|
|
||
Groups plan to unveil new Civil War documentary at Spotsylvania Courthouse Date published: 5/18/2005
By GEORGE WHITEHURST History buffs will gather Friday evening at Spotsylvania Courthouse to honor the ghosts of the Blue and the Gray who still haunt the tiny village. The occasion—the première of “The Clash of Grant & Lee at the Crossroads,” a new documentary film by Wide Awake Films. The 45-minute film chronicles the battle of Spotsylvania Court House—a savage engagement fought in the spring of 1864 by about 28,000 men under the commands of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Friday’s event will begin at 7 p.m. in the community room of Christ Episcopal Church. Attendees will enjoy wine and light refreshments before the screening begins. The event is being sponsored by Friends of Fredericksburg Area Battlefields, the Civil War Preservation Trust and Wide Awake Films. The film crew put together the documentary using a combination of footage shot at last year’s 140th anniversary re-enactment of the battle, animated battle maps and high-definition scans of photos taken shortly after the actual battle. CWPT spokesman Jim Campi described the film as a great tool for the county as it tries to draw in more tourists. “It really, more so than the printed word can do, dramatizes the battle and what it was like to be a soldier fighting in May 1864,” he said. “One of the really unique features of the films is the use of the re-created trenches that were built for the re-enactment of the battle last year. I think this is one of the best films to show what it was really like in those trenches.” Spotsylvania Supervisor Hap Connors agreed. “I just think it’s a great opportunity to continue supporting the historic treasures that we have, and continue promoting our efforts to create a heritage tourism program,” he said. Campi also hopes the film will drive home to viewers the importance of preserving Civil War battlefields, many of which are in jeopardy due to modern development. “I think it brings the battle home to an audience that otherwise might not get to visit the battlefields,” he said. “I think it does give them an opportunity to see why it’s important to preserve that battlefield. There is a preservation element to the video.” To reach GEORGE WHITEHURST: 540/374-5438 gwhitehurst@freelancestar.com
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
||||||||||||
