The Red Badge of Courage Page #2

Go on. Answer me,

you fellas who were laughing.

You was right. Nobody can deny that.

I heard some officers saying that

we had the Rebs where we want them.

We'll give them a darned good thumping.

They'll wish they'd stayed to home.

I hope this here gun shoots straight.

Wouldn't worry about it if I was you.

More about how steady I was holding it.

I wish I had my dog along.

First time I ever went hunting

without my old dog.

I wonder what the name of

this here battle's going to be.

Company, halt!

At rest!

Go on, miss!

Catch him, hit him with your stick!

How can you tell which one is the pig?

The pig's the cleanest, that's how.

The pig's better-looking, too.

We'll trade you the clean one

for the one in uniform.

Before you say yes, miss,

you better ask the pig.

He might not like it.

And you'd better run!

Henry?

What are you doing here?

Thinking.

You're getting blue.

You're looking thundering peaked.

- What the dickens is wrong with you?

- Nothing.

We're going after them now.

By the eternal thunders,

we're going to lick them good.

This time we're in for a big battle,

and we got the best end of it.

How we'll thump them.

You're going to do great things, I suppose.

Great things?

I don't know.

My grandpappy fought with Washington.

It's in my blood, I reckon.

How do you know you won't run

when the time comes?

Run? Me?

Well, plenty of good-enough men...

thought they'd do great things

before the fight...

but when the time come, they skedaddled.

That's all true, I suppose.

But I'll do my share of the fighting.

The man that bets on my running

is going to lose his money, that's all.

You ain't the bravest man in the world,

are you?

No, I ain't. I didn't say

I was the bravest man in the world, either.

I said I was going to do

my share of the fighting.

And I am, too.

Who are you, anyhow?

You talk like you was Napoleon Bonaparte.

You needn't get mad about it.

All right, young man.

Get back in the ranks. No lagging behind.

Forward march!

Forward march!

Form a line here!

Form a line here!

Everybody in the line by fours. March!

I don't hold to laying down

and shooting from behind a hill.

Wouldn't feel a bit proud doing it.

- Going to do my fighting standing up.

- Go ahead. Fight any way you please.

What kind of a battle is this,

where fellers lay down to fight?

I'll fight standing up,

or I ain't going to fight at all.

You want to get shot,

that's your business.

I ain't going to lay down before I'm shot,

and that's all there is to it.

Form your company and move on! Fall in!

Right face!

Turn left, march!

Why are they marching us out of here?

I can't stand this much longer.

I don't see any point to it.

Me neither.

I'd like to know what's going on.

We're being reconnoitered around

the center, to keep the Rebs from nearing.

Envelope them or something.

I'd rather do anything

than tramping around...

doing no good to anybody

and just wearing your legs out.

So would I. It ain't right.

If anyone with sense was running...

Shut up, you darn little cuss!

You little fool!

You ain't had that coat and pants on

for six months.

Yet you talk

as if you was George Washington.

On the double!

Captain, the Rebs

are on that hill over there.

We'll to try to push them off.

Maybe we will, maybe not.

Take your positions on that road there,

and hold it whatever happens.

Fix bayonets!

Here come our lancers.

I thought

you were going to do your fighting...

Do your fighting standing up.

Shut your dadburn mouth.

Henry, listen.

Something tells me

it's my first and last battle.

I'm a gone goose. I just know it.

I want you to send this to my folks. They

gave it to me last year when I turned 21.

Looks like we're getting a good licking.

Go back! You cowards!

Go back, you cowards!

Get back in there and fight!

Get back in there and fight!

Go back, you cowards!

I'm hit! I'm killed!

The Rebs, they're coming.

Hold your fire.

Hold your fire.

You've got to hold them back, Captain!

You've got to hold them back.

All right, we'll do our best, sir.

Lieutenant, you mind me.

We got to hold, no matter what happens.

Yes, Captain. You men mind me.

We've got to hold! Can you hear me?

Get ready.

Hold your fire.

Fire!

Give me this!

Here, fire!

Keep firing!

The men look much bigger

through the powder smoke.

Bayonets as thick as a spiked iron fence.

I was so scared, my feet was frozen.

I never seen a man killed before.

Lost a pile of men, they did.

We lost some, too.

Who's that?

Gosh, it's Tim Foster.

It was him.

They're carrying in the hurt Rebs.

I hope there won't be no more fighting

till a week from Monday.

Unless I miss my guess,

them Rebs got their bellies full.

We showed them

some real fighting, all right.

So it was all over at last.

The supreme trial had been passed.

The red, formidable difficulties of war

had been vanquished.

He felt that he was a fine fellow.

He saw himself even, with those ideals...

which he had considered

as far beyond him.

A ball shot off my kneecap.

Somebody come help me.

Help me, somebody.

I can't let go of this tree.

Look, a ball shot off my kneecap.

Help me, somebody.

- A ball shot off...

- Bleeding like a cow.

Bleeding like a darned cow, it is.

Here, let me bind that leg for you.

Bleeding like a cow, it is.

Can't seem to stop her from bleeding.

Here they come again!

They're coming at us.

The youth stared.

Surely, he thought, this impossible thing

was not about to happen.

He waited as if he expected

the enemy to suddenly stop...

apologize, and retire bowing.

It was all a mistake.

Get back!

Get back!

I'll have you shot for a deserter!

Taylor's rushing his men.

They'll reach the woods before we know it.

We can't have that.

They'll be worn out

before they're committed.

I'd give my shoulder straps

for a fresh brigade.

Tompkins, go over and see Taylor.

Tell him not to be in such a hurry...

to stop his brigade on the edge

of the woods, come to detach a regiment.

The center will break unless we help it.

And tell him to hurry up.

Yes, sir.

We've held them, General.

Held them, have they?

We'll wallop them now!

We've got them sure!

Jons, ride after Tompkins.

- See Taylor, and tell him to go in.

- Yes, sir.

- Colonel, you inform Whiterside.

- Yes, sir!

They've held them, by heavens!

The youth cringed,

as if discovered in a crime.

So his regiment had won after all.

His imbecile comrades had remained.

And their very ignorance

had brought them victory.

He felt betrayed.

He wondered what they would remark,

when later he appeared in camp.

His mind heard howls of derision.

Don't jostle so, Johnson, you fool!

You think my leg's made of iron?

If you can't carry me decent,

let someone else do it.

Make way there, can't you?

Who does he think he is?

Some lunkhead of a general?

There's the kind that get the privileges.

Small wounds, big talk.

You just wait,

you won't get by with your insults.

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