This sweeping epic charts the early years of the American Civil War -from the Battle of Bull Run to the Battle of Fredricksburg - exploring the motivations of the combatants and examining the lives of those who waited at home. As director, producer and screenwriter, Ronald F. Maxwell (Gettysburg) proves a triple threat as he brings this epic Civil War saga to the screen. Based on Jeff Shaara's bestseller Gods and Generals-a prequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Killer Angels by his father, Michael Shaara-the film examines the lives and personalities of Confederate generals Lee and Jackson versus Union generals Hancock and Chamberlain as the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg approaches.