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The Civil War S1E3 — Forever Free: 1862

8.3

The Civil War•Season 1•Episode 3

Forever Free: 1862

8.3/10 · 490 votesSep 24, 199077 min

Ranked #9 of 9 in Season 1•−0.2 vs season avg

This episode charts the dramatic events that led to Lincoln's decision to set the slaves free. Convinced by July 1862 that emancipation was now morally and militarily crucial to the future of the Union, Lincoln must wait for a victory to issue his proclamation. But

Directed byKen Burns

Written byKen Burns, Geoffrey C. Ward

Previous episodeE2 · A Very Bloody Affair: 1862 Next episodeE4 · Simply Murder: 1863

Seasons1

Season 1 Episodes9

The Cause: 1861 still

The Cause: 1861

A Very Bloody Affair: 1862 still

A Very Bloody Affair: 1862

Forever Free: 1862 still

E3 8.3Now viewing

Forever Free: 1862

Simply Murder: 1863 still

Simply Murder: 1863

The Universe of Battle: 1863 still

The Universe of Battle: 1863

Valley of the Shadow of Death: 1864 still

Valley of the Shadow of Death: 1864

Most Hallowed Ground: 1864 still

Most Hallowed Ground: 1864

War Is All Hell: 1865 still

War Is All Hell: 1865

The Better Angels of Our Nature: 1865 still

The Better Angels of Our Nature: 1865

Cast18

David McCullough

David McCullough

Narrator (voice)

Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Abraham Lincoln (voice)

Julie Harris

Julie Harris

Mary Chestnut (voice)

Jason Robards

Jason Robards

Ulysses S. Grant (voice)

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman

Frederick Douglass / John Boston (voice)

Paul Roebling

Paul Roebling

Joshua Chamberlain (voice)

Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor

Walt Whitman (voice)

G

George Black

Robert E. Lee (voice)

Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller

William Tecumseh Sherman (voice)

Christopher Murney

Christopher Murney

Elisha Hunt Rhodes (voice)

C

Charles McDowell

Samuel R. Watkins (voice)

Horton Foote

Horton Foote

Jefferson Davis (voice)

Crew3

Ken Burns

Ken Burns

Writer

Ken Burns

Ken Burns

Director

Geoffrey C. Ward

Geoffrey C. Ward

Writer

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Episode Summary

"Forever Free: 1862" is episode 3 of The Civil War season 1. It scored 8.3/10 from 490 votes, ranking #9 of 9 episodes this season (season average 8.5). Directed by Ken Burns and written by Ken Burns, Geoffrey C. Ward, it aired on September 24, 1990.

Next: E4 · Simply Murder: 1863 Best of Season 1