Lincoln and Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom

The bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil is thoroughly examined in Lincoln & Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom, a worthy addition to anyone's Civil War video collection. Directed and written by Robert Child and narrated by Ronald F. Maxwell (the director of the definitive Civil War epics Gettysburg and Gods and Generals), this straightforward, no-nonsense documentary emphasizes the tactics, strategies, and historical context of the battle at Antietam, in Sharpsburg, Maryland, on September 17, 1862. Further emphasis is placed on the wartime conditions (political agendas, ready status of armies, etc.) that led to President Abraham Lincoln's orders to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's exhausted army at Antietam. Lee and other Confederate strategists had hoped to stage a surprise invasion, but Lee's battle plans fell into the hands of the Union army, and Lincoln's victory--which was essential to his issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery--turned Antietam into the pivotal battle of the war. Although Child (who also directed Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny) uses dramatic readings, maps, and photographs (especially the legendary battleground photos of Matthew Brady) in a manner similar to Ken Burns' epic-length documentary The Civil War, the look and presentation of Lincoln & Lee at Antietam is entirely different, with many sequences involving contemporary Antietam reenactments. Many of the Civil War's most colorful and important figures factor into this detailed 90-minute account, which clearly benefits from impeccable in-depth research. A 25-minute interview with Maxwell reveals the filmmaker's massive 15-year commitment to bringing his epics to the screen, and his feature-length commentary with Child lends another layer of detailed information to this authoritative DVD. --Jeff Shannon

Lincoln and Lee at Antietam - The Cost of Freedom focuses on the Single Bloodiest Day in American History.

Told by Ronald F. Maxwell, director of Gettysburg and Gods and Generals

Written, directed and produced by Robert Child

It's September 17, 1862 and President Abraham Lincoln needs a victory in order to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and end slavery in the South. But Robert E. Lee has other plans to invade the North. When Lee's strategy falls into the hands of the Union Army, the result is the single bloodiest day in American history at the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Includes scarce footage from the 125th, 135th, and 140th Antietam Reenactments.

Historical insight provided by: - James M. McPherson, Princeton University, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom and Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam
- Allen C. Guelzo, Gettysburg College, America's only repeat winner of the Lincoln Prize; Nominated by President George W. Bush to the National Council of the Humanities
- Dennis E. Frye, National Park Service (NPS) Historian at Harpers Ferry, author of Antietam Revealed and the associate producer of Gods and Generals
- Patrick Falci, actor/performing historian portrays General Ambrose Hill at Antietam
- Paul V. Chiles, National Parks Service (NPS) Historian at Antietam National Battlefield Park
- Features Stanley Wernz, President of the Association of Lincoln Presenters, as Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Black as General Robert E. Lee

Special Features: - 25-minute On-Screen Interview with Ronald F. Maxwell
- Feature-Length Commentary Track with writer/director Robert Child and narrator Ronald F. Maxwell
- Original Music Score from composers Steve Heitzeg and Nicholas Palmer
- Trailers for: EXPO-Magic of the White City, Gettysburg and Stories of Valor - CIVIL WAR MINUTES® III, Johnstown Flood, Horses of Gettysburg - CIVIL WAR MINUTES® IV, Winters of War, Civil War Life - Shot to Pieces, CIVIL WAR MINUTES® - Confederate

"This incredible, no-nonsense Civil War documentary is an unforgettable journey into the bloodiest one-day battle ever fought on American soil."

"This moving, beautifully shot program includes thoughtful commentary and authentically staged reenactment footage."