Factual error: In the scene where Elwes and Brodrick are talking about the colored regiment (~13:00), Elwes is holding a bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne. The first vintage of Dom Pérignon is dated 1921 and would not have been available during the Civil War. (00:13:00)
Factual error: In the assault on Fort Wagner, the regiment attacks the fort from the wrong side. In reality, the troops attacked from the south.
Factual error: The 54th Mass. actually consisted of educated, middle-class Northern blacks, not illiterate, runaway slaves as depicted in the film.
Factual error: In some of the scenes in the video during their time at Readville camp, they celebrate Christmas. In actuality, the first volunteers arrived at Readville in February of 1863, and Shaw died in July of 1863, along with most of the regiment, so there is no possibility of having a Christmas during that time.
Factual error: During the burial scene at the end of the movie, the corpses of the 54th soldiers are shown with only their shoes removed. In reality, the corpses of the 54th dead were stripped of all usable clothing, as the South was desparate for any uniform parts (source: "A Brave, Black Regiment" by Louis Emilio). At the very least, the corpses of the officers would have been picked clean by souvenir hunters.
Factual error: In the movie, the soldiers of the 54th Mass. were not issued their uniform until long after enlistment. However, according to many history books about 54th Mass., the soldiers of 54th Mass. were issued their uniform immediately after enlistment.
Factual error: During the training of the regiment, there is one scene where Colonel Shaw is shown practising his swordsmanship. A row of stakes has been placed in the ground and a watermelon tied to each one which he slices apart with his sword as he gallops past.The caption tells us that it is February 1863 in Massachusetts. There is no way you could get fresh watermelons in that state at that time of year in 1863.
Factual error: One of the characters of Glory is a mute drummer boy. However, 54th Mass. was established as a regiment composed exclusively of the cream of Northern black society. Because only the most healthy and robust African-Americans were allowed to enlist in this regiment, many recruits were rejected for medical reasons. Union military officials of 54th Mass. would not have recruited any handicapped person.
Factual error: When Morgan Freeman is helping hand out rifles to the recruits, he is reading off the serial numbers. Enfield rifles of the Civil War era did not have serial numbers.
Factual error: When Shaw tells a reporter how well his men did in battle, in the background you can the southern tune "The Bonnie Blue Flag with the Single Star" playing. It's a southern anthem, so wouldn't be played in a Union camp.
Suggested correction: The tune is correct; however, Union soldiers made their own words to the song.
Suggested correction: This is not a documentary. It's a movie based on actual events. Therefore the filmmakers have a right to change things as they please.
lartaker1975
While filmmakers can make up anything they want, for films considered to be based on historical events, they can only make up things as they could have happened. They can't make up things that couldn't have happened without it being considered a mistake (what one might consider an anachronism). Since no volunteers where with Shaw at the camp in Readville during Christmas time, it's a valid mistake to show them celebrating Christmas.
Bishop73
Suggested correction: The 54th regiment arrived at Readville Camp, Massachusetts on November 27, 1863, not February.
First off, the 54th did begin recruiting and training at Camp Meigs in Feb 1863 and departed March 1863, and Shaw was in charge. The correction make no sense to say they began training under Shaw after Shaw died. And, they still wouldn't have been able to celebrate Christmas based on the correction.
Bishop73