Film Review: Death And The Civil War

The American Civil War holds the fascination of millions of people throughout our nation as well as around the world.  There is almost a romantic attachment to it for many as they read about the "Lost Cause," study the military strategies of the generals, and watch countless movies which depict the valor of the armies and individuals on the battlefields.  But for the people of 150 years ago who suffered the loss of a husband, a son, a brother, there was nothing remotely romantic about a war which caused death on a previously unimaginable scale.  The latest research places the estimated number of deaths at 750,000, or roughly 2.5 percent of the total American population (including both northern and southern states).  Projected to today's population figures, that equates to the loss of 7 million lives. More Americans died in the American Civil War than in all other American wars combined.

Debuting September 18, 2012 on the long-running history program American Experience on PBS is "Death And The Civil War."  Created by filmmaker Ric Burns (brother of Ken, creator of the masterpiece "The Civil War" for PBS in 1990), this film describes how profoundly the nation was affected by the slaughter of the war.  It's based upon the book "This Republic Of Suffering" written by the noted historian and president of Harvard University, Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust.  The book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2009 and was named to the New York Times "10 Best Books of 2008" by that paper's editors.  I've been asked by a publicist for this film to watch a preview copy and review it here on The Abraham Lincoln Blog.  I present it here.

As this documentary points out, both sides in the American Civil War were "woefully unprepared" for the hundreds of thousands of deaths.  There were no national cemeteries at the beginning of the war.  No plan to bury the dead, for identifying the bodies, for notifying the families.  No one, either Union or Confederate, could have known at the beginning of the war that mass death was coming.  Lincoln had asked for recruits to serve for a 90-day period, thinking the war would be brief, as did the leaders of the Confederacy.  Indeed, by June 1861, two months after Ft. Sumter, combined deaths stood at 20.  Realization didn't sink in until after First Bull Run (or Manassas) in July of that year that the war would not end quickly nor with a small number of casualties and death.

The film helps the viewer understand the concept of what a "good death" meant to Americans in the decades leading up to the war.  People expected to die at home, surrounded by family and loved ones, their final words recorded for posterity, perhaps.  They truly believed that in Heaven, their bodies would be whole again, restored to health.  The survivors could visit a grave, knowing that their departed lay in peace. But the war changed all that as their husbands and sons died alone or in the company of men they barely knew.  Records might indicate a soldier was barely injured, when in fact he had died.  Others were told their loved one had died, only to be stunned when the loved one came home alive. Many families never knew for sure what had happened; almost 140,000 Union dead remain unidentified.

Even as the war continued into 1862 and 1863, the governments of  both sides still didn't assume much, if any, responsibility for their soldiers, living or dead. A young woman named Clara Barton, who went on to found the American Red Cross, organized her own army of nurses to tend to the wounded.  The U.S. Sanitary Commission, a private organization, was also begun to treat the sick and wounded soldiers of the Union.  The Confederacy also had private relief efforts.

Still, there were no coordinated efforts to bury the dead soldiers until long after the war began.  Surviving troops of a particular battle might bury their comrades if they had the strength.  Townspeople occasionally joined in as they did after Gettysburg.  Many times, the dead were left where they fell, so that even into the late 1860's, bones were strewn across the scarred land.  The first concentrated effort to properly bury soldiers occurred in the late autumn of 1863, when the first "national cemetery" was opened in Gettysburg, PA.  Technically, though, the cemetery was then owned by the state.  It was that cemetery which was dedicated on November 19, 1863 when President Lincoln gave his immortal address.

The film spends time analyzing the Gettysburg Address with a full recitation of it, plus brief analysis by the interviewed historians. It points out, quite accurately, that in only 271 words, Lincoln was able to provide meaning to the deaths of the soldiers, to reassure Americans that "these dead shall not have died in vain."  That the cause for which they fought and died was a noble one, one to assure that government of the people would not die.  At this point in the war, unfortunately, more than half of the total deaths resulting from it were yet to occur.

After the war ended, the U.S. Government finally went into action to arrange for proper burials of as many remains as possible.  Congress passed legislation creating the National Cemetery system in 1867, appointing Edmund Whitman to coordinate the establishment of cemeteries, identification of as many of the dead as possible, and the proper burial of the them.  It should be noted that this effort was made for the Union troops, not the Confederate soldiers.  The Federal Government was not about to pay respect to the soldiers which sought to destroy the nation.  This, in turn, caused bitterness and outrage among the citizens of the newly-restored southern states.  So the citizens of the south, mostly women, set up their own organizations to provide a fitting burial for their own soldiers killed in action.  A couple of the historians in the film seem to think that the government in Washington was harsh in not taking care of the southern dead, but as Vincent Brown (Harvard) points out, the Confederacy and its soldiers fought for the right to have a slave-owning nation.

The film concludes with a fascinating look at how Memorial Day (or Decoration Day as it was called then) was begun in the late 1860's, both north and south, as the survivors wanted ways of commemorating their loved ones who fought for what they believed.

"Death And The Civil War" is a haunting, sobering, and deeply affective film.  It follows the now familiar method of historical documentaries by showing historical photos interspersed with interviews of various experts.  Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust is the main expert, since the film is based on her book I mentioned earlier.  Notable other historians in the film include Dr. David Blight (Yale) and Steven Hahn (Penn). Their insight is top notch as one would hope for from some of our greatest historians.

As can be expected of any documentary on American Experience, the film is gorgeous with outstanding cinematography, recreations, rare photos, and appropriate music.  The narration, by the actor Oliver Platt, is informative although I found the rhythm and pauses in his reading to be mildly distracting.

Given the topic of the film, it can be difficult to watch if the viewer happens to be squeamish.  Historical pictures of corpses, some in decay,  are shown, as are photos of skulls or skeletons.  Testimonies of those who buried the dead are read, complete with descriptive terms of "stench" and even "exploding corpses."  If you have a weak stomach or are easily affected by descriptions of death, be warned.

At only two hours in length, the film doesn't require a significant commitment to watch as those by Mr. Burns' brother, Ken do.  Still, I wish it was even 30 minutes longer so yet more information could have been presented.  Lincoln's assassination at the end of the Civil War, for example, also profoundly affected Americans for decades, yet this event is mentioned only very briefly in the film.  The deaths of the soldiers deeply moved him as well, a topic which he covered in his Second Inaugural Address in March 1865, only one month prior to his own demise.

"Death And The Civil War is a superbly crafted film and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who is interested in the war.  PBS' American Experience is the most-watched history show on television for a reason, thanks to the quality of the programs it airs.  "Death And The Civil War" is no exception.  It is, quite simply, a triumph.  Congratulations to Mr. Burns, Dr. Faust, PBS, and "American Experience."  You may read more about the film and view a preview of it on the American Experience website.


"Death And The Civil War" premieres Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. on PBS.  Check local listings for showings on your local PBS station.

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First Official Picture of Daniel Day-Lewis As Abraham Lincoln

Courtesy of The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL and www.slashfilm.com, here is the first official image of the actor Daniel Day-Lewis in full make up as Abraham Lincoln.  As nearly every Lincoln buff knows, Mr. Day-Lewis will star in Steven Spielberg's film "Lincoln" due for release on November 9, 2012.  Based on the book-which-will-not-die, Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln," Spielberg's film is rumored to follow the final four months of the president's life.

I realize that makeup artists can work wonders, but this image makes it appear as though a previously-unknown photograph of the real Lincoln has been discovered.  It's stunning.  Let's hope that the film will be as breathtaking as this photo.

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Lincoln and Congress Change History

When the Congressmen and Senators (mostly Democrats) of the Southern states chose to resign from the legislative branch of government when secession began in 1860, the door was left wide open for the remaining members (nearly all Republican) to pass pieces of legislation.  President Abraham Lincoln signed these Congressional Acts into law throughout his presidency.  The early days of July  1862 saw the signing into law of some of the most historic pieces of Congressional legislation in our history.

July 1st of that crucial year featured Lincoln signing into law the United States' first-ever graduated national income tax. The Revenue Act of 1862 imposed a 3% tax on any annual income in excess of $600 (about $13,600 in 2012 dollars) with a tax of 5% imposed on incomes greater than $10,000 (roughly $227,000 in 2012).  The Act was signed into law by Lincoln in order to provide money for fighting the Civil War.  The legislation called for the expiration of the tax in 1866.  It replaced the flat-tax which had been imposed in 1861, the Revenue Act of 1861 repealed by the 1862 Act.

The next day featured an incredible flurry of signings into law of legislation, some of which affect us even today.  My previous post discusses the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 which led to the creation of nearly 100 institutions of higher learning across the United States.

Lincoln also signed that day the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, which eventually led to the building of the nation's first transcontinental railroad.  The Act permitted the Union Pacific Railroad to construct a railroad from east to west, the eastern terminus being in Council Bluffs, IA and Omaha, Nebraska.  It also called for the Central Pacific Railroad to begin construction in California (western terminus) and continue east.  Eventually, of course, the two railroads linked in Promontory Point, Utah in 1869.  Ironically, it was Lincoln himself who had been invited to choose the eastern terminus (or beginning point) of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1857.

A Treaty of Commerce between the United States and The Ottoman Empire (now modern Turkey) was also signed on July 2, 1862 by Lincoln.  The treaty basically established the process for business, including customs and duties, for business between the two governments.

Finally on July 8, 1862, Lincoln signed the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862.  The new law banned bigamy or polygamy in the Utah Territory, "disincorporated" the Mormon Church, and restricted its ability to own land.  Although the Act did become law, the U.S. government did not enforce it and the act was superseded by other legislation in the 1880's.

These Congressional Acts and Lincoln's signing of them, are just a few examples of the numerous pieces of legislation passed by a Republican Congress during the American Civil War.  I would never advocate one-party government for our nation today.  But 1862 serves as proof that when Congress and the President can work together, great things can be achieved for the betterment of all of us.  I wish today's "leaders" would learn from the examples set 150 years ago.

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The Morrill Land-Grant Act 150th Anniversary

July 2, 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of the United States of America.  Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Land-Grant Act on July 2, 1862.  The Act led to the creation of numerous universities and colleges which have gone on to be some of the finest in the nation.

The photo above is of Vermont Congressman (later U.S. Senator) Justin Smith Morrill, who sponsored the legislation later named for him.  The purpose of the Act was to provide each state with federal public lands for the establishment of public universities or colleges for teaching the agricultural and mechanic arts.  Under the Act, each state would be allocated 30,000 acres of public land for each representative and senators the particular state had in Congress as of the Census of 1860.  Therefore, the more populous states received more land than did the western states.  Once the states agreed to receive the federal lands, it was up to them to either sell the lands to raise money for construction of the institution(s) or to use the land itself for the colleges.

Such an Act had first been proposed at least 20 years prior to passage, but Southern states were opposed to such a use of federal lands.  When the Act was originally passed in 1859, President James Buchanan, always a friend to the South, vetoed it.  With the secession of the Southern states beginning in 1860, the Act gained fresh momentum and President Lincoln signed the new Act.  The states then in rebellion against the federal government were specifically banned from receiving any public lands under the legislation, but the Act was later used to expand the benefits to those states once the Civil War was over.  The Act was renewed in 1890 to force the Southern states to prove that race was not used to prevent admissions of students.  And in 1994 the Act was used again to provide for Native-American institutions of learning.

The Hawkeye State, Iowa, has the proud claim of being the first to accept the terms of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862.  The Act helped provide financial support to Ames College, which is now Iowa State University.  The list of land-grant institutions is an impressive one.  Just some of the universities are:  University of Maryland; Pennsylvania State University; West Virginia University; Purdue University; Clemson; Texas A&M; Michigan State University; and The Ohio State University.  There are two private universities which were created under the auspices of the Act, and they are among the best in the nation:  Cornell University in New York and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  

Few people may have ever heard of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 and even fewer have ever heard of Justin Smith Morrill.  But thanks to his sponsorship of this Act, countless millions have benefited from it.

Most people know of Abraham Lincoln's lack of formal education.  By his own estimates, he had not more than twelve (12) months of formal schooling in his entire life.  That fact embarrassed him throughout his life, and he was a strong supporter of education.  He encouraged education in many speeches, and in personal letters to those who sought his advice.


Thanks to Representative Justin Smith Morrill and President Abraham Lincoln, all of us have excellent institutions of higher learning where we all can further our own education.  We all should be grateful to these two men.  The Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862, signed into law 150 years ago today.

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Lincoln Document Thief Gets Seven Years

In July of last year, I posted an article about two men who were arrested and charged with the attempted theft of rare, historic documents written by several U.S. Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln.  The man pictured above, Barry Landau, was one of the men charged.

Yesterday, Mr. Landau (now convicted in the case), was sentenced in federal court in Baltimore to serve a term of seven years.  After that sentence is completed, he is to serve a supervised release of three years.  

Landau and his partner stole at least 6,000 documents over the course of a few years.  Some of those documents were sold to dealers.  The thefts occurred in Ohio, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and other states.

The full article about Landau's sentence may be read here.   In my opinion, his sentence and the accompanying fine aren't enough punishment.  One cannot put a price on historical documents.

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Movie Review - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

A little more than two years ago a mashup novel purporting to reveal the secret life of Abraham Lincoln landed in bookstores throughout the world.  "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" by author Seth Grahame-Smith claimed that a previously unknown diary of Lincoln's had been discovered which told of Lincoln's real mission in life: to destroy all vampires.  The book was a surprise hit, effectively mixing the history of the real Abraham Lincoln and his fictional self as a hunter of the evil undead.  (click here for my review of the book)

In fact, the book was such a hit that it has now been turned into a major motion picture, released last week to a lot of publicity and excitement among fans of all things vampires as well as those intrigued by seeing their favorite president as action hero.  The film stars Benjamin Walker ("Flags Of Our Fathers") as Mr. Lincoln; Dominic Cooper ("My Week With Marilyn") as Lincoln's "instructor" Henry Sturgess; Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Live Free Or Die Hard") as Mary Lincoln; and Rufus Sewell ("The Pillars Of The Earth") as vampire leader "Adam."  The director is Russian Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted"), who co-produced along with famous filmmaker Tim Burton ("Nightmare Before Christmas").  The screen play was written by the novelist of the book, Seth Grahame-Smith.  

The film opens in 1818 when young Abraham Lincoln is only 9 years old.  His father, Thomas, has a confrontation with Jack Barts, the local slave trader, over the beating of a young enslaved boy, who happens to be a close (and fictional) friend of Abraham.  The confrontation turns ugly and Barts seems to promise retribution.   Sometime later, as Abe is reading in his bunk at night, a mysterious figure sneaks into the cabin and attacks his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln.  She dies a horrible death as a result, the attacker being none other than Barts, who also happens to be a vampire.  After his mother dies, Lincoln then sets out on a quest, promising himself that he will avenge his mother's death.  

As Lincoln grows into young adulthood, he has his confrontation with Barts, but it nearly ends in tragedy as Lincoln discovers he lacks the necessary skills to combat Barts effectively.  Luckily, Lincoln finds a savior in an English man, Henry Sturgess, who becomes his mentor, imparting his expert vampire hunting skills to the tall, strong Illinoisan.  Sturgess seems to have a special hatred of vampires, perhaps even more than Lincoln, and provides Abraham with list of "targets" after Lincoln moves to Springfield in 1837.  With his newly acquired skills, Mr. Lincoln dispatches a handful of these "targets" in Springfield, who pose as the living.  

Life isn't completely full of violence for Mr. Lincoln.  He is introduced to Miss Mary Todd, a fetching and eligible young woman of style and intelligence, and they begin a courtship, which is a somewhat pleasant distraction from the "killings" the viewer has already witnessed.  He also develops a close friendship with Joshua Speed (as in real life) who will go on to play an important role in Lincoln's quest.  

Meanwhile, slavery is threatening to tear the nation apart.  But in this film, the slaves are held in bondage not by not people, but vampires, who use them as a food supply.  Lincoln understands the dire threat to the Union and enters politics as a way to help contest the further spread of evil throughout the country.  Eventually, his political journey leads to him becoming President Of The United States. At this point, he tries to use the power of his words in the fight against the vampire element which has started a Civil War, but another personal tragedy leads him to once more pick up his ax, ready to eliminate the scourge of the nation: VAMPIRES!

Walker's performance as Abraham Lincoln is for the most part accurate in its portrayal, especially when it comes to his quiet resolve and determination as both a young man and after he becomes President.  He brings a depth to the role that is surprising considering the film's obvious focus on action and special-effects.  Hopefully the sheer madness of claiming Lincoln was a vampire hunter won't obscure the fact that Walker is a revelation in his nicely done performance.

Dominic Cooper is excellent as Lincoln's friend and mentor Henry Sturgess.  Eventually the viewer finds out just why Henry hates vampires so, and feels sympathy for him.  Cooper plays Sturgess spot on with the character in the novel, for which he and the director are to be commended.

Elizabeth Mary Winstead isn't given a lot to do as Mary Lincoln in the film, but she is very charming and appealing in the role.  We don't get to see any of the real-life Mary Lincoln's extreme temper and bi-polar tendencies, but that isn't really necessary here.  

The premise of the movie (and novel) is, of course, ridiculous, over-the-top, and campy.  But as I wrote in my review of the novel, it all somehow works.  In fact, it works well.  The film's combat sequences between Mr. Lincoln and his various enemies are stylish, exciting, and at times even gripping.  While I wish this film (and so many others) would use the "Matrix"-like slow-motion effects much less than they do, they are nonetheless well-done and effective.  The "choreography" of the fight scenes is quite good.  I'm not sure if the ax twirling is actually done by Walker or if it's cinematic sleight-of-hand. It's at times dazzling.  Yes, some of the film is gory as to be expected, but I've seen "slasher" films which are far worse.

As for the "history" imparted in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," well, we need to remember that this is obviously mostly fiction.  Some of the "facts" are true:  Lincoln's mother did die when he was 9.  He moved to Springfield in 1837, where he met his friend Speed and his future wife Mary.  The scene where the U.S. Capitol dome is shown unfinished during his inauguration is accurate, as is the platform on which he stood to take the oath of office.  The Washington Monument is shown incomplete, which is also accurate.  We cannot expect complete 100% accuracy, of course.  (That will be expected of Stephen Spielberg's "Lincoln" bio-pic coming out in December)

I've read the novel and seen the film.  I have to be honest and state that I enjoyed the book more than I did the film.  As in any film adaptation of the novel upon which it is based, there are things left out, things added, and different events altogether.  The novel is, at times, gripping.  The film sometimes dragged a bit in my opinion.  The vampires could be a bit scarier; the ending of the film vs. that of the novel left something to be desired.  I would strongly recommend seeing this in 3-D, which actually adds a good bit to this movie, when it's unfortunately only a gimmick for so many others.  The movie earns its "R" rating for violence, a brief (and unnecessary) "F" word, and a very quick sex scene including a glimpse of nudity.  Definitely not a film for teens much under the age of 17.

All in all, I liked this movie.  It's exciting, entertaining, and harmless fun.  It's not overly long and holds the viewer's attention.

But the best thing of all about "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (both the film and the novel) is that it has renewed interest in the real Abraham Lincoln among countless people.  Mr. Lincoln is endlessly fascinating.  Even as a Vampire Hunter.

My rating:

3.5 axes out of 5.0

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A Disturbing Phone Call For The Abraham Lincoln Blog

Last night my telephone rang.  Caller ID showed a number I was unfamiliar with, but I answered the phone anyway.  The caller was a person who wanted to discuss one of my blog posts and offer some "corrections" or "clarifications" to it.  

I was shocked by the call for several reasons.  First, I have an unlisted number.  When I questioned the caller about how he found out the number, he told me the method he went about in finding it.  It actually took some effort on his part, but he did indeed discover it.  Secondly, I was troubled that a reader of my blog would somehow think it was acceptable to call me.  It was unsettling at best and even slightly creepy.  I'm not a public figure such as an author or professor who can easily be tracked down via a publicist or book agent.  Third, this was an egregious violation of my privacy.  After the 30 or seconds or so of being dumbfounded, I immediately ended the call and told the person to never call again.

I appreciate the fact that the person in question took the time and effort to read an article here.  I earn no money from my writing with the exception of a rare lecture or two I give locally.  I write for the pleasure of it and I'm thrilled that so many visitors (more than 410,000 and counting) have dropped by.  But it is entirely unacceptable for this person or any other reader of this Lincoln blog to phone me, unless I request them to as happens when I am hired to lecture somewhere.  All readers can find my email address on my Blogger profile which can be accessed by clicking on the "About Me" link on the homepage of this blog.  Everyone is welcome to email me at any time.  Comments or questions can be added to the individual posts as well.

There are ways to reach me should anyone wish to do so.  But to violate my privacy in the way which this person did last night is unacceptable.  I know 99.99% of my readers wouldn't dream of doing so to begin with, but I was so bothered by this incident that I felt the need to write this article anyway.  I've taken some steps now to hopefully prevent such an incident in the future. 

OK.  Enough preaching.  We now return you to articles about Abraham Lincoln.   Thank you for your indulgence. 

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