Customer Reviews

Civil War Life: Shot to Pieces

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This amazing and true tale follows the Civil War life of General Bartlett who survived multiple skirmishes, battles and hardships throughout his military career. This story starts with Bartlett barely surviving a dangerous skirmish and retreat during the battle of Ball's Bluff when he was a Captain of Company I, 20th Massachusetts. Bartlett is soon promoted a number of times while losing a leg and suffering from a multiple of wounds. Contrary to family pleas not to go back to the field, Bartlett faces the enemy on countless occasions and is eventually promoted to Brigadier General at the age of 24.

The action never stops and the re-enactments are great. Michael Kraus,David Neville and company have put together their finest work in this production that captures the heart, bravery and boldness of a great Union officer. A nice thing to add is that this production is created by historians who care about proper clothing and following the absolute correct formats of those they are portraying. Excellent re-enactments and fighting await you in this 80 minute story about a man that defied many odds during the Civil War.

I was a bit disappointed by this film. I was expecting a motion picture. It is more of a documentary. The caption on the back of the DVD box leads you to believe that it's a full-length movie. The acting wasn't the greatest either.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU SAVE YOUR MONEY ON THIS ONE........IT DEFINITELY IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO A KEN BURNS DOCUMENTARY. THE QUALITY IS POOR/VOLUMN CONTROL WAS VIRTUALLY NON EXISTANT. FOUND MYSELF TURNING IT UP AND DOWN ALL THROUGH THE DVD. BUSSLER'S UNFORM EVEN LOOKED PHONEY WITH HIS PLAID SHIRT ON UNDER IT.........JUST NOT A QUALITY PRODUCT ......... PERIOD!

By Brenda Wilt for Civil War Times Illustrated Magazine

What's the difference between a forage cap and a kepi? What kind of firearms were used during the Civil War? What does the term "red tape" have to do with General Orders regarding criminal charges against soldiers? You'll find the answers to these questions and many more in the Civil War Minutes series of DVDs and videos from Inecom.

Civil War Minutes is less a documentary than a series of show-and-tell lessons. In segments of four to eight minutes, historian Michael Kraus explains various aspects of the common soldier's life, from the weapons he used to the clothing he wore. Interspersed with these artifact-laden episodes are bits in which Kraus reads from soldiers' diaries and letters. Period photographs or sketches, and sound effects such as battle noises form a backdrop to these portions, adding welcome drama to the recitations. At times, however, the sound effects are simply over-the-top, such as when mention of an amputation is accompanied by the sounds of crunching bones and a man's scream.

Kraus is eminently qualified to narrate the series. A reenactor for more than 30 years, he served as military coordinator for the film Gettysburg, and as Union commander for many of the war's 125th anniversary reenactments from 1986 to 1990. Full-bearded and dressed in authentic garb, Kraus looks every bit the Civil War officer. With the help of genuine artifacts from the period, he manages to squeeze a lot of information into the short show-and-tell segments, describing nuances of design and manufacture that are probably unknown to all but the most ardent Civil War aficionados or reenactors.

The three-hour series, divided into four 45-minute parts, is a great educational tool. Because of its episodic format, it can be enjoyed in bites to fit the appetite of the viewer. An added bonus is several interludes of period music, performed by folk musicians David Kincaid and Greg Singer. Any student or fan of the Civil War will enjoy this informative, entertaining look at the myriad aspects of the common soldier's experience.

This review was written by Brenda Wilt and originally published in Civil War Times Illustrated Magazine in February 2002.

I really enjoyed Shot to Pieces. I found it to be a first rate documentary on Bartlett. Being a history fan and a documentary fan I thought this film was written well and covered the life of a General that I had never heard about. The battle scenes and the surgery were entertaining and the story was informative - overall a very nice DVD.