American Civil War Desertion, Desertions, and Deserters: Homepage
"Execution of a Civil War Deserter"
(The Soldier in Our Civil War , 1893)
Civil
War: Deserter, Desertion and AWOL
One of the basic rules in studying history is to “define the terms.” In today's military,
for example, we interchange "AWOL" (absent without leave) and "desertion," thus making them one and the same. During
the Civil War, that was not the case. One error that many buffs and researchers make is that they
equate AWOL with desertion. During the Civil War: 1) Absent without leave (AWOL) simply meant that the soldier was not on
leave but was absent from the unit’s specific muster location. In other words, the soldier was “absent”
for a reason other than “leave.” He may have been on recruiting duty, foraging orders, detached duty (assignment),
sick at home, rounding up deserters, in the hospital, at headquarters, etc. 2) On the other hand, when the soldier deserted
or abandoned his unit, the records were very specific and reflected “deserted,” and not AWOL. (However, if the soldier was AWOL beyond the allotted time, then
he was likely pronounced a "deserter.")
Recommended Viewing!The American Civil War (DVD Megaset) (2009) (A&E Television Networks-The History Channel)
(14 DVDs) (1697 minutes) (28 Hours 17 Minutes + extras). Experience for yourself the historical
and personal impact of the Civil War in a way that only HISTORY can present in this moving megaset™, filled with over
28 hours of American Civil War content. This MEGASET is the most comprehensive
American Civil War compilation to date and is the mother of all Civil War documentaries. A
multifaceted look at “The War Between the States,” this definitive collection brings the most legendary Civil
War battles, and the soldiers and leaders who fought them, vividly to life. From Gettysburg and Antietam to Shiloh, and led
by the likes of Sherman, McClellan, Grant, Beauregard, Lee, Davis, and Jackson, delve into the full military and political
contexts of these men, their armies, and the clashes between them. Continued below...
Almost 150 years after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House,
the unexpected secrets and little-known stories from Civil War history are divulged with fascinating detail. Cutting-edge
CGI and accurate dramatizations illustrate archival letters and original diary entries, and the country’s most renowned
historians describe the less familiar incidents that add perspective and depth to the war that divided a nation. If the DVDs
in this Megaset were purchased separately, it could cost hundreds of dollars. This one-of-a-kind compilation belongs on the
shelf of every Civil War buff, and if you know anyone that is interested in the most costliest and bloodiest war in American
history, buy this, they will love it.
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR contains the following programs:
* The Most Daring Mission Of The Civil War * April 1865 * Battlefield
Detectives: The Civil War (3 Episodes): Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh * Secret Missions Of The Civil War * The Lost Battle
Of The Civil War * Tales Of The Gun: Guns Of The Civil War * Eighty Acres Of Hell * Lincoln * Investigating History:
Lincoln: Man Or Myth * Man, Moment, Machine: Lincoln & The Flying, Spying Machine * Conspiracy?: Lincoln Assassination *
High Tech Lincoln * Sherman’s March * The Hunt For John Wilkes Booth * Civil War Combat (4 Episodes): The Hornets’
Nest At Shiloh, The Bloody Lane At Antietam, The Wheatfield At Gettysburg, The Tragedy At Cold Harbor * Civil War Journal
(8 Episodes): John Brown's War, Destiny At Fort Sumter, The Battle of 1st Bull Run, The 54th Massachusetts, West Point Classmates—Civil
War Enemies, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Sherman And The March To The Sea
BONUS FEATURES:
* Full-Length Documentary “Save Our History: Sherman’s Total
War Tactics” * Behind the Scenes Featurettes for “Sherman’s March” and “Lincoln”
Recommended Viewing: The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns. Review:The
Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns is the most successful public-television miniseries in American history. The 11-hourCivil War didn't just captivate a nation,
reteaching to us our history in narrative terms; it actually also invented a new film language taken from its creator. When
people describe documentaries using the "Ken Burns approach," its style is understood: voice-over narrators reading letters
and documents dramatically and stating the writer's name at their conclusion, fresh live footage of places juxtaposed with
still images (photographs, paintings, maps, prints), anecdotal interviews, and romantic musical scores taken from the era
he depicts. Continued below...
The Civil War uses all of these devices to evoke atmosphere and resurrect an event that many knew
only from stale history books. While Burns is a historian, a researcher, and a documentarian, he's above all a gifted storyteller,
and it's his narrative powers that give this chronicle its beauty, overwhelming emotion, and devastating horror. Using the
words of old letters, eloquently read by a variety of celebrities, the stories of historians like Shelby Foote and rare, stained
photos, Burns allows us not only to relearn and finally understand our history, but also to feel and experience it. "Hailed
as a film masterpiece and landmark in historical storytelling." "[S]hould be a requirement for every
student."
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