Andersonville Page #5

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Lose something, did you?

I'll tell you what he's looking for,

a 30-day furlough, the son of a b*tch.

By God, you bring him out here

on the double right now.

Let go of him! Pot-liquor bowl

full of you Yankee sons of b*tches!

You're gonna wish that you had crossed

that deadline and got your ass shot.

Goddamn you, you Yankee sons of b*tches!

Thank you.

It's a good tunnel.

Good work, boys.

With the little time we had and the tools.

It's not that good,

but it's good for all that we need.

Good job, boys.

All right, the first thing we have to do

is figure out the order we go in.

The first ones out have more

chance before the alarm.

More time to get away

from their damned dogs.

Yeah. So we're gonna draw lots

to fix the order we go in.

No.

Massachusetts men talked it over.

It's your tunnel.

You go first.

He's right.

Well, you helped us dig it.

And you, you tunneling fool, Billy.

You get to Pennsylvania,

I got a job for you.

- Got a job for you.

- I'm never going underground again.

- No?

- I just want to get back to New Bedford...

...and breathe some good salt air.

- You'll get that.

Fair is fair. You first.

All right, all right. Agreed.

Now...

...the second thing is, we need

one strong man to be last.

To make sure everybody

gets through in case the support gives way.

He's gotta be there...

...to drag everybody out

in case there's a cave-in.

I'll do that.

It's gotta be a mining man.

He's gotta see that cave-in coming.

I'll stay with him.

- All right.

- John?

What do we do with him?

Leave him tied up there for a week.

It will do him good.

Kill him!

Hold it, lads! Hold it!

He's not going anywhere.

I'm keeping my eye on him

because I'm staying here.

I don't wanna slow you down.

Wait a minute. All we have to do

is get to the river, right?

- What is that? A mile?

- I can't tell from the map.

We'll leave him tied.

Someone will find him in the morning.

- You're coming with us.

- Josie, I don't...

How soon do we go?

I figure there's only a couple

of feet left to dig. An hour or so, maybe.

We should go first chance.

Those bastard Raiders

may come after us anytime.

Yeah, or sell us to the Rebs

for a crust of bread!

We have to kill him, John.

We can't leave him to turn traitor

on someone else's tunnel.

- He's right.

- Should have killed him in the first place!

- No!

- Wait a minute.

- Wait.

- Just do it.

Do it!

Gleason.

But, sergeant...

So now all the boys will know

he's a tunnel traitor.

Now nobody can take this map.

If you're caught,

it would lead them to the rest.

So you gotta study it now

so you can find your way.

I've already done my studying.

Give that man your old boots.

Got anything to trade?

Now, do like I say.

There's just one last thing.

We're not all gonna make it...

...but whoever does is honor bound...

...to get to Grant or Sherman

and tell them what it's like in here.

Tell him how many of his men have died

and that he has got to exchange for us.

That...

We'll leave in two hours, and with

God's luck, we'll all meet at the river.

- Yes, sir.

- Sergeant.

Good luck.

You stay close. Follow me.

Okay.

All right?

Hey, Yank, stop!

- Yankees escaping!

- Yankees escaping. The east wall!

Go! Go get them!

Martin!

Yankees escaping! Get them dogs!

Open the gate!

They're at the east wall!

Saddle up them horses

on the double-quick now!

Martin! Run! Run!

They're about to the woods!

Come on! Move it! Move it!

Come on, you men! Come on, now!

Soldiers, ride hard, now!

Ride hard, now!

Go! Get up there, now! Come on!

Thomas!

You hold there, now! Take this one back.

Put him in the stockade.

There's more game out there,

now, so let's go!

Come on, get up.

That tree. Tree.

Come on.

Come on.

Look. Look.

That's enough!

One, two. One, two...

No! No! No! No! No! Stop!

Halt!

Halt!

These musicians,

they must be much, much better.

And this, what you call marching, you

will drill them until it's dark or after dark...

...if necessary.

They must be perfect tomorrow!

- Absolutely, sir. They will be.

- Oh, colonel.

I hope you don't have to leave before

we can welcome Gen. Winder back.

- Tomorrow morning.

- Oh, too bad...

...because they will improve very much...

- lf you spent one hour a day...

...improving the stockade rather than

planning these ridiculous little ceremonies...

Colonel, excuse me.

I'm in charge of the guard force...

You're responsible for

operation of this prison.

- Oh. Well, in part, but, colonel...

- May I ask you a personal question, captain?

- Something I need for my report.

- Oh, yes. Of course.

I heard when you came here from

Switzerland you had medical training.

- Absolutely true. I am fully qualified...

- To what? Allow this disgrace to civilization?

Colonel, please. Don't speak like this

in front of my men.

They'll hear soon enough.

I'm filing my report.

There are things I must say to you,

but not in front of the men. We must talk.

Please. Colonel?

Please.

Thank you.

Will you, please?

Forward march!

Will you please leave us alone?

You must know, colonel,

Gen. Winder is in charge here.

- Totally. Of food, medicine, supplies...

- I will report to the government...

...what I think the general's responsibilities

are. If you would like to discuss...

...your own responsibilities for the deaths

of more than 100 men in your care a day...

- I only meant that...

- You, captain. You.

In one week, you could've finished a dam

across the stream. Made floodgates...

...to flush out the waste. Built

another camp to relieve crowding.

But you see, we have no tools.

I ask for sources...

You have some tools, captain.

I took inventory.

You can parole prisoners to gather food

from nearby plantations.

- I did, colonel, earlier, but they ran.

- Under guard!

- And let the prisoners build shelters.

- We have no canvas!

- Wood!

- I wanted them to have wood...

...but Gen. Winder ordered all the trees...

- I have told you...

...I will not discuss

the general with you!

Now, if you have anything else

to say on your own behalf...

I most respectfully... Please...

...you must tell them there is no one,

absolutely no one in this war...

...who has to deal with the

circumstances I have to deal with.

You have seen. You know that.

But please tell them I do not complain.

I am a soldier, colonel.

I know my duty and I fulfill it faithfully.

Look at this arm of mine.

Shattered in the Battle of Seven Pines...

Yes. You are a soldier, captain.

So when you personally ordered the stocks

to be built and the ball and chain...

- Only for escaped prisoners...

- You knew you were violating...

...the Articles of War. As you knew you were

when you had food withheld from prisoners...

...as punishment.

Now, was there anything else

you wanted to say?

It's true, colonel. Of course it is.

It's all true.

I know it will not surprise you that

I agree with everything that you say.

But I try, colonel. I try very hard.

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