The Horse Soldiers Page #2

We'll let that drain full out.

I approve of that, Doctor.

- The lad had quite a boil.

I didn't come here to watch you

carving anybody's behind.

Why's Mitchell's name on that list?

- Sir, we observe quiet here.

What's this?

- Hoppy, this is Colonel Marlowe.

How do you do? Stand in line.

We'll take care of you presently.

Is he going with us?

- He's a good man. I need him.

I need Mitchell. He's strong as a bull.

- Let me show you something.

Colonel, I've been trying to tell

the doctor that this is nothing unusual.

Not for a man with malaria.

There's nothing new about this, Kendall.

I've seen him ride 40 miles

in one day, shivering.

He always gets malaria.

- So you concur in my diagnosis.

Mitch, get out of bed.

I got some whiskey.

You stay where you are, Sergeant.

I was ordered to take off the duty roster

any man who in my opinion was unfit.

He's sick and he's going to stay here.

Those are my orders.

You've read the whole book, haven't you?

(kicks buckets)

Oh, Colonel.

We got that fella

with all them stripes for you.

Bring him in.

- We hauled him right off the train.

Sergeant Kirby reporting, sir.

- Well, Kirby.

Besides being drunk,

what's got you riled up?

They got me in town.

Pulled me off the train.

Just gotten filled.

My first in two years.

They tell me you're good. You better be.

You're replacing the best soldier

in the regiment.

I expect you to be happy about that.

- I could be happier where I was going.

You got me there.

- No, sir, you got me here.

Sir.

- Sir.

March this sergeant

to the river and throw him in.

Clothes and all?

- Clothes and all.

Pump him full of black coffee

till it runs out his ears.

Kirby, when you come back,

come back sober. You've got two hours.

Parades, Nashville...

- You can leave that keg.

You're welcome to it... sir.

Tangle with me and I'll have your hide.

You're welcome to that too, sir.

If it's in the line of duty.

( bugle)...

Forward, left.

- (others) Forward, left.

Yo-oh.

- (others) Yo-oh.

(male choir) I left my love

My love I left, a-sleeping in her bed

I turned my back on my true love

Went fighting Johnny Reb

I left my love a letter in the holler of a tree...

Good luck, John.

- Thank you, sir.

Hi-ho, down they go

There's no such word as 'can't'

We'll ride clean down to hell and back

for Ulysses Simpson Grant

I left my love a letter in the holler of a tree

I told her she would find me

in the US Cavalry

In the US Cavalry

Hi-ho, down they go

There's no such word as 'can't'

We'll ride clean down to New Orleans

For Ulysses Simpson Grant

I left my love My love I left

A-sleeping in her bed

Wait on here a minute.

The sun, it raises in the east every time?

- It sure does in Missouri.

For eight hours, with no turning,

we've been heading this way.

If the sun raises in the east,

what direction is that?

It ain't north.

- Course not. It's south.

We've been riding smack-dab

into reb territory.

Reb country, Richard.

- Yes, sir.

Send out your scouts.

(yells order)...

...(yells order)...

...(gunfire)

Are you going to call a halt, or leave

them to the clemency of the enemy?

Sound recall.

( bugle)

Just a patrol, sir. No sign of any

major force, as far as I could tell.

The fact remains we've been spotted.

The word's out for sure now. They'll be

back here with everything available.

All right, Ned,

you can prepare to turn back.

That's a bad mistake, John,

splitting the force.

Now you need every man you've got.

Diversion be damned.

They've got to think we all turned back.

- Oh, sure, sure.

But from now on, every Johnny Reb

with a gun will be hiding behind a tree...

...trying to make a name for himself.

And you want to cut your force

by one third. John, listen to me.

There's an old axiom in politics:

You never split your ballot...

Richard, when the horses are watered

and the men are fed, we'll move out.

Hey, Doctor.

These here contraband children say

there's something wrong at that cabin.

I guess they need a doctor.

All right.

Are you the doctor?

- Yes, I am.

What happened?

It's Rainey, sir.

Rainey the first. He's dead.

Carry on.

Where's Kendall?

Dr Kendall went over to that cabin

with some young coloured people.

An emergency, I believe.

- He what?.

He went over to that cabin

with some young coloured people.

Are you the doctor too?

- What? No, no.

(baby cries)

Kendall, what the devil are you doing?

We just delivered a baby.

It's a little girl.

You can take care of her now, Granny.

You're going to be all right.

We've got a couple of wounded men

out there, you know.

No, one's dead.

One's gone, one's born.

It's an amazing process, isn't it?

As many as I've delivered,

it never fails to awe me.

All right, children, you got

a new sister. Go in, take a look at her.

All right, Kendall.

Go back and take care of your wounded.

They'll be all right.

Hopkins knows what to do.

You're not a country sawbones. You're

an officer in the Union Army under oath.

I took an older oath before that one.

They didn't seem to be having any trouble

having babies around here before.

I was asked to help and I couldn't turn 'em

down. Come off it. Even you were born.

As of now,

you are under officer's arrest.

Insubordination.

Do I still carry out my duties, sir?

- From now on confine them to the troops.

Very well, sir.

Don't push me too far, Kendall.

Forward.

(dogs bark)

Lukey, what are the dogs

raising such a fuss about?

Dogs? You know how dogs

make such a fuss.

Soldiers, Miss Hannah. Lots of 'em.

- Soldiers? How wonderful.

Thunder in the outhouse.

Them's Yankees.

Lukey, you go on downstairs

and meet them.

Lukey, do you hear?

Come here, girl.

Come on.

Who lives here?

- Miss Hannah Hunter lives here.

Tell her I want to see her.

Colonel Marlowe, Union Army.

Yes, sir.

Put that gun away.

Sorry for this intrusion, ma'am.

- It isn't that, Colonel.

It's just that I never prepared myself to see

that uniform within the walls of this house.

Ma'am, we no more wish to be here

than you do to have us.

Why, that's gallantly spoken, Colonel.

No matter what our differences,

I fear I'm forgetting the amenities.

Welcome to Greenbriar, gentlemen.

- Thank you.

Lukey, take the gentlemen's hats.

Sergeant Kirby.

- Sergeant.

Ma'am.

Well, shall we make ourselves

more comfortable in the Rose Room?

No, thank you, ma'am.

We'll only stay a moment.

You and your men are riding on?

No, we will bivouac

in your woods for the night.

Sleeping on the cold, cold ground?

When is this awful, wasteful,

terrible struggle going to end, Colonel?

Brother against brother...

And during our stay no one will

be allowed to leave the premises.

Wherever would we go, Colonel?

I'm sure you must agree that this war

makes loneliness for everyone.

Also, I must commandeer most

of the grain and horses, if you have any.

You will be paid, Miss Hunter,

for everything, in Union greenbacks.

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