Watch Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 1 - 1861

2011
1 Season

Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 1 - 1861 is a historical documentary that provides an in-depth look into the early days of the American Civil War in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Produced by WHRO, the episode offers a detailed account of the events that led to the conflict and the major battles that occurred in the region during the early years of the war.

The episode begins by introducing the key players in the conflict, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee. The show then examines the tense political climate that led to the secession of the southern states and the eventual outbreak of war. Viewers get a glimpse into the heated debates that took place throughout the country as tensions between the North and South reached their boiling point.

As the show progresses, viewers witness the Union's attempts to maintain control of the important naval port of Norfolk, Virginia. The Confederacy, meanwhile, seeks to strengthen its position in the region by building forts and fortifications along the coast. The episode explores the efforts on both sides to gather troops and secure resources as war looms in the near future.

Throughout the episode, viewers are taken behind the scenes of some of the most significant battles of the early war years. Detailed animations and reenactments of battles bring the action to life, providing viewers with a clear understanding of the tactics and strategies used by soldiers on both sides. The show goes in-depth on the Battle of Big Bethel, a Confederate victory that took place just a few miles from Hampton Roads, and demonstrates the Union's confidence in a speedy end to the conflict.

In addition to the military maneuvers that defined this period, viewers also get a deep dive into the lives of the civilians living in the Hampton Roads area during the conflict. The show highlights the devastation experienced by those who were caught in the middle of a war, including the Union blockade of Hampton Roads, and the shortages of goods and fuel that plagued the Confederate army.

As the episode moves toward its conclusion, viewers get a sense of the broader impact of the early years of the Civil War on the nation as a whole. Throughout the conflict, Hampton Roads played a pivotal role in the Union's goal of dividing the Confederacy, and the show provides insight into what the fall of the region would have meant for the rest of the war.

Overall, Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 1 - 1861 is a fascinating and informative look at the early years of one of the bloodiest conflicts in American history. The attention to detail and historical accuracy are evident in every scene, and viewers come away with a deeper understanding of the events and people that shaped this critical period. Produced by WHRO, this show is a must-see for anyone with an interest in American history or the Civil War specifically.

Filter by Source

No sources available

Seasons

4. Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 4 - A New Beginning

August 11, 2011

A New Beginning is the fourth and final episode in WHRO's documentary series Civil War in Hampton Roads. In the wake of the Peninsula Campaign, the Union seized control of all of Hampton Roads and the South lost the use of critical shipbuilding transportation, industrial and agricultural area. The Confederates attempted to recapture Suffolk in the spring of 1863. The resulting siege only enabled the Confederacy to obtain food supplies from the surrounding rich agricultural area. Only Smithfield would remain unoccupied by the Union throughout the war. Fort Monroe became a center for the recruitment of U.S. Colored Troops (USCT), as many African-Americans sought to serve in this war to end slavery. One of the major hospitals serving the Union army in Virginia - the Chesapeake Military Hospital - was located at the Chesapeake Baptist Female Seminary and served thousands of Federal soldiers. Harriet Tubman, the great heroine of the Underground Railway, served as the chief nurse at the USCT and contraband hospital facilities. In January 1865, an effort was made to negotiate an end to the war. Known as the Hampton Roads Peace Conference, it failed to bring about a settlement; however, the war would soon be over. Despite the destruction it caused, the Civil War brought massive social, political, and economic changes to Hampton Roads. The end of slavery gave a new life to African-Americans. Former slaves like Thomas Calhoun Walker became community leaders. Walker became the only African-American to hold statewide office in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's W.P.A., when he was appointed consultant and advisor on Negro Affairs in 1934. New economic opportunities arose with the arrival of new railroads, which fostered a boom in the Hampton Roads tourism, seafood, shipbuilding and lumber industries.

3. Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 3 - Peninsula Campaign

August 11, 2011

After the disastrous Union defeat at Bull Run on 21 July, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln desired that the Army of the Potomac strike against the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia. On November 1, 1861, Lincoln turned to a new general, George Brinton McClellan, to take command of the army. The Federal commander thought he could trap Major General John Bankhead Magruder's Army of the Peninsula at Yorktown as George Washington had cornered Lord Cornwallis during the American Revolution in 1781. The conflicts in Southeast Virginia during the first six months of 1862 comprise the Civil War's greatest amphibious operation - the Peninsula Campaign.

2. Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 2 - Battle of the Ironclads

August 11, 2011

Battle of the Ironclads builds the tension as the North and the South build their own ironclad ships at the same time. Who would finish first? It was a virtual tie, but the CSS Virginia (the Merrimack) reached Hampton Roads first. On March 8th, she almost destroyed the Union's wooden fleet in Hampton Roads. The ultimate battle between the Monitor and the Virginia went on for four hours until it ended in a draw. But there were winners - who were they? Why did it end in a draw? Why didn't the battle continue on March 10th until one ship or the other won? All of these questions are answered in Civil War in Hampton Roads: Battle of the Ironclads.

1. Civil War in Hampton Roads: Episode 1

August 11, 2011

When Virginia left the Union in April 1861, Northern and Southern leaders alike recognized the Peninsula as an extremely strategic location. It was one of the major approaches to the Confederate capital at Richmond. The bountiful yet strategic waterways, fertile farm fields and quiet little towns along this path to Richmond would immediately become the scene of some of the Civil War's greatest events. Soon after Virginia's secession, Brigadier General Benjamin F. Butler took command of Fort Monroe. This moat-encircled masonry bastion was the only fort in the Upper South not to fall into Confederate hands when the war erupted. Virtually overnight, Fort Monroe became a major base for Army and Federal Fleet operations. Perhaps more important than Butler's quick ability to station troops at Newport News Point to block Confederate use of the James River, was his decision to consider slaves escaping into Union lines as "Contrabands of War." It became one of the first steps toward making the Civil War a war to end slavery.

Description