Col. Robert Gould Shaw Is The 25-year-old White Son Of Boston Abolitionists Who Volunteers To Command The First All-black 54th Regiment Of The Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins Is The Inspirational Sergeant Who Unites The Troops. Pvt. Trip Is The Runaway Slave Who Embodies The Indomitable Spirit Of The Regiment. After Months Of Tough Training And Eventual Small Battle Experience, They Are Lead To Glory In Their Final Assault On Fort Wagner In South Carolina. Their Heroic Bravery Turned Bitter Defeat Into A Symbolic Victory That Brought Recognition To Black Soldiers And Turned The Tide Of The War. A Gripping Film About The Participation Of African American Soldiers In Civil War Combat.