Key battles of the American Civil War, as seen through the eyes of soldiers from either side.A novel idea, very badly executed. Most war documentaries give the strategic view - this give's the everyman's view. Just not an interesting, accurate or compelling one. The characters are generally well chosen but the dramatisations are quite weak and don't really give that much of an insight into the battle. Due to the narrow focus, much of the detail is lost. For example, if you watched the episode on the Battle of Antietam you would think that the entire battle occurred in the cornfield. Burnside's Bridge is not mentioned, or Bloody Lane. Similarly, Gettysburg covers only Big and Little Round Tops. Pickett's Charge isn't even mentioned by name.To make it worse, you have the worst line-up of historians-for-hire ever. More salesmen than historians, their job seems to be to talk up, through shouting and talking fast, the importance of each battle and these characters parts in it. The Battle of Nashville, which was much more a coup de grace than a pivotal battle, gets turned into something vital to the survival of Sherman's Army and the Union. The hyperbole on display is quite ridiculous.Not even a series for Civil War beginners, this is that dumbed down and inaccurate.Do yourself a favour: watch Ken Burns's The Civil War instead. Surely the greatest documentary series ever made, on any subject.

Remember that Conan OBrian skit where he goes to an old time baseball game? The people there were pretending it was the late 1860's and played baseball using vintage uniforms, bats, rules and the like? When they found the guy with the granola bars in his pocket? I thought this "show" was an extension of that skit until I realized they were serious. Sad thing is, that skit was so well done while this was absolute garbage. Bad acting, bad production, unrealistic action, uniforms, accouterments and details. I counted THREE separate moments where I saw modern water bottles on screen. Not even trying to hide them. The uniforms looked like something the local high school got from the Goodwill. If you have to watch it, stab your eyes or so you save yourself the horror. A lifetime of blindness is preferable.

..this show sucks, but so do the reviewers on this site, Sovereign Citizens one and all don't let the patriots lie to you americas civil war was 100% about the States Right to keep other human beings as slave labour and then to count those slaves as population for purposes of Representation in the House, even when those slaves had no Rights to be Represented look at the Secession documents ALL OF THEM cite the free state/slave state "problem" as the reason for Secession Robert E Lee was a traitor who should have been hanged the South had no black soldiers except those that served under duress "freeing" the slaves wasn't done until 1864 in order to prevent the wholesale slaughter of blacks in the SOuth how many black Union soldiers were EVER taken prisoner? NONE. because the racist Southerners killed them all as they often said they would read a book not written in the South, where people only teach northern aggression but they don't teach WHY slavery WAS/IS WRONG because Southerners think owning slaves is a CHOICE

There isn't much more to be said that hasn't already been said. This "documentary" and I use that term loosely, is a disgrace to the soldiers and sailors of the American Civil War. This is complete and utter fictionalization of historical events. I would liken this to "The 300". Sure, it's historically based but the visuals are in no way shape or form accurate. Any historian, adviser, etc. that was associated with this monstrosity should be ashamed of themselves, including Gary Adelman, the historian for the CWPT.There is a wealth of information, books, photographs, drawings, originals out there to research things like uniforms, weapons and tactics. The fact that no one took the time to look at a single Confederate or Federal uniform is evident here. No one read a tactics manual, no one studied the progression of an actual battle.The fact that the production company is so proud of their "authenticity" is proof they did little to no research. They found gray wool and blue wool jackets from Pakistan and said "this will do it". There are even production companies out there that specialize in historically accurate portrayals of Civil War soldiers with expertise, skills and knowledge of the period. They didn't even bother with a simple google search.Unfortunately, people will look at this and think it is a visual and accurate depiction of the Civil War. They had the community and expertise available to them and they didn't use it, they had an opportunity to truly educate people about the war but they ignored it. I truly hope AHC never produces another film about any period.