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.
Other mistake: In the scene where muskets are issued to the 54th Massachusetts, only Pvt. Jupiter Sharts is revealed to be a marksman worthy of training the other troops by virtue of having previously hunted squirrels. The camera then zooms to a closeup of Pvt. Sharts aiming down the barrel with the wrong eye closed.
Suggested correction: There are many people who are opposite eye dominant...my one buddy shoots a gun right-handed but is left eye dominant...it's common, and isn't a mistake.
Depends on exactly what the mistake is saying - to me it reads like the eye over the barrel is shut, which would throw his aim off significantly.
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