Blood and Fury: America's Civil War

The show lacks the proper representation of civil war battles. The soldiers seem to move like they're in some sort of Vietnam movie drama. There is no proper representation of civil war tactics. The civil war "uniforms" if you can call them such, are also terrible, deplorable even. They're not even close to looking like civil war soldiers. Was there even a historical consultant to work on the production? The acting is just a bad. The acting was similar to that of a low cost production high school class feature film. There was no consideration for the men who went through that conflict. It made the war look like a bunch of children playing soldier.

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.

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.

I get the 1 star and negative reviews. I get it having had a relative serve in the Union Army.

However, it's a "Documentary " in that it has to be difficult to condense such significant and prominent battles into an under hour show. It seems hastily done to fit the time allotted. The narrative seems relatively accurate, with some notable historians providing the narrative. One wonders how they feel or how they reacted to the final product. Take it for what it is - Entertainment. There are NO shows, documentaries or movies without flaw, errors, or inaccuracies. Oddly enough this Documentary about the US Civil War was filmed in Canada ??? In any case I'm sure it's difficult to maintain a 100% accuracy as modes and tactics morph throughout a battle. The chaos and confusion in these battles are incomprehensible. The sacrifice, carnage and slaughter is on a scale unmatched as it's American killing American. Sure.....Worse case Accuracy is perhaps a fail. Best case it brings the carnage of the US Civil War to the viewers.

To tacitusmk review, please reference The American Civil War Museum, American Battlefield Trust and as noted on the History Channel "On March 13, 1865, with the main Rebel armies facing long odds against much larger Union armies, the Confederacy, in a desperate measure, reluctantly approves the use of Black troops." Granted is was a rarity yet it did exist.

No matter what "Side" you have attachments toward, the Civil War was a bloodbath for America Ultimately morphing from a War to Preserve the Union to the Freeing of Slaves. There is so much that is indeed debatable. The loss of AMERICAN LIVES for whatever the cause is not. That is a Fact....

To krizzby7. It's relatively cut and dry. It was to Preserve a still young Union. We were not far removed from the War of 1812. If one believes Lincoln decided to free the Slaves because he was a Great humanitarian you're kidding yourself. He's a politician through and through and seized an opportunity to exploit the Growing Anti Slave Movement and thus appear to be the Great Uniter. It was a political move executed by a savvy politician. His fortunes were heading south (Uh, no pun intended) and he needed a home run.... A Grand Slam Home Run. He got it, ran with it, and shifted America's opinion of the war from Preserving the Union to Setting People Free. It's all political. Don't fool yourself if you believe Lincoln cared about slavery. He cared about his political career.

My roots are with the 208th Pennsylvania Volunteers Infantry Regiment, Company H.

One episode I thought should have been named "The John Adams Jr show, it was about Fredericksburg but left out everything except what the great grandson of a President went through! Of course I am predudice about it. You see, the pontoon boat which he went over & back on had my great-great grandfather & my namesake was on the pontoon boat, as captain of the boat. But he wasn't so lucky and was shot in the head! No mention of any of the others who never made it back and forth! Then Gettysburgh the h being origninal because us Scots founded a lot of the PA cities but when the English got here the names were changed, no mention was made of the fact that Lee's army had to buy their cannon fuses from a different company because the normal on had been flooded out. Well the new ones were made with made with more juice in the powder and caused a hotter blast, sending most shots well past where they were intended to go. And nobody, EVER, mentions that four of the original 13 colonies put in the Articles of Confederation, the contract that made the country, that they had the right of withdrawl from the Union at anytime. They were PA., MA., New York and Virginia! But Lincoln totally ignored this, which in fact made the countries creation a joke! And I had between 24-30 union fighters in my family as we were coal miners & slaves for 200 years!