The Blue and the Gray : Geyser and Hale families

Although this miniseries was about two families who lived in warring states, I couldn't understand why both families joined the military. The Geysers had a negro servant, but it wasn't clear whether she was their slave. So I'm unsure whether they owned slaves. The Hale boys seemed to have joined the military just for personal glory.

I'm guessing she was their slave, but after the war she would have been free. You're right about the Hale boys, but they found out the hard way that war is not glorious.

The Geysers were farmers not slave owners. If they had slaves, the boys wouldn't have had to work in the fields.