North and South s02e04 Episode Script

Clear sailing ahead, general.
We ought to reach the junction long before dark.
While you're taking on fuel and water, I'll wire General Grant we'll be on our way.
Ambush! Back it up! Rebels up ahead! Come on, boys! Get down there! Get out of there! Get the prisoners on the train! Private! A Union general deserves a more respectful welcome than that.
Let him up.
- Colonel John Mosby at your service.
- General George Hazard.
You'll have to forgive my men.
They're mostly farmers.
But at night, they become Rangers.
They're more than just a little upset at your General Custer calling them common bushwhackers.
- The passions of war, colonel.
- Indeed.
He said he would hang my men in retaliation for all the Yankee food and equipment we've confiscated.
It's fortunate for you, sir he has not carried out his threat, or you might find yourself at the end of a rope, instead of on your way to Libby Prison.
Good day, general.
- Let's get those guns unloaded! - Put your back into it! Unload them! Get to it! Sergeant, make sure these get to their families.
What the hell is she doing here? Doctor, I'm sorry.
This is the best I could do.
Morphine and Dover's powder have become quite scarce.
Captain.
Mrs.
Barclay, what the hell are you doing here? The Yankees could come back anytime.
This is dangerous.
I told you I could take care of myself.
If you'll excuse me, I have work to do.
Doctor, whatever you don't use should be sent on to the field hospital as soon as possible.
Unless General Lee captures Washington, it'll be a while before we get some more.
Well, I never thought I'd find you here.
Go home.
Is that all you can say to me, "go home"? I was expecting a warmer welcome.
Look around you, Augusta.
How do you expect anything in the midst of this? I at least thought we could be friends.
Is this what you want? Augusta! No! Sorry! I'm sorry.
Fire! - It's all right.
It's all right, I'm here.
- The gun.
It blew up.
- It's over now.
- It's not over, Gus.
It never will be.
It'll go on and on until we're all dead, like Pell, like all the men I've killed.
No, don't do that to yourself.
- I should have let you go.
- I want to be with you.
I may never see you again.
You're a part of me now.
I love you.
Fall in! - Sir! All present and accounted for.
- I see dusty boots, lieutenant.
I'll tolerate that at the end of a march, but never at the start.
I'll see to it, sir! Damn Rebels.
They've sent out snipers again.
Take a squad, wipe them out.
Yes, sir, sergeant.
Form your squad and follow me.
They're behind us! Damn Yankees! Let's move out! Get out of there.
Come on! He's dead.
Come on.
Come on.
Move it, move it, move it.
Cover me.
- Billy! - Get down! - Three snipers.
- Cover the other flank! Might've known you'd bring back the whole army with you.
I'm out of cartridges.
What, you planning on throwing acorns at them? - You out too? - I made enough widows in Gettysburg to last me a lifetime.
One less isn't gonna matter.
You'll wish you were getting plugged after the colonel gets done with you.
- Why did you ever come back, Billy? - I said I would.
That's no excuse.
The old man's fuming because we're stuck in our tents for so long, instead of pitching into the Rebs.
- That'll come soon enough.
- Well Lincoln's fixing to bring that old bulldog Grant from the West and sic him on Lee.
That's the kind of man we've needed all along.
No.
He'll turn tail at Lee's first growl and hightail it north like all the others.
Don't you think? - Well, don't you think, Billy? - I don't know.
- Welcome back, lieutenant.
- Reporting for duty, sir.
Lieutenant Hazard.
You left here a deserter, and you've come back a fool.
Leave was due me Lt.
Hazard chased off those snipers, colonel.
Don't defend him, Bodford.
I know all about men who hunger after their wives, Hazard but if every officer did what you did Jeff Davis would be on a rocking chair on the back porch of the White House.
- I know I was wrong, sir - Wrong is not the word, lieutenant.
Stupid, foolhardy, irresponsible.
None of them do you justice.
I can't change what I did.
But I was a good officer before and I will be again.
Just give me a chance.
I ought to send you back in irons.
But now I'm in desperate need of officers.
- I'm ready to fight, sir.
- You're damn right you'll fight.
I'll put you in command of the forward skirmishers.
Sergeant Carter will have orders to shoot you if you run again.
Now rejoin your company, lieutenant.
And when this is over you'll face a court-martial.
- Yes, sir.
- You all right? - Fine, lieutenant.
Johnny catches us in the woods, it'll be like blind man's buff.
We'll be on the road to Richmond before Lee even realizes we've moved south.
What do you think is going on? - Lf there were Johnnies, we'd hear guns.
- Look, there's General Grant.
So that's the hero of Vicksburg.
- He's not much, is he? - Who asked you, Kent? Even from here you can see he could butt his head through a stone wall.
Well, if he's spoiling for a fight, Lee will give it to him.
Which is exactly what Grant wants.
Since our Tommy can't wait to be a real soldier I've got something for him.
This army got its hind end kicked just a year ago in these same woods.
Look what got left behind when they were hightailing it north.
That's what happens to little drummer boys when they get too close to those fire-breathing Rebs.
- Kent! I can't waste any more time with you laggards.
Colonel wants me to post skirmishers further out on the flanks.
Guess who's gonna make captain first, Lieutenant Hazard.
- Forget him, Tom.
- Throw it in the woods, Tom.
No, sir.
I'll give this a proper burial.
He was a brave soldier.
I just know.
By nightfall, we'll have the entire army across that damnable river.
Didn't we make a deal a few months back? You wouldn't touch a drop if I'd stopped cussing.
Who would be the first to jump all over me if I fell off the wagon? - I would.
- Enough said.
But savor this moment, general.
You've taken a winter-stale tentbound, half-dead army and brought it back to life.
Excuse me, general.
I'm Crawford, New York Tribune.
Mr.
Crawford.
This is where Hooker almost lost the whole war last year.
Why not march west around Lee's other flank? We move fast enough, we may not have to fight in these woods.
The talk in Washington, General Grant, is that Lee is waiting to give you the same kind of thrashing he gave McClellan, Burnside, Hooker.
Am I leaving anyone out? You'd like to add me to that list, wouldn't you? No disrespect, general, but the mothers of the North are sick of sending their sons to die in Georgia and Virginia just to keep the Rebels from having a country Mr.
Crawford.
Nobody is more sick of this war than I am.
That's why we're moving south, to end it as quickly as possible.
Lincoln said at Gettysburg we must preserve this nation so a government of the people won't perish.
You newspaper boys never paid much attention to that, did you? If you'll excuse me.
If Lee wants to stop us before Richmond he'll have to do it in open country.
If he catches us in the wilderness, we'll have to fight him.
That's right.
It's not just Richmond I want.
It's the destruction of Lee's army.
I'll fight him anywhere.
Regardless of season or weather? Sherman goes after Johnson in Georgia.
I hammer Lee in Virginia.
Confederacy's never been attacked on all fronts at once.
We don't confine our attacks to the battlefield.
We go after cities, towns, fields, factories.
You're gonna raid behind the lines? I plan to give Phil Sheridan the cavalry and turn him loose.
I guess anything short of total victory would amount to defeat for us.
That reporter's right.
People are tired of war.
If we don't destroy Lee's army, Lincoln could be defeated in November and the Union gone forever.
Only unconditional surrender will give us a lasting peace.
Kill everybody! Kill everybody! Fall back! Lieutenant! Kent! Kill.
- Kill! Kill! Kill! - Kent! Kent! Kill everybody! Kill you too! Come on, we're pulling back before the Rebels hit us again.
Come on.
- Volunteers to man a stretcher.
- Me! Take him out of here.
- We need a man, Tommy.
- I can do it.
All right.
You'll have to carry him a fair piece.
If you ever tell anybody about what happened - Kent.
- I mean it, Hazard.
Not a damn word.
I'm gonna get that promotion.
Do you hear me? Do you hear? What I hear is a man coming apart inside.
Now pull yourself together.
Billy, let's get out of here.
There's a whole Reb division coming at us.
Get the wounded to safety and re-form on the other side of Plank Road.
Grant'll have to retreat or lose his army.
I never thought he'd let this happen.
Sir, General Hazard's been captured to the west by Mosby's guerrillas.
General Hays has been killed defending the Plank Road.
Our situation on the right is desperate.
Sedgwick's been flanked and routed.
They've got that whole wing in a trap.
General Rawlins, we've been whipped as badly as Hooker at Chancellorsville.
You'll have to disengage tonight.
Nonsense, colonel.
We've sent reinforcements to Sedgwick.
That's too little and too late, sir.
Bobby Lee has surprised us, fooled us, chopped on us for two bloody years.
I know that man's ways.
He'll throw his entire force between us and the rapid and cut us off.
He could bag the damn Northern army.
Gentlemen! You know I can't abide cuss words, but this time I'm gonna use one because I'm damn tired of hearing what General Lee is gonna do to us.
Start thinking about what we're gonna do to him.
Tell me you think he's about to turn a double somersault and land in our rear and both flanks all at once.
- Sir, the situation is desperate.
I've never been in a fight where it wasn't desperate at one point, colonel.
The darkest of times may hide an opportunity.
We just have to find it.
Well, we may still be able to cross the river and head north before Lee hits.
We will save this army, gentlemen by pulling the men out and putting them on the road for another march.
Not north but south.
We have taken our last backward step.
Slide left, head for Spotsylvania Court House, and try again to get between Lee and Richmond.
- Can a defeated army possibly? If we don't admit defeat we're not defeated.
General Rawlins will give you orders.
John, I hope I'm right.
Right or wrong, sir, it could be the turning point of the war.
Mrs.
Grady.
Mrs.
Grady, ma'am.
I know you've been up for two nights straight but Mrs.
Neal wanted me to wake you as soon as the wounded came in.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
The worst ones go over there near the surgeon's tent.
Careful, now.
Ease him down.
Ma'am, this Reb looks in a pretty bad way.
- I don't think he's gonna make it.
- It hurts so bad.
We don't have a bed.
Put him on the floor.
Maybe we could move one of them that ain't hurt so bad.
I said, put him on the floor, Mr.
Shain.
Yes, ma'am.
Put him down.
Water.
Please give me water.
Oh, God, it hurts so bad.
Oh, water.
Mrs.
Grady! Make a bed available for this man immediately.
But first, you'll give him water and administer morphine.
Mrs.
Neal, you don't have the right.
You'll do as you're told.
Report to me when these new men have been attended to.
Is that clear? I realize you're working a double shift, but that's of your own choosing.
For some time now, Mrs.
Grady I've noticed you give inferior care to Southern wounded.
- That is not true.
- I've seen it myself.
More than once.
Enemy soldiers are always the last to get your attention.
Are you accusing me of negligence? I have no real proof except your attitude.
But let me warn you, if that doesn't change then, in spite of our shortage of nurses I will bring charges of negligence.
For what? For not having enough beds? For being slow in bringing water to one man because you're busy bringing it to 20? That doesn't seem like negligence to me.
It seems like war.
You swore to give equal care to all.
If I see any further evidence of your attitude toward Southerners I'll do my best to have you dismissed from the Nursing Corps.
This report says Grant has torn up another hundred miles of our track.
Send word to Johnson that I'll meet him in three days to plan to get reinforcements to his army.
Well, maybe you better leave tonight, sir.
Vicksburg seems like more of a disaster every day.
By surrendering there, we lost Mississippi and we saw our nation cut in two.
General Lee has enough problems already.
Trying to replace his losses at Gettysburg.
Sir, you all right? - Is this General Main's office? - You must wait outside, sir.
I'm Enos Haller.
The general sent for me.
- It's all right.
Come in, Mr.
Haller.
- Sir.
- I appreciate your coming.
- You said it was urgent, sir.
I just received this letter from my wife.
Mr.
Haller, there's no way I can search for her at this time.
So you must do it for me.
I wish I could, but I understand that you were Pinkerton's best investigator.
I don't care how much it costs, sir, you must help me.
I realize the position that you're in, general.
Perhaps I can offer you my services.
Thank you.
I'll give you all the information I can but I suggest you start in Charleston.
- I'll do the best I can, sir.
- I know you will.
I'm going to be leaving you now, missis.
But me sister will be right downstairs, and, oh, she's a wonderful nurse, she is.
And she'll do for you and your young one real nice like.
Thank you, Mrs.
Nix.
Oh, sure.
If he isn't the most beautiful baby I ever delivered.
What's his name, missis? Orry.
Orry Nicholas.
- Junior.
- Oh, you're naming him after his father? That's right.
After his father.
Stretcher-bearers! Wounded! Well, what do you know? We're honored to have us a real live Confederate general.
Careful, now.
Take it easy, now.
Don't bounce him.
We wanna make sure we save this one.
He's for questioning.
There's a cot in the back.
I'll examine him first.
Yes, ma'am.
Madeline? Mr.
Shain, this man needs to go to surgery right away.
Yes, ma'am.
He has a high fever and the infection must be cut out before it spreads.
No, general, you mustn't try to get up.
It'll be days before you're strong enough to stand on your own.
I don't have to take your temperature to see that you're burning up.
Don't waste your energy talking.
You've had quite an ordeal.
Last time we were together, you wanted to see me hung.
I want you to drink plenty of water.
I want you to stay in this cot until I say you're strong enough to get up.
Or I'll hang you myself.
Yes, ma'am.
Virgilia.
Thank you.
All wounded in this hospital receive the same care.
I was just doing as I was ordered, General Main.
You can't stop me from being grateful, Virgilia.
You hear me, boy? You better move, you hear me? Or I'm gonna kick you all the way down to Front Street.
Look at me when I'm talking to you, boy.
Please, sir, I can't afford to leave my family.
- They ain't got nobody else.
- Shut up and move.
Let that boy go.
- Beg your pardon, ma'am? - Let him go.
You have no right to force him.
Well, I have the right to conscript slaves anytime I want.
And I need some men to dig rifle pits outside the city.
Well, he is just a boy.
Well, I reckon that's Mr.
Lincoln's fault, ain't it, ma'am? His army's freeing all these darkies so they can roam all over creation.
Taking food and work from white folk.
I refuse to argue with you, sergeant.
You are not taking him.
My father was an important man in Charleston and I know a lot of influential people.
I could make life very difficult for you if you insist on conscripting a child.
Hell, he's too sick anyway.
Go on, take him.
Probably wouldn't even make it to the lines, would you, boy? I tell you something, ma'am.
I wouldn't be interfering with any official government business if I was you.
Because I guarantee you'll regret it.
What are you looking at? Come on, move.
Thank you, ma'am.
- What's your name? - Michael.
Michael, where do you live? I'll take you home.
Oh, no, ma'am.
That wouldn't be a good idea.
It's outside town and not very safe.
But it's raining and you've got a bad cough, haven't you? Michael.
I was worried.
The soldiers almost took me, but this lady made them let me go.
- How you feeling, Mama? - A little better, son.
You've traveled a long way, haven't you? Yes, ma'am.
All the way from Tennessee.
They burned our master's house down, the whole quarter.
Then they told us we was free.
Then we had to go.
We tried to find food and medicine, but there's not enough for us.
I couldn't find anything again today, Mama.
No work anybody'd pay me for.
Michael, come with me.
We'll find food and medicine somehow.
But, ma'am, we can't ever pay you back.
I don't want anything.
I just wanna help.
You see, I lost my home too.
Why are you looking at me like that, Michael? I just don't understand, Miss Madeline.
Why you wanna spend your money helping folks like us? Sometimes the best way to forget someone you lost is to help somebody else.
You mean your husband, ma'am? - Did he get killed in the war? - No.
I just can't be with him.
That's a true shame, ma'am.
Especially for a lady as nice as you.
Hey, hold up.
Well, now, mighty fine carriage for this neighborhood.
Lookie here.
Looks like we stumbled across paradise, boys.
There's enough food here for a month.
Let me go, let go.
- That food is for people who need it.
- I got some bad needs myself, honey.
You probably know about those, though.
- You leave her alone.
- Let him alone.
You want me to wring your neck, boy? Now let the lady go.
Now disappear.
If I ever see either of you again, I'll kill you.
You understand me? - You all right, son? - Yeah.
- Did they hurt you, ma'am? - No, I'm all right.
He was right, you shouldn't be out in this area.
Camp down the road is a target for every piece of trash around.
Men get liquored up and come looking for women.
Is that so? What were you doing out here? A man of my wayward inclinations might be found anywhere.
My name's Raphael Beaudeen, my friends call me Rafe.
- You're Miss - Mrs.
Mrs.
Picard.
Enchanted.
Mrs.
Picard, may I see you back to Charleston? I was on my way to the refugee camp.
And I still intend to go there.
I'll see you there and then escort you back to town when you're ready.
I appreciate your helping, Mr.
Beaudeen but that won't be necessary.
I can assure you, ma'am, it would be my pleasure.
Before the war, this boarding house was known for the number of wealthy men's mistresses it housed.
You're assuming I'm a? One of those women? Well, if you are, I'd never hold it against you.
You're much too beautiful.
Well, you're wrong.
I'm no one's mistress.
I live here because it was the cheapest place I could find.
Thank you, Mr.
Beaudeen.
May I see you upstairs? I think you know better than to ask that.
Goodbye, sir.
Goodbye, Mrs.
Picard.
I hope to see you again very soon.
Wherever did you meet that man? Mr.
Beaudeen? He did me a service today.
One simply doesn't associate with him if one is quality.
- Well, why not? Isn't he received? - Oh, it's much worse than that.
He comes from a fine Virginia family.
Second cousins to my cousins.
That's on my mama's side.
He left the army, my dear.
Rafe Beaudeen was a major decorated for gallantry at first Manassas.
And then he left the army under very mysterious circumstances.
- Well, I'm sure he had his reasons.
- But it wasn't because he was wounded.
And he didn't go back to his family, even though his own brother had been killed.
There was a rumor that Rafe was asked to resign his commission.
Though nobody knows why.
Then it's best that people don't speculate.
Well! Help me, help me, help me.
Take it easy.
This man needs help.
Orderly.
Orderly! - This man needs help.
- Help me.
- Easy, easy.
- Stretcher-bearers.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Hurry.
Tell Dr.
Crawford this man is to be examined.
Doctor? Doctor, we have another one.
All right, I'll get him.
You're very good at what you do.
You know, while I was on the battle lines, captain told me they had a truce so they could swap Virginia tobacco and Yankee sugar and coffee.
What do you say? I've been here for weeks.
Don't you think it's time we had our own truce, Virgilia? What do you mean? How about exchanging news of our families? Back to bed, before Mrs.
Neal thinks I'm abusing a Confederate general.
- I'm too busy.
- You can imagine how much Brett would want to hear anything at all about Billy.
The truth is, I have no contact with my family.
Virgilia.
Please.
I saw Billy once towards the beginning of the war and he was fine.
I haven't seen his name on any of the casualty lists.
Thank God.
- What about George? - I don't know.
Mrs.
Grady? Can I speak to you for a moment? Excuse me.
The wagon captain's just sent orders.
The Reb general's gotta be taken to prison camp for questioning.
That man is not to be moved until the surgeon examines him first.
Yes, ma'am.
It looks like you're not going to be with us much longer, General Main.
I expected as much.
Well, I guess we won't have any more time to talk, so I I'd just like to say something to you.
You should be very proud of the work you're doing here.
And I wish you well, Virgilia.
I wish you well too, Orry.
Where you going, general? Guard, guard! Prisoner escaping over that south bridge, making a break.
Your Reb general has just hightailed it.
You can never, ever trust a Johnny.
Come on, hurry up! All right, get them blue bellies inside.
- All right, let's move along.
- Off the wagon.
- Hurry up.
- Keep moving, scum.
- My God, what's that stink? - Smells like burning tar.
To cover up the smell of you damn Yankees.
Now hush your face.
I don't wanna hear no talking amongst you prisoners.
Welcome.
I'm Captain Turner.
You will call me "sir.
" This is Corporal Strock, he's my right-hand man.
Your stinking carcasses are gonna be searched for any weapons or money that you boys might've smuggled in.
So y'all got to strip down.
Now.
I see I'm gonna have to learn you boys that I mean what I say.
You touch him, you're a dead man.
I'll crack your skull like an egg.
I believe I told you boys to strip.
Then I take you up to your new quarters.
Next.
Open your mouth.
I could do it with this but you wouldn't have no teeth left.
Wider, wider.
Spit it out.
Spit it out.
My, my, my.
Look here.
Ten Yankee dollars.
See, you boys can't hide nothing no place we ain't gonna find it.
Even if we have to turn you inside out.
If you know what I mean.
Well, now that we are done with the material things I think it's time we did some work on the spiritual.
You boys got to learn what you are now.
You ain't officers and gentlemen no more.
No, sir.
What you are is nothing.
You hear me? You are lower than scum.
And you are lower than dirt.
So why don't you boys get down on your knees in the dirt and show me what you are now.
Do it now.
Detachment, attention! Who the hell do you think you are? I'm General George Hazard.
We are Union officers and we should be treated that way.
- I told you to call me sir.
- You're nothing but trash.
All right, who's next? Get down on your knees, and do it now.
Stand up.
My, my.
That is so much better.
You boys might make live prisoners after all.
Are you deaf, general? I told you to get down on your knees.
We should be treated according to certain rules of warfare.
Who's your superior officer? Look around, scum.
Look around, you see anybody else? I'm the superior.
There ain't no rules that I don't make.
Now, get down on your knees.
You keep disobeying me, general I'm gonna blow your guts out.
That goes for every damn one of you.
Like I told you, general I'm the superior.
Mr.
President, the Yankees used to call us fire-eaters because of our passionate belief that Secession was the only course if our Southern way of life was to survive.
No one was more determined than I that we be independent of the North.
You must understand, sir, I need to speak out when we see an internal threat to our way of life.
By all means, Mr.
Huntoon, speak out.
Many of us feel, sir, that you, in the name of war effort trample upon the rights of the individual Southern states.
- Go on.
- We know you're overworked because you gather so much power and responsibility to yourself.
I do what I have to do.
We urge you then to delegate some of that responsibility to those around you and to the individual states themselves.
Which would be consistent with a philosophy that demanded Secession.
- That states' rights are supreme.
- What good are states' rights if we have no nation to secure them? You think that man in Washington will hand us our freedom on a silver platter? - Mr.
President - Keep your philosophy, sir.
We must first win this bloody war as one nation.
Then we can worry about the rights of individual states.
At the moment I have other, more urgent concerns.
General Lee is in ill health and discouraged.
I hope he doesn't consider resigning.
The Confederacy is doomed without Lee.
He must stay on.
I'm sorry, Ashton.
You're always sorry.
Well, sorry doesn't butter any biscuits if you know what I mean.
It's just that That look in your eye like I'm not even there.
- It makes me feel - Don't go blaming me for all your failures.
I'm sorry, Ashton.
It's just that all my life, I've had this dream of a glorious Confederacy and to see it turning into a nightmare Now don't go feeling sorry for yourself again, James.
It's just that nobody will listen to me.
I come up with ideas and Jeff Davis' cronies, they ignore them.
It's frustrating, Ashton.
Not half as frustrating as you are to me, James.
Ashton? Where are you going? Out for a ride.
I'm restless.
But it's late.
I need some fresh air, James.
Huntoon is more of a clown than I thought.
Stop it, EI.
I care about James.
I just don't see why I have to stay married to him.
You will remain married to him because it is imperative to our future success.
I'm so tired of this.
I don't see why we need James.
First of all, he's a good source of information about the Treasury.
If our coup is to succeed, we need to know all we can about what goes on inside his government.
Your husband may be useful to us in yet another capacity.
I've been thinking about this since your brother put a stop to our blockade run.
Huntoon could make up some of the shortfall if he decides to accept my offer.
- What is that? - To be after we have arranged for the demise of Mr.
Davis vice president of my new government.
- That's perfect.
- He will finance our plans.
He'll be the scapegoat if anything goes wrong.
And if he should decide to interfere that man will never live to see our empire.
You're so exciting, EI.
You're absolutely right about that.
It's silly to take your money out of the bank.
Just remember to leave mine in there.
I'm being prudent, Ashton.
Lee has too few troops to hold Meade back forever.
They'll soon be advancing on Richmond.
And we'll need funds if we retreat.
Nonsense.
Elkanah Bent says that won't happen.
Bent? When did you see him? At one of those infernal receptions.
You remember, don't you? Frankly, I've been avoiding him.
He says he wants to talk to me.
I'm not sure he can be trusted.
You're much too cautious, James.
He may be important to your future.
You seem to know a lot about him.
From what I'm told, he has influence.
Much more than those clerks that you drag home from the Treasury.
Those men are my friends.
They're more supportive of me than Jeff Davis.
Maybe if you stopped arguing with the man.
James, why do you think I give those parties? They're for you.
So you can move up in the government.
And if that doesn't work, then someone like Elkanah Bent might help.
You do understand, don't you, James? You must seize every opportunity in life.
Your brandy, James.
And your future.
- It is superb, sir.
- It's Napoleon.
Only the best for men like ourselves, wouldn't you agree? Men like ourselves? Men with vision and courage, sir.
Men with the will and capacity to change the world, like Napoleon.
I've never thought of myself that way.
Of course you have.
I've heard your speeches.
You're too modest a man, James.
Others think you a man of fire.
They realize how little the Davis government values your great talents.
To what people do you refer? They are men of action.
Men who just don't deplore the government but intend to do something about it.
And they have chosen me to lead them.
You are talking about overthrowing the government.
That's treason.
Is it treason to save the nation, sir? I'm told Davis leans towards peace if the war goes any worse for us.
You want to be under the iron hand of the Union again? Of course not.
Then help us.
Become one of us.
- I don't know if I can - I assure you there will be no unnecessary violence.
When we put Davis out to pasture and lead the Confederacy back to strength you will be at the very seat of power as my new vice president.
You make it sound You make it sound almost patriotic.
It's more than that, James.
It's your destiny.
All right, we'll go inside now.
Hold him still.
- That's it.
- We need a tourniquet over there.
- Pray for us sinners now I've tagged the dead.
Move them out to make room for the incoming wounded.
This is almost as bad as the wilderness.
Grant's been pushing Lee back, but at what cost? Put him there.
Gently now.
Right over there.
Make sure That's right.
Easy.
Quickly, ma'am.
Doc says his leg's got to be clamped fast to stop the bleeding.
A Reb colonel.
Still, I hope he makes it.
I hope he makes it too.
I hope we all do, Mr.
Shain.
You all right, ma'am? I never want to see another clamp.
Or surgeon's saw.
Or hospital wagon as long as I live.
Stretcher-bearer.
Stretcher-bearer! There's too many arriving.
Take the hopeless out.
I've already tagged them too.
Yes, ma'am.
Mrs.
Grady if you don't get some sleep soon, you're gonna drop.
Stretcher-bearers! Stretcher-bearers! - This man is dead.
- Yes, ma'am.
He bled to death.
- Who attended him? - Mrs.
Grady, ma'am.
Do you know anything about this? No, ma'am.
Mrs.
Grady sent me to clear out the dying.
I'm afraid I didn't see her finish off the clamping.
Stretcher-bearers! I don't know what you're saying.
The clamp wasn't fastened.
It was hanging loose.
Who else but you could've been responsible? The colonel himself.
Have you thought of that? There's no way he could have done it in his condition.
One of the orderlies said you acted strangely the moment you saw him.
He's lying! I was just tired.
You can ask Mr.
Shain.
I would never murder anyone.
I don't believe that, Mrs.
Grady.
I think you are capable of anything, even the murder of a Southerner.
You should never have been admitted to the Nursing Corps.
You are relieved of your duties as of now.
You can't do that! You do not have the authority to do that! I intend to have you charged with murder.
The cold-blooded murder of that Confederate colonel.
But I didn't kill him.
I am sick of it! This is all I have.
And if you take this away from me I lost Grady, and now I'm No, you can't.
Damn you! I won't let you! I won't let you! - Sir.
- Thank you.
Did you have a pleasant evening, sir? David, you know those Congressional receptions.
Rumor, gossip, and boring old dowagers.
Thank God for small consolations.
Have you drawn my bath yet? Yes, sir.
Steaming hot, as you like it.
Thank you.
You may retire.
- You have a good night, sir.
- Thanks.
Sam.
Virgilia, what the devil are you doing here? I bribed one of your maids to let me in.
It's the only way I could see you alone.
- You know better than to come here.
- I didn't have anyplace else to turn.
Sam, I am in terrible trouble.
I was unjustly accused, and I attacked Mrs.
Neal.
And I think I killed her.
No.
She's still alive, but she has filed murder charges against you.
I didn't kill that colonel.
Mrs.
Neal has wanted to get rid of me from the beginning.
Now she's found a way.
Lower your voice.
One maid knows you're here.
There's no need for anyone else to know.
You're carrying a weapon with you.
Doesn't exactly confirm your innocence.
I need it for protection.
I found it in the saddlebag on the horse I took.
Sam, please help me.
Virgilia, be sensible.
I can't involve myself in a murder charge.
It would be political suicide.
But you have friends.
Nobody has to know that it was you who stopped the investigation.
Virgilia, when last I helped you I told you that the next time wouldn't be free.
Yes, I remember.
And you agree? I wouldn't have come here if I didn't.
Splendid.
The bath's already been drawn.
Sam, why don't you stay? I'll just undress here in front of the fire.
There There There's three of them.
They got Miss Augusta inside.
We're lucky, boys.
This here's a mighty pretty one.
You're gonna be mighty sorry you did that.
Really sorry.
I'm gonna take some of that sass out of you.
We're gonna teach you some respect.
Sarge! Boz.
It's all right.
It's all right.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Look at me.
Look at me.
It's all right.
No arguments.
Drink it.
After what you've been through, you could use something strong.
I'm not used to whiskey.
Are you sure Boz and Washington are all right? A few bruises, but they'll heal.
I was afraid those Yankees were gonna kill them.
We buried those animals so deep, no one will ever find them.
I was so afraid.
All I could think of was that I might not ever see you again.
God, I love you.
I have from the first moment I saw you.
Not a fit day for man nor beast, nor even ducks.
Certainly not for our poor fellows on the march.
No, sir.
Secretaries Stanton, Chase, and Seward are in the cabinet room.
And General Hazard's wife is here.
Mrs.
Hazard.
Please come in.
Tell the gentlemen to be patient now.
I'll be along.
Mr.
President, an honor, sir.
It's my honor and my pleasure, ma'am, to meet the wife of such a valued officer.
Although I do wish the circumstances could be happier.
Please sit down.
I suppose you know why I'm here.
I am deeply distressed by George's imprisonment.
Sir, I know General Grant has refused any further prisoner exchanges.
Not just General Grant, but the voice of this government.
This war has got to end just as soon as possible.
I realize that, sir.
But I was hoping you might listen to a wife who wants to save her husband.
Sir, Libby Prison is a hellhole.
The conditions are terrible.
Mr.
President, I'm begging you.
I'm desperate.
Please get him out of there.
I can't.
If I had only George Hazard to think about I would gladly offer myself for his release.
But I am the president, and I must hold fast.
Ma'am, I don't run this war.
It runs me.
Every night, I think of the 100,000 dead and wounded.
But Jeff Davis still breathes fire down there in Richmond.
He's turned down my offers of amnesty and reconciliation so we can no longer afford to replenish Southern ranks by returning their officers and men.
It's a hard war, ma'am.
I understand what you must be going through.
Really, I do.
But, sir, I am a wife.
There must be something more we can do.
Well, I I can't promise anything, ma'am, but I'll try.
Thank you.
I can only ask your prayers for George.
You have them, ma'am.
And my deepest gratitude for your family's sacrifice.
I told you, Constance.
The president wouldn't be able to do anything.
He has a country to run and a war to fight.
Maybe George is better off where he is.
He won't be maimed or killed in battle.
No.
Constance is right.
Prisoners die every day in that horrible place.
We must do something more.
Stanley you know many top Northern manufacturers.
Is there any way that perhaps one of them has a contact in Richmond? I'll ask around.
That might take time.
Time is something your brother may have very little of.
You know, I've been thinking.
It'll probably take considerable money but if we could get a message to Orry.
He's a high-ranking officer.
Perhaps there's something he can do to help George.
Do you realize sending information in and out of enemy territory is a crime? I don't care what it is, Isabel, or what it costs.
All that matters is George.
We must do everything possible.
- Mother! - That's enough, Isabel.
Oh, Constance.
Orry.
That's a wonderful idea.
And I know someone who is sympathetic to the South who just might get a courier for us.
Oh, Mother.
We're gonna show you what happens to turncoats, ain't we, boys? Come on, we didn't mean nothing.
Hey, honest.
Didn't mean nothing.
Well, now what's all this? We tried to help this boy here.
He had him backed up against the wall.
You know what he was fixing to do.
Right, boys? Right, boy? I said, right, boy? Who was it? It was him.
My, my, general.
That ain't no way to behave.
Even dirt like you ought to know better than that.
Guess we gonna have to learn you a lesson.
Buck and gag him and throw him outside.
We'll see just how long it takes Mr.
General Hazard to break his back.
Sir! General Lander, he's gonna be returning next week.
I don't think you'd want to have to explain to him some dead Union general.
You know how he feels about brutality to the prisoners.
Corporal Strock, don't you ever question my authority.