Search - Civil War Minutes - Confederate DVD Box Set on DVD

Kraus makes his stand in Dixie! Excellent sources!

Todd E. Newman | Valparaiso, IN | 10/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Continuing his great series of bringing the Civil War closer to home, Michael Kraus is back with this very informative 2-disc set featuring three hours of material. This set doesn't waste time with boring introduction or biographies on key leaders such as Lee or Jackson which I found very refreshing. Instead, Kraus gets straight to the point on featuring interesting everyday subjects such as fighting knives, musket tools, letters and ammunition. Though these subjects common to the everyday soldier are just a piece of this fine production. Kraus digs deep with rare and often overlooked subject matter such as clothing details, grave markers, Morgan's Raiders, French Leave, housewifes and warhorses. In appreciation and awe, Kraus is always careful in not having his actors in his production wearing 'farb' clothing which definately adds a true flavor to this segment. I enjoyed viewing the fine close-up views on a track featuring information regarding a Confederate General's coat. Kraus features an actual coat worn by an officer and allows the camera to zoom in on the coat itself to see the fine stitching and elaborate details which could be very helpful for reenactors looking for detail often not seen in books. Kraus brings actual period items to life in this production and the camera views are very crisp which helps define the character of the item and also the individual that may have used them during the war. I have all of Michael Kraus' material on DVD and was not disappointed in this Confederate based presentation. For those looking for information regarding a battle or popular figures this DVD set is not for you. I found this production completely informative and probably wouldn't recommend it for someone who doesn't have a general knowledge of the war or it's concepts. It may not have the quality of production that would be seen on a history channel but far exceeds anything done on television as it's not vague or bland. I can't wait for the next Kraus production and highly recommend this set! 5 STARS!!!!!"

I guess I will disagree

S. R. Standkey | south | 04/16/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this version as I am a part time lover of Confederate history. I thought that this set being supposedly focused on the Confederate side would be nice since usually the Confederate side gets slighted.

I was annoyed that the commentator for the Confederate DVD set chose a union uniform to wear while presenting this. Ok not that big a deal but unexpected. While this dvd does cover alot of non-mainstream items it always seemed to keep bringing up the union side. Examples... A great deal of time was spent on union soldiers experiences and letters, the "drums of war" centered almost exclusively on union drummers, almost always the Confederate discussion was countered with union betterment. (One exception that comes to mind was the knife discussio)etc .etc..

It also seemed that most Confederate viewpoints and discussions were centered on the low points or lost battles.

So.. I will leave it at that and move on. Lets simply say it was not what I expected (whether that was my fault for expecting to much or not). There are good"

It's about time!

Fruit Loop | Down South | 11/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, in this day of PC pablum, someone tells the REAL history of the Confederate soldier! You'll learn little-known facts about the major players, including General Lee of course, but more importantly, this set focuses heavily on the average man in the ranks and why he chose to fight. Daily camp life gets attention as well as what the soldier wore and what equipment he used. The real reasons and motivations for fighting are explored and what life was like after the war when men had to go home in defeat to often-devastated homes. Highly recommend! It's a must for serious students of the war and anyone who wants an authentic look at the period."

This piece is advertised and tilted incorrectly, ripper is r

Stephen K. Powell | Bull Run, Kentucky | 04/14/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Based on the title and editorial provided, I thought this compilation was about the Southern Confederacy, it was not what I expected. Ripper is exactly correct, the oration is conducted by a man wearing a Union uniform. He does not speak as a Southerner would. The main topics are for the most part about Union stories told from a Union perspective, and they contain much more detailed Union factual accounts. Southern factual accounts are side-notes in this compilation. For example, General Lee's and General Jackson's horses are mentioned in one Section titled "War Horses", while many Union officers and their horses are depicted gallantly and in revere.

I would hope this was not intentional patronization to aid the sale of a good general civil war history 'Album' titled "...Confederate Minutes." As Southerners, we are interested in our specific history, marketers know this and it is good marketing, however marketing is not always sincere and genuine. The Battle Flag depicted in glory should have been a clue, I don't see the Flag of the Confederacy. This piece would be more aptly titled "Civil War Minutes" or even "Union Minutes." The title is true in the literal sense that this compilation really does have only "Minutes" about the Southern Confederacy, this is not a compilation of Confederate minutes.
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