NF Golden Thread Twenty-five Years Ago: My Brush With Glory!

Non-Fiction
Looky what popped up in my Facebook feed, James N. :

18766129_10101550342388310_5781478394259630714_n.jpg
 
James and I go all the way back to Jr High School in Texas, and we've gone on numerous trips together to see historical sights. It's like having my own personal tour guide along - his knowledge of Civil War history in particular is amazing.
I did a small amount of Revolutionary War re-enacting, but (due to my military career) was never able to do the scope and depth of reenacting that James did. (if it sounds like I'm a little envious, I am!)
As an ironical side note - I have found, doing family research, that Johnson Hagood, the Confederate Commander of Battery Wagner, when the 54th attacked, was MY Great-great grandfather's nephew! I guess that makes Gen Hagood something like a 3rd cousin twice removed, or somesuch like that!. Maybe somebody else can figure that out.
They were from the Short Staple plantation near Barnwell, SC. Supposedly they had about a hundred slaves !! Must have been rich (money never made it to MY wallet) - I don't really feel any undue guilt or pride as to being a slaveowner's descendant. That's just how things were.
 
image-2-jpg.jpg


James and I go all the way back to Jr High School in Texas, and we've gone on numerous trips together to see historical sights. It's like having my own personal tour guide along - his knowledge of Civil War history in particular is amazing...

Sounds like a subject for Throwback Thursday! (Over fifty years separate these two photos.)

P1080635 Michael Askins & James Neel.JPG
 
Last edited:
18766129_10101550342388310_5781478394259630714_n Edit.jpg


Looky what popped up in my Facebook feed, James N. :

Thank you Andy - this is a great shot! I'd also like to point out five other fellows I have circled: At left of Denzel are two of our stalwart members who were retirees from the Regular U. S. Army who were then living near Fort Stewart and who were a definite stabilizing element on our company; at right of Morgan are a fellow who was still an active-duty U. S. Army officer, reenactor Mark Edwards who you should recognize from other photos in this thread, and another regular U. S. Army soldier Sergeant Mark A. Jones. I'll add that this was taken at the notorious Burning of Darien sequence.
 
Last edited:
C
View attachment 182358



Thank you Andy - this is a great shot! I'd also like to point out five other fellows I have circled: At left of Denzel are two of our stalwart members who were retirees from the Regular U. S. Army who were then living near Fort Stewart and who were a definite stabilizing element on our company; at right of Morgan are a fellow who was still an active-duty U. S. Army officer, reenactor Mark Edwards who you should recognize from other photos in this thread, and another regular U. S. Army soldier Sergeant Mark A. Jones. I'll add that this was taken at the notorious Burning of Darien sequence.
Ool.
 
View attachment 29594

Exactly twenty-five years ago today when I returned home from my regular job working in the Housewares department at the Dallas Galleria Macy's I found on my answering machine a phone call I had been waiting for and one that would in many ways change my life: "James, how would you like to come to Savannah and teach young blacks how to be Civil War soldiers?" It was from my friend Ray Herbeck, Jr., who I had worked for before and who was to be one of the Associate Producers on a new movie project called Glory. This was the beginning of a three-month Odyssey , Feb. - Apr., 1989, that took me halfway across the continent to many different locations in coastal Georgia where filming took place. This part of my story will be ego-centric, but I thought it would be important to understand how this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came about.(...)

having read the thread in its entirity (not seen the film so far) - i looked into my movie database and found out i have a disk of it in my basement :D i shall dig it up next weekend.

having said that: great thread, james :thumbsup:
 
While having recommended this thread to @CW Watch Collector I thought I could bump it once more for the enjoyment of many new members.
And while doing THAT, I realized that I must have missed some pages myself!

To me it's one of the best, if not thee best thread on this site - thanks to James N. and all who participated.
Watch the movie once more, you will see it with different eyes after having read this thread!
 
Awesome thread James N.! I've watched "Glory" many times spotting you with your "Burnsides", you always stood out to me and I had assumed you were just a background extra, I never knew you were an East Texas reenactor like myself! Who knows our paths may have crossed at some point. I've heard several stories of the filming of "Glory", specifically about some reenactors wanting to make off with the "dead horse" and being disappointed at it being protected.

As someone who just got pulled into the film industry, I understand how frustrating the hurry up and wait is, as for myself I've recently finished filming a budget western, as an extra, weapons coordinator, and historical consultant, I understand your frustration with Zwick, the director I've worked under frustrated me many times, when he offered me the historical consultant credit, my reply was "I'm not sure I want it, you ain't listened to a thing I said!", now he's been contracted to begin writing the script for a new western with a significantly bigger budget, a historic picture based on a true story, and he has me researching everything, (I've already given a bit to much away, so no names or info, I got to be quiet). Either way your old stories have enlightened me on many aspects of that business, and with me seemingly being pulled deeper, and deeper into it, I'm thrilled at reading your experiences, and it being on one of my favorite movies made it quite the thrill. The part of Morgan Freeman breaking your sword belt was espeacially touching to me, during the western we filmed a close dear old friend of mine brought an original buckboard out of his collection, and we had to experience the heartbreak of seeing get wrecked, and it still hasn't seen the promised repair!
Anyway I enjoyed reading your the story of your "adventure"!
 
Fort-Wagner--July-18-1863.jpg


I've just been "reminded" by the American Battlefield Trust (former Civil War Trust) that today is the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Battery Wagner, a perfect excuse to revive my magnum opus thread and share this really nifty map of theirs showing the attack on the fort with the 54th Mass. naturally leading the way!
 
View attachment 196933

I've just been "reminded" by the American Battlefield Trust (former Civil War Trust) that today is the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Battery Wagner, a perfect excuse to revive my magnum opus thread and share this really nifty map of theirs showing the attack on the fort with the 54th Mass. naturally leading the way!
"... A natural defile through which we can only send one regiment at a time...."
 
Thanks to everyone who keeps bumping this. What a splendid story James. It's been an absolute pleasure reading the background to a movie I have a lot of affection for.

'Glory' was a limited release in the UK. As I recall it was only shown in the biggest cities and very briefly.

It was a magnet for re-enactors though. Half a dozen of us travelled in full uniform to the West End (of London) to promote the film on it's opening night … on the Tube :D
 
Thanks to everyone who keeps bumping this. What a splendid story James. It's been an absolute pleasure reading the background to a movie I have a lot of affection for.

'Glory' was a limited release in the UK. As I recall it was only shown in the biggest cities and very briefly.

It was a magnet for re-enactors though. Half a dozen of us travelled in full uniform to the West End (of London) to promote the film on it's opening night … on the Tube :D

fully armed (including swords and bajonets)?
 
Thanks to everyone who keeps bumping this. What a splendid story James. It's been an absolute pleasure reading the background to a movie I have a lot of affection for.

'Glory' was a limited release in the UK. As I recall it was only shown in the biggest cities and very briefly.

It was a magnet for re-enactors though. Half a dozen of us travelled in full uniform to the West End (of London) to promote the film on it's opening night … on the Tube :D
Your story is a wonderful addition to this thread.
 
Back
Top