Field of Lost Shoes Page #6

Aren't they trapped there now,

sir?

Only till they

decide to charge.

But we're vulnerable here,

Captain!

We defend this hill for as

long as we can!

And halt!

Did y'all see that?

Even the rats held

up under fire.

We showed those old boys,

didn't we?

Sugar rag, is it?

I can't believe it.

You two actually smiled

at each other.

Get ready!

He'll be coming along

Bushong's farm!

We'll give him an Ohio hello!

Follow me,

but keep at least 300 yards

back, well to the rear!

Do you understand, Captain?

Yes, sir!

Virginians, forward!

Come on, boys! Hustle up!

Come on. Come on, boys!

Hustle up.

Battalion, prepare to advance!

Come on now.

First and second rank, ready!

Steady! Steady!

Wait for my command!

Fire! Fire! Fire!

God bless those

Pennsylvania boys.

Holding fast!

Reload! Hurry up!

Now! Now! Now! Now!

Ready! Fire!

Fire! Fire!

They've torn a hole in the

center of our line!

If we can see it, so

can the Blues.

Sir, you must put in the

reserves to restore the line.

When the Union forces regroup

and counterattack,

that line will divide in two.

They'll pull right through the

hole in the center.

Sir, you must put

in the cadets.

Send the boys in.

May God forgive me.

Sir.

Battalion, forward to the line!

Forward to the line!

Come on!

Let's go! Get to the fence!

To what? To the fence!

Let's go!

Get to the fence!

Get to the fence!

Go!

Fire at will! Fire at will!

The cadets are filling the gap.

Fire!

Fire!

Come on! Keep shooting, boys!

Johnny!

I'm right here, Moses!

Fire! Fire!

We can't stay here!

Must be somewheres a

little more useful.

Gentlemen, what do you we say

we charge those guns?

Well, gentlemen, I bet that

sounds a bit dangerous.

John Wise, that was what I

was suggesting.

I was just being subtle.

No sense in dying if we can't

figure out who takes the

credit, right?

Sir, battalion is

ready to attack!

We don't have further orders!

No, I don't suspect we'll

get further orders!

The cadets are ready to charge,

sir!

I suggest we attack and

take those guns

before we get blown apart!

Fix bayonets!

Fire!

Go get 'em, boys.

Everybody ready! Face front!

Charge! Charge!

But they're just a bunch of

damn schoolboys.

Kill 'em!

Kill 'em all!

Jack!

We showed them, didn't we,

George?

Jack, stay with me!

You can't die.

I still gotta whup you good.

I can't carry you forever,

Johnny.

It's up to you now.

Come on, Jack!

Jack, come on!

Jack!

Retreat now! Now!

Let's go, gentlemen!

Someone's gotta cover this

godforsaken retreat!

Let's go! Hyah.

Hyah!

My God, sir, the cadets have

taken Bushong Hill.

Must be an illusion, Charlie.

Their general told them

not to fight.

Where's Jack?

He's dead,

torn to pieces during

the final charge.

And Johnny?

A shell exploded.

Johnny?

Johnny.

Come on.

Here you are. here you are.

Hey, hey, hey! You

come over here!

Give me a stretcher!

Come on.

You'll be all right!

Oh, God.

Ah, you hear me?

Here you go. Here you go.

You hear me?

Hear me, Johnny?

There you go.

There you go.

Johnny.

Johnny.

Can you hear me?

Johnny.

Hey, we won the battle,

all of us.

People are gonna

call us heroes.

They're the heroes,

Jack...

all of them.

Here.

Bring them inside!

Look at that wound. Take that

young man to the back bedroom.

Could I speak with Libby

just for a minute?

Oh, son, Libby's not here.

She's up at the field with

the older girls.

He's at the house.

That boy, he's wounded, but

he's asking for you.

Thank you so much.

Will he survive?

Bullet went through his chest

and lodged in his back.

Is this your son?

These are all my sons.

Let's stitch him.

Ma'am? Ma'am?

Uh, do you have a

New Testament?

This is a Christian Bible.

I understand you're Jewish?

I'm a Jew.

It's for my friend.

He requested it.

I do not believe my

faith will object.

Thank you.

Are you all right?

From the 14th chapter

of Saint John.

"Let not your heart

be troubled:

"You believe in God,

"believe also in me.

"In my Father's house are

many mansions:

If it were not so... "

"I would have told you. "

"I go to prepare a

place for you. "

Would you... Would you

light me a candle?

I don't want to

listen in the dark.

Um...

My, my, my.

Find me a man who knows

how to set a fire.

Next time we go into that

godforsaken valley,

we'll burn it to cinders.

If I can.

Thank you.

Let's leave him, gentlemen.

We were gonna spend the rest of

our lives together.

Ohh.

Stand easy.

Mr. Wise. Mr. Colonna.

I am told that you cadets

decided to lead the charge of

your own volition.

Is that so?

Are they not teaching

you the value

of the chain of command

at the Institute?

I am sorry, sir.

Are you? Hmm.

Then what in good God's name

were you thinking?

My father says the best thing

about doing what's right is it

requires no thought...

no thought at all.

Well...

I guess I have to thank you

for not thinking.

Well done, Virginians.

Well done, men.

Thank you, sir.

The legacy of those who fought

and died at New Market is remembered

by the Cadets of The Virgina Military

Institute every year

Private Stanard died on the

field of honor, sir!

Private Jefferson died on the

field of honor, sir!

Corporal Atwill died on the

field of honor, sir!

Sergeant Cabell!

Private Crockett!

Private Hartsfield!

Private Haynes!

Private Jefferson!

Private Jones!

Private McDowell!

Private Stanard!

Private Wheelwright died on the

field of honor, sir!

''Old Judge'' became a free man and continue

running the bakery at VMI until

he retired after 30 years of service

Moses Ezekiel, the first Jewish Cadet

to attend VMI, became an

internationally famous sculptor

His work is featured around the world

and Arlington National Cemetery

where he is burned

Duck Colonna rebuilt his family

home, became a school teacher, and

entered a long career in U.S.

government service

To this day VMI Cadets, both male and famale

refer to their classmates as Brother Rat

John Wise served in the United States

Congress and helped to rebuild the Union.

Former slave Mary Lumpkin converted the

auction house known as

''Lumpkin's Jail'' to a school for

freed slaves

which became today's Virginia Union

University

Following the war,

the Virginia Military Institute resumed

its appointed mission of educating leaders

for Virginia and the Nation.

In Grateful Memory

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