Gods and Generals Page #10

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our very eyes, in our own country.

As God is my witness, there is no one

I hold in my heart dearer than you.

But if your life or mine is part of the

price to end this curseand free the Negro...

...then let God's will be done.

Oh, my, general,

we do appreciate the gift.

Where do you get all these lemons?

It's a kind providence that provides kindly.

Miss Corbin, the Yankees have not

succeeded in cutting our rail lines...

...to the South.

Here is to the sultry, balmy, South.

And, Miss Corbin,

here's to your engagement.

May Sandie Pendleton prove to be

as fine a husband as he is a soldier.

Hear, hear.

That's good, it's not too sweet.

May I have some more?

Sure.

Mrs. Corbin.

Thank you for your many kindnesses.

Our cause and our country

are in your debt.

I only regret, general,

that we could not do more.

You'll come visit us again

when this cruel war is over?

I should like to say goodbye to your

daughter. I shall miss her very much.

Certainly, general.

She's not feeling very well today.

All of the children have come down

with the fever. Please, come in.

Well, now.

What's this?

How can I play with my friend

if she insists on staying in bed?

Jane.

Will you place this angel on your tree

next Christmas?

Mrs. Corbin, I must return to my men.

My physician, Doctor McGuire,

will attend to her.

- I will send him directly.

- Bless you, general.

Fresh meat. What a change.

Yeah. A live steer around these parts

is as rare as a peacock in a poultry pen.

It was scarlet fever.

The children are all right. They'll be fine.

Except...

I'm so sorry, sir.

The little girl, Jane.

She did not survive. She died, sir.

What is it?

He's never cried before.

Not for all the blood and all the death,

not for his young students from VMI...

...not for his friends...

...not for anyone.

Not so, Sandie.

I think he is crying for them all.

She's too pretty to look like me.

Nonsense, Thomas.

She is very like you.

She rises early and she loves to be held

in my arms.

I have never seen you look

so well, Thomas.

You are handsomer than ever.

General Jackson, sir? General Jackson, sir?

An officer come to see you, sir.

An officer from General Lee, sir.

I'll be right there.

General, from what we've observed,

Hooker has moved five corps...

...maybe 70,000 men.

They're digging in around

Chancellor's mansion.

Sedgwick has another 40,000

spread out along the Stafford Heights...

...on the north bank of the Rappahannock

in front of General Early at Fredericksburg.

Now, there's possibly 30,000 more

back along the river north of here...

...that we've not yet located.

We're not in a position of strength here.

We owe a great deal to the unexplainable,

the mystery of General Hooker...

...who's allowed us to maneuver freely...

...between two parts of an army

that's more than twice our strength.

We do not yet understand his plan.

He may still plan a move

toward Gordonsville...

...move around below us,

cut us off from Richmond.

And there's still Sedgwick on the river.

Now Sedgwick shows no signs of moving,

but that could change.

They're anchored against the river...

...and their lines continue

down below Chancellorsville...

...then curves along here.

We've observed their lines curving out

in these open clearings...

...then extending on out to the west.

Then what, general?

Do you know where their right flank is?

- No. Not yet.

- We must know. We must know.

If he marches in that direction,

he could threaten our flank...

...or be going toward Gordonsville

before we can react.

General Lee, sir.

- May I approach?

- Sure.

Out here, in the west,

along this turnpike, here...

...their right flank's in the air.

It's the one place they're not digging in.

They're not expecting any pressure there.

- Who's on their flank?

- 11 th Corps. Oliver Howard.

Were there any roads farther down

below the turnpike?

Yes, sir. Indeed there are, good roads.

That's Catherine's Furnace here

and there's a road here.

- There's a road over this way.

- Then, we must hit them there.

Then attack the flank.

They will have nowhere to go.

They'll have to go back across the river

or we will destroy them.

We're too close to their lines.

They'll observe our movements.

There must be another road farther down.

Now, is there someone we know?

Someone we can trust

who knows the area?

Captain Pendleton.

Find Reverend Lacy for me.

I'm here, sir.

This is my chaplain,

the Reverend Tucker Lacy.

He has family in this area.

General Lee.

Reverend, it would be very helpful

if you could find us a safe route...

...around the enemy.

- Well, sir, there, I know a family.

The Wellfords. I suggest a visit to them.

We may find ourselves a guide.

Please go at once, Mr. Lacy.

Find someone who might show us

how we might proceed.

Yes, sir.

Then it has been decided, general.

This mission will be yours.

I would not have it any other way.

Boys, my days are numbered.

My time has come.

You can laugh, but my time has come.

I got a 20-dollar gold piece I carried

through the war and a silver watch...

...my daddy sent to me

through the lines.

Take them off of me when I'm dead.

Give them to my captain to give to my

daddy when he gets back home.

Here's my clothes and my blanket.

Anybody who wishes can have them.

My rations I do not wish at all. My gun

and cartridge box I expect to die with.

- Mr. Smith.

- Sir.

Your instructions to the ranks: There is

to be no noise, I want no talking.

Stragglers will be bayoneted,

let the men know.

No muskets are to be loaded until we

deploy for battle. Secrecy, Mr. Smith.

Everything depends upon

the element of surprise.

Sir, I'll convey the orders. No stragglers.

- Reverend.

- May we bow our heads.

Dear Lord, heavenly Father,

you who know all things.

We face again a mighty

foe, a vast host.

An enemy more than twice our number.

But you have taught us

to fear not, to trust in you.

When the Philistines came before them,

the people of Israel feared Goliath.

Their Army was in terror.

No one had the courage to stand

against the mighty warrior.

Then you brought forth David,

a mere boy.

And Saul armed David with his armor...

...and he put a helmet

of brass upon his head.

Also he armed him with a coat of mail.

And David girded his sword upon

his armor and he assayed to go.

General Rodes, deploy your men on

either side of the turnpike, brigade front.

How soon will

General Colston's men be up?

We're right behind, general.

General Lee...

...I hope as soon as

practicable to attack...

...I trust that an ever kind providence

will bless us with great success.

Take this to General Lee.

Well, General Rodes...

...it appears the Virginia Military

Institute will be heard from today.

Deploy your brigade.

There is another blow, it's a road that

runs well below the Federal lines.

The Wellford boy explained it to me.

He knows the route.

He will march with us to where

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