Gods and Generals Page #8

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Come on, boys!

Dress to the colors!

Come on, boys.

Dress to the colors!

Keep your line, men. Keep your line.

Close that gap!

At the double-quick, men!

Double-quick, boys! Come on, boys!

Keep it tight, boys! Keep it tight!

Turn right, boys! Right!

Turn to the right!

Keep it tight, men! Keep it tight, men!

Come on, boys!

At the double-quick, boys! Come on, boys!

Forward, men. Keep moving!

Battalion, halt!

- Battalion, halt!

- Battalion, halt!

Watch your line!

Dress to the colors!

Ready! Fire!

- Reload, boys! Reload quickly!

- Ready! Aim! Fire!

Keep firing! Keep firing!

Battalion, fight by fire!

Thattaway, boys, fire away!

Pour it into them!

Close the gap, boys!

Pour it into them!

Fill this hole now!

Steady now! Pour it into them!

Dress that line down there!

- Sir?

- What is it?!

Request permission to return

to the rear, sir.

Permission granted. Permission granted.

No, no, Patrick, me boy.

Just reload and shoot.

Pour it into them, boys!

Fill that line in!

Fill this hole now!

Dress to the right!

Fire!

Pour it into them, boys!

Pour it into them!

Fire!

- Fall back, men!

- Fall back! Fall back!

Fall back, boys!

- What did you do that for?

- You'll thank me in the morning.

Oh, Mother. Oh, Mother, help me...

It's all right, Casey, I got you. Don't

worry about a thing. I'll get you home.

Quickly, men. Reload quickly!

It is well that war is so terrible...

...for we should grow too fond of it.

Yes, sir?

We're requisitioning your house

for use as a hospital.

Come on inside out the cold.

You there.

You wounded?

Truly sorry, old fella...

Damn.

- General Hancock, sir.

- Surgeon.

This man is Major Sidney Willard

of the 35th Massachusetts.

This way, sir.

Prepare to lift. Lift.

He's been shot twice in the chest, general.

There's nothing I can do.

- Is there whiskey in this house?

- Yes, sir.

Drink this, sir.

"Think not to thyself...

...that thou shall escape in the king's

house more than all the Jews.

For if it thou keepest

thy peace at this time...

...deliverance shall arise

with the Jews from another place.

And who knows whether

thou art come to the kingdom...

...for such a time as this."

That's from the book of Esther.

Esther knew she had to do

more than save herself.

Esther had to save her people too.

I love them people

you done chased from this house.

I's known them most all my life.

The Beales is good people.

Mr. General?

I was born a slave.

And I wants to die free.

Lord knows I wants to die free,

and I wants my children to be free.

Heaven help me.

May God bless you all.

Damn it, Tom,

you scared me half to death.

You?! Lawrence, I thought

you was with the beyond.

Mother?

I was able to secure the aid

of a good spyglass...

...and could ascertain beyond all doubt

that our house is still standing.

Oh, I pray to God

for Martha and her dear ones.

But, Mother...

...it is a pitiful sight on the fields

below Marye's Heights.

I should feel rancor in my heart

for those invaders...

...but all I feel for them is sorrow.

Dear Lucy...

...when you were

but a child in petticoats...

...I believe the year was 1847...

...there was a great famine in Ireland.

Those fields below the Heights

were covered...

...with the finest crop of corn

ever raised in this section.

The greater part of it was sent

as a donation to the starving Irish.

I cannot help thinking...

...but that it helped to feed

the poor victims of the Irish brigade...

...who fell on this very field today.

General Gregg.

General Jackson.

I wish to apologize...

...for the differences we had.

The doctor tells me

you have not long to live.

I ask you to dismiss this matter

from your mind...

...and turn your thoughts to God...

...and the world to which you go.

General...

...you know that I'm not a believer.

Well, then I will believe

for the both of us.

How horrible is war.

Horrible, yes...

...but we have been invaded.

Lord, what can we do?

Kill them, sir.

Kill every last man of them.

Gentlemen.

Oh, what I wouldn't give

for a cup of Rio just now.

- Return fire!

- Return fire!

Patrick.

I hope you don't mind.

I know you're in heaven,

but you got work yet to do down here...

...in this poor pitiless world.

Colonel Chamberlain.

Your orders are to withdraw.

Withdraw to the city.

Colonel.

We are ordered to form a picket line and

cover the Army's retreat across the river.

Colonel Chamberlain, did you hear me?

Yes, sir. We are to retreat, sir.

Captain Spear.

- Form the regiment. We're moving out.

- Yes, sir.

Yankees.

Everywhere.

Where y'all been?

Can't find my own house. Gone! Gone!

What y'all done with my house?

Where is it? Can y'all tell me that?

Well, can you? Can you?

"Men of the Army...

...although you were not successful

in the recent battle...

...the attempt was not an error,

nor the failure other than an accident.

No soldiers in the annals of war

fought more bravely.

Condoling with the mourners

for the dead...

...and sympathizing

with the severely wounded...

...I congratulate the Army

that the numbers of casualties...

...have been comparatively so small."

- Compared to what?

The Scots at Culloden?

The English at Bunker Hill?

The French at Waterloo?

"...the thanks of the nation."

Signed:
Abraham Lincoln.

Battalion!

Dismissed!

At this Christmas season,

when the good fairies are in the air...

...we can hardly wonder

at the sudden miracle...

...that has shown us the

Fredericksburg affair in its true light...

...and given us occasion for national joy

instead of national sorrow.

General Jackson?

Do you know

what these decorations signify?

I was wondering if someone would tell me.

- This is Santa's sled.

- I see.

And this is stuff made of candy.

This is a gingerbread snowflake.

And this is a paper chain of angels.

Did you make this angel?

It's lovely.

- How old are you, Jane?

- I'm 5 years old.

- How old are you?

- I'm 38.

My father is 38. He's a soldier like you.

I haven't seen him for more than a year.

I've not met your father, but I'm told

he's a very good man, very brave man.

I'm sure he misses you

as much as I miss my daughter.

When did you last see your daughter?

I've never seen her.

She was born just days ago.

I want to see her more than anything

in this world.

I want to see her as much as

your father wants to see you.

You see that star at the top of the tree?

The star of Bethlehem.

The star that showed the wise men

where they could find the baby Jesus.

Mother says that star will show Daddy

how to find his way back home.

Well, your mother's very wise,

very good person.

Your daddy will come home.

All the daddies will come home.

Oh, my.

Gentlemen, let us lift our glasses

to our Southern women...

...without whose bravery and fortitude...

...without whose love,

without whose endurance and sacrifice...

...not a man among us

can stay the course...

...or defend the cause.

- Hear, hear.

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