Glory quotes

View Quote Good morning gentlemen, I am Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. I am your commanding officer. It is a great pleasure to see you all here today. It is my hope that the same courage, spirit, and honor, which has brought us together, will one day restore this Union. May God bless us all.

View Quote [in a letter] Dear Mother, They learn, learn quickly, faster than white troops it seems to me. They are almost grave and sedate under instruction and they restrain themselves. But the moment they are dismissed from drill every tongue is relaxed and every ivory tooth is visible and you would not know from the sound of it that this is an army camp. They must have learned this from long hours of meaningless, inhuman work to set them free so quickly. It gives them great energy. And there is no doubt we will leave this state as fine a regiment as any that as marched. As ever, your son, Robert.

View Quote [Writing a letter to his mother] We are fighting for a people whose poetry has not yet been written.

View Quote If you men will take no pay, then none of us will.

View Quote There's more to fighting than rest, sir. There's character. There's strength of heart. You should have seen us in action two days ago. We were a sight to see! We'll be ready, sir. When do you want us?

View Quote [Handing a journalist his letters home] Got some letters here, personal things. Also, if I should fall, remember what you see here.

View Quote Trip: See the way I figure, I figure this war would be over a whole lot sooner if you boys just turned right on around and headed back on down that way, and you let us head on up there where the real fighting is.
Union Soldier: We got men dyin' up that road.
Trip: And there wouldn't be nothing but rebs dyin if they'd let the fifty-fourth in it.

View Quote 'Shaw: [points at the flag bearer] If this man should fall, who will lift the flag and carry on?
[Searles steps forward]
Searles: I will.
Shaw: I'll see you in the fort, Thomas.

View Quote Let me tell you something, boy. You can march like the white man, you can talk like him. You can sing his songs, you can even wear his suits. But, you ain't NEVER gonna be nothing to him, than an ugly ass chimp... in a blue suit.

View Quote [to Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins] ****, is you an old man or is you an old woman? I forget.

View Quote [about his paycheck, after the 54th learns they will be paid less than an all-white regiment] Tear it up! Tear it up! TEAR IT UP!

View Quote [addressing the 54th the night before battle] I ain't much about no prayin', now. I ain't never had no family, and...killed off my mama. Well, I just... Y'all's the onliest family I got. I love the 54th. Ain't even much a matter what happens tomorrow, 'cause we men, ain't we? We men.

View Quote Cpl. Thomas Searles: It's not true is it? I mean about not being allowed to fight. The men are living for that day. I know I am.

View Quote Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins: That's right, Hines. Ain't no dream. We runaway slaves but we come back fightin' men. Go tell your folks how kingdom come in the year of jubilee!

View Quote Col. Montgomery: That wouldn't have been necessary if that secession woman hadn't started it. They never learn. You see secession has to be cleared away by the hand of God like the Jews of old. Now I will have to burn this town.