Cinco de Mayo: La batalla Page #3

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that the French army may occupy.

Watch out!

No Mexican man

between the ages of 20 to 60

will be exempt

from taking up arms.

Otherwise, they will be punished

like traitors.

Citlali?

How are you?

Fine.

So, you are coming to Puebla.

Yes.

I want to thank you

for taking care of me.

You don't have to.

I did it for everyone.

Are you feeling better,

by the way?

Yes, much better.

Stop that!

Go away!

Here.

It's for you.

- I can't accept this!

- Hold on!

This cross has taken care of me.

Just like you did.

It's the only way that

I can thank you.

So take it, please.

In fact, here.

It's very pretty.

Thank you very much.

- You're welcome.

- You are Juan, aren't you?

Attention, let them pass!

It's a General.

Present saber!

General Leonardo Marquez.

I've come to put my army at Napoleon Ill

and the French Empire's disposal.

Here he is.

The "Tiger of Tacubaya."

General, it's an honor

to have you among us.

It's time to settle things

with that usurper Juarez

and his pathetic Liberal army.

Mr. Dubois de Saligny, ambassador

and French politician.

- At your service, Mr. Saligny.

- Thank you, General.

Please.

We have heard terrible

things about you.

Excuse me?

They say you are a tiger

on the battlefield

and that you eat

your enemies alive.

A tiger who likes to eat Liberal men.

Exactly.

This is exactly what we need

to strangle Jurez's army.

I have 7,000 men.

They're ready to march over them.

7,000? Well, you accomplished

your task, General.

We have prepared a little reception

so you can sit and discuss with

our war chief, the Count of Lorencz.

This way, please.

We will pass through

the Acultzingo Summit.

It is the fastest way

to get to Puebla.

And the most dangerous one,

General Lorencez, if I might add.

That field could be favorable

for the enemy.

Yes...

But we are the French army.

My men are on the other side,

near Atlixco.

My proposal is to move forward

in parallel, to surround them.

General Marquez,

do you have any available cavalry?

Yes, indeed.

Excellent!

Our horses are in bad shape.

We didn't find any water

or food on our way.

So we had to leave most of them

in order to save them.

They don't have cavalry either.

Most of their horses

died in Chalchicomula.

And we have not only

French soldiers...

But also African,

Algerian, Bedouin.

Let's say

they're a little bit savage.

Then it is all settled, gentlemen.

- Long live the Mexican monarchy!

- Vive La France!

Lieutenant Fauvet,

escort General Marquez.

Yes, General.

After that,

set up an advanced party

on the other side

of our line of attack.

Fine, General.

When will we meet again, General?

Well,

I'll see you on the battlefield.

- At your command, General.

- We are counting on you, General.

I'll see you in Puebla, gentlemen.

Hurry up or I'll see you

when we enter Mexico City.

Or the United States.

Acultzingo Summit

April the 28th

Aim!

Fire!

Fire!

Soldiers!

Today we are going to die

for our homeland.

But many more Frenchmen

will die, too.

Forward!

Come on!

- Attack them!

-To the horsemen!

Attack them!

Get ready!

Artillery, artillery!

Fire!

Let's go!

Don't take any prisoner!

Kill them all!

Attack them!

God damn it!

Arteaga.

General Porfirio Diaz.

At you service, General.

The enemy is moving forward, even though

they have more casualties than we do.

We estimate 10 of them have

died for each one of ours, General.

Still...

Night will fall soon,

it will favor our withdrawal.

Withdrawal, sir? From this position,

we can resist and attack them.

Porfirio, from the beginning,

I knew this position was lost.

We are moving to Puebla,

and you will cover our backs. Understood?

Yes, General.

lam at your command.

They are not going to pass,

until the last man has withdrawn.

You, go to the points

where our troops are.

I need you to inform them

what happened here.

- Move!

- Yes, General!

We will barely have time

to prepare our defense.

Fire!

Finally!

Victory.

This is just the prelude of what

is going to happen in Puebla.

Retreat!

Protect the retreat!

Cannon number one, fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Gather around!

Gather around!

Should we follow him?

That's not necessary.

He will surely die.

Besides, the terrain is sheer, Sergeant.

Will these work?

They worked in '47.

We'll only shoot twice anyway.

Before the third shot,

we will be in a hand-to-hand combat.

Yeah.

Hey!

Are you okay?

I am thirsty.

I am starving,

and I am cold.

I am tired.

Artemio, I am fed up.

We are just fleeing, aren't we?

What did you expect? Our best men died

and there's no ammunition.

That's the point.

What are we doing here?

- Don't you see it is impossible?

- What is?

What? Defeating the French!

What are you talking about?

- Doctor!

- I'm here!

What happened?

I bring news from Acultzingo.

The French defeated us.

- They seized that position.

- How many are they?

Around 6,000.

General Zaragoza orders

to go faster,

to reach Puebla

as soon as possible.

Calm down.

Calm down.

Your name.

What is your name?

There's nothing we can do.

This horse is exhausted.

You two,

bury this man.

L---

I'm done, Artemio.

What do you mean?

I'm quitting.

Tomorrow I'm going back

to our hometown, or anywhere.

Are you going to desert?

Don't be an idiot,

if they catch you, they'll shoot you!

So what?

If we stay,

the French will kill us anyway.

Like this man here.

Tell me, who is the idiot?

F***ing coward!

What's your problem?

What's going on?

I brought you some water.

-It's okay.

- No, it's not okay.

Tell her you want to leave.

That you are afraid of the French.

I don't want to die for no reason.

That's all.

Die like a man,

by defending our homeland.

Our homeland?

Nothing belongs to us!

Artemio, why don't you understand?

If I had some land,

a family and children...

But I can't have them if I'm dead.

I don't know about you,

but I'm leaving.

Fine.

Go! But if they ask me,

I'll tell them that you deserted.

If you leave...

What?

Are you going to report me, too?

No, no way.

So?

Take me with you.

What?

No, I can't do that.

My aunt was my only family,

I have no one left.

Just like you.

Besides, I've seen too much.

Too much death and pain.

I can't bear it anymore.

Okay.

- We can go to my hometown.

- Okay.

Right now. Hurry!

Hurry!

Goodbye, Artemio.

Good luck.

How many men do we have, really?

We have to gather all the injured men

and check them.

Then we'll decide how many

can go back to the battlefield.

Okay, Doctor Ruiz.

Private Artemio.

Where is your friend?

The soldier who helped you

bury that man.

- Who? Juan?

- I don't know. I haven't seen him.

He's probably with the group

that we left behind.

Are you sure?

He has not deserted us, has he?

You know desertion

is punishable by death.

No, Captain.

- Juan wouldn't dare.

- We have few soldiers.

I can't afford

to lose any of them!

Find him and bring him

to me! Understood?

- Yes, Captain.

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