Glory Page #3

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l guess the whole world

hate the n*gger.

Boy, quit that drumming in here.

Honey, why don't you take

your drum on outside and practice?

That Colonel Shaw,

he a hard man.

He a swell.

Just a n*gger-beating swell.

But he in the same boat with us.

Secesh come,

take him, kill him too.

Not him. He a swell.

He's just a boy.

He a weak, white boy...

...and beating on a n*gger

make him feel strong.

Ain't that right, snowflake?

You know, he ain't never been

to no West Point.

The only reason he in charge

is because his mommy and daddy fixed it.

Ain't that so?

You thought he was different,

didn't you?

What you think now?

You just thought you was so smart.

Didn't you, n*gger?

You in the real school now, though.

Ain't you?

What you gonna do, cry?

He sure enough learning now, ain't he?

Sh*t!

l know a man say there's a farm

two, three miles from here.

Said the lady over there

give him biscuits and gravy.

She said if he bring his friends,

she'll feed them too.

Don't even think about it.

What you say, boy?

Biscuits and gravy sound good.

Maybe get some real shoes.

l'm telling you, boy. They find out,

they liable to shoot you.

N*gger, is you an old man

or is you an old woman? l forget.

All right.

Collard greens.

Corn bread.

Come on, dream...

...l'm waiting on you.

Dear Mother:
News today of the defeat

at Fredericksburg.

If things continue to go badly...

...I wonder if I might not end my days

as an outlaw leader...

...of a band of fugitive slaves.

Try as I may,

I don't know these men...

... their music, their camaraderie...

...which is different from ours.

I am placed in a position...

...where if I were a man of real

strength, I might do a great deal.

But I am afraid I shall show

that I am not of much account.

I don't want to stand in their way

because of my own weakness.

I miss Christmas on the Shaw Island

and the smell of the sea.

lt's Thomas.

l just wanted to say...

l wanted to say...

Merry Christmas, Robert.

Merry Christmas, Thomas.

You're Shaw, aren't you?

Merry Christmas.

Kendrick.

Division quartermaster.

And this sorry piece of work is Haggis.

He writes vouchers.

- Pleasure.

- Pleasure.

- How's it going down there?

- Very well. Thank you.

lt's all right.

Brass are up to Division,

planning the next disaster.

You're among friends now.

How much longer you figure they last?

l hear they're deserting,

ten at a time.

Well, you're misinformed.

We haven't had a single incident.

See? l figure the nigs

never had it so good.

Three square a day,

a roof over their heads.

And they got to know nobody's

gonna let them fight. Right?

Yes, of course.

Listen, if there's anything you need.

A bottle for the cold nights?

Yes. l've put in a requisition

for some shoes two weeks ago...

...and l haven't heard anything.

Provisionally speaking,

we're extremely limited as to footwear.

l'm afraid that kind of item

has to be reserved for those units...

...whose fighting readiness...

...supersede yours.

You understand, l'm sure.

Yes, l understand.

- Excuse me.

- Well, stop by tomorrow.

l've got my hands on

the most delicious local jam.

Myrtleberry?

- Blueberry.

- Right.

Nice meeting you.

Twit!

- Excuse me, sir.

- What is it?

We've caught a deserter.

Oh, Lordy! This is bad.

They ain't gonna go

and shoot him, is they?

lt'll be all right.

Won't it?

- Reform your ranks!

- Reform your ranks!

Fall in.

Quiet in the ranks.

Quiet in the ranks!

Wright, untie his hands

and take off his coat.

The prisoner's in position, sir.

What is this?

The prisoner is to be flogged

before the entire regiment.

Robert, not with a whip.

Not on them.

Excuse us, sergeant.

At your pleasure, colonel.

Never question my authority

in front of others.

l is sorry, master. You be the boss

man now and all us childrens...

- ...must obey-

- Major Forbes!

Stand at attention!

Sergeant Mulcahy...

...you may commence.

Proceed.

Attention!

Mr. Rawlins...

This morning l...

lt'd be a great help if l

could talk to you about the men...

...from time to time.

That's all.

Shoes, sir.

The men need shoes, colonel.

Yes, l know.

l've been after the quartermaster.

No, sir.

Now.

The boy was off trying

to find himself some shoes, colonel.

He wants to fight...

...same as the rest of us...

...more even.

All of the men like this?

Yes. Most of them.

Good afternoon, colonel.

You change your mind

about that bottle l talked about?

l want 600 pair of shoes

and 1,200 pair of socks...

...and anything else you've been holding

out on us, you piece of rat filth.

l'd love to help you,

but we just don't have any.

Not for n*ggers, you don't?

Not for anybody.

l see. Pity.

l'll just look around,

see if you haven't misplaced them.

Where are they,

you son of a b*tch?

Goddamn it!

You can't-

Can't l?

l'm a colonel,

nasty little cuss.

You really think you can keep

700 Union soldiers...

...without proper shoes

because you think it's funny?

Now where would that power come from?

All right, all right.

Calm down.

Look, have a drink.

Hey, you barefooted mutts!

Come on over here.

Step up over there, boy.

Shoes! Shoes, boy!

Here, there's a pair.

Here.

There's a pair there.

Here's one pair.

One pair of shoes here.

Here's another pair.

Steward?

- ls there anything you need?

- No, sir.

- Keep me informed.

- Yes, sir.

Sir.

From the War Department.

Can anything be done?

They've got families.

We'll protest this

through channels later on.

- Attention battalion.

- Yes, sir.

Attention, battalion!

You men enlisted in this regiment...

...on the understanding

that you would be paid...

...the regular Army wage

of 13 dollars a month.

This morning l have been notified...

...that since

you are a coloured regiment...

...you'll be paid ten dollars a month.

Regiment fall out by company

to receive pay.

Where you going, boy?

To get paid.

Ten dollar a lot of money.

Hey, pop, you fixing

to lay down for this too?

- Fall in!

- Fall in!

Hey, come on, brother.

Where's your pride now?

Make your mark right here.

l can write my name.

Then do it.

A coloured soldier stop a bullet

as good as a white one...

...and for less money too!

Yeah, old Uncle Abe got himself

a real bargain here!

- What you say, boy?

- That's right, slaves.

Step right up.

Get your slave wage.

Yeah, all you good coloured boys,

go sign up.

- That's right. Tear it up.

- Tear it up! Tear it up!

Back in line!

Tear it up!

Tear it up!

lf you men will take no pay...

...then none of us will.

Let's hear it for the colonel!

Attention, battalion!

Eyes right!

Eyes front!

Eyes right!

Man! l forgot

how hot it was down here.

Welcome home, boys.

Don't worry about it, buck.

Take a good look.

lt's all a memory,

now that the Northman come.

Now that we come.

Colonel Shaw?

Edward Pierce. Special assignment

from Harper's Weekly.

- Harper's Weekly?

- Serving an entire nation.

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