While the factual details and expert interviews grow somewhat redundant (as does the repeated use of archival photos and documents), the sheer accumulation of historical detail makes this set a perfect complement to Ken Burns's epic documentary The Civil War, which clearly influenced these programs. "The Tragedy at Cold Harbor" examines the war's lesser-known catastrophic battle, while biographical portraits of Lincoln, Lee, and Confederate president Jefferson Davis reflect major events through the lives of the war's most influential leaders, north and south. Geared toward viewers with a basic awareness of Civil War history, these programs depict the inevitable chaos of an erratic war, unleashed in a country that needed to rip itself apart before it could reunite to forge a new and brighter future. --Jeff Shannon
-"April 1865: The Month That Saved America." A detailed account of the last month of the Civil War. It shows how the outcome of the war was in question even after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.
-"Civil War Combat: The Tragedy of Cold Harbor." An intense and moving look at the battle that brought about the end of Napoleonic tactics, and ushered in the era of trench warfare.
-"A&E Biography: Abraham Lincoln." A closeup look at the man who led America through it's darkest hour.
-2 "Civil War Journal" Documentaries that look at the lives of CSA President Jefferson Davis and CSA General Robert E. Lee.
This set gives an accurate look at the end of America's greatest conflict! Historians and non-historians alike will not be disappointed! Grade: A+