The Civil War Themed Episodes of the Classic Twilight Zone TV Series

The original Twilight Zone television series had several episodes that dealt with the topic of war including some set during the Civil War. Rod Serling, the show’s creator, was a World War II combat veteran who served as a paratrooper in the Philippines and was greatly affected by the experience. The classic Twilight Zone series ran for five seasons (1959-1964). Since leaving the air, the series has seen multiple reboots and a feature film (all appearing after Serling died in 1975) but the original is still very popular and can be seen on several channels and streaming services.

There were four Civil War based episodes in the original series: one in Season 2, two in Season 3, and one in Season 5. Here’s a look at these episodes, where I’ll set up the premise of each but will, as much as possible, leave out the plot twists that were a hallmark of the writing on the show, and avoid spoilers for those who haven’t seen the episodes.

Season 2, Episode 13: “Back There”. Originally aired January 13th, 1961.

At a Washington DC social club, engineer and army veteran Peter Corrigan engages in a discussion with fellow club members on the theoretical possibility of time travel and if someone could change history by going back in time. The discussion takes place on April 14th, 1961. Leaving the club, Corrigan feels faint as he goes outside. He then notices that his clothes have changed to a style from the 1860s, as have the street lights (to gas from electric) and traffic on the streets consists of horses and carriages. He walks to his home, which is now a boarding house. Talking to the woman who answered the door, as well as a Union Army officer staying there, Corrigan realizes he has been transported 96 years back in time, to April 14th, 1865 the date of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Corrigan tries to convince anyone who will listen that Lincoln would be assassinated at Ford’s Theatre that night by John Wilkes Booth in an attempt to stop it. Will he succeed in stopping the assassination and altering time?

Russell Johnson, who had a long acting career and is best known for playing the Professor on Gilligan’s Island, plays Peter Corrigan. Johnson served in the Army Air Force in World War II, flying in 44 missions in B25’s. His plane was shot down March 4, 1945 while on Mission 44 in the Philippines. The plane ditched in the sea, and Johnson suffered two broken ankles. He received the Air Medal and Purple Heart, as well as several other awards.

Season 3, Episode 4: “The Passersby” Originally aired October 6th, 1961.

Set at the end of the war, this episode opens with a scene of wounded and broken men slowly walking down a road past a battle damaged plantation house. A Confederate Army sergeant who is hobbled by leg injury, stops at the house and asks the woman sitting on the porch if he could rest on a bench under a tree. The woman, named Livinia, gives him permission. They talk, and he finds out she had recently been severely ill with a fever and that her husband had been killed in the war. As the story unfolds, the Sergeant begins to realize that the soldiers passing by (as well as himself and Livinia) are not what they seem to be, and neither is the road and its destination.

Season 3, Episode 11: “Still Valley” Originally aired November 24th, 1961.

Set in Virginia in the summer of 1863, two Confederate cavalry scouts are keeping watch for Union Army activity in a valley below them. They can hear the soldiers and wagon trains moving into the town in the valley, until the sound abruptly stops. One of the soldiers, Sergeant Joseph Paradine, decides to go into the town and see what is going on. There, he finds Union troops in the town, but they are frozen in time and completely immobile. A confused Paradine figures they are either asleep or dead. The sergeant does find one old man who is not affected by this. He tells Paradine that his name is Teague and that he is a “witch man,” who cast a black magic spell on the Union troops. Teague states that he could cast a similar spell on all Union troops in the field, resulting in a Confederate victory in the war. Paradine asks Teague why he hasn’t done so already, and Teague replies that he was dying and would be dead at the end of the day, but he would give his book of witchcraft to Paradine so he could do it. But in order to cast the spell, Paradine would have to align himself with Satan.

Paradine returns to camp with the book of spells and informs his commanding officer and the other cavalrymen of what has transpired. Will the Confederates align themselves with the Devil to ensure victory?

Season 5, Episode 22: “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Originally aired February 28th, 1964.

This episode is unique for the Twilight Zone as it was a short film produced in France by director Robert Enrico, and released in 1962. That year, it won the Best Short Subject award at the Cannes Film Festival and the 1963 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. When Serling saw the film, he was so impressed that he purchased the rights to show it for $20,000. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is based on the short story of the same name by writer, journalist, and Civil War veteran Ambrose Bierce. The film stays very faithful to the short story about Union soldiers’ execution attempt on a southern civilian who was involved in sabotaging railroads and bridges. The civilian, named Peyton Farquhar, is hanged from a bridge over Owl Creek. Or is he? Bierce wrote several Civil War short stories, and they were very similar to the hooks and plot twists of Twilight Zone episodes.