Great Commanders and Battles of the Civil War

Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was considered to be Gen. Lee's right-hand man. Rising in military rank as the Civil War Progressed, Jackson fought in many battles. "In great deeds, something abides." These words exemplify the prolific Brig. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain, who is best know for his heroic participation in the battle of Gettysburg.

To friends, he was known as Sam, but to President Lincoln Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was the key to victory. His role in the Civil War was far-reaching. Lincoln promoted Grant to Commander of all the Union forces and his dogged attacks on the Armies of the Confederacy set him apart as the best of the Union generals.

The first shots at Fort Sumter in 1861 marked the beginning of a conflict that scarred the soul of our Nation, the American Civil War. However the Northern States and the Southern States were on a collision course for many years, even before these shots were fired.

The dramatic events of Fort Sumter put an end to the political posturing of the Federal government. With the surrendering of the United State's fort, any hope of a peaceful resolution between the two sides had vanished as the Nation had decided to go to war with itself.

Throughout the land, war weariness was spreading. Even news of victory did little to raise public morale as the hospitals were overflowing and the financial cost of the war was growing everyday. Despite all this, there was to be one end to the fighting, the fact was that too many lives on either side had been lost to turn back.

By 1864, the American Civil War was three Years old. For those who thought that the conflict between the North and the South would have been decided by the battle at Bull Run had been proven cruelly wrong. The North was frustrated and the South was desperate. The war had seemed to reach a stalemate but still it dragged on.

From the opening shots at Ft. Sumter to Lee's surrender on Palm Sunday, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse, this emotionally charged presentation is an accurate portrayal of how the soldiers fought for the Blue and Gray.

The critical moments of each battle are faithfully re-created and reenacted revealing unforgettable images of 14 bitter conflicts. The deadliest war in American history resulted in 620,000 soldiers killed and an undetermined number of civilian casualties.