What did the regiment receive for monthly pay and why did they receive this amount. While the decades passed and the sea began to claim the unmarked mass grave, the 54th regiment slipped from the national consciousness. The massachusetts 54th regiment was a group of africanamericans who fought for and served the union during the civil war. They refused to accept the unequal pay from the federal government. The movie, glory, tells a story of the 54th regiment of massachusetts journey in the civil war. Glory is a 1989 american war film directed by edward zwick about the 54th massachusetts. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The 54th massachusetts regiment is the best known african american fighting unit formed during the civil war. Glory 68 movie clip prayers of the 54th 1989 hd youtube.
The regiment lost many african american soldiers, and colonel shaw, in its heroic assault on fort wagner. The flag is made of cotton muslin fabric and the wood frame is 10 x 12 in size. The story of the 54th massachusetts infantry regiment, told mostly through the eyes of their commander, colonel robert gould shaw played by matthew broderick. The 54th regiment was the first group of freed african americans who volunteered to fight in the union army. Authorized by the emancipation proclamation, the regiment consisted of africanamerican enlisted men commanded by white officers. The real story of the 54th regiment of massachusetts posted by by joseph august 15, 2017. He was worried about other whites opinion on the 54th soldiers, colonels who led the 54th.
Glory the movie glory was a wonderful depiction of the group of men involved in the 54th massachusetts colored regiment. Its the story about how the black men worked to get the right to fight for the union during the civil war as well as a discussion of their impact on the war. The 54th regiment massachusetts volunteer infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the union army during the american civil war. The 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry regiment is best known for its service leading the failed union assault on battery wagner, a confederate earthwork fortification on morris island, on july 18, 1863. My favourite scene from glory, when the 54th s men prepare for the final battle. Why is this film told through the eyes if the regiment s white colonel. Parents need to know that glory is a 1989 movie about the 54th massachusetts regiment, the first allafricanamerican volunteer company to fight in the civil war. Although in reality the 54th was compiled of mostly free black men from upper new.
On the 150th anniversary of the bloody battle that inspired the movie glory, take a look back at the allblack 54th massachusetts regiment. Stanton, who gave john andrew the authority to create the regiment. The 54th massachusetts which was commanded by a white colonel, robert gould shaw. Glory, the 54th massachusetts infantry, and black soldiers in the civil war 479 in another area of discrimination, its black noncommissioned officers challenged the policy that kept qualified black men from commissions as officers in combat units. Its members became known for their bravery and fierce fighting against confederate forces. The men of the 54th regiment were part of the first black regiment to serve in the u. It seems fitting that morgan freeman narrated this episode of the series, as he was the male black lead in the film glorya movie about this same massachusetts 54th colored infantry. The history of the fiftyfourth regiment of massachusetts volunteer infantry 18631865. Formed during the american civil war, the 54th massachusetts was the first africanamerican unit in the us army. Born into a prominent boston abolitionist family, he accepted command of the first allblack regiment the 54th massachusetts in the northeast.
The regiment took heavy casualties during the war and gained everlasting fame. Glory of the massachusetts 54th regiment during the civil. Trip started the strike with payments, but was happy when shaw then refused anybodys pay if the 54th refused theirs. The 54th massachusetts regiment and augustus saintgaudens shaw memorial by sarah greenough, nancy k. The unit began recruiting in february 1863 and trai. Le 54 fut le premier regiment constitue uniquement d enroles afroamericains.
Harker was not present in south carolina at the time the 54th massachusetts was there. Denzel washington and morgan freeman portrayed soldiers of the 54th massachusetts infantry regimenta unit of free african american volunteerscommanded by a white officer, colonel robert gould. Those heroes were the allblack members of the 54th regiment of the massachusetts volunteer infantry, headed by col. The 1989 movie glory told the story of the 54th massachusetts infantry. The filming of glory 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry. From the set of glory to the smithsonian collections national. The movie is very factional with what is going on during this time of history.
American experience 2005 starring morgan freeman on dvd and bluray. That all changed, however, when their exploits were. Shaws regiment was known as the 54th but they were organized from what state. Todays post comes from austin mcmanus with the national archives history office. Trip was a runaway slave from tennessee at the age of 12. The movie focused on the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry, which constituted the first allblack regiment raised in. The movie ends with the unit attacking a confederate stronghold outside charleston, s.
The regiment was not formed until early 1863, so they were not in camp for christmas of 1862, and on the day the recruits arrived at readville, they were given uniforms and new boots so soldiers were never reduced to marching barefoot in cold mud, as the film depicts. Glory regiment attacks fort wagner, 150 years ago history. The movie glory by robert gould shaw 1272 words cram. To commemorate black history month, we celebrate the story of the 54th massachusetts infantry regiment, the first african american unit of the u. This was one of the first major actions in which african american soldiers fought for the union in the american civil war. The movie was seen through the eyes of mathew brodrick otherwise know as the white commander of the 54th regiment robert shaw and how he feels for his black soldiers, it was truly moving. The movie unfolds in a succession of often brilliantly realized vignettes tracing the 54ths organization, training and first experiences below the. Its an inspirational story of how a young union soldier, robert gould shaw, is offered the chance to lead an army unit. The 54th regiment massachusetts infantry was a volunteer union regiment organized in the american civil war. The courage of the soldiers of the 54th massachusetts regiment was shown in the movie glory.
This movie has helped raise the level of awareness on the part of both whites and blacks of negro contributions to the preservation of the union and the abolition of. Study 28 terms the movie glory questions flashcards. Private trip was a soldier of the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry regiment life edit. The movie focused on the 54th massachusetts volunteer infantry, which constituted the first allblack regiment raised in early 1863. The real story of the 54th regiment of massachusetts. The movie made the 54th famous, and those who are familiar with the regiment are also familiar with its attack on fort wagner, but the story of its creation and its entire service during the civil war is remarkable from start to finish. The film describes the journey of these brave men as they face prejudice to fight in the union. The regiment was made up of black soldiers some were northern freemen, some were escaped slaves. Robert gould shaw and the 54th massachusetts regiment memorial duration. Glory tells the story of the 54th regiment of massachusetts volunteer infantry, made up of african american soldiers, some northern freemen, some escaped slaves and led by whites, including robert gould shaw, the son of boston abolitionists. It was commanded by colonel robert gould shaw, a white abolitionist from massachusetts.
What tactics did shaw use to get his men into battle. The 54th regiment fought in florida orlando sentinel. History glory is a movie about the 54th massachusetts infantry regiment, one of the first official all black units in the united states during the civil war. When the civil war began, president lincoln argued that the union forces present in the country were not fighting to ensure that slavery was put to an end, rather they were only fighting to prevent the disintegration of the united states. Robert gould shaw october 10, 1837 july 18, 1863 was an american officer in the union army during the american civil war.
Shaw hopes that the news of their first successful battle will do credit to the regiment and prove that blacks can be brave and able soldiers, however a reporter tells him that the headlines in the north are too filled with reports from a recent battle to give the story of the 54th any prominence. Civil war, the bloodiest conflict in american history. We have changed that situation by our portrayal of the 54th mass. This topic is thoroughly discussed in the 1989 film glory, and although the majority of glorys main characters were completely fictional and the 54th regiment was composed mostly of educated freedmen rather than the ragtag bunch of runaway slaves that were depicted in the movie, the films portrayal of the regiment s climactic march. The unit was the second africanamerican regiment, following the 1st kansas colored volunteer infantry regiment organized in the northern states during the civil war. The n word is used, as are dated terms such as negro and colored. What was the first regiment in the movie glory answers. The true story behind the movie glory community table. Why couldnt the 54th get their requisition for shoes filled.
After being sent south what was the 54th forced to do under the orders of brigade commander montgomery in darien georgia. Private sharts jihmi kennedy and sergeant rawlings morgan freeman lead the 54th in prayer the night before the assault on fort wagner. But what the movie sort of leaves out is that, even after its failed assault at battery wagner, for the next close to a year, up until june 1864, the 54th massachusetts and many other black regiments protested unequal pay. I will put glory into a few wordsthis is what every war movie strives to be and beyond. Robert gould shaw and massachusetts 54th regiment memorial. Denzel washington and morgan freeman portrayed soldiers of the 54th massachusetts infantry regiment a unit of free african american volunteers. What other historical figures are represented in the movie.