The Civil War (TV Mini Series) Forever Free (1862) (1990) User Reviews

The Biggest Killer: Sickness & Disease

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 12 August 2007]

What a tough year - 1862 - with thousands and thousands of men killed in several famous battles.

We get a profile of the South's "Stonewall" Jackson; we hear a condemnation again on Union General McClellan's inept leadership of the Union forces, and the Emancipation Proclamation is made by President Lincoln after the battle of Antietam.

The most amazing fact in this "volume three," I thought, was that twice as many men died in the war from sickness and disease than from battle! Also amazing was the Union army losing 25 percent of its force to deserters.

The account of this war almost made me root for the South, which I never have, simply because I (and most others) like to root for the underdog and the South is so badly outnumbered in almost every battle, it's astounding they ever won anything. They exhibited incredible guts and fortitude.

Episode 3: Forever Free

[Michael_Elliott · 2 November 2012]

The Civil War: Forever Free (1990)

**** (out of 4)

The third film in Ken Burns series is another wonderful episodes that tackles subjects including: Robert E. Lee, England calls for the two sides to settle, Stonewall Jackson's battles, South cuts cotton supply to force England to side with them, the battle at Fair Oaks, General Butler in New Orleans, emancipation for slaves, the Sharpsburg, VA battle, Joe Hooker and Matthew Brady's battlefield photos. Once again this episode is full of terrific stories, wonderful and sad photos plus just an all around greatness that you makes you soak up everything you're hearing. I think what's so incredibly about this documentary is how Burns really builds it up like an actual movie. There are times where the end of the war could have happened and even though you know it didn't, you still get caught up in the tension of the matter and everything that was going on. As with the previous episodes, this one here features a lot of photos from the various battles that were fought and it's really just remarkable seeing all the bodies scattered out and at times it's talk about how you could walk in any direction, on bodies and never have to touch the ground. The decisions of McClellan are also discussed as he continues to get a lot of blame for the war not ending. History buffs and film fans will certainly enjoy what's here.

Misleading Reference To The Maryland Campaign

[kemp-freund · 3/10 · 3 January 2024]

While I thoroughly enjoy all of Burns' works I now have a more suspicious view of his research process. In Episode 3 of his series on The Civil War, Burns dedicates 2 minutes to Lee's campaign into Maryland reporting that Lee intended to make it to Harrisburg, PA. He actually states that when Lee's Order #191, showing that Lee had split his forces, was found that McClellan did nothing for 18 hours to engage the enemy. That is totally inaccurate. McClellan reacted immediately on Sept. 13th and moved units to South Mountain to engage the enemy at Turner's Gap; Fox's Gap; and Crampton's Gap. The Battle of South Mountain (Battle of Boonsboro in the South) took place on Sept 14th. As a result, Lee was forced to abandon his plan and return to Virginia by way of Sharpsburg, MD. He got caught there at Antietam Creek and had no option but to fight.