When did the movie Glory take place?
The film depicts the soldiers of the 54th from the formation of their regiment to their heroic actions at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863. Glory was co-produced by TriStar Pictures and Freddie Fields Productions, and distributed by Tri-Star Pictures in the United States.
Who was the all-black regiment that inspired the movie ‘Glory?
On the 150th anniversary of the bloody battle that inspired the movie “Glory,” take a look back at the all-black 54th Massachusetts Regiment. On the 150th anniversary of the bloody battle that inspired the movie “Glory,” take a look back at the all-black 54th Massachusetts Regiment. For nearly two years, the Civil War was a whites-only affair.
What happened at Fort Wagner?
Fort Wagner is located on Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Confederate Victory. While the 54 th Massachusetts Infantry and nine other regiments in two brigades successfully scaled the parapet and entered Fort Wagner, they were driven out with heavy casualties and forced to retreat.
What are some of the inaccuracies in the movie Glory?
Glory contains the following inaccuracies: The film implies that most of the soldiers in the 54th regiment were former slaves, when in fact a majority had been born free men in the North.
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What fort did the 54th Massachusetts attack?
The 54th's assault on Fort Wagner became the first time the all-Black unit fought alongside White troops. In addition, the 54th received the honor of leading the charge. Any regiment approaching the fort would certainly face heavy casualties.
What battle is depicted in the movie Glory?
Fort WagnerGlory tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry from its organization in the winter of 1863 to the climactic assault of July 18, 1863, against Fort Wagner, a massive earthwork guarding the approach to Charleston. The Union military and naval effort to capture Charleston failed in 1863.
Where is Fort Wagner today?
Although the Atlantic Ocean consumed Fort Wagner in the late 1800s and the original site is now offshore, the Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and its partners have acquired and preserved 118 acres (0.48 km2) of historic Morris Island, which had gun emplacements and other military ...
Where was the Battle of Fort Wagner?
Fort WagnerSouth CarolinaMorris IslandSecond Battle of Fort Wagner/Location
Where was the fort in the movie Glory?
Morris Island, SC | Jul 18 - Sep 7, 1863. The Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863, was an unsuccessful assault led by the 54th Massachusetts, an African American infantry, famously depicted in the movie Glory. Fort Wagner is located on Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
Who won the Battle at Fort Wagner?
Gen. Quincy Gillmore launched an unsuccessful assault on the Confederate fortress of Fort Wagner, which protected Morris Island, south of Charleston Harbor. The battle came one week after the First Battle of Fort Wagner....Second Battle of Fort Wagner.DateJuly 18, 1863ResultConfederate victory1 more row
Can you visit Fort Wagner?
The site of the fort is not easily accessible. A tour of nearby Fort Sumter National Monument from the ferry landing on Concord Street in Charleston will include a view of where Fort Wagner used to stand. The education center and small museum there tell the stories of the Confederate defense of Charleston Harbor.
How many black soldiers died at Fort Wagner?
The courage and sacrifice of the 54th helped to dispel doubt within the Union Army about the fighting ability of black soldiers and earned this regiment undying battlefield glory. Shown here is one of the 54th's casualty lists with the names of 116 enlisted men who died at Fort Wagner.
Did anyone from the 54th Massachusetts survive?
A group of men led by 3rd New Hampshire Colonel John Jackson started forward with the general and the flag, but were mowed down by a salvo of canister shot. Miller survived unscathed, but his flag was riddled.
Is the film Glory historically accurate?
The answer for Glory is yes. It is not only the first feature film to treat the role of black soldiers in the American Civil War; it is also the most powerful and historically accurate movie about that war ever made.
Is Glory Based on a true story?
Directed by Ed Zwick with a screenplay by Kevin Jarre, the film tells the true story of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) as he leads the 54th Massachusetts, the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer regiment.
What happened to the 54th Massachusetts after Fort Wagner?
The 54th lost the battle at Fort Wagner, but they did a great deal of damage there. Confederate troops abandoned the fort soon afterward. For the next two years, the regiment participated in a series of successful siege operations in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
What was historically accurate in Glory?
The movie falls far short as an accurate depiction of the history of the 54th Massachusetts. Yes, Shaw was the colonel; yes, they did participate in the Combahee expedition, the burning of Darien, and the battles on James Island and Fort Wagner; yes, they did show the world their courage on July 18.
What did the movie Glory get wrong?
Incorrectly regarded as goofs The movie claims that "over half" of the regiment was lost during the assault on Fort Wagner. According to official records, the 54th sustained 272 casualties, closer to 40%. Of those casualties, 116 were fatalities, just under 20% of the men to storm the fort.
What was the regiment in the movie Glory?
54th Massachusetts RegimentOn the 150th anniversary of the bloody battle that inspired the movie “Glory,” take a look back at the all-black 54th Massachusetts Regiment. For nearly two years, the Civil War was a whites-only affair.
Was the movie Glory Based on true events?
Directed by Ed Zwick with a screenplay by Kevin Jarre, the film tells the true story of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) as he leads the 54th Massachusetts, the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer regiment.
Where was the Battle of Fort Wagner?
Morris Island, SC | Jul 18 - Sep 7, 1863. The Battle of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863, was an unsuccessful assault led by the 54 th Massachusetts, an African American infantry, famously depicted in the movie Glory. Fort Wagner is located on Morris Island in the Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
What was the site of the opening engagements of the Civil War?
In Context. Charleston, South Carolina, was the site of the opening engagements of the Civil War when newly created Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor and forced Federal soldiers to abandon the fort.
What was the result of the Confederate victory at Fort Wagner?
While the 54 th Massachusetts Infantry and nine other regiments in two brigades successfully scaled the parapet and entered Fort Wagner, they were driven out with heavy casualties and forced to retreat. Unconvinced of the success of frontal assaults, the Federals resorted to land and sea siege operations to reduce the fort over the next two months. After 60 days of shelling and siege, the Confederates abandoned Fort Wagner on September 7, 1863.
How long did it take for the Confederates to abandon Fort Wagner?
Unconvinced of the success of frontal assaults, the Federals resorted to land and sea siege operations to reduce the fort over the next two months. After 60 days of shelling and siege, the Confederates abandoned Fort Wagner on September 7, 1863.
What was the name of the ship that was shelled in Charleston Harbor?
This fleet included the USS New Ironsides, a veritable floating gun platform sheathed in iron, and ten other ships. The shelling would commence on the morning of July 18, 1863.
What was Gillmore's plan to seize Morris Island?
Supported by a heavy naval presence in Charleston Harbor, Gillmore's planned to seize Morris Island, which held Fort Wagner and Fort Gregg, and place heavy rifled guns on Cummings Point to neutralize Fort Sumter. Once the Federals overtook Sumter, then the army and the navy could move undisturbed into the city.
Where was Fort Wagner located?
Fort Wagner, also known as Battery Wagner, was a sand and earthen fortification located on the northern end of Morris Island outside Charleston, South Carolina. Fort Wagner, and Fort Gregg nearby, covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor. It was considered one of the toughest beachhead fortifications due ...
Where was Glory filmed?
Exterior filming took place primarily in Massachusetts and Georgia. Opening passages, meant to portray the Battle of Antietam, show volunteer military reenactors filmed at a major engagement at the Gettysburg battlefield. Zwick did not want to turn Glory "into a black story with a more commercially convenient white hero". Actor Morgan Freeman noted: "We didn't want this film to fall under that shadow. This is a picture about the 54th Regiment, not Colonel Shaw, but at the same time the two are inseparable". Zwick hired the writer Shelby Foote as a technical adviser, who later became widely known for his contributions to Ken Burns ' PBS nine-episode documentary, The Civil War (1990).
Who narrated the movie The True Story of Glory?
It includes two discs featuring: widescreen and full screen versions of the film; Picture-in-Picture video commentary by director Ed Zwick and actors Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick; a director's audio commentary; and a documentary entitled, The True Story of Glory Continues narrated by Morgan Freeman .
How much did Glory cost?
Language. English. Budget. $18 million. Box office. $27 million. Glory is a 1989 American historical war drama film directed by Edward Zwick about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army 's first African-American regiment in the American Civil War.
What was the name of the movie that was about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment?
Glory (1989 film) Glory. (1989 film) Not to be confused with Paths of Glory. Glory is a 1989 American historical war drama film directed by Edward Zwick about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army 's first African-American regiment in the American Civil War. It stars Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, ...
What was the first movie to tell the story of black soldiers fighting for their freedom from slavery during the Civil War?
Glory was the first major motion picture to tell the story of black U.S. soldiers fighting for their freedom from slavery during the Civil War. The 1965 James Stewart film Shenandoah also depicted black soldiers fighting for the Union, but the script suggested the Union army at that time was integrated.
Why was Denzel Washington flogged?
The film depicts the soldier played by actor Denzel Washington being flogged as a punishment for running from camp. Flogging had been abolished by the U.S. Army in 1861, almost two years before the 54th Massachusetts Infantry was formed.
What is the average rating of Glory?
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 93%, based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 7.88/10. The site's consensus states: "Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made."
How far did the Union attack the Advanced Rifle Pits?
By August 25, Union entrenchments were close enough to attempt an assault on the Advanced Rifle Pits, 240 yards in front of the Battery, but the attempt was defeated. A second attempt, by the 24th Massachusetts Infantry, on August 26 was successful.
Where are the remains of the Union soldiers buried?
Morris Island is smaller than 1,000 acres and is subject to extensive erosion by storm and sea. Much of the site of Fort Wagner has been eroded away, including the place where the Union soldiers were buried. However, by the time that happened, the soldiers' remains were no longer there because soon after the end of the Civil War, the Army disinterred and reburied all the remains, including presumably those of Shaw, at the Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina, where their gravestones were marked as "unknown".. The number missing presumed dead at Battery Wagner was 391, among the 10 regiments involved. 54th with the most at 146. 100 NY with 119, 48th NY with 112. The number of unknowns at Beaufort on their Civil monument 1870s is 174 unknowns. These unknowns collected from three Southern states. Sites include East Florida, Millen and Lawton Georgia and Hilton Head. Two Confederate POW sites included. Given the missing at Morris island is more than double the total unknowns at Beaufort National Cemetery, it appears many bodies were not removed and were lost to the shifting sea.
What is the 2nd Charleston Harbor?
2nd Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter National Monument marker of the Map of Charleston Harbor defenses. Fort Wagner or Battery Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor.
How big was Fort Wagner?
Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Fort Wagner measured 250 by 100 yards (91 m), and spanned an area between the Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet (9.1 m) above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch (250 mm) Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. It was a large structure capable of sheltering nearly 1,000 of the fort's 1,700-man garrison and provided substantial protection against naval shelling. The fort's land face was protected by a water-filled trench, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, surrounded by buried land mines and sharpened palmetto stakes. The fort itself was supported by defenses throughout Morris Island.
What was the most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the Battle of Fort Wagner?
The most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment , which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery but still treated African Americans as lesser or inferior to whites. Though some claimed blacks could not fight as well as whites, the actions of the 54th Massachusetts demonstrated once again the fallacy in that argument, as this was not the first time blacks ever fought in war or even for the United States.
What was the significance of the Battle of Fort Wagner?
Although a tactical defeat, the publicity of the battle of Fort Wagner led to further action for black U.S. troops in the Civil War, and it spurred additional recruitment that gave the Union Army a further numerical advantage in troops over the South. Union forces besieged the fort after the unsuccessful assault.
Who led the second Battle of Fort Wagner?
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner, a week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military units made up of black soldiers. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led the 54th Massachusetts on foot while they charged, and was killed in the assault.
Why did the Confederates abandon Fort Wagner?
In reality, the Confederates eventually abandoned it in September 1863 for the fear of it getting captured by the Union Army who had been continually shelling the place.
When was the second Battle of Fort Wagner?
‘Glory’, in particular, focuses on the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, an event that took place on July 18, 1863, where Colonel Robert Gould Shaw led six hundred men against the Confederate-held post.
Is the movie Fort Wagner based on real people?
Another detail that the movie takes a lot of liberty with is the African-American soldiers. Unlike Shaw, none of these characters are based on real people.
Is the movie "Glory" based on a true story?
Yes, ‘Glory’ is based on a true story. Writer Kevin Jarre based the screenplay on the books ‘Lay This Laurel’ by Lincoln Kirstein and ‘One Gallant Rush’ by Peter Burchard, along with the personal letters of Shaw. It tells the story of the people serving in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which is credited as the second African-American regiment to have served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The film aims to bring focus on the service of African-Americans during the Civil War, and any other war for that matter, considering how few the number of war movies centered on black characters are.
Background
- For nearly two years, the Civil War was a whites-only affair. Although African Americans had fought with distinction in the American Revolution and the War of 1812, many in the North questioned the discipline and fighting capabilities of African Americans. President Abraham Lin…
Formation
- Within days of the proclamations enactment on January 1, 1863, Massachusetts Governor John Andrew began recruitment of the first northern regiment of black soldiersthe 54th Massachusetts Voluntary Infantry Regiment. Andrew cast a wide net for soldiers. Recruitment posts opened from Boston to St. Louis, and men from 22 states heeded the call for volunteers of African descent. T…
Commanders
- Massachusetts law specified that only white men could command a regiment, and Andrew sought officers in those circles of educated antislavery society which, next to the colored race itself, have the greatest interest in this experiment. The governor offered the unit command to Union officer Robert Gould Shaw, the only son of a wealthy Boston abolitionist family. Although only 25 years …
Service
- After training through winter chill and spring showers, the regiment finally received its battle flags in a formal ceremony on May 18, 1863. Hundreds of black and white spectators ringed the parade ground on the outskirts of Boston as the sun sparkled off the polished buttons of the soldiers blue uniforms. As Andrew presented the 54th Regiment with the United States flag, he said, Wheneve…
In popular culture
- Confederate soldiers buried Shaws body with his fallen black comrades in a mass grave in the island sand in an intended sign of disrespect. The colonels father, however, saw it differently: We can imagine no holier place than that in which he lies, among his brave and devoted followers, nor wish for him better companywhat a body-guard he has! While the decades passed and the sea b…
Analysis
- In spite of the Union defeat, the valor and patriotism displayed by the pioneering 54th Regiment in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner countered doubts about the combat ability of African-Americans. By wars end approximately 200,000 black soldiers would serve in the Union Army. Nearly 40,000 of them gave their lives. Without the military help of the black freedmen, Lincoln s…
Overview
Glory is a 1989 American historical war drama film directed by Edward Zwick about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army's earliest African-American regiments in the American Civil War. It stars Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the regiment's commanding officer, and Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman as fictional members of the 54th…
Plot
After being wounded at Antietam, Captain Robert Gould Shaw is sent home to Boston on medical leave. His well-connected father obtains for him a promotion to colonel of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first all-black regiments in the Union Army. Shaw appoints his friend and fellow soldier Cabot Forbes as his second-in-command. Their first volunteer is Thomas Searles, a bookish, free African-American who works as the Shaw family's secretary. Other recruit…
Cast
• Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw
• Denzel Washington as Private Silas Trip
• Cary Elwes as Major Cabot Forbes
• Morgan Freeman as Sergeant Major John Rawlins
Production
The title of the film recalls the "glory" for which the July 28, 1863, edition of the weekly Columbus Enquirer reported that First-Sergeant Robert John Simmons, mortally wounded at Battery Wagner, came to fight (Simmons himself wrote, in an account of the Battle of Grimball's Landing that was published in the New York Tribune on December 23, 1863: "God has protected me through this, my first fie…
Marketing
A nonfiction study of the regiment first appeared in 1965 and was republished in paperback in January 1990 by St. Martin's Press under the title One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment. The book, by Peter Burchard, expands on how the 54th Massachusetts developed as battle-ready soldiers. Summarizing the historical events, the book provides events surrounding the aftermath of the first Black Union regiment and how it influenced the outcome o…
Release
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 94%, based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's consensus states: "Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made."
See also
• Denzel Washington filmography
• List of films featuring slavery
• List of films and television shows about the American Civil War
• 1989 in film
External links
• Official website
• Glory at AllMovie
• Glory at IMDb
• Glory at the TCM Movie Database
• Glory at the American Film Institute Catalog
Overview
Fort Wagner or Battery Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston Harbor. It was the site of two American Civil War battles in the campaign known as Operations Against the Defenses of Charleston in 1863, in which United States forces took heavy casualties while trying to seize the fort.
History
The First Battle of Fort Wagner, occurred on July 11, 1863. Only 12 Confederate soldiers were killed, as opposed to 339 losses for the U.S. side.
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner (pictured in Glory (1989 film)), a week later, is better known. It was the Union attack on July 18, 1863, led by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first major American military unit…
Construction
Named for deceased Lt. Col. Thomas M. Wagner, Fort Wagner measured 250 by 100 yards (91 m), and spanned an area between the Atlantic on the east and an impassable swamp on the west. Its walls, composed of sand and earth, rose 30 feet (9.1 m) above the level beach and were supported by palmetto logs and sandbags. The fort's arsenal included fourteen cannons, the largest a 10-inch (250 mm) Columbiad that fired a 128-pound shell. It was a large structure capa…
54th Massachusetts
The most famous regiment that fought for the Union in the battle of Fort Wagner was the 54th regiment, which was one of the first African-American regiments in the war. The 54th was controversial in the North, where many people supported the abolition of slavery but still treated African Americans as lesser or inferior to whites. Though some claimed blacks could not fight as well as whites, the actions of the 54th Massachusetts demonstrated once again the fallacy in th…
In popular culture
• This fort plays a major part in the film Glory. One of the final scenes portrays Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts leading the attack and storming the fort unsuccessfully.
• In the book Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead, a character named T.J. dies charging the battlements at Fort Wagner.
Preservation
Although the Atlantic Ocean consumed Fort Wagner in the late 1800s and the original site is now offshore, the Civil War Trust (a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and its partners have acquired and preserved 118 acres (0.48 km ) of historic Morris Island, which had gun emplacements and other military installations during the war.
External links
• Life magazine of November 22, 1963
• Assault on Battery Wagner: Maps, Histories, Photos, and Preservation News (Civil War Trust)