Guns Of the Civil War

Outside the membership of the N.R.A., "gun" is not a particularly welcomed word these days. Unless it's used in a historical context, such as Guns of the Civil War. This ambitious 3-volume series chronicles the history of the Civil War by way of its weaponry, from the Model 1885 Rifled Musket to one of the precursors of systematic destruction: the Gatling gun. Actor Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables) hosts and narrates the series which is modeled on Ken Burns' legendary The Civil War series with its emphasis on letters from the period, interviews with contemporary experts, and most important of all, strong narrative drive. Though falling considerably short of its predecessor--people being more interesting than guns--the extensive close-ups and details about the rifles and handguns of the mid-19th century will certainly appeal to firearms buffs. Director Cass Paley's earlier efforts included the superb Guns of the Old West series (reviewed in our July-August 1991 issue). The wonderfully gruff-voiced Edwin Bearss, Chief Historian of the National Parks Service (star of numerous documentaries relating to the Civil War period) is featured throughout. Recommended, and likely to be popular. (R. Pitman)