Courtesy of the American Battlefield Trust

Actors and crew members pause during the filming of a hospital scene for the Trust’s new series, Civil War 1864: A Virtual Reality Experience.

For many of us who study the Civil War, the goal of our reading and research is to understand the human experiences of that time—even knowing that no text can ever really place you inside the action. Now, adopting the latest in 21st-century technology, American Battlefield Trust has managed the next best thing to a time machine: using virtual reality to transport viewers back to 1864 and so witness what soldiers lived through in the trenches and beyond.

Our new, four-part series, Civil War 1864: A Virtual Reality Experience, employs immersive storytelling that lets users navigate 360 degrees and experience how it may have looked, felt, and sounded to be a Civil War soldier. Viewable in a variety of formats—from desktop computer to mobile device to virtual reality headset—these short films take you inside a Confederate sniper’s lair, into a Union defensive position, on a reconnaissance patrol, and inside a field hospital.

The Trust has long worked to open windows of understanding into the past and provide potentially transformative experiences. The spirit that saw us pioneer GPS-enabled touring with our Battle App® guides a decade ago also spurred us to pursue virtual reality. Making a somewhat experimental film like this was risky, but the results resonated powerfully and, within a month, the compilation of all four scenarios had become the most watched video in Trust history. Audiences were riveted: “This whole project is absolutely unrivaled in terms of realism,” wrote one YouTube reviewer; “The Civil War was instantly redefined for me,” commented another; a third said, “You’ve just revolutionized history storytelling.”

In making Civil War 1864: A Virtual Reality Experience, authenticity was paramount. Our longtime creative partners at Wide Awake Films, a media group based in Kansas City, Missouri, used professional actors and created exacting sets—including digging trenches on an area farm. For even greater authenticity, the Trust enlisted digital animator Robert Cloutier to create 360˚ animation of things like flying cannonballs.

In each video, action takes place all around the viewer; sound alerts indicate where significant incidents occur or pop-up facts appear. A virtual reality headset takes the best advantage of the directional sound, while mobile devices enable users to pinch-and-zoom for closer looks. To meet popular demand, we are creating a suite of resources to maximize use of the videos in the classroom.

The success of Civil War 1864 guarantees another foray into the realm of virtual reality. We have already begun capturing footage to feature in future installments.

If you have ever wondered what it was like to sit on picket duty or imagined the realities of combat medicine, visit battlefields.org/virtualreality to watch Civil War 1864: A Virtual Reality Experience. Even if you have spent a lifetime studying the conflict, it will be unlike anything you have experienced.

O. James Lighthizer is president emeritus of the nonprofit, nonpartisan American Battlefield Trust, which is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds—Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War—and educating the public about their significance.