Love & Valor: The Intimate Civil War Letters by Pbs (Direct)

Description

Based on the acclaimed book Love & Valor: The Intimate Civil War Letters is the tremendously moving story of a Union soldier and his wife during the Civil War. Jacob Ritner a Union captain from Iowa was a teacher farmer and abolitionist before the war. When he was called to duty-participating in a great adventure seeing new lands-his wife Emeline was left behind to raise four small children and manage the family farm. This film explores the couple's devotion to one another throughout their separation their patriotism loneliness and anguish at the death of loved ones and changing views on the South and slavery. Narrated by Tony-® Award-winning actor Brian Dennehy Jacob and Emeline's great great grandson Charles Larimer also lends his voice to the story telling the strange stories of how he found the letters. Filmed partly in cemeteries by the actual graves of the people mentioned in the letters Larimer reveals additional information about some of the people mentioned including a young runaway slave whom Jacob Ritner met in Mississippi in 1862 during the Vicksburg campaign and the Ice Merchant of Savannah who hosted Jacob Ritner for Christmas dinner in 1864 at the end of Sherman's March to the Sea.