The Last of the Mohicans Page #17

Hawkeye uses the fine cotton he took from Cora. Uncas sees

it.

UNCAS:

Tight weave.

HAWKEYE:

Another forty yards?

Uncas nods. Hawkeye wets it to make a tighter gas seal and

rams it home. The tighter fit requires more effort.

HAWKEYE:

looks below to ground level...

FRONTIERSMAN - COURIER

Two pistols are holstered in a sash around his chest. He

wears no hat and carries no pack. He waits by the sally-port

door.

CUT TO:

EXT. FRENCH TRENCH - NIGHT

THREE PICKETS -

are suddenly tomahawked and knifed by stripped down 42nd

Highlanders and Mohawks. Alarm is raised. French and some

Huron run to advance. Shots are fired.

The Rangers & Mohawks fall back.

FRENCH:

emboldened, pursue...

TRENCH IN FRONT OF WEST WALL

suddenly Heyward and three companies of the 62nd regiment of

Foot (60 men) are over the top in perfect formation...

HEYWARD:

Sergeant! Form three ranks!

SERGEANT MAJOR:

Sir!

(bellows to troops)

Upon the center, wheel to the left-

about! March!

(three motions; drums)

Rear ranks, proper distance!

(the rear ranks back

up six paces)

Front ranks, take your distance!

March!

(everybody moves)

Halt!

(in unison they slam

to a stop)

Make ready!

(muskets snap to port

arms)

MOHAWKS & HIGHLANDERS

dodge right & left of the 62nd's line of fire.

FRENCH:

are coming forward. Their sergeants trying to stop and form

their men in ad-libbed French.

62ND REGIMENT OF FOOT

SERGEANT MAJOR:

(dead cool)

First rank! Second rank! Present

arms!

(muskets shouldered)

HEYWARD:

Fire!!!

Like one shot, lightening, smoke and .65 caliber death screams

from the first two ranks like a scythe, cutting down...

REVERSE:
FRENCH

Fourteen wounded or killed...

62ND REGIMENT OF FOOT

HEYWARD:

exposed. He's oblivious to incoming rounds. A piece of hat

is blown off, epaulet is shot off. The man next to him is

killed and bloodies Heyward's coat.

HEYWARD:

Advance, Sergeant Major!

SERGEANT MAJOR:

Sir!!!

(to soldiers)

Third rank! Twelve paces! Forward

march!

Drums. The rear rank walks through the first two ranks, who

are priming and loading in perfect order to their Sergeant

Major's commands. As the third rank becomes the first rank...

SERGEANT MAJOR:

Shoulder arms!

(slam)

Present!

(slam)

HEYWARD:

Fire!!!

CUT TO:

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY - NIGHT

COURIER:

sprints for the trees during the diversion of Heyward's sally.

TWO HURONS:

materialize from nowhere and charge at him... both are BLOWN

off their feet by...

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY, CASEMENT - NIGHT

UNCAS & HAWKEYE

now handed already-loaded, primed and cocked rifles while

the four men behind them reload the two just fired. Hawkeye

gestures...

EXT. HILLSIDE - NIGHT

THREE HALF-SAVAGE CANADIENS

Are running down the hill to intercept the courier. One

fires...

COURIER:

a near miss.

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY - NIGHT

HAWKEYE FIRES. A half second later, Uncas FIRES.

EXT. HILLSIDE - NIGHT

One Canadien's falling through the trees as the second one's

hit by Uncas' shot.

HAWKEYE:

reaches out his hand. Killdeer with the heavier load is

slapped into it. Hawkeye aims.

Looks away a second and comes back to the sight in deep

concentration. The world goes silent...

HAWKEYE'S POV:

COURIER & CANADIEN

pursuer are barely visible. Only patches appear momentarily

between the trees. They're three hundred yards away: an

impossible shot in 1757.

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT

THE CANADIEN:

will intersect the courier. His arm is back with his tomahawk

to throw...

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY - NIGHT

HAWKEYE:

Judges wind, elevates the long rifle... and FIRES at us.

JUMP CUT BACK:

TREES:

Hawkeye's heavy round rips through. We HEAR the ball cut

air. A few leaves flutter...

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT

CANADIEN:

whacked head over heels by the impact.

COURIER:

looks over his shoulder. He didn't know the Canadien was

there. He stumbles in the half light. Then he runs on...

CUT TO:

EXT. FORT WILLIAM HENRY - WEST SALLY-PORT - NIGHT

The three companies of the 62nd Regiment of Foot file back

into the fort in perfect order. The sally-port is closed.

Three men are wounded. The diversion worked perfectly.

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