Gods and Generals

Deliberate mistake: When the two Confederate and Union soldiers meet across the river and trade coffee/tobacco, you can see the other side of the bank behind them. It looks at least 50 feet away, yet before they were able to talk to each other without shouting. Also, the Union soldier raises the pipe to his mouth in his right hand, which switches to his left in the next shot. There is also a mist present at the beginning and end of the meeting, but not in the middle. (00:37:55)

Daz

Deliberate mistake: At Fredricksburg, when the troops from the 20th Maine are retreating, Tom Chamberlain is seen firing his revolver at the Confederates, and there is no burst of smoke, nor any recoil (also, the tip of the barrel of the pistol is off-screen.) This is because he is dry-firing the gun, since that shot contains dialogue and a real shot would interfere with the microphones. This mistake occurs earlier as well, with the Irish Confederate officer firing his revolver at the Irish Union soldiers, though no bullets are visible in the chambers, and the smoke from the primer caps is missing.

Gods and Generals mistake picture

Revealing mistake: In the Fredericksburg battle scene, just after the Union officer orders the men to fall back, there is a 1 or 2 second close-up shot of a Confederate soldier taking a hit and falling back. As he does, a modern wristwatch is visible on his left wrist under the sleeve of his coat. (01:49:49)

More mistakes in Gods and Generals

Gen. 'Stonewall' Jackson: In the Army of the Shenandoah, you were the First Brigade! In the Army of the Potomac you were the First Brigade! In the Second Corps of this Army, you are the First Brigade! You are the First Brigade in the affections of your general, and I hope by your future deeds and bearing you will be handed down the posterity as the First Brigade in this our Second War of Independence. God Speed.

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Trivia: General Robert E. Lee was shown throughout the movie as wearing the three star insignia of a Colonel, rather than the three stars surrounded by a wreath as was the proper insignia for all Confederate generals. General Lee actually wore this throughout most if not all of the war, and this is accurate.

More trivia for Gods and Generals

Question: Where was the civil war battle fought nearest Madison, Wisconsin?

Answer: The nearest one I can find listed was at Kirksville in northern Missouri.

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