The Civil War reenactors who took part in the film did so voluntarily and without pay.
Morgan Freeman used his experience in the Air Force to inform how relationships would be formed in the unit. Freeman claimed that no one becomes fast friends during training, but partnerships are made according to strengths.
Edward Zwick claimed that, for the flogging scene, Denzel Washington was lashed at full contact with a special whip that would not cut his back, but still stung. For the final take of the scene, Zwick hesitated to call "Cut!" to signal the flogging to stop, and the result was Washington's spontaneous tear down his cheek.
Matthew Broderick claimed that the battle scenes didn't require much acting because he was genuinely afraid of the extremely loud explosions on-set.
The relief sculpture in the credits is the Robert Gould Shaw and 54th Regiment Memorial in Boston Common, by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It's located on the Common, on the left side of the steps leading up to the Beacon Street entrance of the gold domed Massachusetts State Capitol.