This second disc in two parts highlights the year 1862. The introduction of the Income Tax and the Inventions for making war show casing the Gatling Gun. This year highlights the fact that the weapons have surged far ahead of military tactics. General McClellan is in charge of the Union army but is unable to move himself to the necessities of war by attacking the enemy.
The Confederate army begins the first military draft of men to fight the war. A key provision is if you own twenty slaves you would be exempt from service. This lead the soldiers to the saying that this was a rich mans war and a poor mans fight. At the beginning of the year over one million men were massed and ready for war. The future of freedom is at stake for all people.
The soldiers were ready to fight and they did and suffered great losses up to and exceeding thirty percent losses in battle. Grant wins several battles and defeats the Confederate army in Tennessee. His success is at Shilo, meaning a Place of Peace in Hebrew. This win lost him his command because he was too successful and his commanding officer wanted that recognition himself. The war continued along the Rivers and raged most noted on the Mississippi with the push from both ends. New Orleans fell to General Butler and Vicksburg held and a siege would begin. The images of war and death were recorded for the first time by the effort of Mathew B. Brady.
New tactics were called for to wage the war in a renewed direction. Without this change the War would be surely lost. This direction was the Emancipation Proclamation, which was to be in affect January 1st 1863 and it would free the slaves. The Union would be as it should be Free to all men.
This documentary continues to move me in strange and significant ways as it high lights to me the making of the western mystique.
