Lincoln@Gettysburg

1863 was the make or break year for the northern cause in the Civil War. As Lincoln shuffled a succession of top Union generals, he fell into deep despair, visiting the war command center almost daily to keep in touch with his military leaders. Thanks to the new invention of the telegraph, Lincoln's concerns were heightened in June 1863 by news that Lee's army had invaded Pennsylvania, a possible threat to major northern cities—including the nation's capitol. Narrated by David Strathairn, filmmaker Peter Schnall's PBS-aired documentary describes the Civil War as a "transitioning" conflict, one in which Lincoln was able to utilize then-advanced technology to virtually command the Union army. By July, Lincoln had replaced his top general, but he agonized over tactics and battlefield news, a struggle that was only made worse when Confederate troops cut Union telegraph lines. Although the Union army prevailed at Gettysburg (at great cost to both sides), Lincoln's despair returned as the Southern army managed to retreat to fight another day. The bulk of this documentary focuses on Lincoln's decision to attend the dedication of a cemetery for veterans in Gettysburg, where he delivered his immortal address in which he promised the nation "a new birth of freedom." Some of the interviewees here, including Lincoln screenwriter Tony Kushner and General Colin Powell, describe the address as Lincoln's chance to essentially "press the reset button," harkening back to the democratic ideals of the American Revolution with its stated (if not honored) goal of universal human equality. Lincoln@Gettysburg sometimes suffers from its dual subject (Lincoln's war and the telegraph), but it is still a potent if also somewhat familiar reminder of Lincoln's greatness and humanity during a time of terrible national and personal trials (Lincoln was also worried about his desperately ill son when he made his speech). Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)