National Geographic - Civil Warriors (2011) Part 3 The Hard War
In the wake of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, National Geographic follows descendants of ordinary Americans as they embark on personal journeys to discover the stories of their ancestors in the bloodiest war in American history. This three-part program reveals the amazing human stories of lives turned upside down by the Civil War–from a Virginian slave holding lady to a Union officer and a Confederate private. Through vivid recreations and innovative graphic techniques, we'll go back in time to see the true consequences of hard war and the resilient human spirit. Eleven Civil-War descendants search for insights into the experiences of their ancestors, who include a Union and a Confederate private, a doctor, one of the first black soldiers, a slave and a nurse from New York. Casting a human light on the Civil War experience, these eye-opening programs profile a range of individuals by having their descendants trace their stories. Insights from experts and reenactors, along with visits to actual Civil War locales, give a visceral and immediate sense of what different people went through during the war. The program helps viewers understand what it was really like to be a Confederate recruit, a surgeon, a slave, a soldier at Gettysburg, and more. Archival photos, excerpts from diaries and letters, and computer animations add to the compelling stories. In honor of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, Nat Geo aired all three episodes on a single night.
Part 3 The Hard War
We'll join Tim Sawyer, an army veteran and great-great-grandson of a Civil War surgeon, as he travels to Gettysburg to discover how long a doctor could last working in brutal wartime conditions, where injured bodies were left on the field due to limited space. Sawyer also tries to determine whether, if given the opportunity, his great-great-grandfather could have saved the life of President Lincoln, forever changing history.
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