Ted Turner’s Gettysburg is the 1993 film (with a successful mini-series performance on TNT) that got me interested in the Civil War. It’s my favorite Civil War movie period, even if technically there are better entries on the subject. While it will always hold a special place in my heart, I have noticed, through the observations of others and my own expanding knowledge of history that there are a few inaccuracies. Some are carried over from Michael Shaara’s Killer Angels, the historical novel on which the movie is based on. Others were mistakes or intentional cinematic choices on the part of the filmmakers. This is not a heavy criticism, as the inaccuracies are for the most part harmless and in a couple cases help make a better viewing experience. I will not list the soldiers’ well-fed and often older appearance, as the movie’s budget required the voluntary efforts of reenactors rather than meticulously selected extras or hired soldiers to fill out the battle scenes. Let’s start with a couple light ones.
#1. The 14th Brooklyn is at the Wrong Place
When General John Reynolds falls to a sharpshooter’s bullet, a regiment wearing red kepi hats and trousers stops to gather around him. Several units in the Army of the Potomac had colorful uniforms, but none were present for the first day’s battle around McPherson’s Ridge. The 14th Brooklyn, actually part of the 84th New York, was part of Reynold’s Corps, but fought at the Railroad Cut to the north. They were popularly known as the “red-legged devils” and were known to be Abolitionist in their politics. They were originally supposed to be off in the distance to show some scale to the battle scenes. Director Ron Maxwell, however, tired of shooting a sea of blue uniforms, decided to have them front and center for a big scene.
#2. Arthur Fremantle Didn’t Wear a Red Uniform
One of the more distinctive supporting characters is British Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Fremantle (James Lancaster) of the Coldstream Guards. In 1863 Fremantle applied for a leave of absence so he could have a firsthand look at the Confederate war effort. He was actually not an official military observer. He let the Confederates believe he was so he could have more access to high-ranking generals. Since he was really a private traveler, he wore civilian clothing, not the red uniform. In fact, as an officer of the Coldstream Guards during the mid-19th Century, his real uniform would have been a deep blue. It was changed to red to avoid confusion with the Union characters and also to make him stand out as British (as if his accent and his tea drinking in one scene were not enough).
#3. General Hood is Too Old
Among the Confederate generals portrayed in the movie is John Bell Hood (Patrick Gorman). He was one of the favored generals of the Army of Northern Virginia, leading a division in James Longstreet’s I Corps. Curiously he was cast with a middle-aged actor with plenty of gray whiskers. The real life Hood was notably just into his 30s at the time, a youthful rising star. He was popular with the ladies and was one of the many young suitors of the elusive Richmond socialite Sara Preston. Here he comes off as an old time army pal of Longstreet. Compounding the issue is the reuse of the actor in the prequel Gods and Generals, where the 31 year old is near-elderly!
#4. James J. Archer is at the Wrong Place
There is one scene where Thomas Chamberlain (C. Thomas Howell), younger brother of the 20th Maine’s Colonel Joshua Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels), talks to a trio of Confederate prisoners. While it’s a bit odd that prisoners taken north of Gettysburg are somehow on the 20th Maine’s route of march miles to the south, it’s a nice scene where enemies connect over the common bond of being soldiers. When Tom asks where they were taken, one of them says with Archer’s brigade at the Railroad Cut. James Archer and many of his men were actually captured in McPherson’s Woods. It was General Joseph R. Davis’ brigade that suffered defeat at the Railroad Cut.
#5. Pettigrew was not in Support
When Longstreet (Tom Berenger) lays out the battle plan for Pickett’s Charge, he places James Pettigrew’s (George Lazenby) division in support of Isaac Trimble’s (W. Morgan Sheppard). In reality Trimble supported Pettigrew. In fact Pettigrew’s veterans, especially North Carolinians who were accused of cowardice by Pickett’s Virginians, fought a losing postwar battle for recognition for their part in the assault. While Pickett’s men got the glory for their ill-fated charge against the Angle and their brief breakthrough, Pettigrew’s men suffered just as badly, if not worse. Union artillery on Cemetery Hill added to the opposing firepower and shattered their lines before they could reach the stone wall. In fact it was Pettigrew’s Virginia brigade that broke and ran, not the North Carolinians. The film’s misconstrual of Pettigrew’s role in the charge is a symptom of decades of Virginia-centric historiography.
#6. Chamberlain Handled the Situation of the 2nd Maine Differently
In the novel and film Colonel Chamberlain is saddled with remnant of the 2nd Maine. The 2nd Maine was mustered out of service in may-June 1863, but over a 100 of its surviving men had signed three year enlistment papers. The army claimed they still had months of service to fill out while they believed they earned the right to go out with the rest of the regiment. They entered a state of near-mutiny, refusing to serve. The movie sees Chamberlain deliver a lofty speech that convinces them to end their mutiny and fight with the 20th Maine. This also occurs the day before the battle. In real life the issue was resolved weeks earlier. Also, Chamberlain did not deliver a speech, but individually met with each soldier, connecting with them on a personal level and convincing most to willingly stay on. This is actually quite heartwarming, but the speech works better within the confines of the film.
#7. The Chamberlains were not at Cemetery Ridge
In the film’s last third the 20th Maine goes near Cemetery Ridge to rest and refit. In reality they stayed where they fought on July 2, at the Round Tops to the south. This was done so that Joshua and Tom Chamberlain could stay in the movie (and novel) and provide continuous Union characters to follow. For that matter the two never talked to General Winfield Scott Hancock (Brian Mallon) or lay on the ground during the massive Confederate bombardment.
#8. Lack of Black People
For a four hour film depicting a war started over issues of slavery, there is surprisingly only one black face in the whole thing. Colonel Chamberlain meets one runaway slave and this character utters not a single line. While black people did not fight in the battle, there were certainly many in supporting roles. The Confederates, especially the officers, would often bring along some of their slaves to help cook, clean clothes, or assist with carrying supplies. General Robert E. Lee (Martin Sheen) even had a personal servant and cook, Mack Lee, who’s absent from his many headquarters scenes. The Union side should also have blacks present, as many freemen and runaway slaves, unable to sign up to fight, offered similar services (for actual pay, of course). The lack of black extras could be attributed to the use of reenactors (black reenactors might not want to play a laborer or slave) or an attempt to dodge visual representations of slavery by the filmmakers. Ron Maxwell did factor in black laborers and slaves in Gods and Generals, albeit in a very awkward manner.
These are eight inaccuracies from the film. I’m sure there are a few more concerning flags and uniforms (I read that some of the flags have more than the 33 stars, the number of states at the time, but I haven’t confirmed this yet). If you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out. You might need to split it over two nights.
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