In reading through the several postings I remembered something
that I had read at the time the movie came out. When the Shaw
family sent for their son's remains, they were told (I believe by
the officer commanding the fort), "We have buried him with his
niggers," which was of course meant as an insult. Shaw's father is said to
have replied, publically, that the family felt it was appropriate for
their son to be buried with the soldiers he had commanded.
Apparently, the folks making the movie were aware of this and at least
thought about putting it in the film, but backed off because they
were afraid most of the audience would think this was a Hollywood invention.
James F. Epperson
epperson@math.uah.edu