The inspirational soldier depicted in the movie "Emancipation"
Will Smith portrays Peter Gordon in the film Emancipation which premiered in December 2022. Many of the plantations in the film are actual plantations where men from the First Louisiana Engineers (97th USCT) and Native Guards fled from enslavement. Below are two links to trailers for the movie. These two photos are the Civil War images taken of "Whipped Peter" also known as "Gordon" which were distributed throughout the north to show the horrors of enslavement.
|
"Whipped Peter (Gordon)"As the story goes, "Peter" or "Gordon" fled the Louisiana plantation where he had been held as a slave and escaped toward the Mississippi River to find freedom behind Union lines. He was chased by his former master, a small band of white men and bloodhounds. Gordon rubbed onions over his body to hide his scent. His clothes were torn and covered with mud and dirt. He traveled 80 miles in ten days to reach the Union army encamped at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The famous picture of “Gordon” or “Whipped Peter” was taken by medical examiners at Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the spring of 1863. The photograph was mass produced on carte-de-viste and were distributed across the north to demonstrate the horrors inflicted upon those who were enslaved. Other photographers and multiple newspapers distributed the image as the war progressed making it one of the most well known photos of the American Civil War. Medical reports state that more than half of the formerly enslaved men examined who wished to enlist into the United States Army’s Corps d’Afrique who had escaped from Louisiana plantations failed the physical exams due to the brutality, scars and crippling effects of enslavement. The accounts of Gordon/Whipped Peter state that he mustered in at Camp Parapet and that he was with the Corps d’Afrique at Port Hudson and held the rank of sergeant. Looking through the Military Service Records collection of the National Archives, there were several “Gordons” and “Peters” that were with the colored regiments that would have mustered in prior to, or during the Siege of Port Hudson. Of these, only three showed a rank of sergeant, and all of them were in the 1st Regiment Louisiana Engineers and all mustered in at Camp Parapet with the regiment's formation. Sgt. Peter Simms, enlisted 4-10-1863, age 21, Company I, mustered out at the end of his 3 year service, April 6, 1866. Sgt. William Gordon, enlisted 4-10-1863, age 38, stood 5’ 10”, Company A, entered the hospital at Brazos, TX and died of scurvy on Sept. 11, 1864. Sgt. Peter Jones, enlisted 4-10-1863, age 32, Company M, deserted before Port Hudson June 19, 1863. There were many “Peters” and "Gordons” that held the rank of private, and some who rose to the rank of corporal, in the other colored regiments at Port Hudson. Of those the breakdown is as follows: Name (Pvt.) Gordon ___ / ___ Gordon / Peter ___ / ___ Peter(s) 73rdUSCT*: 15 3 75th USCT: 1 24 4 76th USCT: 4 21 95th USCT**: 2 2 4 2 97th USCT**: 1 12 * The 73rd USCT was originally the 1st Louisiana Native Guards (1st Regt. Infantry, Corps d'Afrique) ** The 95th and 97th USCT were both formed from the split of the 1st Louisiana Engineers (1st Regt. Engineers, Corps d’Afrique) by S.O. 218. In the case of those in the above table, all of the men either mustered in long before the timeline of the “Peter Gordon” story or long afterwards. In some cases, those men were also born in places such as North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, or Kentucky, all of which conflict with the Peter Gordon story. Sources: https://www.abhmuseum.org/the-scourged-back-how-runaway-slave-and-soldier-private-gordon-changed-history https://catalog.archives.gov/id/107499370?fbclid=IwAR0QS_lnNhOcLOjJKbOCuO0ivxa38LDnjszKW9zmiPt5Guuyr5ksoone7Vs https://catalog.archives.gov/id/200701569?fbclid=IwAR0Bvstw7_7LLgRHvHiM3wui0XROHHsUDDiY7zVbOxm8znIxLEJeWdUs1f8 https://catalog.archives.gov/id/200703799?fbclid=IwAR0QS_lnNhOcLOjJKbOCuO0ivxa38LDnjszKW9zmiPt5Guuyr5ksoone7Vs |
Will Smiths in the 97th U.S. Colored InfantryWill Smith trivia: In The Red River Campaign and Its Toll: 69 Bloody Days in Louisiana, March-May 1864 by Henry Robertson, the author mentions a Will Smith that enlisted with the engineers, "Not only did slaves leave in giant numbers from plantations, but many traded their slave clothes for a blue uniform. On the Prudhomme plantation named 'Bermuda,' with lands stretching alongside the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish, a YOUNG laborer escaped slavery and followed the retreating army into Alexandria. There he enlisted in the Union Army. He took the name William Smith and was enlisted in a black engineering company."
More is mentioned in the book about US Army enlistments of escaped slaves and continues with, "William Smith joined the 99th Engineering regiment, and the 97th engineers were also with the expedition." (page 136) In the book's conclusion, the author adds that William Smith had run away from the Prudhomme plantation on the Cane River, self-emancipated, joined the 99th USCT at Alexandria, assisted in building Bailey's Dam, fell ill, was left behind because he was too sick to move, and when attempting to catch up with the regiment, was captured and carried back to the plantation. After the war, that Will Smith joined the "buffalo Soldiers."(pages 169-170) According to the military service records of the National Archives there was a William Smith in the 99th regiment but conflicting records exist between the story related in the Red River Campaign book and the official paperwork on record. The William Smith in the 99th was 35 years old and had enlisted in August of 1863 at New Orleans into the 5th Regiment Engineers, Corps d'Afrique (99th USCT) into Company A and was discharged for disability on April 16, 1864 because he had been listed as being sick for an extended amount of time in the Corps d'Afrique General Hospital due to a hernia. He passed away in New Orleans, May 20, 1864 and his cause of death is listed as orchitis, a bacterial or viral inflammation of one or both testicles. Evidence suggests that the "Will Smith" mentioned in the book enlisting into the 99th most likely did not, but instead it appears more likely the he enlisted into the 97th USCT. (A link to William Smith's service records can be found below) There were multiple Will Smiths that were enlisted men in the 97th U.S. Colored infantry. One, who enlisted in April of 1863 with the First Louisiana Engineers, Company I, at Camp Parapet, Carrollton, Louisiana transferred with the creation of the 3rd Regiment Engineers, Corps d'Afrique (97th USCT) and would rise to the rank of Sergeant. He would later be joined by at least two others, One was 21 years old when he enlisted in April 1864 at Grand Ecore during the Red River Campaign directly into the 97th USCT and it most likely that he is the William Smith referred to in the book. The other one enlisted at Dauphine Island, Alabama during the Mobile Campaign. Then there is "Bill" who appears to be a doubling of the paperwork. (A National Archives service records link to the multiple William Smiths in the 97th USCT can be found below) Source: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/107499752?fbclid=IwAR2_c5WDtEtxRQyXrT_ByNTbb_dncXnUdM8jqbDg4YNyJlhsv9mcgu2SQAE |
"EMANCIPATION" Movie Trivia
SPOILER ALERT: This section of this page contains many spoilers for the Apple+ movie Emancipation starring Will Smith as "Peter."
The 1st and 3rd Louisiana Native Guards assault on Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. What really happened?
The actions of the 1st Louisiana Native Guard and the results of their famous charge were dramatically different than what was depicted in the Apple+ movie, Emancipation. Many fascinating details and acts of heroism were omitted from the film. For a description of their participation, a section has been devoted to the Siege of Port Hudson in both the "73rd USCT" and "97th USCT" pages on this site.
What Regiment was Whipped Peter Gordon enlisted in?
Unlike the film adaptation of the Whipped Peter Gordon story, it is more likely that the real "Peter" enlisted into the First Louisiana Engineers (97th USCT) rather than the First Louisiana Native Guards (73rd USCT). National Archive records are shown in the section above for reference.
Name variances between actual persons and movie characters.
The movie uses many similar names rather than actual names of the characters in the film. For example; Peter and Gordon are two separate characters in the film even though the famous photo uses both Peter and Gordon for the same man. Lt. Andrew Cailloux of Company E is the fictional film character representing Captain Andre Cailloux of Company E.
The heroic color sergeant, Anselmas Planciacois, whos head is blown off while advancing with the colors, is not depicted. His character is shown in the credits as Anselino Plancianois.
Captain James H. Ingraham, one of the last black officers of the regiment who became an active civil rights leader after resigning his commission, is shown in the film as Sergeant Major James Ingraham. Capt. J. H. Ingraham was president of the Louisiana Convention of Colored People and worked with Frederick Douglas to organize the Louisiana Branch of the National Equal Rights League and was probably the most important and influential man of the 1st Louisiana Native Guards.
There really was a General William Dwight who directed the 1st LNG to charge the morning of May 27, 1863. He really did want to "test" colored soldiers and did have a reputation for his drinking of alcohol at all times of the day.
Corps Badges of 1st LNG at Port Hudson.
When the 1st LNG was initially mustered into service in September of 1862 no Corps badges were in use in the Department of the Gulf. You will notice in the Emancipation movie that the 1st Louisiana Native Guard do not have any corps insignia on their uniforms.
On February 18, 1863, the Dept. of the Gulf (XIX Corps) adopted the four pointed star. The 4-pointed star is seen on the hats of a few officers in the movie. During the Siege of Port Hudson (May to July, 1863) the XIX Corps flag is seen in the background in one of the scenes. Towards the conclusion of the film the men of the regiment are seen with badges on their hats that are a clue that time has passed and they are likely no longer the 1st Louisiana Native Guard, but have been re-designated as the 1st Regiment Infantry, Corps d'Afrique by 1864. Correspondence from Brig. Gen. G. L. Andrews indicates that no "official" U.S. Colored Troops division existed by early October of 1864.
"PORT HUDSON, October 7, 1864.
(Received 4.50 p. .)
Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,
Assistant Adjutant-General:
There is no brigade organization at Port Hudson. The regiments and batteries there are the Seventy- sixth, Seventy- eight, Eighty- fist Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry, the Fourth U. S. Colored Cavalry, the Twelfth Massachusetts and Second Vermont Batteries. There are two brigades of U. S. Colored Troops at Morganza, viz, Provisional Brigade, consisting of the Sixth- second and Sixty- fifth and Sixty- seventh regiments U. S . Colored Infantry; the First Brigade, Corps d'Afrique, consisting of the Seventy- third, Seventy- fifth, Eighty- fourth, and Ninety- second Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry. The Ninety- ninth Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry is also there as engineer troops. The whole is taken as Ullmann's division, U. S. Colored Troops, but I am not aware that the division is organized by any authority. Colonel A. J. Edgerton, of Sixty- seventh, commanding the Provisional Brigade, Colonel Frisbie, of the Ninety- second, commanding the First Brigade. All regiments and batteries at Port Hudson report direct to me.
GEO. L. ANDREWS,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding. (Serial 085 Page 0680 Chapter LIII CORRESPONDENCE, ETC UNION)
On November 17, 1864 the XIX Corps adopted the version of the Maltese cross seen in the photograph. and would have been worn by soldiers in regiments attached to the 1st Division of the XIX Corps AFTER the Red River campaign in the spring of 1864. As such, the corps badge may be a historical inaccuracy, yet helps the viewer recognize that many months have passed. The colored soldiers in both the Siege of Port Hudson and the Red River Campaign were not attached to any of the Divisions within the XIX Corps but were segregated as the Corps d'Afrique.
Sources:
(1) https://civilwartalk.com/.../19th-corps-badge-colors.187221/ and https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/.../p15040coll6/id/193/ and https://americanhistory.si.edu/.../object/nmah_1373469 and https://howardlanham.tripod.com/linkgr3/link151.html
(2) https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flags_of_the_Army_of_the_United_States_carried_during_the_War_of_the_Rebellion,_1861-1865,_to_designate_the_headquarters_of_the_different_armies,_army_corps,_divisions_and_brigades_(1887)_(14783449655).jpg
(3) Emancipation, film by Apple+, 2022
Caps for the film were custom made by Kepi Nation from April to November 2021. Some caps were made distressed to depict battlefield wear and tear.
The 1st and 3rd Louisiana Native Guards assault on Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. What really happened?
The actions of the 1st Louisiana Native Guard and the results of their famous charge were dramatically different than what was depicted in the Apple+ movie, Emancipation. Many fascinating details and acts of heroism were omitted from the film. For a description of their participation, a section has been devoted to the Siege of Port Hudson in both the "73rd USCT" and "97th USCT" pages on this site.
What Regiment was Whipped Peter Gordon enlisted in?
Unlike the film adaptation of the Whipped Peter Gordon story, it is more likely that the real "Peter" enlisted into the First Louisiana Engineers (97th USCT) rather than the First Louisiana Native Guards (73rd USCT). National Archive records are shown in the section above for reference.
Name variances between actual persons and movie characters.
The movie uses many similar names rather than actual names of the characters in the film. For example; Peter and Gordon are two separate characters in the film even though the famous photo uses both Peter and Gordon for the same man. Lt. Andrew Cailloux of Company E is the fictional film character representing Captain Andre Cailloux of Company E.
The heroic color sergeant, Anselmas Planciacois, whos head is blown off while advancing with the colors, is not depicted. His character is shown in the credits as Anselino Plancianois.
Captain James H. Ingraham, one of the last black officers of the regiment who became an active civil rights leader after resigning his commission, is shown in the film as Sergeant Major James Ingraham. Capt. J. H. Ingraham was president of the Louisiana Convention of Colored People and worked with Frederick Douglas to organize the Louisiana Branch of the National Equal Rights League and was probably the most important and influential man of the 1st Louisiana Native Guards.
There really was a General William Dwight who directed the 1st LNG to charge the morning of May 27, 1863. He really did want to "test" colored soldiers and did have a reputation for his drinking of alcohol at all times of the day.
Corps Badges of 1st LNG at Port Hudson.
When the 1st LNG was initially mustered into service in September of 1862 no Corps badges were in use in the Department of the Gulf. You will notice in the Emancipation movie that the 1st Louisiana Native Guard do not have any corps insignia on their uniforms.
On February 18, 1863, the Dept. of the Gulf (XIX Corps) adopted the four pointed star. The 4-pointed star is seen on the hats of a few officers in the movie. During the Siege of Port Hudson (May to July, 1863) the XIX Corps flag is seen in the background in one of the scenes. Towards the conclusion of the film the men of the regiment are seen with badges on their hats that are a clue that time has passed and they are likely no longer the 1st Louisiana Native Guard, but have been re-designated as the 1st Regiment Infantry, Corps d'Afrique by 1864. Correspondence from Brig. Gen. G. L. Andrews indicates that no "official" U.S. Colored Troops division existed by early October of 1864.
"PORT HUDSON, October 7, 1864.
(Received 4.50 p. .)
Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,
Assistant Adjutant-General:
There is no brigade organization at Port Hudson. The regiments and batteries there are the Seventy- sixth, Seventy- eight, Eighty- fist Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry, the Fourth U. S. Colored Cavalry, the Twelfth Massachusetts and Second Vermont Batteries. There are two brigades of U. S. Colored Troops at Morganza, viz, Provisional Brigade, consisting of the Sixth- second and Sixty- fifth and Sixty- seventh regiments U. S . Colored Infantry; the First Brigade, Corps d'Afrique, consisting of the Seventy- third, Seventy- fifth, Eighty- fourth, and Ninety- second Regiments U. S. Colored Infantry. The Ninety- ninth Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry is also there as engineer troops. The whole is taken as Ullmann's division, U. S. Colored Troops, but I am not aware that the division is organized by any authority. Colonel A. J. Edgerton, of Sixty- seventh, commanding the Provisional Brigade, Colonel Frisbie, of the Ninety- second, commanding the First Brigade. All regiments and batteries at Port Hudson report direct to me.
GEO. L. ANDREWS,
Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding. (Serial 085 Page 0680 Chapter LIII CORRESPONDENCE, ETC UNION)
On November 17, 1864 the XIX Corps adopted the version of the Maltese cross seen in the photograph. and would have been worn by soldiers in regiments attached to the 1st Division of the XIX Corps AFTER the Red River campaign in the spring of 1864. As such, the corps badge may be a historical inaccuracy, yet helps the viewer recognize that many months have passed. The colored soldiers in both the Siege of Port Hudson and the Red River Campaign were not attached to any of the Divisions within the XIX Corps but were segregated as the Corps d'Afrique.
Sources:
(1) https://civilwartalk.com/.../19th-corps-badge-colors.187221/ and https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/.../p15040coll6/id/193/ and https://americanhistory.si.edu/.../object/nmah_1373469 and https://howardlanham.tripod.com/linkgr3/link151.html
(2) https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flags_of_the_Army_of_the_United_States_carried_during_the_War_of_the_Rebellion,_1861-1865,_to_designate_the_headquarters_of_the_different_armies,_army_corps,_divisions_and_brigades_(1887)_(14783449655).jpg
(3) Emancipation, film by Apple+, 2022
Caps for the film were custom made by Kepi Nation from April to November 2021. Some caps were made distressed to depict battlefield wear and tear.
*Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights belong to their respective owners. All original commentary and materials produced by this channel are the intellectual property of the author. [email protected].