentalist, Banjo player, Traditional music performed by
- Peter Ecklund … Instrumentalist, Cornet player, Traditional music performed by
- Don Brooks … Instrumentalist, Harmonica player, Traditional music performed by
- Russ Barenberg … Instrumentalist, Guitar and mandolin player, Traditional music performed by
- Old Bethpage Brass Band … Music Group, Traditional music performed by
- Kirby Jolly … Conductor, Old Bethpage Brass Band
- Bernice Johnson Reagon … Music (Misc. Credits), "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" arranged and performed by
- Sanctuary Choir of the Abyssinian Baptist Church … Choir/Chorus, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" performed by
- Jewel T. Thompson … Choral Director, Sanctuary Choir
- Fennell, Frederick, and the Eastman Wind Ensemble … Music Group
- Bobby Horton … Performer, "Dixie" performed by
- United States Marine Band … Music Group, "The Star-Spangled Banner"
- Heritage Americana Brass Band, The … Music Group, "Funeral March No. 1" and "Battle Hymn Quickstep" performed by
- Robert Garofalo … Conductor, Heritage Americana Brass Band
- Sam Waterston … Cast, Abraham Lincoln, Voice
- Julie Harris … Cast, Mary Chesnut, Voice
- Robards, Jason (See also: Robards, Jason, Jr.) … Cast, Ulysses S. Grant, Voice
- Morgan Freeman … Cast, Frederick Douglass, Voice
- Paul Roebling … Cast, Joshua L. Chamberlain and others, Voice
- Garrison Keillor … Cast, Walt Whitman and others, Voice
- George Black … Cast, Robert E. Lee, Voice
- Arthur Miller … Cast, William T. Sherman, Voice
- Chris Murney … Cast, Pvt. Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Voice
- Charley McDowell … Cast, Pvt. Sam Watkins, Voice
- Horton Foote … Cast, Jefferson Davis, Voice
- George Plimpton … Cast, George Templeton Strong, Voice
- Philip Bosco … Cast, Horace Greeley and others, Voice
- Terry Courier … Cast, George McClellan, Voice
- Jody Powell … Cast, Stonewall Jackson and others, Voice
- Studs Terkel … Cast, Benjamin F. Butler, Voice
- Derek Jacobi … Voice
- Jeremy Irons … Voice
- Kurt Vonnegut … Voice
- Gene Jones … Voice
- Jerome Dempsey … Voice
- Fishburne, Larry (See also: Fishburne, Laurence) … Voice
- Betsy Apple … Voice
- Carol Craven … Voice
- Marissa Copeland … Voice
- Halo Wines … Voice
- David Marks … Voice
- Pamela Reed … Voice
- Ronnie Gilbert … Voice
- M. Emmet Walsh … Voice
- Hoyt Axton … Voice
- John Hartford … Voice
- Walt Macpherson … Voice
- Colleen Dewhurst … Voice
- Latanya Richardson … Voice
- Bradford Washburn … Voice
- Wendy Tilghman … Voice
- Joe Mattys … Voice
- Shelby Foote … Voice, Guest