The Civil War was fought in 10,000 places, from Valverde, New Mexico, and Tullahoma, Tennessee, to St. Albans, Vermont, and Fernandina on the Florida coast. More than 3 million Americans fought in it, and over 600,000 men, 2 percent of the population, died in it.
The American Civil War (1861-1865) is one of the greatest conflicts in the history of mankind, and the bloodiest and saddest war in American history. What began as a bitter dispute over Union and States' Rights, ended as a struggle over the meaning of freedom in America. It saw the end of slavery. It inspired men who had never strayed far from their own front doors to become soldiers in great armies, and to fight in epic battles hundreds of miles from home. It was the first modern war and the costliest, yielding at least 600,000 casualties and unprecedented domestic suffering, both spiritually and physically. As a defining moment in United States history, our Civil War has no equal, which is why it remains such a fascinating subject even today. Relive the greatest crisis ever faced by the United States as this unique documentary traces the history of the Civil War from its origins through the final tragic act of Lincoln's assassination.