I'm noting all these books and things for my son who is crazy about the civil war and just about anything to do with history - regularly makes 95-100 on his report cards.  Hand him a new book on this stuff and his face becomes a corner-to-corner huge smile!  Would love to make it up north sometime to show him all the places you all are talking about.  My friend's hubby that was in that movie and his wife do re-enactments like you all are talking about in Maryland where they live.