The Horse Soldiers Page #3

We will not bother you

any longer. Good evening.

Kirby.

- By your leave, ma'am.

Hannah Hunter, what's got hold of you,

talking like a field hand? You alls, we alls.

Yankees.

It's uncanny, Colonel.

I've heard about 'em,

but I didn't believe it.

I received my commission

from the Governor of Michigan.

Young man...

- What's your question?

The question is this man's authority

in his present position.

As usual, I am trying to present

the grim facts of life.

He doesn't understand

that coffee tastes better...

...if the latrines are dug

downstream instead of upstream.

How do you like your coffee, Colonel?

Secord, you oughta...

- Pardon.

Colonel. Colonel Marlowe.

I am forgetting my manners.

Why, how I ever...

Well, I don't believe

I've met these gentlemen.

Miss Hunter. Colonel Secord.

Major Gray. Major Kendall.

Ma'am.

I'm just so scatterbrained.

Poor Papa and Mama must be

turning over in their graves at me...

...for not extending what little hospitality

Greenbriar can offer.

At least I can extend

an invitation to you for dinner.

No, Miss Hunter...

- I insist.

There's three fat capons

that have to go anyhow.

What with our store of grain

being reduced, like you mentioned.

So, you see, you brought it

on yourself, didn't you?

Speaking for myself,

I would be delighted...

Very well, thank you.

Hot food is pretty hard to turn down.

Splendid. Now, how many can I count on?

Would five or six be...?

- Not at all.

Perfectly wonderful.

At nine, gentlemen?

Colonel Secord?

- Of the First Michigan, ma'am.

Major Gray?

- Ma'am.

Major... Kendall, isn't it?

I'm afraid I'll have to regret, ma'am.

It's not of my choice, I assure you.

At the moment, I'm under arrest.

We will all be glad to accept

the invitation, Miss Hunter.

Ma'am?

You dropped your handkerchief.

Care for a little more, Colonel Secord?

- No, thank you, ma'am.

Colonel Marlowe?

No, thank you.

- Come now, Colonel.

A man with a big frame like yours can't

just nibble away like a little old titmouse.

Gentlemen, please be seated.

Now, what was your preference?

The leg... or the breast?

I've had quite enough of both, thank you.

What a shame.

Would anyone else like some more?

- (all) No, thank you.

Gentlemen, be seated.

I must warn you too, there's no coffee.

And a sweet or a dessert of any kind

was just out of the question.

Sugar's $150 a barrel.

'And yet your fair discourse

hath been as sweet as sugar,

making the hard way

sweet and delectable.'

How perfectly charming.

A little something of your own?

No, ma'am. Richard II.

By profession, I'm an actor.

- Why, how fascinating.

Why, Major Kendall, your cigar.

Gentlemen, please be seated.

(sighs)

Major Kendall a doctor. And

Colonel Secord almost a congressman.

And you an actor.

And now all military men.

Such a waste of talent.

But, of course, Colonel Marlowe, I imagine

that you are a professional soldier.

No, prior to this insanity,

I was a railroad engineer.

Why, how thrilling.

To think of being able to steer one of

those huge things, puffing and steaming.

Ringing that little bell.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

Not quite. My job was

in the construction of railroads.

Why, my. Such brilliant minds.

Poor little me barely squeezed through

Miss Longstreet's Seminary for Ladies.

How did you ever manage

to remember all those books in college?

I didn't. I started driving

rail spikes at ten cents a day and found.

And now, Miss Hunter,

I must ask you to leave us.

We are taking the privilege of using

this room for an hour or two. If we may.

Of course, but wouldn't you prefer

using another room? The study, perhaps?

We're quite comfortable here.

- (murmurs of agreement)

I'm sorry but I must be rude and explain.

Lukey and I must be in the fields

by five in the morning.

Gentlemen, go ahead and light your cigars.

Allow me.

- Thank you kindly.

All this and the dishes must be done

before she can get to bed.

Am I being too inconsiderate?

- Of course not, ma'am.

May I?

- Of course. This way, gentlemen.

How wonderful.

Really,

I thought it was a charming dinner.

Post this room.

- Yes, sir.

I hope you'll be comfortable here.

- Oh, yes. This is fine.

If you wish to light a fire, it's ready.

- No, it's fine.

Some brandy. I'll have Lukey bring it.

- No, thank you, no brandy.

Are you sure there's

nothing more that I can...

Oh, yes.

Doctor, there's no need

for you to be a part of this.

Perhaps Miss Hunter would show you

some of the beauties of Greenbriar.

Why, of course, if he has any interest...

- He'd be pleased to.

Very well. Come, then, Doctor.

I noticed a lovely garden.

Shall we take a stroll?

Why, of course.

You know, you gentlemen must be

comfortable in your heavy uniforms,

but I feel a definite chill in the air -

it's me and my thin blood.

Would you excuse me

while I go and fetch a shawl?

Miss Hunter.

- Yes, Major?

I'm afraid I'll have to go with you.

Upstairs? With me?

Why, Major.

- You're only getting a shawl.

Of course,

but in these parts it's unheard of...

It's something to tell your grandchildren.

This is war. At the moment,

Greenbriar is a military installation.

I don't suppose there's any real harm,

being that you're a doctor.

That's right.

Lukey, bring some brandy

to my sitting room, please.

I hope you'll be comfortable here, Major.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Hey. Where are you going with that?

Miss Hannah asked for this brandy.

- I know, for the Major.

We never give any of our top-ranking

officers an unlabelled bottle,

unless somebody tastes it first.

Is this what you does? Test things?

- Certainly.

See that second stripe? That means

I'm official taster for majors on up.

Here's La Grange.

We've come down here

approximately 80 miles.

We're headed for Newton Station.

- Any word on the enemy strength there?

No, not a word. Whatever it is,

we're obliged to take it on.

Good. Maybe we'll see action.

- This is not play-acting.

Here's your brandy, sir.

- Oh, thank you.

It's all tested.

- Tested?

By the man downstairs with

those tester's stripes, for majors on up.

Oh, yes. Sergeant Kirby.

He really tested it, didn't he?

- Yes, sir. Twice.

Lukey?

- Yes, Miss Hannah.

Excuse me, sir.

(Marlowe)... very lucky.

(officers' voices)

That is the next piece of information.

We're not going back to La Grange.

We're what?

- We're not going back north.

We're heading south to Baton Rouge

to join up with the Union forces there.

Great Scott, when did you decide that?

- It's the best way. It's the only way.

John, it is 300 miles

from Newton Station to Baton Rouge.

And it is 300 miles

from Newton Station to La Grange.

Only the rebs will really have been closed

in behind us, ready to chew us to bits.

So we'll go out the way

they least expect: Straight south.

Damn it, it's suicide. Is it possible your

orders could have been misinterpreted?

My only duty after Newton Station...

...is to get as many of these men

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