Trivia

To prepare for the role of George Hazard, James Read spent several weeks at Patrick Swayze's horse ranch, where Swayze taught Read how to ride.

Since modern West Point bears little physical resemblance to the Academy of 1842, the West Point scenes were filmed at Jefferson College outside Natchez, Mississippi. Local military school cadets and R.O.T.C. students involved in this mini-series were granted permission to grow their hair for six months for the proper period look.

James Read's great-great-uncle, Sebaldus Hassler, fought and died with the Union Army, falling in battle at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 20, 1863. Read's great-great-grandfather, Sampson T. Groves, served in the First Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery until his honorable discharge on July 25, 1865, after which he lived to a ripe old age.

The historic structures were correct, but the furnishings were often priceless antiques so fragile they couldn't be used. The production brought in their own pieces, such as the bronze and marble statues (valued at more than $200,000) that decorated the house used for the New Orleans bordello.

Living history groups with the expertise to re-create the Mexican-American War battle of Churubusco (1847) filmed the battle in a field near Natchez, Mississippi. In mid May 1984, 14 re-enactor units from a dozen states took a week to stage the largest authentic encampment of Mexican War re-enactors ever held. More than 140 people brought their own (mostly handmade) period-correct uniforms, hand weapons, artillery, caissons, limbers, battery wagons, field ambulances, tents, and camping equipment. The production company provided water, hay, feed, and straw for horses, reimbursement for powder, and donations to each participating unit.