Mary Boykin Chesnut kept a diary during the Civil War. Events dramatized in this film were extracted straight from her diary. Mary spent time at Kensington Plantation in South Carolina where the story was also reenacted.
The FULL Version and CLIPS from the program are included below.
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Vocabulary Confederacy – a union of persons, parties, or states; the Southern states Militia – a citizen army; not part of a regular army Patriot – a person who loves, supports, and defends his...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 1 - Introduction An introduction to the story of Mary Chesnut, who lived during the Civil War. Mary Boykin Chesnut’s diary is valued as the most accurate picture of what...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 2 - The Civil War Begins Mary's Diary Entry: April 8, 1861 - Mary speaks of the beginning of the Civil War in Charleston. Her husband was the first to make contact with Fort...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 3 - Meeting John Darby Mary's Diary Entry: May 25, 1861 - Mary’s interactions with John Darby show the volatility of both sides in the Civil War. Backstory: One New York...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 4 - Jefferson Davis Mary's Diary Entry: June 27, 1861 - Jefferson Davis speaks with Mary of the difficulties the war will bring. Backstory: Both North and South offered...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 5 - War Hospitals Mary's Diary Entry: Augsut 1861 - Mary speaks of the pain and misery in the war hospitals. Backstory: Disease was the number one killer of soldiers in the...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 6 - Supplies and Clothes Mary's Diary Entry: August 27, 1861 - Mary reflects on the need for supplies and clothes in the Southern Army. Backstory: Eighty percent of the...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 7 - Bails and Customs Mary's Diary Entry: March 11, 1861 - Mary remembers the bails and customs that still were in place at the beginning of the war. Backstory: More...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 8 - Stories from the War Mary's Diary Entries (1862) - Mary relays the story of Willie Taylor who claims he saw an apparition of Albert Rhett, who foretold Willie would die...
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Mary Boykin Chesnut, Part 9 - Wartime Challenges Mary's Diary Entry: June 24, 1862 - Mary’s diary further explains the challenges of life during wartime. Backstory: During Pickett’s charge at the...
