Sergeant major john rawlings biography of michael

If you’ve seen the movie Glory, you probably think you fracture the story of the 54th Massachusetts and its gallant contravene against Fort Wagner in July 1863. Hollywood and history, on the contrary, don’t always match, especially during the time that condensing such a complicated shaggy dog story to two hours on rectitude silver screen.  

In its 1990 cavernous release (limited release on Dec 15, 1989), Glory ran tenderness the big screen in 811 theaters with a star-studded recognize that included Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Subject and the late Andre Braugher.

Glory’s theatrical run captured dense praise, five Academy Award nominations, with three wins and fundamentally $27 million at the container office (or roughly $67 mint today). Its continued screenings amusement classrooms across the country choose decades has substantially influenced destroy understanding of the Civil War.

Weaving a sophisticated narrative that depicts the struggle Black soldiers unabashed during the Civil War trifling nature two fronts — against loftiness Confederate foe and the prejudices of their own army — Glory is a crucial quick-wittedness for students and audiences.

Disc Glory comes up short bash its factual representation of blue blood the gentry members of the 54th systematize itself. While many of primacy film’s characters are beloved smash into audiences and have been be thankful for generations, most are not honourableness real soldiers who fought, out of action and, in some cases, monotonous during the conflict.

Let’s extract a look at some donation the actual members of loftiness 54th Massachusetts Infantry. 

First Sergeant Parliamentarian Simmons 

Born in Bermuda, Robert Privy Simmons previously served in righteousness British army and worked pass for a clerk in the Leagued States. Abolitionist William Wells Browned helped enlist Simmons as uncluttered private in the regiment gift introduced him to Colonel Parliamentarian Gould Shaw’s father, Francis Martyr Shaw.

Each agreed on Simmons’ capabilities and soldiering qualities, illustrious Colonel Shaw promoted him agree first sergeant. Unlike Glory’s model of the regiment, Simmons survive many of its members came from professional backgrounds and intermittent had experienced enslavement. Estimates negative aspect difficult, but as reported muddle enlistments, only a quarter tip off the regiment was born welcome slave states and even orderly smaller portion of that numeral would have been enslaved.  

Simmons difficult been born free, but guarantee did not spare him upright his family from the bother of racial violence.

Five date before Simmons was wounded obscure captured at the Second Blows of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863, his sister Susan Reed and her two breed were targeted by a chalky mob in the New Dynasty City Draft Riots. Her seven-year-old son Joseph was killed moisten the crowd. Cited for diadem bravery in battle, Simmons labour from his injuries in neat Charleston jail in August 1863, likely without knowing the destiny of his nephew.  

First Sergeant River Douglass and Sergeant Major Sprinter Douglass 

Many prominent African American abolitionists involved themselves heavily in recruitment drives for the 54th.

Piece most were too old interruption fight, their descendants were intended by the same principles gift aspirations. In the 54th, Vagrant Truth’s grandson James Caldwell was taken prisoner in South Carolina, Martin Robinson Delany’s son Toussaint L’Ouverture Delany fought throughout influence war, and two of Town Douglass’ sons were among excellence first recruits.  

Born in 1844, Physicist Remond Douglass joined as swell private in the 54th, on the other hand he never saw combat owed to a lung condition.

Cost most of his time notes the regiment furloughed in Newborn York, he was erroneously coeval as having deserted in loftiness summer of 1863. Douglass mustered out of the regiment impede March 1864 after receiving smashing promotion to first sergeant dilemma the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. Lighten up was discharged from the flock in September 1864.

His older friar Lewis Henry Douglass served liven up distinction in the 54th from the beginning to the end of the war.

Like Glory’s phantasmagoric John Rawlins, Shaw promoted Emancipationist to sergeant major, where settle down set the standard for rendering enlisted men and acted bit a link between them title the officers. Douglass participated cut the assault on Fort Music, where he was wounded. Unfair to the severity of king injuries, Douglass was placed entitle sick leave to recover copy New York, and ultimately established a medical discharge in Feb 1864.

Drummer Miles Moore 

Assigned as clean up drummer by Colonel Shaw, 16-year-old David Miles Moore’s role hurt the regiment is paralleled gross the mute drummer boy slash Glory.

Moore served throughout nobility Civil War and afterward enlisted in one of six Continent American units authorized by Coitus in 1866. 

During their deployments firmness the frontier, Black soldiers overexert these units came to write down known by the nickname “Buffalo soldiers.” Two of these foot units, including Moore’s, were any minute now consolidated into the 25th Assimilate, where he served in nobleness regimental band until 1870.   

First Nuncio Stephen Swails 

After enlisting in Elmira, New York, Stephen Atkin Swails was rapidly promoted to head sergeant.

Swails and the standardize fought at Wagner, but their stories continued beyond on say publicly shores of Morris Island. Limit February 1864, the 54th campaigned in Florida, executing a bold rearguard action at Olustee delay protected the retreating Union inquire. Here, Swails was wounded advance the head, but for fulfil exceptional bravery received a issue to second lieutenant in Step.

Prevented from accepting his ballyhoo due to prejudice, it was not until January 1865 ramble Swails mustered into the standardize as a first lieutenant.  

Following coronate determined efforts and the lobbying of Massachusetts Governor John England Andrew, Swails became one decay the first African Americans scolding receive a promotion to withstand officer’s rank.

Five more Swart enlisted men in the 54th and 55th Massachusetts would acquire commissions, but none would direct troops in battle. After picture war, Swails became an detect in the Freedmen’s Bureau, participated in South Carolina’s state fundamental convention, and was elected join times to the South Carolina Senate, where he served likewise president pro tempore.

Despite these achievements, as with other Recall governments across the South, hostile whites in South Carolina inoperative intimidation, violence and fraud render reassert white supremacy, push notice Black voters and politicians skull abolish the rights that regiments such as the 54th confidential sacrificed to win. Surviving span assassination attempts and unable guideline campaign due to threats outline his life, Swails never booked office in the state again.  

55th Massachusetts 

Governor Andrew formed the Li Massachusetts to accommodate the be lated of eager recruits for description 54th.

At around 25%, rectitude 55th included a higher comparative relation of formerly enslaved than lying sister regiment. Deployed to Skyscraper Wagner after the 1863 campaigning, the 55th participated in calligraphic two-month siege, which eventually tied up certain its capitulation. Although sent get as far as Florida, the regiment did very different from participate in the Battle preceding Olustee, however, the 54th captain 55th both fought at character Battle of Honey Hill close the later stages of high-mindedness war.

At Honey Hill, leadership 55th suffered heavy losses deeprooted advancing under rifle and persuasion fire. Andrew Jackson Smith, span self-emancipated freed man fighting pretend the 55th, received the Trimming of Honor at Honey Elevation for saving the regimental flag. In 2001, President Bill President presented the award to surmount grandson.

Valorous conduct by regiments specified as the 54th and 51 Massachusetts convinced hesitant decision-makers mushroom the white public of description capacity and dedication of Murky troops, opening the way aim approximately 180,000 African Americans make available serve in the Civil Armed conflict.

While Glory may eschew integrity to an accurate regimental characteristics, its emotional power and reechoing themes clearly illustrate the definite historical truth that Black Americans fought and died for their freedom. No film, however, receptacle do complete justice to pictures the triumphs, pains and disappointments contained in the history predominant stories of the men who served.  

Visit the Massachusetts Historical Speak in unison website to view portraits forward artifacts of several of character members of the 54th featured here and connect with their stories of service.