Saving Lincoln (2013) - full transcript
The true story of Abraham Lincoln and his bodyguard, U.S. Marshal Ward Hill Lamon. This unique film features sets created from actual Civil War photographs.
[wind whooshing]
[lone bugle playing]
♪ ♪
[gunfire, cannon blasts]
♪ ♪
[gunfire,
cannon blasts continue]
- YOUR PLACE, SIR,
IS ON THAT BOAT.
[cannon blast]
MUST MARY BURY
ANOTHER LINCOLN?
- LIEUTENANT!
- YES, SIR.
- REMOVE MARSHAL LAMON
FROM THE FORT.
- YES, SIR.
[cannon blast]
- LINCOLN!
- [cocks pistol]
YOU, YOU, SEIZE HIM.
[gunfire]
- LORD KNOWS
I VALUED MR. LINCOLN'S LIFE
MORE THAN MY OWN.
BUT KEEPING HIM ALIVE
THESE PAST FOUR YEARS
WAS NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE.
- IF YOU SO VALUED HIS LIFE,
WHY WERE YOU NOT
AT FORD'S THEATER?
- TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU'D HAVE
TO HEAR THE WHOLE TALE.
- HE HAS NO ANSWER.
HE MERELY BARGAINS
FOR TIME.
- LET HIM SPEAK.
- OFT HAVE I WONDERED HOW I,
A SON OF THE SOUTH,
CAME TO BE ENTRUSTED
WITH THAT PRECIOUS LIFE
WHEN SO MANY OF MY BRETHREN
SOUGHT TO TAKE IT.
[laughter, piano music]
- IMAGINE MY SURPRISE.
THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN DIES,
I FIND OLD BAP MCNABB
SOBBING A RIVER AT THE FUNERAL.
[laughing]
"WELL, BAP," SAYS I,
"WAS YOU A CLOSE RELATION
OF THE DECEASED?"
"NO, NO," SAYS BAP,
GULPING DOWN A SOB.
"NO. NO RELATION AT ALL."
"WELL, THEN,
WHY DO YOU WEEP?"
HE SAYS,
"WELL, THAT'S WHY."
[laughter]
- TREMENDOUS, SIR.
TREMENDOUS.
- EVENING, STRANGER.
PASSING THROUGH, ARE YOU?
- UH, NO, SIR.
I'M WARD HILL LAMON,
J.J. BROWN'S COUSIN.
I'VE COME TO TRY MY HAND
AS A LAWYER
HERE IN THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT.
- WELL, I SHOULD KNOW AT ONCE
YOU'RE A VIRGINIAN.
- WAS IT THE VELVET COAT?
- THE WHITE NECK CLOTH, I'D SAY.
[laughter]
- BOYS, YOU MISS THE MATTER
ENTIRELY.
- MUST BE THE SOFT HANDS.
- WELL...
NOW, WHILE IT MAY BE CERTAIN
OUR YOUNG LIMB OF THE LAW HERE
HAS NEVER SPLIT A RAIL--
- I BEG PARDON, SIR,
BUT I HAVE DONE A DEAL
OF MANUAL LABOR
IN MY TIME.
- OH, WAS IT THIRSTY WORK
SUPERINTENDING YOUR SLAVES?
- NO, SIR.
I DETEST SLAVE LABOR!
- COUNSELOR LAMON,
I APOLOGIZE
FOR ANY OFFENSE
WE MAY HAVE GIVEN.
- VERY KIND, SIR.
I ACCEPT.
- AND I BEG
THAT YOU WILL INDULGE
THESE GENTLEMEN OF THE BAR
AND OUR FELLOW ILLINOISANS
BY SHOWING US
A BIT OF YOUR CLAWHAMMER.
- UH...ENGLISH, OF COURSE.
NOT ENTIRELY AU COURANT,
BUT I HOPE THE FIT FLATTERS.
[laughter]
- "THE FIT FLATTERS!"
OH, THAT IS GOOD.
COUNSELOR LAMON, IF YOU PLEASE,
A VIRGINIACLAWHAMMER.
WESTERN VIRGINIA,
IF I DO NOT MISTAKE.
- OH...
[laughs]
[laughter]
YOUR CHAIR, SIR,
IF I MAY.
MMM.
I'M MORE OF AN UP-AND-DOWN
PICKER MYSELF,
BUT IF IT'S WEST VIRGINIA
CLAWHAMMER YOU WISH TO HEAR...
- PLEASE.
- YOU KNOW, I FIND MYSELF
IN NEED OF LUBRICATION.
- WITH THE BLESSING,
COUNSELOR.
- VERY HANDSOME OF YOU, SIR.
I THANK YOU.
♪ WHEN I WAS YOUNG
I USED TO WAIT ♪
- ♪ ON MY MASTER
AND HAND HIM HIS PLATE ♪
both: ♪ PASS HIM THE JUG
WHEN HE GOT DRY ♪
all: ♪ AND BRUSH AWAY
THE BLUE TAIL FLY ♪
♪ JIMMY CRACK CORN
AND I DON'T CARE ♪
♪ JIMMY CRACK CORN
AND I DON'T CARE ♪
- MR. LINCOLN WAS ALWAYS
A GREAT FAVORITE IN THIS REGION,
BUT THE MAN HE ADMIRED MOST
WAS NED BAKER.
ONE SPRUNG
FROM A DIRT FARM,
THE OTHER FROM
THE BRITISH UPPER CLASS,
YET THEY SHARED SPORT,
LAW, AND POLITICS.
[laughter]
NED BECAME SUCH
A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE LINCOLNS,
THEY NAMED THEIR SON
EDWARD BAKER LINCOLN
IN HIS HONOR.
WHEN THAT CHILD DIED
OF CONSUMPTION,
MR. LINCOLN SUFFERED
FROM A PROTRACTED MELANCHOLY,
ALARMING ALL OF US
WHO LOVED HIM,
PARTICULARLY MRS. LINCOLN.
- UH, EXCUSE ME.
OH...MR. LAMON.
HOW GOOD OF YOU TO COME.
LOOK, LAMON'S HERE.
- IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT
I ARRIVED AT JUST THIS TIME...
[upbeat melody]
FOR, IN SHORT,
I HAD THE SAME EFFECT
UPON HIM
THAT WHISKEY HAS UPON ME.
♪ ♪
- "ABOLITIONIST SETTLERS,
LED BY ONE JOHN BROWN..."
- DRINK UP, BOYS.
KANSAS AIN'T GETTING CLOSER
IF WE STANDING HERE.
[laughter]
- "KILLED FIVE PRO-SLAVERY MEN
IN THE INCIDENT.
"EACH OF THE VICTIMS
WAS HACKED TO DEATH
BY BROADSWORD."
- JUST DESSERTS, I SAY.
- YOU, SIR,
ARE A SHAMELESS ANARCHIST.
- TO HATE SLAVERY
IS NOT ANARCHY, IT IS MORALITY!
- THE PRACTICE IS WRONG
AND ARCHAIC,
AND IT WILL DIE
OF ITS OWN ACCORD,
BUT TO FERMENT BLOODY REVOLUTION
IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND PIGHEADED.
- SIR, YOU ARE
A STONE-HEARTED CRACKER!
JOHN BROWN IS A HERO!
- WHEN I GETS TO KANSAS,
I WILL SHOOT JOHN BROWN
TWIXT THE EYES.
- SLITHER ON BACK
TO KENTUCKY,
YOU NO-ACCOUNT RUFFIAN.
- BOYS, LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND US
A ABOLITIONIST.
- AND PROUD OF IT.
- BILLY!
GENTLEMEN, THIS DEBATE APPEARS
UNLIKELY TO REMAIN CIVIL.
WHY NOT PASS ON THROUGH?
- OR SLITHER ON BACK
TO KENTUCKY.
- BILLY...
- I WILL CUT YOUR TONGUE!
[pistol cocks]
[gunshot, men gasp]
- THIS DEBATE, SIR,
IS OVER.
- NOW, LET US
DISCUSS KANSAS.
IT IS WRONG
TO INTRODUCE SLAVERY THERE.
[cheers and applause]
- DO YOU WISH YOUR DAUGHTERS
TO MARRY FREE NEGRO MEN?
all: NO!
- I HATE THE MONSTROUS INJUSTICE
OF SLAVERY.
AND I HATE HOW IT ENABLES
THE ENEMIES OF FREE INSTITUTIONS
WITH PLAUSIBILITY
TO TAUNT US AMERICANS
AS HYPOCRITES.
[cheers and applause]
- AND IT IS HE WHO CREATED
THIS NEW BLACK REPUBLICAN PARTY.
[hissing]
AND IT IS HE WHO WILL DECLARE
THE NEGRO YOUR EQUAL!
[angry shouts, booing]
- THE ECONOMIC REALITY
OF SLAVERY
DOES NOT ADMIT TO FORCE
OR RAPID ABOLITION,
AND I DO NOT ADVOCATE
FOR ANY SUCH RADICAL COURSE.
BUT I WILL NOT STAND BY
AND HAVE IT EXPAND
INTO ANY NEW TERRITORY!
[cheers and applause]
- LEAVE SLAVERY ALONE
WHERE IT IS,
BUT FORBID IT FROM SPREADING,
OUR COMMON-SENSE POSITION
THAT MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES.
MR. LINCOLN LOST
HIS SENATE RACE WITH DOUGLAS,
BUT JUST TWO YEARS LATER,
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
BESTOWED UPON HIM
THE HIGHEST OFFICE EVER GIVEN
TO A MAN
OF SUCH HUMBLE ORIGIN.
[Hail To the Chiefplaying]
♪ ♪
LINCOLN,
I HAVE BEEN THINKING
HOW I MAY BEST SERVE
OUR COUNTRY.
- HAVE YOU, NOW?
- I BELIEVE BEN FRANKLIN'S
OLD JOB WOULD SUIT.
- AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
- AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
I ONLY WISH MY WIFE
HAD LIVED TO SEE THE DAY.
- GOD REST ANGELINE'S SOUL,
HILL.
MARY AND I MISS HER TERRIBLY.
BUT AS FOR AMBASSADOR...
FACT IS,
I WANT YOU TO COME
TO WASHINGTON WITH ME.
- IN WHAT CAPACITY?
- I DON'T KNOW YET.
BUT A FIGHT MAY BE COMING,
AND IF IT DOES,
IT WILL BE HANDY
TO HAVE YOU AROUND.
- SECOND ADMINISTRATION?
- [laughs]
MY FRIEND, IF THERE IS
A SECOND ADMINISTRATION,
AND YOU AND I BOTH LIVE
TO SEE IT, THEN YES...
YOU SHALL MAKE A SUPERB
AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
- THE FIGHT CAME QUICKLY.
SEVEN STATES LEFT THE UNION,
AND SEVEN MORE EMBARKED
UPON THE SAME COURSE.
SACKS OF LETTERS
ARRIVED DAILY,
CURSING MR. LINCOLN
FOR DESTROYING OUR NATION,
AND PROMISING TO DESTROY HIM
IN RETURN.
ONE FELLOW EVEN
DEMONSTRATED HIS INTENT
BY SENDING MRS. LINCOLN
A PAINTING OF HER HUSBAND
TARRED, FEATHERED,
AND HANGING BY THE NECK.
- MY FRIENDS, NO ONE
NOT IN MY SITUATION
CAN APPRECIATE
MY FEELING OF SADNESS
AT THIS PARTING.
TO THIS PLACE, AND THE KINDNESS
OF THESE PEOPLE,
I OWE EVERYTHING.
- GENTLEMEN.
- HILL...
WE ENTRUST THE SACRED LIFE
OF MR. LINCOLN TO YOUR KEEPING.
- I AM HONORED, SIR.
- HILL, IF YOU FAIL
TO PROTECT HIM,
NEVER RETURN TO ILLINOIS,
FOR WE WILL MURDER YOU ON SIGHT.
- I WILL NOT FAIL HIM.
[train whistle blows]
LYNCH YOU, SHOOT YOU,
HANG YOU, BURN YOU.
- THEY HAVE SEIZED
THE FEDERAL FORTS.
ALL BUT SUMTER
AND CHARLESTON.
- THAT'S IT, THEN.
IT'S WAR.
- NO, TRAITORS HAVE SEIZED
FEDERAL FORTS.
THEY WILL BE PROSECUTED,
BUT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE
NEVER CHOSE THIS COURSE,
AND I WILL NOT
MAKE WAR ON THEM.
- AND I TELL YOU THEY HAVE
ALREADY MADE WAR ON YOU.
MY OWN BROTHERS
ARE BURNING UNION FLAGS.
- THAT IS FREE SPEECH,
NOT WAR.
- SHOULDER, ARMS!
both: ONE, TWO!
- HE CANNOT ORDER
THE FORTS RETAKEN
BEFORE HE IS INAUGURATED.
- HE CAN ANNOUNCE
HIS INTENTIONS.
- ANY SUCH ANNOUNCEMENT
WILL PRECIPITATE WAR.
- SO WE'RE TO MAKE 70 STOPS
IN 12 DAYS.
I MUST NEITHER SPEAK
NOR REMAIN SILENT.
[kids soldiering in background]
WAR IS IMMINENT...
AND OUR GREAT AMERICAN
EXPERIMENT,
NOW ENTRUSTED
TO MY CARE...
HANGS BY A THREAD.
WELL, OLD DAN TUCKER WAS
A FINE OLD MAN,
WASHED HIS FACE
IN A FRYING PAN.
COMBED HIS HAIR
WITH A WAGON WHEEL,
♪ DIED WITH A TOOTHACHE
IN HIS HEEL ♪
all: ♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
- ♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
HE GOT DRUNK ♪
♪ FELL IN THE FIRE...♪
- CITIZENS OF COLUMBUS...
BUFFALO...ALBANY...
TRENTON...
all: ♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
WENT TO TOWN ♪
♪ RIDING A MULE
AND LEADING A HOUND ♪
♪ HOUND BARKED
MULE JUMPED ♪
♪ LANDED OLD DAN
UPON A STUMP ♪
♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
- ♪ HERE'S OLD DAN
HE COMES TO TOWN ♪
♪ SWINGS THE LADIES
ROUND AND ROUND ♪
♪ SWINGS ONE EAST
SWINGS ONE WEST ♪
♪ SWINGS WITH THE ONE
HE LOVES THE BEST ♪
all: ♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
[railroad bell clanging]
- ♪ DAN BEGAN EARLY
IN LIFE ♪
♪ TO PLAY THE BANJO
AND THE FIFE ♪
♪ HE'D LULL THE CHILDREN
ALL TO SLEEP ♪
♪ THEN INTO HIS BUNK
HE'D CREEP ♪
- MR. LINCOLN.
- YEAH?
HILL, IT'S OUR
OLD FRIEND, PINKERTON.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR?
MRS. LINCOLN.
- MA'AM.
- HOW DO YOU COME
TO BE HERE?
- DETECTIVE JOB
FOR THE RAILROAD, SIR.
MR. LINCOLN,
WE HAVE COME TO KNOW, SIR,
AND BEYOND A SHADOW
OF A DOUBT,
THERE EXISTS AN ORGANIZED PLOT
TO ASSASSINATE YOU.
- WHAT?
- BALDERDASH.
NO PRESIDENT WAS EVER
ASSASSINATED.
- THE ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE
TOMORROW AT BALTIMORE STATION.
A GANG OF TOUGHS WILL
START A FIGHT
TO DRAW OFF THE POLICE.
ASSASSINS WILL THEN APPROACH
THROUGH THE CROWD
AND PLUNGE THEIR KNIVES
INTO YOUR SIDE.
- YOU HAVE EVIDENCE?
- HERE ARE THE NAMES.
- BUT YOU KNOW OF IT. SURELY,
THE POLICE WILL STOP THEM.
- THE CHIEF OF POLICE
IS ONE OF THEM, MA'AM.
- WE'LL CHANGE THE ROUTE.
- YOU'LL NOT FIND
A SAFE ROUTE THROUGH MARYLAND
IF THEY KNOW YOU'RE COMING.
SIR, WE PROPOSE TO TAKE YOU
TO WASHINGTON THIS VERY NIGHT,
AND STEAL A MARCH
ON YOUR ENEMIES.
- STEAL INTO THE CAPITAL
LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT?
- WOULD YOU PREFER
A FUNERAL, MA'AM?
- THE PAPERS WILL SHRIEK.
- WE WILL SURROUND HIM
WITH A REGIMENT
AND CUT OUR WAY THROUGH.
- WITH MRS. LINCOLN
AND THE BOYS ABOARD?
THE PAPERS WILL PRAISE YOU
FOR PUTTING THEIR SAFETY FIRST.
- IT IS A MOB
OF DESPERATE CHARACTERS
IN BALTIMORE, MR. LINCOLN,
BUT THEY EXPECT YOU TOMORROW.
PASS THROUGH TONIGHT
AND DESTROY THEIR PLOT.
- I BELIEVE I MUST.
- AYE.
WE'LL CHANGE TRAINS
IN HARRISBURG.
KINDLY LEAVE THE HAT BEHIND.
YOU AND I WILL THEN RIDE ON
AS PRIVATE CITIZENS.
- I WILL RIDE
WITH MR. LINCOLN.
- THE PLAN CALLS
FOR ONE COMPANION.
- I HAVE PLEDGED MY LIFE
TO PRESERVE, PROTECT,
AND DEFEND MR. LINCOLN.
I WILL RIDE WITH HIM!
- MR. PRESIDENT--
- I WILL RIDE WITH HILL.
[bell clanging,
steam hissing]
[clock ticking]
[steam hisses]
- ♪ LOOK AWAY, DIXIELAND ♪
♪ I WISH I WAS IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ IN DIXIELAND
I'LL TAKE MY STAND ♪
♪ TO LIVE AND DIE
IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ AWAY DOWN SOUTH
IN DIXIE ♪
- NO DOUBT THERE'LL BE
A GREAT TIME IN DIXIE
BY AND BY.
[bell clanging,
train whistle blows]
- YOU CAN'T PULL THAT
ON ME. WHOA!
[laughs]
- DO NOT STRIKE HIM.
IT IS THE NEW SENATOR
FROM OREGON.
- THE NEW--NED BAKER!
- LAMON, OLD FELLOW.
WELCOME TO WASHINGTON CITY.
NOW LET US SHOVE OFF,
ERE WE'RE OBSERVED.
THE PAPERS WILL HAVE THEIR FUN
SOON ENOUGH.
- THE PAPERS DID MORE
THAN HAVE THEIR FUN.
THEY CRUCIFIED HIM,
SAYING HE WAS
AN IMBECILIC,
NAMBY-PAMBY COWARD
WHO WOULD MAKE AMERICA
THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD
FOR HAVING NO BETTER MATERIAL
OUT OF WHICH
TO MAKE A PRESIDENT.
DETERMINED TO AVOID
ANY FURTHER SHOW OF COWARDICE,
MR. LINCOLN FLATLY REFUSED
ALL ATTEMPTS
TO PLACE GUARDS
ABOUT HIS PERSON.
AND IT IS ONLY BECAUSE
I PROVIDED COMPANIONSHIP
AND MUSICAL DIVERSION
THAT HE TOLERATED
MY OWN HEAVILY ARMED
PRESENCE.
- JUST GET ON WITH IT.
- HIS FIRST OFFICIAL ACT
WAS TO THROW OPEN THE DOORS
OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION
TO ANY AMERICAN
WHO DESIRED CONVERSATION
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
AND, SEEMINGLY,
ALL 30 MILLION OF THEM
ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
- THEY ARE BLUEPRINTS, SIR,
FOR A LIBRARY
IN CLARKSTOWN, NEW YORK.
- YOU ROLLED THEM YOURSELF?
- NOTHING WILL PREVENT WAR
BUT MY ACQUIESCENCE
IN THEIR SECESSION.
- AND IT IS EQUALLY PLAIN
YOU MUST REINFORCE SUMTER.
THESE CAVALIERS BELIEVE THAT
NORTHERN MEN ARE DEFICIENT
IN THE COURAGE NECESSARY
TO MAINTAIN GOVERNMENT.
AND THEY WILL BE UNDECEIVED.
- IT THE U.S. ARMY
INVADES CHARLESTON,
EUROPE WILL RUSH IN
TO DEFEND
THIS FLEDGLING CONFEDERATE
DEMOCRACY FROM TYRANNY.
- ENGLAND AND FRANCE
LOVE FREEDOM, SIR.
THEY WILL NEVER RECOGNIZE
A CONFEDERACY OF SLAVE OWNERS
TOO INDOLENT
TO FARM THEIR OWN LAND.
- YES. HOWEVER, THE STOPPAGE
OF AMERICAN COTTON
WILL REDUCE WHOLE COMMUNITIES
TO FAMINE,
AND POSSIBLY SPARK
REVOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
NOW, AGAINST THIS OUTCOME,
ENGLAND AND FRANCE
WILL NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE
THE CONFEDERATE STATES
OF AMERICA,
THEY WILL FEED THEM,
ARM THEM,
AND REINFORCE THEM
WITH LEGIONS OF MEN.
- [scoffs]
I AM COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF ALL OUR FORCES.
I CANNOT SURRENDER
A FEDERAL FORT WITHOUT A FIGHT.
- WELL, THEN,
YOU MUST INVADE MEXICO.
- COME AGAIN, MR. SEWARD?
- WELL, A FOREIGN FIGHT
WILL UNITE NORTH AND SOUTH,
AND PROVIDE LONG DISTRACTION
WHILE WE NEGOTIATE.
- HMM.
GENTLEMEN, I MUST THINK.
[banjo music]
IT'S A GORDIAN KNOT.
GIVE ENGLAND AND FRANCE CAUSE
TO ENTER THE WAR,
OR SURRENDER BOTH THE FORT
AND THE HONOR OF MY OFFICE.
- WHAT SAYS YOUR INSTINCT?
- MY INSTINCT SAYS
FIND ANOTHER CHOICE.
- MRS. LINCOLN, PLEASE STOP.
YOU WILL BE PRICKED.
- FATHER, IT IS AN OUTRAGE!
BECAUSE MY BROTHERS JOINED
THE CONFEDERACY,
THEY CHARGE ME
WITH TREASONOUS SYMPATHY!
- MOLLY, YOU BEDAZZLE ME.
- I DO?
- I TO AM DAZZLED,
MA'AM.
- OH. IT IS THE FINEST
PARISIAN SILK.
- EXCELLENT WORK,
MRS. KECKLY.
- BUT, FATHER...
- THANK YOU, SIR.
- THIS REPORTER CALLS ME
A CONFEDERATE SPY!
- AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT LIKENED TO
A SIMIAN BRUTE, AS I USUALLY--
- MARSHAL LAMON,
YOU MUST ARREST THIS MAN,
SHUT DOWN HIS PAPER,
AND CLEAR ME--OW!
- I'M SORRY, MRS. LINCOLN.
I WAS NOT ABLE
TO SECURE THE PINS.
- NOW, NOW, MRS. KECKLY,
I OUGHT NOT TO HAVE
RUSHED OFF.
BUT IT IS SO VEXING!
- I WILL SEND THIS PUBLISHER
A NOTE, MOTHER,
AS SOON AS I FIND A WAY
TO STOP ENGLAND AND FRANCE
FROM JOINING THIS WAR.
- ENGLAND AND FRANCE
ARE ANCIENT SOVEREIGN NATIONS
WHO RESPECT A STRONG
POTENTATE.
ONE WHO DOES MORE
THAN SEND A NOTE.
- MOTHER,
WE WILL SPARE NO EFFORT
TO RECTIFY YOUR GOOD NAME.
- THANK YOU.
GOOD NIGHT.
- MR. PRESIDENT.
- MRS. KECKLY.
[door shuts]
IT IS GROTESQUE THAT ANY
WOULD CONSIDER ME THE AGGRESSOR
WHEN TRAITORS BESIEGED
MY FORT.
- I AM REMINDED
OF THE YOUNG MAN
WHOSE AGED PARENTS HAD
A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT
OF PROPERTY.
- YES!
[laughs]
KILLED THE POOR FOLKS
TO GET HIS INHERITANCE.
JUDGE ASKED WHY
HE SHOULD NOT BE HANGED...
- AND THE YOUNG MAN REPLIED,
"PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON ME,
FOR I AM A POOR ORPHAN!"
[laughter]
- HILL, THAT'S IT.
ENGLAND AND FRANCE
WILL NOT EXONERATE AN ORPHAN
WHO KILLS HIS OWN PARENTS.
THESE SOUTHERNERS
ARE SO HUNGRY FOR WAR,
THEY WILL FIRE FIRST,
EVEN WITHOUT PROVOCATION.
SO I WILL NOT
REINFORCE SUMTER.
I WILL SIMPLY
SEND THE MEN FOOD.
IF THAT PRECIPITATES WAR,
I DARE SAY
THE ANCIENT SOVEREIGN NATIONS
WILL KEEP OUT.
[lively riff]
- THE REBELS DID FIRE FIRST.
EUROPE KEPT OUT, AND MR. LINCOLN
TOOK THE FIRST TRICK.
- THE REAL TRICK IS
SMASH A LITTLE...
CUT A LITTLE,
AND DIP.
- MR. PRESIDENT, A REBEL FLAG
FLIES ACROSS THE POTOMAC
IN FULL VIEW
OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
IT IS AN AFFRONT, SIR.
- AN EGREGIOUS AFFRONT.
- PERMISSION TO CROSS THE RIVER
AND RETRIEVE SAID FLAG, SIR.
- BY ALL MEANS, DEAR BOY.
- YIPPEE!
- NO, NO, NO.
WILLIE, WILLIE, WILLIE,
YOU AND TAD SHALL OBSERVE
THIS CRUCIAL MISSION
FROM A PRESIDENTIAL
PERSPECTIVE. COME, COME.
- THE FLAG SHALL BE YOURS
BY NOON, SIR.
- GODSPEED, COLONEL.
SEE, THE COLONEL SHALL OCCUPY
THE FURTHEST...
- COLONEL ELLSWORTH ALWAYS
PUT ON A GOOD SHOW.
HIS ZOUAVE MILITIA
THRILLED THE NATION
WITH THEIR PRECISION DRILLS.
AND IT WAS ELLSWORTH HIMSELF
WHO RECRUITED
THE FIRST 75,000
UNION VOLUNTEERS.
INDEED, THE WAR FEVER
HAD COME.
EVEN SENATOR BAKER JOINED UP.
[When Johnny Comes
Marching Homeplaying]
♪ ♪
[all cheering]
[gunshot]
- MY BOY. MY BOY!
WAS IT NECESSARY
THIS SACRIFICE SHOULD BE MADE?
- HE WAS CARRYING IT
DOWN THE STAIRS.
THEY SHOT HIM
IN THE HEART.
- THEY WILL MOURN THAT SHOT.
- MR. LINCOLN PUSHED
HIS GENERALS
TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS
AT ONCE.
THEY MET THE ENEMY
AT BULL RUN.
IT WAS A UNION DEBACLE.
[telegraphs clicking,
indistinct chatter]
- AH.
GENERAL MCCLELLAN.
- PRESIDENT.
- WELL...
YOU NOW COMMAND
ALL THE FORCES OF THE EAST.
WE OUTNUMBER THEM
TWO TO ONE.
I SUGGEST WE ADVANCE
EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
THOSE NOT SKINNIN'
CAN HOLD A LEG.
THE ENEMY WILL SOON
BE OVERCOME.
- MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS NOT
THE WAY WE CONDUCT A WAR.
- EXPLAIN YOUR PLAN.
- MR. BLAIR?
- MCCLELLAN DID TRANSFORM
OUR BATTERED EASTERN FORCES
INTO A MIGHTY ARMY,
BUT HE WOULD NOT RISK
AN ACTUAL BATTLE
UNTIL HE HAD MORE MEN,
CANNON, AND HORSES
THAN NAPOLEON HIMSELF.
THE RESULT WAS STAGNATION
IN THE EAST,
HEAVY LOSSES IN THE WEST,
AND MOUNTING ANGER
AT MR. LINCOLN.
- THE PEOPLE HATE YOUR WAR.
THEY'LL NOT BLEED FOR YOU
OR YOUR BELOVED NEGROES,
AND YOU MUST STOP NOW.
- THE PEOPLE DEMAND WAR!
THEY WANT THE SLAVES FREED,
AND YOU MUST ACT NOW.
- THE WAR COSTS
A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY.
WE SHALL HAVE TO IMPOSE
AN INCOME TAX TO PAY FOR IT,
AND THEN GOD HELP
OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY.
- THE LACK OF ANY SUCCESS
EXASPERATES EUROPE.
THEY SPEAK AGAIN
OF INTERCEDING.
IF THAT HAPPENS,
ALL IS LOST.
- ARE YOU NOT
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, SIR?
DO SOMETHING!
- HILL, I NEED A VICTORY.
SOMETHING TO SHOW
THAT THE SHIP OF STATE
IS NOT, IN FACT,
RUDDERLESS.
- I COULD VISIT MCCLELLAN,
HAVE A TALK,
AS I USED TO
WITH OUR RECALCITRANT CLIENTS.
- [chuckles]
NO. NO.
[idly strumming banjo]
I'LL ACCOUNT HIM
A GENIUS.
AND HE TOILS
NIGHT AND DAY,
PREPARING THE ARMY
FOR THE GREAT BATTLE
TO END THIS WAR.
BUT I WILL INSIST
THE OTHER GENERALS ADVANCE.
- SIR, GRANT AND SHERMAN
BOTH MOVING IN KENTUCKY.
BUTLER TOOK THE OUTER BANKS
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
- GOOD, GOOD.
THAT IS GOOD.
- WE DID HAVE A SETBACK
AT BALL'S BLUFF, THOUGH.
- WHERE IS THAT?
- IT'S JUST UP THE RIVER, SIR.
IT WAS A SMALL ACTION,
BUT A REGIMENT WAS OVERWHELMED.
223 KILLED, INCLUDING
THE COMMANDER, A COLONEL BAKER.
- NED--NED BAKER?
- IT SAYS
"EDWARD D. BAKER."
DO YOU KNOW HIM, SIR?
- "THERE WAS NO PATRIOT
LIKE BAKER,
"SO NOBLE AND SO TRUE.
"HE FELL AS A SOLDIER
ON THE FIELD,
"HIS FACE TO THE SKY
OF BLUE.
"HIS COUNTRY HAS
HER PART TO PLAY
"TOWARD THOSE
HE'S LEFT BEHIND.
"HIS WIDOW
AND HIS CHILDREN ALL...
[sniffs]
YOU MUST ALWAYS
KEEP IN MIND."
- NED BAKER WAS
THE ONLY SENATOR EVER
TO DIE IN BATTLE,
AND HIS DEATH
HIT WASHINGTON HARD.
SOME WEEKS LATER,
MRS. LINCOLN PROPOSED A BALL
TO SHOW THAT WE REMAINED
CONFIDENT OF THE WAR'S OUTCOME.
AND THE PRESIDENT AGREED.
I WAS MADE MARSHAL
OF CEREMONIES,
A DUTY I OFTEN UNDERTOOK
TO BETTER CONTROL ACCESS
TO THE PRESIDENT'S PERSON.
[upbeat music plays]
♪ ♪
- THE MARINE BAND IS PLAYING,
THE BANQUET IS SERVED.
THE ONLY ITEM LACKING
FROM THE FIRST LADY'S BALL
IS THE FIRST LADY.
- GO, MA.
♪ ♪
- I SHOULD HAVE CANCELED
THE BALL.
WHAT IF IT'S TYPHOID?
- DR. STONE SAID IT'S NOT.
- I HAVE SAT
WITH MANY A SICK CHILD,
MRS. LINCOLN.
IF THE FEVER RISES,
I WILL SEND FOR YOU.
- MOLLY, MRS. KECKLY
CAN BE TRUSTED.
AND WE HAVE 800 GUESTS.
♪ ♪
- WELL, THERE WILL BE
NO DANCING.
- A BALL WITH NO DANCING.
HMM.
THERE IS A WAR, AFTER ALL.
♪ ♪
[band playing upbeat melody]
- WELL, HE IS AN ABOLITIONIST
DEEP DOWN.
BUT HIS HANDS ARE TIED.
- IT IS NOT ABOLITION.
HE IS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF AN ARMY
FIGHTING A SLAVE POWER.
- YES, YES, FREE THEIR SLAVES
AND REMOVE THEIR POWER.
I TELL HIM THIS REPEATEDLY,
BUT HE INSISTS
THAT THE CAUSE IS...
both: UNION.
- THAT IS WHY
OUR BOYS FIGHT.
- WHAT DOES OUR SACRED UNION
STAND FOR IF NOT FREEDOM?
- THE BORDER STATES
ARE SLAVE STATES.
ANY TALK OF EMANCIPATION
WILL CAUSE THEM
TO JOIN THE REBELLION.
- MR. PRESIDENT, DOING GOD'S
WILL IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN PLACATING A PACK
OF SLAVEHOLDERS AT THE BORDER.
- MR. CHASE, I WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE GOD ON MY SIDE,
BUT I MUST HAVE KENTUCKY.
- THE HONOR IS NOT
CEREMONIAL, MA'AM, I ASSURE YOU.
THE PRESIDENT'S LIFE
IS IN CONSTANT JEOPARDY.
- OH, HOW DREADFUL.
TELL ME, DO YOU ACCOMPANY HIM
EVERYWHERE?
- [chuckles]
GOD KNOWS I TRY, MA'AM,
BUT HE IS A NIMBLE GENTLEMAN.
- [chuckles]
MARSHAL LAMON,
YOU'RE A VIRGINIA HORSEMAN.
HOW ON EARTH
COULD OLD ABE LINCOLN
ESCAPE YOUR WATCH?
- WELL, THE WAR DEPARTMENT
HAS MANY EGRESSES AND--
MA'AM, MAY I SHOW YOU
AN ASTONISHING SIGHT?
- OH. PLEASE DO.
- WASHINGTON SWARMED
WITH SPIES,
MANY REMARKABLY ATTRACTIVE.
EXTREME VIGILANCE
WAS REQUIRED,
EVEN AT THE RISK
OF DISCOMFORTING THE INNOCENT.
IF I MAY?
OLD CAP PRISON
FOR INTERROGATION.
- BUT WHAT HAVE I DONE?
- WE SHALL ASK
THE QUESTIONS, MA'AM.
- [scoffs]
- IT IS THE WAR.
THE ENTIRE CITY
IS A BARRACKS.
GASTRIC ILLNESS
IS WIDESPREAD,
AND IT OFTEN
EVOLVES INTO TYPHOID.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
FROM GENERAL GRANT, SIR.
- YES.
- "I OFFERED NO TERMS
"BUT UNCONDITIONAL
AND IMMEDIATE SURRENDER.
ENEMY ACCEPTED.
FORT DONALDSON OURS."
GIVES US THE CUMBERLAND RIVER,
SIR, A TRUE VICTORY AT LAST.
- [strained breathing]
- MOTHER?
OH, DEAR GOD.
- [strained breathing]
- OH, DEAR GOD.
- [sobbing]
DON'T GO, WILLIE, NO.
[screams]
[sobbing hysterically]
NO! NO! NO! OH, NO!
- [sobbing]
MY BOY IS ACTUALLY GONE!
- NO, LET ME GO!
LET ME GO!
I WANT MY BABY, PLEASE!
MY BABY.
- [sobs]
- WHEN I LOST MY WIFE...
YOU COVERED MY CASES
AS LONG AS I NEEDED.
GOD HELP ME, LINCOLN,
I CANNOT COVER YOURS.
YOU MUST--
- HOW IS MRS. LINCOLN?
- HER ANGUISH DESTROYS HER.
SHE BLAMES HERSELF
FOR WILLIE'S D--
BECAUSE THE BALL
WAS SO LAVISH.
- PERHAPS SHE'S RIGHT.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED IT.
- OH, NO, SIR. NO.
THE LORD TOOK WILLIE
FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES.
- AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY?
WHAT PURPOSE WAS THAT?
- I'M SORRY, SIR,
I DID NOT MEAN TO--
- NO, MRS. KECKLY,
TELL ME, WHAT--
WHAT PURPOSE HAD GOD
TO TAKE MY SON?
- I CANNOT SAY, SIR.
BUT WHEN I LOST MY SON, I WAS
COMFORTED BY THE STORY OF JACOB.
HE MOURNED FOR JOSEPH
ALL THOSE YEARS,
YET IN THE END,
IT WAS BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS TAKEN
THAT HE BECAME GOD'S INSTRUMENT
IN SAVING THE WHOLE FAMILY.
- BUT JOSEPH WAS NOT DEAD.
- NO, SIR,
AND NEITHER IS WILLIE.
- [scoffs]
- HE LIVES IN PARADISE.
- "LIVES."
WOULD THAT I HAD YOUR FAITH,
MRS. KECKLY,
FOR I HAVE LOST MANY PEOPLE.
ANOTHER SON, YEARS AGO,
MY SISTER,
MY MOTHER WHEN I WAS A BOY.
OTHERS ARE COMFORTED
BY STORIES OF HEAVEN,
BUT I NEVER HAD THAT FACULTY.
- BEG PARDON, SIR,
BUT FAITH IS NOT A FACULTY.
IT IS A CHOICE.
NO ONE CAN PROVE
THAT GOD IS OR IS NOT,
YET ANYONE CAN CHOOSE TO SEEK
HIS WISDOM AND HIS MERCY
IN THIS WORLD.
WHEN I MADE THAT CHOICE,
I BEGAN TO SEE HIS PURPOSE,
EVEN IN OUR SUFFERINGS,
AND THAT CHOICE HAS SUSTAINED ME
THROUGH TERRIBLE DAYS, SIR.
- WHEN DID YOU LOSE YOUR SON,
MRS. KECKLY?
- LAST YEAR AT WILSON'S CREEK.
- THE BATTLE
OF WILSON'S CREEK?
- YES, SIR.
GEORGE WAS LIGHT-SKINNED,
AND HE COULD PASS.
HE ENLISTED
AS SOON AS THE WAR BEGAN.
- IN AN ARMY
THAT WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN HIM
IF HIS RACE WERE KNOWN.
MRS. KECKLY,
I'M SO VERY SORRY.
GEORGE WAS A TRUE PATRIOT.
- HE ENLISTED
TO FIGHT SLAVERY, SIR.
GEORGE AND I WERE BOTH SLAVES
UNTIL 1855.
IT TOOK ME 30 YEARS
TO PURCHASE OUR FREEDOM.
I DID IT WITH THE MONEY
I EARNED DRESSMAKING.
BUT THE LORD HEARD OUR CRIES,
MR. PRESIDENT,
THE CRIES OF MY PEOPLE,
AND HE REMEMBERED US,
AND HE SENT YOU
TO DELIVER US.
- MRS. KECKLY, NO.
I AM NO PROPHET.
I AM JUST A MAN
OF THE COMMONEST SORT,
I ASSURE YOU.
- IF THAT IS TRUE, SIR, THEN HOW
DID YOU COME TO BE PRESIDENT?
- HMM, WHY I--
- MR. PRESIDENT, TRUST GOD.
YOU ARE HIS INSTRUMENT, SIR,
AND YOU WILL DO HIS WORK
WITH WILLIE WATCHING OVER YOU.
[sobs lightly]
- [sobbing]
[background chatter,
telegraphs clacking]
"I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ST--"
"I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
"AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMY AND NAVY,
"DO ORDER AND DECLARE
THAT ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES
IN ANY REBELLIOUS STATE--"
- MR. PRESIDENT,
DISPATCH FROM GENERAL GRANT.
FROM SHILOH CHURCH
ON THE TENNESSEE RIVER.
"DRIVEN BACK YESTERDAY.
REGROUPED, COUNTERATTACKED,
AND HELD THE RIVER."
SIR, IT'S A GREAT VICTORY.
- HALLELUJAH.
- "ESPECIALLY COMMEND
"GENERAL SHERMAN
FOR HOLDING THE CENTER,
"THOUGH WOUNDED TWICE,
AND THREE HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM."
- GIVE THAT TO THE PAPERS.
WE NEED A HERO.
- AND THE CASUALTIES?
- UH...
OH, DEAR GOD. 13,000.
- THAT IS BOTH SIDES?
- IT'S UNION, SIR.
THE ENEMY LOST 10,000.
- JUST TO HOLD
A PIECE OF RIVER.
- LOSING 13,000 TO THEIR 10,000
IS NOT WINNING.
GRANT MUST BE REPLACED, SIR.
- I CANNOT SPARE THIS MAN.
HE FIGHTS.
- MR. LINCOLN HAD RESUMED
HIS DUTIES, BUT NOT HIS ROUTINE.
HOPING TO EASE MARY'S GRIEF,
HE SHIFTED HIS FAMILY
TO THE SUMMER RESIDENCE.
THE RESULT
WAS A DAILY THREE-MILE RIDE
ALONG AN UNGUARDED ROAD TEEMING
WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMBUSH,
A TRIP HE OFTEN UNDERTOOK
WITHOUT NOTICE TO ME.
[whispering in the distance]
- SHOOT. GO. GO.
[indistinct chatter]
- SHOW YOURSELF.
- [whispering] SHOOT.
[gunshot]
[indistinct chatter]
- I AM A U.S. MARSHAL,
AND I WILL SHOOT YOU!
[indistinct chatter]
- GO, GO! MOVE! COME ON.
[horse chuffs]
[voices fade into distance]
[horse chuffs]
- "I, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMY AND NAVY
"OF THE UNITED STATES,
DO ORDER AND DECLARE
"THAT ON THE FIRST OF JANUARY,
1863,
"ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES
WITHIN ANY STATE
"OR IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL
AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES
"SHALL NOT BE RECOGNIZED
AND SUBMITTED TO,
SHALL THEN, THENCEFORWARD
AND FOREVER, BE FREE."
- YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND
ENTIRELY.
- YES, I HAVE, MR. BLAIR,
AND I DON'T THINK MUCH OF A MAN
WHO IS NOT WISER TODAY
THAN HE WAS YESTERDAY.
GENTLEMEN, WHO'S FOR IT?
AGAINST?
THE AYES HAVE IT.
- THE VOTE WAS THREE TO TWO.
- MR. CHASE,
I AM KNOCKED INTO A COCKED HAT
TO HEAR YOU DISAPPROVE
OF THIS MEASURE.
- I FAVOR EMANCIPATION,
OF COURSE,
BUT TO DO IT NOW,
WHEN WE MUST PASS AN INCOME TAX
AND SELL WAR BONDS--
- WOULD YOU PREFER TO WAIT
UNTIL 1864?
- I WOULD PREFER--
- ALLOW THE NEXT PRESIDENT
TO FREE THE SLAVES? PERHAPS YOU?
I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BEST
TO ORGANIZE AND ARM THE SLAVES.
- NO, IT WOULD NOT,
BUT WE WILL ACCEPT NEGROES
INTO THE ARMED FORCES.
- HEAR, HEAR.
- [stuttering]
MR. PRESIDENT,
ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION NOW,
WITH THE REBELLION
COMPLETELY UNCHECKED,
MIGHT WELL BE DEEMED
THE LAST DESPERATE SHRIEK
OF AN EXHAUSTED GOVERNMENT.
- PRECISELY.
- IT'S THE WRONG MESSAGE
TO SEND TO EUROPE.
NOW, I APPROVE THE MEASURE--
YOU KNOW MY VIEWS--
BUT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND
WE POSTPONE
THIS EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
- UNTIL WE WIN A BATTLE?
- JUST SO.
- MONTHS PASSED WITHOUT OUR
WINNING SO MUCH AS A SKIRMISH.
FOR RELIEF, MR. LINCOLN
TOOK TO THEATERGOING,
A PRACTICE
I VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED
FOR BRINGING HIM SO NEAR
TO GREAT MOBS IN DARKENED ROOMS.
I ALWAYS FEARED
THAT SOME VILLAIN WOULD LEVEL
HIS PISTOL AT MY FRIEND,
THOUGH I NEVER IMAGINED
THE MALEFACTOR MIGHT BE
STANDING UPON THE STAGE ITSELF.
- WELL, WELL, HE WAS
THE COVERTEST SHELTERED TRAITOR
THAT EVER LIVED.
WOULD YOU IMAGINE,
OR ALMOST BELIEVE,
WERE IT NOT
THAT BY GREAT PRESERVATION
WE LIVE TO TELL IT TO YOU,
THE SUBTLE TRAITOR THIS DAY
HAD PLOTTED IN THE COUNCIL HOUSE
TO MURDER ME
AND MY GOOD LORD OF GLOUCESTER?
- WHAT, HAD HE SO?
- WHAT? THINK YOU
WE ARE TURKS OR INFIDELS,
OR THAT WE WOULD,
AGAINST THE FORM OF LAW,
PROCEED THUS RASHLY
WITH THE VILLAIN'S DEATH...
BUT THAT THE EXTREME PERIL
OF THE CASE,
THE PEACE OF ENGLAND
AND OUR PERSON'S SAFETY,
ENFORCED US
TO THIS EXECUTION?
- HE LOOKS AS IF
HE MEANT THAT FOR YOU, PAPA.
- HE DOES LOOK AT ME
PRETTY SHARP, DOESN'T HE?
- WOULD THAT I HAD SEEN
THAT LOOK, BUT AT THE TIME,
JOHN WILKES BOOTH
WAS ONLY ONE OF A MULTITUDE
LOOKING SHARPLY
AT OUR PRESIDENT.
MCCLELLAN HAD FINALLY PROVIDED
THE LONG-AWAITED VICTORY.
THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
WAS MADE PUBLIC,
AND DEATH THREATS TO MR. LINCOLN
INCREASED BY A HUNDREDFOLD.
ONE SYNDICATE
OF GEORGIA PLANTERS
EVEN ISSUED A BOND WORTH $50,000
FOR MY FRIEND'S LIFE,
AND I COULD NEVER KNOW WHO WOULD
BE TEMPTED BY SUCH A VAST OFFER.
- HELLO, SIR.
- MORNING, BOYS.
BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SON.
GENTLEMEN.
- ON YOUR FEET,
IT'S THE PRESIDENT.
- HALT AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF!
- GOD BLESS YOU, BOYS.
BLESS YOU.
- DIDN'T SIGN UP
TO FREE NO DARKIES.
- PRESIDENT'S CARRIAGE!
MAKE A LANE!
- THANK YOU
FOR YOUR GREAT SERVICE.
I AM IN YOUR DEBT.
- HI-YA!
[horse whinnies]
- DUNKER CHURCH,
ARTILLERY STRONGHOLD,
BURNSIDE BRIDGE,
AND THAT IS BLOODY LANE,
WHERE I PIERCED
THE CONFEDERATE CENTER.
- HERDED THEM
FROM THE FIELD OF HONOR, EH?
- LIKE SHEEP, MR. PRESIDENT.
- WHY THEN
DID YOU NOT PURSUE?
THE BLEEDING SHEEP
WERE BEFORE YOU,
THE AX IN YOUR HAND,
YOU MIGHT HAVE
CRUSHED LEE'S ARMY AND ENDED
THIS TERRIBLE CONTEST.
- WHY, WE WERE EXHAUSTED.
THE FIGHTING CONT--
- HOW MANY THOUSANDS MORE
WILL PERISH
BECAUSE YOU LET HIM FLY?
- I REPELLED LEE'S INVASION,
SIR!
- HOLD STILL, PLEASE.
AND...
ONE, TWO,
THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
- AND I DID IT, NO THANKS TO YOU
OR ANY OTHER POLITICIAN!
- GENERAL MCCLELLAN WAS FINALLY
RELIEVED OF HIS COMMAND.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- HILL, PLAY THAT SAD SONG.
[plays
A Letter to Tom]
♪ ♪
- ♪ I'VE WANDERED
TO THE VILLAGE TOM ♪
♪ I'VE SAT BENEATH THE TREE ♪
♪ BUT NONE THERE TO GREET ME,
TOM ♪
♪ AND FEW ARE LEFT TO KNOW ♪
♪ PLAYED WITH US
UPON THE GREEN ♪
♪ SOME 20 YEARS AGO ♪
[plays
Picayune Butler's
Come to Town]
♪ ♪
♪ HERE I'LL SIT,
GOING TO SING ♪
♪ TELL YOU HOW
THE BANJO RING ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ SONG I KNOW,
PLEASE YOU TO DEATH ♪
♪ LAUGH YOU
NEARLY OUT OF BREATH ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COMIN', COMIN' ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COME TO TOWN ♪
♪ AH-OOH AH-OOH ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COMIN', COMIN' ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COME TO TOWN ♪
[music fades]
[softly]
♪ BUTLER COME TO TOWN ♪
♪ AH-OOH AH-OOH ♪
"DAY AFTER THE BATTLE,
"DEAD SOLDIERS
HEAPED BY THE ROADSIDE,
"LINCOLN SLAPPED THE KNEE
OF MARSHAL LAMON AND EXCLAIMED,
'GIVE US THAT SONG
ABOUT PICAYUNE BUTLER'"?
YOU DO NOT APPRECIATE
THE DANGER, SIR.
SENATORS WADE, DAVIS, POMEROY,
EVEN SUMNER BY HIS SILENCE,
THEY ALL CONSPIRE
AGAINST YOU.
- HILL, FOR A MAN
OF ACCREDITED COURAGE,
YOU ARE THE MOST PANICKY PERSON
I KNOW.
- THEY CALL YOU
"INDECISIVE, FEEBLE,
INCAPABLE OF WINNING THE WAR."
- HILL,
CRITICISM IS NOT CONSPIRACY.
- CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT
THEY MANEUVER TO REPLACE YOU
ON THE REPUBLICAN SLATE?
- I DO...
[gunshot]
SO I THINK WE BETTER WIN THE WAR
BEFORE NOVEMBER '64.
MR. SPENCER,
WE WILL TAKE 10,000.
- BUT THE NEW RIFLES
DID NOT ALLEVIATE
OUR LONG SEASON
OF FAILURES.
1863 ARRIVED...
- THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
- AND WITH IT, MORE LOSS.
- BLESS YOU, SON.
DEEPLY GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR SERVICE.
- [whimpering]
[wincing]
[yelling in pain]
- GOOD EVENING,
MR. PRESIDENT.
- WHAT--OH. OH, YES.
PERHAPS CHASE
SHOULD BE PRESIDENT.
HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO KNOW
WHAT THE ALMIGHTY WANTS,
WHEREAS I...
I THOUGHT FOR ONE MOMENT
I WAS GOD'S INSTRUMENT,
AND THEN, I BROUGHT DOWN
NOTHING BUT MISERY AND DESPAIR.
- "NOTHING BUT MISERY"?
COME WITH ME.
- ♪ IF I COULD,
I SURELY WOULD ♪
♪ STAND ON THE ROCK
WHERE MOSES STOOD ♪
all: ♪ PHAROAH'S ARMY
GOT DROWNDED ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- ♪ WHOA, WHOA ♪
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- THESE PEOPLE ESCAPED
BECAUSE YOU PROCLAIMED THEM
FREE.
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
- HERE IS NO MISERY, SIR.
HERE IS HOPE.
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
[hushed exclamations]
- EVENING.
[chuckles]
GOD BLESS YOU.
GOD--PLEASE.
- THANK YOU.
- PLEASE,
DON'T KNEEL BEFORE ME, PLEASE.
- THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU.
- OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU. BLESS YOU, MY DEAR.
- OH. [sobbing]
- GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
- THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU.
MY HEART IS WITH YOU, HMM?
- PRESIDENT.
- PLEASE, SING.
SING. DON'T LET ME STOP YOU.
YOU SOUND WONDERFUL.
[laughter]
SING, PLEASE.
all: ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
♪ PHAROAH'S ARMY
GOT DROWNDED ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- ♪ WELL, WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN,
GONNA SCREAM AND SHOUT ♪
[all shout]
- [laughs]
- ♪ NOBODY THERE
IS GONNA PUT ME OUT ♪
- JULY 4th, 1863.
FOR A MOMENT,
WE THOUGHT THE WAR HAD ENDED.
- ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
- IN THE WEST, GRANT CAPTURED
VICKSBURG AT LAST,
AND AN ENTIRE ARMY WITH IT,
AND IN THE EAST,
WHERE GENERAL LEE
HAD INVADED PENNSYLVANIA--
- "FROM GENERAL MEADE
TO GETTYSBURG."
- YES?
- "WE HAVE DRIVEN THE INVADER
FROM OUR SOIL."
- YES.
- WELL DONE.
- "DRIVEN THE INVADER
FROM OUR SOIL"?
MY GOD, IS THAT ALL?
- YES, SIR.
- LEE WAS TWO STATES AWAY
FROM HIS BASE OF SUPPLY!
MEADE COULD HAVE CAPTURED
HIS ENTIRE ARMY!
- BUT, SIR, WE WON THE BATTLE.
- AND LOST 23,000 MEN.
23,000 KILLED, MANGLED,
MISSING,
AND LEE
RIGHT BACK WHERE HE WAS!
THE PEOPLE
WILL NOT STAND FOR IT.
THEY WILL DEMAND PEACE
AT ANY PRICE,
AND THEN, ALL OF THIS
IS FOR NOTHING!
NOTHING!
- MR. PRESIDENT!
SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED
TO MRS. LINCOLN.
[horse chuffs]
[door opening]
- THE DRIVER'S BENCH
FELL OFF THE CARRIAGE.
THE HORSES RAN OFF.
SIR, THIS WAS
A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
- THIS WAS NO ACCIDENT, SIR.
A KILLER LOOSED THAT BENCH
IN THE HOPES
THAT YOU WOULD BE THE PASSENGER.
- MOTHER.
IS THE PAIN GREAT?
- YES.
YET I DO NOT MIND IT...
FOR NETTIE
BRINGS ME SUCH COMFORT.
- NETTIE?
- NETTIE COLBURN, SIR,
THE MEDIUM.
SHE'S FAMOUSLY GIFTED.
- I'VE SPOKEN TO WILLIE,
FATHER.
HE'S SO HAPPY IN HEAVEN.
- IS HE?
- YES. YES.
AS ARE SAM AND...
AND LITTLE ALEC.
DID YOU KNOW THEY FELL
AT BATON ROUGE AND SHILOH?
- OF COURSE, MOTHER.
- I COULD NOT MOURN
MY OWN BROTHERS,
LEST THE PAPERS
CALL ME A TRAITOR.
BUT NOW, THEY KNOW
HOW MUCH I MISS THEM.
ESPECIALLY WILLIE, FATHER.
HE COMES TO ME NOW.
EVEN WITHOUT NETTIE'S HELP.
LITTLE RASCAL.
- I'M...
I'M GLAD HE IS WELL.
- WILL YOU NOT ATTEND A SEANCE
WITH ME, FATHER?
NETTIE SUMMONS OTHERS
FROM BEYOND...
SOME WONDROUSLY WISE.
THEY CAN HELP YOU WIN THE WAR.
- I WILL, MOTHER.
AS SOON AS MY SCHEDULE
PERMITS.
YOU REST NOW,
AND WE WILL ALL DOTE ON YOU
UNTIL YOUR WOUNDS ARE HEALED.
[whispering]
FIND THEM.
- COME ON.
- [grunts]
- EVENING.
- EVENING, SIR.
WARD HILL LAMON,
U.S. MARSHAL.
WE ARE INVESTIGATING
AN ATTEMPT--
I ARREST YOU BOTH!
[pounding on the door]
WE NEVER FOUND THE MAN
WHO LOOSED THOSE BOLTS,
BUT WE DID UNCOVER
A MOST HEINOUS PLAN:
SEEKING TO KILL MR. LINCOLN
BY INFECTING HIM
WITH YELLOW FEVER.
THEY GATHERED CLOTHING
FROM VICTIMS OF THE DISEASE
IN BERMUDA.
OUR DETECTIVE WORK
SAVED MR. LINCOLN,
BUT I NEVER COULD BE AT EASE
WHILE ABSENT FROM HIS SIDE.
I AM ASKED
TO BE MASTER OF CEREMONIES
AT THE DEDICATION
OF THE CEMETERY OF GETTYSBURG.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR,
OF COURSE,
BUT AS I CANNOT LEAVE YOUR SIDE,
I WILL TENDER MY REGRETS.
OF COURSE, YOU COULD COME
AND DELIVER
A FEW APPROPRIATE REMARKS.
BUT AT SUCH A TIME
AS THIS...
YOU KNOW,
FOR YOU TO LEAVE THE CAPITOL,
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE,
AND I WOULD NOT PRESUME.
- I WILL COME.
- THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES!
[applause]
RESISTANCE TO THE WAR
WAS GROWING.
MR. LINCOLN NEEDED
TO REINVIGORATE THE PEOPLE,
TO EXPLAIN TO THEM,
AND PERHAPS HIMSELF,
WHY THIS ENDLESS PLAGUE OF WAR
MUST CONTINUE.
- FOUR SCORE
AND SEVEN YEARS AGO,
OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH
UPON THIS CONTINENT
A NEW NATION,
CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY,
AND DEDICATED
TO THE PROPOSITION
THAT ALL MEN
ARE CREATED EQUAL.
NOW, WE ARE ENGAGED
IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR,
TESTING WHETHER THAT NATION,
OR ANY NATION
SO CONCEIVED AND SO DEDICATED,
CAN LONG ENDURE.
WE ARE MET ON A GREAT
BATTLEFIELD OF THAT WAR.
WE HAVE COME TO DEDICATE
A PORTION OF THAT FIELD,
AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE
FOR THOSE
WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES
THAT THAT NATION MIGHT LIVE.
IT IS ALTOGETHER FITTING AND
PROPER THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS,
BUT IN A LARGER SENSE,
WE CANNOT DEDICATE,
WE CANNOT CONSECRATE,
WE CAN NOT HALLOW THIS GROUND.
THE BRAVE MEN, LIVING AND DEAD,
WHO STRUGGLED HERE
HAVE CONSECRATED IT
FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER
TO ADD OR DETRACT.
THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE,
NOR LONG REMEMBER
WHAT WE SAY HERE,
BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET
WHAT THEY DID HERE.
IT IS FOR US THE LIVING,
RATHER,
TO BE DEDICATED HERE
TO THE UNFINISHED WORK
WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE
HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED.
IT IS, RATHER,
FOR US TO BE HERE
DEDICATED TO THE GREAT TASK
REMAINING BEFORE US.
THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD,
WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION
TO THAT CAUSE
FOR WHICH THEY HERE GAVE
THE LAST FULL MEASURE
OF DEVOTION,
THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE
THAT THESE DEAD
SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN,
THAT THIS NATION,
UNDER GOD,
SHALL HAVE
A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM,
AND THAT GOVERNMENT
OF THE PEOPLE,
BY THE PEOPLE,
FOR THE PEOPLE,
SHALL NOT PERISH
FROM THE EARTH.
[crowd murmuring]
- IS THAT IT?
- IT CAN'T BE.
- IT'S FAR TOO SHORT.
- AIN'T GOT NOTHING ELSE
TO SAY?
- [applauding]
[cheers and applause]
- "SILLY, FLAT,
AND DISHWATERY UTTERANCES
"OF A MAN
WHO MUST BE POINTED OUT
TO INTELLIGENT FOREIGNERS
AS THE PRESIDENT."
- WELL, I'VE NOT HAD
MUCH TIME FOR FOREIGN POLICY.
- YOU HAVE LOST
YOUR OWN PEOPLE, SIR.
THREE YEARS OF SLAUGHTER
AND NO END IN SIGHT.
SALMON P. CHASE OFFERS
YOUR IDEALS WITHOUT YOUR RECORD.
POMEROY AND HIS GANG
HAVE CIRCULATED A LETTER
DEMANDING CHASE'S NOMINATION.
[church bell tolling]
MR. PRESIDENT,
MCCLELLAN HAS AGREED
TO RUN FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
HE WILL OFFER PEACE WITH SLAVERY
AND THE PEOPLE WILL TAKE IT,
UNLESS OUR CANDIDATE
IS CHASE.
IT'S TIME NOW FOR MOSES
TO HAND THE STAFF TO JOSHUA
SO THAT HE MAY LEAD OUR PEOPLE
INTO THE PROMISED LAND.
DO NOT FAIL US, SIR.
- HILL!
- COFFEE OR BANJO?
- YOU HAVE HEARD
OF THE POMEROY CIRCULAR?
- I HAVE INTERCEPTED A COPY.
- BLESS YOU, HILL.
PLEASE, HAND IT OVER QUIETLY
TO THE PRESS.
- BUT IT EXFLUNCTICATES YOU.
- IF THE ALMIGHTY WANTS
ANOTHER MAN TO FINISH MY WORK,
ONE WHO CAMPAIGNS FOR MY OFFICE
WHILE SERVING IN MY CABINET,
WHO ARE WE TO DEFY HIM?
- OH-H-H.
WHAT KILLS THE SKUNK IS
THE PUBLICITY IT GIVES ITSELF.
- AYE, AND NOW...
I SHALL DO WHAT
I SHOULD HAVE DONE LONG AGO.
GENERAL GRANT,
I NOW PROMOTE YOU TO A RANK
LAST HELD
BY GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON.
- MUCH OBLIGED, SIR,
BUT IT WON'T BE PAPER
WINS THIS WAR.
- TELL ME YOUR PLAN.
- I'LL RUN THE EASTERN ARMIES,
SHERMAN THE WEST.
WE'LL HIT 'EM
EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
- THOSE NOT SKINNIN'
CAN HOLD A LEG.
- YES, SIR,
AND, MR. PRESIDENT...
WIN OR LOSE, WE KEEP HITTING.
- GODSPEED.
- FROM GENERAL GRANT.
14,000 CASUALTIES.
HE WILL ATTACK AGAIN
IN THE MORNING.
17,000.
- MY GOD.
31,000 BOYS.
I CANNOT BEAR IT.
I CANNOT BEAR IT.
AND YET, HE ADVANCES.
- ANOTHER 12,000
AT COLD HARBOR,
OF WHICH, 7,000 FELL
IN THE FIRST EIGHT MINUTES.
TOTAL IS NOW 54,000, SIR.
- MM.
- 54,000 SOLDIERS
IN ONE MONTH.
- THANK GOD
FOR OUR BRAVE NEGRO TROOPS.
LEE WILL RUN OUT OF MEN
BEFORE WE DO.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
HE MUST BE STOPPED.
- OH, LEE WILL BE STOPPED.
- GRANT, SIR.
- GRANT? NO.
GRANT CANNOT BE STOPPED.
- ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
JUST GIVE ME A FEW MINUTES
TO DEVELOP THE PLATE.
- OH, CAN I SEE?
- UH, TAD,
THESE ARE NOT FOR YOU.
HERE, LOOK AT A PICTURE
OF GENERAL GRANT ON HIS HORSE.
- I AIN'T NO NANCY BOY.
- TAD. TAD.
LOOK--OH, LOOK AT THAT.
TOM THUMB.
THAT'S P.T. BARNUM.
OH, LOOK AT THIS.
CHANG AND ENG, HUH?
- THESE ARE MORBID, SIR.
LOOK AT THE PARROTT GUN GRANT'S
USING AT PETERSBURG, 13 INCHES.
- PA, CAN I SEE?
- TAKE HIM HOME.
- SIR, I PREFER TO STAY
WITH YOU.
- CAN'T I SEE 'EM, PA?
- COME, TAD.
LET'S GO GET A LEMON ICE.
- [gasps]
CAN I GET STRAWBERRY?
- MY FAVORITE.
- THREE CHEERS FOR HILL!
HOORAY!
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- [gasps]
OH, THERE YOU ARE.
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN
YOUR PROMISE?
NETTIE COLBURN'S HERE.
EVERYONE'S WAITING.
MAY I PRESENT
NETTIE COLBURN.
- SO THIS IS
THE FAMOUS NETTIE.
- YES, SIR.
SO HONORED, SIR.
I INSISTED
MY FATHER VOTE FOR YOU.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
AN HONOR, SIR.
WE ARE ACCUSTOMED
TO SIT IN A CIRCLE.
WE WAIT UNTIL
ONE OF OUR SPIRIT FRIENDS
TAKES CONTROL
OF MISS COLBURN.
- MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASED
TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.
EZRA BAMFORD, M.D.
- NOW I HAVE SEEN
THE ELEPHANT.
- SHH!
- SIR,
I HAVE TRAVELED A LONG WAY
TO TELL YOU THIS:
STAND FAST BY GENERAL GRANT
AND RICHMOND WILL BE YOURS.
- ARE YOU
A MILITARY DOCTOR THEN?
- NO. I WAS A COUNTRY DOCTOR,
BUT I AM GIVEN TO KNOW
THAT STRONG PARTIES
URGE YOU TO DISMISS GRANT.
THEY SAY
THE COST IS TOO HIGH,
HE'LL NEVER PREVAIL,
HE'LL COST YOU THE ELECTION,
BUT MR. PRESIDENT, YOU MUST
IN NOWISE HEED SUCH COUNSEL.
STAND FIRM
BEHIND YOUR CONVICTIONS
AND FEARLESSLY
PERFORM THE WORK
FOR WHICH
YOU HAVE BEEN ELEVATED.
- AND THIS,
YOU ARE "GIVEN TO KNOW"?
- I AM, SIR.
- AND ARE YOU
"GIVEN TO KNOW"
HOW MANY BOYS
HAVE CROSSED INTO YOUR REALM,
THANKS TO THE WORK
I HAVE ALREADY PERFORMED?
- A GREAT MANY.
- 300,000, DR. BAMFORD.
AN ENTIRE CITY OF BOYS.
- THEY MADE THE SACRIFICE
PROUDLY.
- OH, YOU DARE
SPEAK FOR THEM?
YOU SPEAK FOR THEIR MOTHERS
AS WELL?
- YOURS IS NOT AN EASY TASK,
MR. PRESIDENT.
YOU BEAR IT HEROICALLY.
- "HEROICALLY."
I CONDEMN MULTITUDES
WITH A PEN.
I AM INCOMPETENT.
AND IT WAS
MY OWN SELF-SERVING AMBITION
WHICH ELEVATED ME!
[gunfire and cannon blasts]
[explosions and yelling]
- NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER
STOOD IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE!
YOUR PLACE, SIR,
IS ON THAT BOAT.
MUST MARY BURY
ANOTHER LINCOLN?
- LIEUTENANT!
REMOVE MARSHAL LAMON
FROM THE FORT.
[overlapping yelling
and gunfire]
- [grunts]
[grunting]
LINCOLN!
- FIRE!
[cannon blasts]
[muffled cannon blasts,
high-pitched tone]
- [muffled]
YOU THERE! STAND DOWN!
GET THAT DAMNED FOOL
OFF MY PARAPET!
[sound returns to normal]
- [grunts]
- YOU WILL STOP!
- RELEASE ME!
- I SHALL NOT!
[explosion]
FOR THREE YEARS,
I HAVE FOUGHT SPIES, TRAITORS,
AND ASSASSINS
WHO SEEK TO DESTROY YOU,
AND YET, MORE THAN ANY OF THEM,
IT IS YOU,
YOU, SIR, WHO ENDANGER
THE LIFE OF THE ONLY MAN
FIT TO COMMAND
OUR SHIP OF STATE!
- LIEUTENANT!
- BE STILL!
[explosion]
YOU ANSWER ME
ONE QUESTION,
AND THEN YOU MAY RETURN
TO THE CANNON'S MOUTH,
AND THE DEVIL TAKE YOU!
- WHAT?
- WHEN YOU STOOD
IN THE LINE OF FIRE,
OTHER MEN FELL.
WHY WAS YOUR LIFE SPARED?
- I DON'T KNOW!
- BECAUSE, SIR,
YOU ARE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF AN ARMY
FIGHTING A NECESSARY WAR.
[overlapping yelling]
BUT THAT ARMY MUST TAKE LIFE.
I KNOW YOU HATE IT.
IT IS A TERRIBLE DESTINY, SIR,
BUT IF YOU DID NOT HATE IT SO,
THE ALMIGHTY HIMSELF WOULD
NOT HAVE SELECTED YOU FOR IT.
[explosion]
- HILL, I--
- YES?
[gunfire and cannon blasts]
- I MUST RETURN
TO THE WHITE HOUSE!
- THANK YOU.
- THANK
YOU,HILL.
- WELL, THAT'S WHY YOU BRUNG ME.
NOW, COME!
[The Wayfaring Stranger
by Dave Alvin]
♪ ♪
- ♪ I AM A POOR ♪
♪ WAYFARING STRANGER ♪
♪ A-TRAVELING THROUGH ♪
♪ THIS WORLD OF WOE ♪
♪ YET THERE'S NO SICKNESS ♪
♪ TOIL, NOR DANGER ♪
♪ IN THAT BRIGHT WORLD ♪
♪ TO WHICH I GO ♪
♪ I'M GOING THERE ♪
♪ TO SEE MY FATHER ♪
♪ I'M GOING THERE
NO MORE TO ROAM ♪
- HILL.
- ♪ I'M ONLY GOING
OVER JORDAN ♪
I HAVE SOMETHING
TO TELL YOU.
COME.
- ♪ I'M ONLY GOING OVER HOME ♪
- YOU KNOW HOW I HATE
TO RIDE ABOUT WITH ARMED GUARDS.
- I HAVE OBSERVED
THE PHENOMENON.
- WELL, YOU NEEDN'T WORRY
ANY LONGER.
- MUCH OBLIGED.
JUST WAKE ME UP
BEFORE YOU ABSQUATULATE
INTO THE NIGHT.
- I MEAN THE GUARDS
WILL NO LONGER BE NECESSARY.
- COME AGAIN?
- HILL, LAST NIGHT,
I RODE OUT
TO THE SUMMER RESIDENCE ALONE--
- I KNOW.
- I WAS JOGGING ALONG
AT A SLOW GATE,
IMMERSED IN CONTEMPLATION.
SUDDENLY, BANG!
I WAS SEPARATED
FROM MY $8 PLUG HAT
WITH NO ASSENT ON MY PART,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
IT WAS RETURNED TO ME
THIS MORNING,
RATHER THE WORSE FOR WEAR,
I'M AFRAID.
- THIS IS YOUR EVIDENCE FOR
THE CLAIM, "I NEED NO GUARDS"?
- HILL, THE ALMIGHTY SPARED ME
FOR A PURPOSE.
- YES, HE DID, BUT IT WOULD BE
A SIN TO RELY ON HIS GOOD NATURE
WHEN YOU HAVE EARTHLY GUARDS
CLOSE AT HAND.
- HILL, I SEE IT NOW.
I WILL BE SPARED UNTIL
MY PURPOSE IS ACCOMPLISHED...
- THANK--
- AND THEN...
WHEN THE WAR IS FINALLY WON,
I SHALL BE GATHERED UNTO WILLIE,
ELLSWORTH, NED,
ALL THE OTHER BOYS.
THE VEIL BETWEEN THEM AND ME
IS THIN ALREADY,
BUT I WILL NOT BE TAKEN
UNTIL THEN.
THIS HAT IS THE PROOF.
- WHAT IF LAST NIGHT
WAS SIMPLY A NEAR MISS,
AND YOU ARE ALIVE TODAY
BECAUSE I HAVE REPEATEDLY
SAVED YOU THESE PAST FOUR YEARS?
- WHY THEN, MY FRIEND,
WE ARE BOTH
GOD'S INSTRUMENTS.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
- MESSAGE FROM SHERMAN.
"ATLANTA IS OURS,
AND FAIRLY WON."
- YIPPEE!
[laughs]
- THE FALL OF ATLANTA
TRANSFORMED THE NATIONAL MOOD.
CANDIDATE MCCLELLAN
WAS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN,
AND MR. LINCOLN
SWEPT TO A SECOND TERM.
- I HAVE GIVEN THE MATTER
MUCH THOUGHT.
I NOW RELEASE YOU
FROM YOUR PROMISE.
- MY PROMISE?
- I WILL SACRIFICE
MY AMBASSADORSHIP TO FRANCE
SO THAT YOU MAY RETAIN
MY COMPANIONSHIP HERE.
- I SEE.
WARD HILL LAMON, YOU HAVE
THE THANKS OF A GRATEFUL NATION
AND MY OWN.
GOOD NIGHT, OLD FRIEND.
- SHERMAN NOW PLANNED
A THOUSAND-MILE MARCH
THROUGH THE HEART
OF THE SOUTH
IN ORDER TO JOIN GRANT
AT RICHMOND.
SHERMAN MADE GEORGIA HOWL.
BUT AS THE ENEMY WAS CORNERED,
SO HE BECAME MORE DANGEROUS.
HIS NEXT PLOT
WAS ALMOST ADMIRABLE
FOR ITS SHEER AMBITION.
MR. LINCOLN
WAS TO BE KIDNAPPED,
AND EXCHANGED
FOR 200,000 PRISONERS.
HALT AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF!
- THROW DOWN
YOUR WEAPON NOW!
- I WILL THROW DOWN YOUR SOULS
BEFORE I THROW DOWN--
- MARSHAL LAMON,
IS THAT YOU?
- MR. STANTON?
- IS THE PRESIDENT WITH YOU?
- NO, SIR.
I COME IN SEARCH OF HIM.
- WELL, HE'S NOT HERE,
AND I AM GROWING EXCEEDINGLY
CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY.
- AS AM I, SIR,
AS AM I.
HUP!
- GOOD NIGHT, SENATOR.
GOOD NIGHT,
YOUR EXCELLENCY.
- GOOD NIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT.
- GOOD NIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT.
- OH. [laughing]
HILL, THERE YOU ARE.
GOOD EVENING.
- YOU WENT TO THE THEATER?
- YES, YES.
A SUPERIOR OTHELLO.
- YOU WENT TO THE THEATER
UNATTENDED.
- NO, I--
- WHEN I SAY "UNATTENDED,"
I MEAN
YOU WENT WITH CHARLES SUMNER
AND A FOREIGN MINISTER,
NEITHER OF WHOM
COULD DEFEND HIMSELF
AGAINST THE ASSAULT
OF AN ABLE-BODIED WOMAN.
- YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE
IS SOUGHT-AFTER,
AND THAT I HAVE PROVIDED MEN
TO SAFEGUARD YOUR PERSON.
I, MYSELF, AM ALWAYS READY
TO PERFORM THE DUTY
WHEN I AM NOT OUT
PLAYING THE DETECTIVE.
YET, DESPITE ALL OF THIS,
YOU CHOOSE TO ELUDE US.
SO BE IT.
BUT I WILL NOT PASS INTO HISTORY
AS THE MAN WHO LOST LINCOLN.
YOU SHALL HAVE MY RESIGNATION
IN THE MORNING.
- I CANNOT FAULT YOU.
- I SHALL MISS YOU, SIR.
- PERHAPS MR. LINCOLN
DID NOT FAULT YOU, BUT I DO.
- THERE IS MORE.
- I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH. I--
- LET HIM FINISH.
BILLY.
- MY WIFE IS AS HANDSOME
AS WHEN SHE WAS A GIRL...
AND I, A POOR NOBODY,
FELL IN LOVE WITH HER.
WHAT IS MORE,
I'VE NEVER FALLEN OUT.
- THE LOST ARMY IS FOUND.
- FROM SHERMAN?
NEWS FROM SHERMAN.
- "MR. PRESIDENT,
I BEG TO PRESENT TO YOU,
AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT,
THE CITY OF SAVANNAH."
[laughter]
- MARVELOUS TIDINGS.
- NOW, HE HAS ONLY
TO TRANSECT THE CAROLINAS,
AND--
- MR. PRESIDENT,
A WORD, IF YOU PLEASE?
WHERE IS LAMON?
- HE WAS CALLED AWAY.
- WELL, HE MUST BE CALLED BACK.
THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT
NOW RUNNING
IN THE SOUTHERN PAPERS.
"IF THE CITIZENS
OF THE CONFEDERACY
"WILL FURNISH ME WITH CASH
OR GOOD SECURITIES
"IN THE SUM OF $1 MILLION,
"I WILL CAUSE
THE LIVES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
"WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
AND ANDREW JOHNSON TO BE TAKEN
BY THE FIRST OF MARCH NEXT."
- THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WILL BE HONORED
TO HAVE BEEN MENTIONED
AHEAD OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT.
- YOU JOKE, SIR.
- MR. STANTON, THAT MAN
WILL NEVER RAISE A COLD MILLION.
- HE NEED ONLY
TO APPLY IN MONTREAL.
REBEL AGENTS THERE
ARE DISPERSING ENORMOUS SUMS
FOR JUST SUCH OPERATIONS.
KILLERS ARE COMING,
MR. PRESIDENT.
IT IS THE ENEMY'S
ONLY HOPE,
AND YOUR CONTINUED DISREGARD
FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL PERSON
IS NIGH UNTO TREASON!
- I BELIEVE THAT
I WILL BE SPARED, MR. STANTON,
AT LEAST UNTIL THE WAR--
- JUST--JUST ANSWER.
WHERE IS LAMON?
- I CANNOT SAY.
[thunder rumbling]
"BOTH READ THE SAME BIBLE...
AND PRAY TO THE SAME GOD."
[thunderclap]
"IT MAY SEEM STRANGE
THAT ANY MAN
SHOULD DARE TO ASK..."
[thunder rumbling]
"SHOULD DARE TO ASK
A JUST GOD'S ASSISTANCE
IN WRINGING THEIR BREAD..."
"FROM THE SWEAT
OF OTHER MEN'S FACES."
[thunderclap]
"LET US JUDGE NOT,
THAT WE BE NOT JUDGED."
- BANG.
- [scoffs]
- HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW EASY
IT IS TO REACH YOUR PERSON?
- DID YOU PLAN
TO KILL ME YOURSELF
BY WAY OF EXTREME FRIGHT?
- IT IS THE GUARDS
AROUND THIS MANSION
WHO WILL SOON
SUFFER EXTREME FRIGHT.
- ARE YOU BACK THEN?
- WELL...
IF I'M TO BE THE MAN
WHO LOST LINCOLN,
AT LEAST I SHALL DO SO
WHILE STANDING MY POST.
- GOOD.
I NEED A PROPER MARSHAL
OF CEREMONIES.
[thunder rumbling]
- IF ANY OF YOU SHOULD FAIL
TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT,
GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL,
FOR I SHALL HAVE NONE.
TAKE YOUR POSTS.
EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THRONGS
ASSEMBLE TO WITNESS
THE INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS ASTONISHING THAT ANY MAN
COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY ENTERTAINED
THE THOUGHT
OF ASSASSINATING MR. LINCOLN
IN THE PRESENCE
OF SUCH A CONCOURSE OF CITIZENS,
AND YET, THERE WAS SUCH A MAN
IN THE ASSEMBLAGE.
HE WAS THERE
FOR THE SINGLE PURPOSE
OF MURDERING OUR LEADER
IN THE VAIN HOPE
THAT THE SOUTH
MIGHT THEREBY RISE AGAIN.
THAT MAN
WAS JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
- IT'S LOVELY OUT,
IT'S WONDERFUL.
BRISK OUT. [laughs]
[thunder rumbling]
I MUST CONGRATULATE HIM.
[struggling]
I MUST CONGRATULATE
THE PRESIDENT.
- HAD I KNOWN
THE BLACKGUARD'S TRUE INTENT,
BOOTH'S EYES WOULD HAVE
NEVER AGAIN BEHELD THE SUN.
- UNHAND ME!
UNHAND ME, YOU ILL-BRED HARLOT!
- BUT I THANK GOD WE DETERRED
THE VILLAIN THAT DAY,
AND THAT WE THEREBY
ENABLED MR. LINCOLN
TO DELIVER HIS SPEECH,
FOR IT WAS NOT
AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
IT WAS A FAREWELL,
AND HIS WORDS OF PARTING
SHALL FOREVER CONVEY HIS SPIRIT
TO ANYONE NOT BLESSED
TO KNOW HIM AS WE DID.
[cheers and applause]
- WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE,
WITH CHARITY FOR ALL,
WITH FIRMNESS IN THE RIGHT,
AS GOD GIVES US
TO SEE THE RIGHT,
LET US STRIVE ON
TO FINISH THE WORK WE ARE IN,
TO BIND UP
THE NATION'S WOUNDS,
TO CARE FOR HIM
WHO SHALL HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE,
AND FOR HIS WIDOW,
AND HIS ORPHAN,
TO DO ALL WHICH MAY ACHIEVE
AND CHERISH
A JUST AND A LASTING PEACE,
AMONG OURSELVES
AND WITH ALL NATIONS.
[cheers and applause]
- WELL DONE, SIR.
[cheers and applause continue]
WELL DONE.
APRIL 10th, 1865.
WE AWOKE
TO THE SOUND OF A CANNON...
[cannon blasts]
[fanfare playing]
A 500-GUN SALUTE
TO THE PRESIDENT.
[fireworks screeching]
THE WAR WAS WON.
[Hail to the Chiefplaying]
[cheers and applause]
♪ ♪
- A CAUSE
FOR A NATIONAL THANKSGIVING
IS BEING PREPARED
AND WILL BE DULY PROMULGATED.
[cheers]
BUT FOR NOW,
I SHALL REQUEST
ONE OF THE BEST SONGS
I EVER HEARD.
CAPTAIN,
LET THE BAND PLAY
DIXIE.
[booing and jeering]
IT IS TIME TO RETURN IT
TO THE NATIONAL SONGBOOK.
[booing and jeering]
- PLAY
BATTLE HYMN!
[booing and jeering]
- PLEASE.
FRIENDS.
[booing and jeering]
- ♪ I WISH I WAS
IN THE LAND OF COTTON ♪
♪ OLD TIMES THERE
ARE NOT FORGOTTEN ♪
- ♪ LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY IN DIXIELAND ♪
[band joining in]
♪ IN DIXIELAND ♪
♪ WHERE I WAS BORN IN ♪
[crowd joining in]
♪ EARLY ON ♪
♪ THE FROSTY MORNING ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY IN DIXIELAND ♪
♪ I WISH I WAS IN DIXIE ♪
♪ HOORAY! HOORAY! ♪
♪ IN DIXIELAND
I'LL TAKE MY STAND ♪
♪ TO LIVE AND DIE IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ AWAY DOWN SOUTH IN DIXIE ♪
[party chatter and music]
OLD FRIEND.
- ON SUCH A NIGHT AS THIS,
PUT ASIDE YOUR TEMPERATE WAYS
AND HAVE YOURSELF A BUMPER.
[glasses clink]
- HILL...
I HAVE A MISSION FOR YOU.
- OH?
- I NEED AN AMBASSADOR,
A VIRGINIAN WITH TACT...
- [belches]
BEG PARDON.
- TACT AND DIPLOMACY,
TO CONVEY A MESSAGE
TO RICHMOND.
ALL THAT MATTERS NOW
IS RECONSTRUCTION,
AND I NEED OUR BEST MEN
ON THE JOB.
- I CAN SEE
WHY YOU THOUGHT OF ME, BUT--
- HILL, YOU ARE GOING.
- THE WAR...
IS OVER.
- AND THANK GOD
I'VE LIVED TO SEE IT.
AND THANK YOU, HILL.
- BUT YOU ARE
STILL IN DANGER.
- OH, COME, COME.
THE WAR IS DONE.
NOW, BE A GOOD AMBASSADOR
AND GO TO RICHMOND.
- BUT--
- HILL...
YOU ARE GOING.
- WILL YOU PROMISE ME
ONE THING?
- ANYTHING WITHIN MY POWER.
- DO NOT GO OUT AT NIGHT,
PARTICULARLY TO THE THEATER.
- [laughs]
HILL,
YOU ARE A MONOMANIAC
ON THIS SUBJECT.
I PROMISE, I WILL DO
THE BEST I CAN FOR YOU.
- I SHALL KNOW IT
IF YOU DON'T.
- GOOD-BYE, HILL.
AND GODSPEED.
- GOOD-BYE, LINCOLN.
THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER SAW MY FRIEND.
YOU ASKED ME WHY
I DID NOT SAVE MR. LINCOLN.
I DID NOT SAVE MR. LINCOLN
BECAUSE MR. LINCOLN
DID NOT WISH TO BE SAVED.
HE COMPLETED HIS WORK,
AND HE EARNED HIS REST.
NOW, YOU WILL DO
WHAT YOU MUST.
[bell tolls in the distance]
[somber violin music]
♪ ♪
HOW THAT MAN
LOVED TO LAUGH...
- YES, YOU TWO BOTH LOOK--
[laughter]
- AND LOW COMEDY
WAS HIS FAVORITE.
- NOW, SOME GALS AND MOTHERS
WOULD GO AWAY FROM SUCH A FELLOW
WHEN THEY FIND THAT OUT.
[laughter]
- THE VILLAIN WAITED
FOR THE PLAY'S BIGGEST LAUGH
TO COVER
THE SOUND OF HIS PISTOL.
- [laughs]
- AND THAT IS WHAT ENABLED
MR. LINCOLN TO LEAVE THIS WORLD
DOING WHAT HE LOVED MOST.
[indistinct stage dialogue]
- [laughing]
- WHAT WILL MS. HARRIS THINK
OF ME HANGING ON TO YOU SO?
- SHE WON'T THINK
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
[door opens]
[indistinct stage dialogue]
[laughs]
[The Battle Hymn
of the Republicby Dave Alvin]
[females humming melody]
♪ ♪
- ♪ MINE EYES HAVE SEEN
THE GLORY ♪
♪ OF THE COMING OF THE LORD ♪
♪ HE IS TRAMPLING
OUT THE VINTAGE ♪
♪ WHERE THE GRAPES OF WRATH
ARE STORED ♪
♪ HE HATH LOOSED
THE FATEFUL LIGHTNING ♪
♪ OF HIS TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD ♪
♪ HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I HAVE SEEN HIM
IN THE WATCH FIRES ♪
♪ OF A HUNDRED CIRCLING CAMPS ♪
♪ THEY HAVE BUILDED HIM
AN ALTAR ♪
♪ IN THE EVENING DEWS
AND DAMPS ♪
♪ I CAN READ
HIS RIGHTEOUS SENTENCE ♪
♪ BY THE DIM AND FLARING LAMPS ♪
♪ HIS DAY IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
both: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ HIS DAY IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
- ♪ HE HAS SOUNDED FORTH
THE TRUMPET ♪
♪ THAT SHALL NEVER
CALL RETREAT ♪
♪ HE IS SIFTING OUT
THE HEARTS OF MEN ♪
♪ BEFORE HIS JUDGMENT SEAT ♪
♪ O, BE SWIFT, MY SOUL,
TO ANSWER HIM ♪
♪ BE JUBILANT, MY FEET ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
all: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
- ♪ HE IS COMING
LIKE THE GLORY ♪
♪ OF THE MORNING ON THE WAVE ♪
♪ HE IS WISDOM TO THE MIGHTY ♪
♪ HE IS SUCCOR TO THE BRAVE ♪
♪ SO THE WORLD SHALL BE
HIS FOOTSTOOL ♪
♪ AND THE SOUL OF TIME
HIS SLAVE ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
all: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ OUR GOD ♪
♪ IS MARCHING ON ♪
[folk music]
♪ ♪
[lone bugle playing]
♪ ♪
[gunfire, cannon blasts]
♪ ♪
[gunfire,
cannon blasts continue]
- YOUR PLACE, SIR,
IS ON THAT BOAT.
[cannon blast]
MUST MARY BURY
ANOTHER LINCOLN?
- LIEUTENANT!
- YES, SIR.
- REMOVE MARSHAL LAMON
FROM THE FORT.
- YES, SIR.
[cannon blast]
- LINCOLN!
- [cocks pistol]
YOU, YOU, SEIZE HIM.
[gunfire]
- LORD KNOWS
I VALUED MR. LINCOLN'S LIFE
MORE THAN MY OWN.
BUT KEEPING HIM ALIVE
THESE PAST FOUR YEARS
WAS NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE.
- IF YOU SO VALUED HIS LIFE,
WHY WERE YOU NOT
AT FORD'S THEATER?
- TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU'D HAVE
TO HEAR THE WHOLE TALE.
- HE HAS NO ANSWER.
HE MERELY BARGAINS
FOR TIME.
- LET HIM SPEAK.
- OFT HAVE I WONDERED HOW I,
A SON OF THE SOUTH,
CAME TO BE ENTRUSTED
WITH THAT PRECIOUS LIFE
WHEN SO MANY OF MY BRETHREN
SOUGHT TO TAKE IT.
[laughter, piano music]
- IMAGINE MY SURPRISE.
THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN DIES,
I FIND OLD BAP MCNABB
SOBBING A RIVER AT THE FUNERAL.
[laughing]
"WELL, BAP," SAYS I,
"WAS YOU A CLOSE RELATION
OF THE DECEASED?"
"NO, NO," SAYS BAP,
GULPING DOWN A SOB.
"NO. NO RELATION AT ALL."
"WELL, THEN,
WHY DO YOU WEEP?"
HE SAYS,
"WELL, THAT'S WHY."
[laughter]
- TREMENDOUS, SIR.
TREMENDOUS.
- EVENING, STRANGER.
PASSING THROUGH, ARE YOU?
- UH, NO, SIR.
I'M WARD HILL LAMON,
J.J. BROWN'S COUSIN.
I'VE COME TO TRY MY HAND
AS A LAWYER
HERE IN THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT.
- WELL, I SHOULD KNOW AT ONCE
YOU'RE A VIRGINIAN.
- WAS IT THE VELVET COAT?
- THE WHITE NECK CLOTH, I'D SAY.
[laughter]
- BOYS, YOU MISS THE MATTER
ENTIRELY.
- MUST BE THE SOFT HANDS.
- WELL...
NOW, WHILE IT MAY BE CERTAIN
OUR YOUNG LIMB OF THE LAW HERE
HAS NEVER SPLIT A RAIL--
- I BEG PARDON, SIR,
BUT I HAVE DONE A DEAL
OF MANUAL LABOR
IN MY TIME.
- OH, WAS IT THIRSTY WORK
SUPERINTENDING YOUR SLAVES?
- NO, SIR.
I DETEST SLAVE LABOR!
- COUNSELOR LAMON,
I APOLOGIZE
FOR ANY OFFENSE
WE MAY HAVE GIVEN.
- VERY KIND, SIR.
I ACCEPT.
- AND I BEG
THAT YOU WILL INDULGE
THESE GENTLEMEN OF THE BAR
AND OUR FELLOW ILLINOISANS
BY SHOWING US
A BIT OF YOUR CLAWHAMMER.
- UH...ENGLISH, OF COURSE.
NOT ENTIRELY AU COURANT,
BUT I HOPE THE FIT FLATTERS.
[laughter]
- "THE FIT FLATTERS!"
OH, THAT IS GOOD.
COUNSELOR LAMON, IF YOU PLEASE,
A VIRGINIACLAWHAMMER.
WESTERN VIRGINIA,
IF I DO NOT MISTAKE.
- OH...
[laughs]
[laughter]
YOUR CHAIR, SIR,
IF I MAY.
MMM.
I'M MORE OF AN UP-AND-DOWN
PICKER MYSELF,
BUT IF IT'S WEST VIRGINIA
CLAWHAMMER YOU WISH TO HEAR...
- PLEASE.
- YOU KNOW, I FIND MYSELF
IN NEED OF LUBRICATION.
- WITH THE BLESSING,
COUNSELOR.
- VERY HANDSOME OF YOU, SIR.
I THANK YOU.
♪ WHEN I WAS YOUNG
I USED TO WAIT ♪
- ♪ ON MY MASTER
AND HAND HIM HIS PLATE ♪
both: ♪ PASS HIM THE JUG
WHEN HE GOT DRY ♪
all: ♪ AND BRUSH AWAY
THE BLUE TAIL FLY ♪
♪ JIMMY CRACK CORN
AND I DON'T CARE ♪
♪ JIMMY CRACK CORN
AND I DON'T CARE ♪
- MR. LINCOLN WAS ALWAYS
A GREAT FAVORITE IN THIS REGION,
BUT THE MAN HE ADMIRED MOST
WAS NED BAKER.
ONE SPRUNG
FROM A DIRT FARM,
THE OTHER FROM
THE BRITISH UPPER CLASS,
YET THEY SHARED SPORT,
LAW, AND POLITICS.
[laughter]
NED BECAME SUCH
A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE LINCOLNS,
THEY NAMED THEIR SON
EDWARD BAKER LINCOLN
IN HIS HONOR.
WHEN THAT CHILD DIED
OF CONSUMPTION,
MR. LINCOLN SUFFERED
FROM A PROTRACTED MELANCHOLY,
ALARMING ALL OF US
WHO LOVED HIM,
PARTICULARLY MRS. LINCOLN.
- UH, EXCUSE ME.
OH...MR. LAMON.
HOW GOOD OF YOU TO COME.
LOOK, LAMON'S HERE.
- IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT
I ARRIVED AT JUST THIS TIME...
[upbeat melody]
FOR, IN SHORT,
I HAD THE SAME EFFECT
UPON HIM
THAT WHISKEY HAS UPON ME.
♪ ♪
- "ABOLITIONIST SETTLERS,
LED BY ONE JOHN BROWN..."
- DRINK UP, BOYS.
KANSAS AIN'T GETTING CLOSER
IF WE STANDING HERE.
[laughter]
- "KILLED FIVE PRO-SLAVERY MEN
IN THE INCIDENT.
"EACH OF THE VICTIMS
WAS HACKED TO DEATH
BY BROADSWORD."
- JUST DESSERTS, I SAY.
- YOU, SIR,
ARE A SHAMELESS ANARCHIST.
- TO HATE SLAVERY
IS NOT ANARCHY, IT IS MORALITY!
- THE PRACTICE IS WRONG
AND ARCHAIC,
AND IT WILL DIE
OF ITS OWN ACCORD,
BUT TO FERMENT BLOODY REVOLUTION
IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND PIGHEADED.
- SIR, YOU ARE
A STONE-HEARTED CRACKER!
JOHN BROWN IS A HERO!
- WHEN I GETS TO KANSAS,
I WILL SHOOT JOHN BROWN
TWIXT THE EYES.
- SLITHER ON BACK
TO KENTUCKY,
YOU NO-ACCOUNT RUFFIAN.
- BOYS, LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND US
A ABOLITIONIST.
- AND PROUD OF IT.
- BILLY!
GENTLEMEN, THIS DEBATE APPEARS
UNLIKELY TO REMAIN CIVIL.
WHY NOT PASS ON THROUGH?
- OR SLITHER ON BACK
TO KENTUCKY.
- BILLY...
- I WILL CUT YOUR TONGUE!
[pistol cocks]
[gunshot, men gasp]
- THIS DEBATE, SIR,
IS OVER.
- NOW, LET US
DISCUSS KANSAS.
IT IS WRONG
TO INTRODUCE SLAVERY THERE.
[cheers and applause]
- DO YOU WISH YOUR DAUGHTERS
TO MARRY FREE NEGRO MEN?
all: NO!
- I HATE THE MONSTROUS INJUSTICE
OF SLAVERY.
AND I HATE HOW IT ENABLES
THE ENEMIES OF FREE INSTITUTIONS
WITH PLAUSIBILITY
TO TAUNT US AMERICANS
AS HYPOCRITES.
[cheers and applause]
- AND IT IS HE WHO CREATED
THIS NEW BLACK REPUBLICAN PARTY.
[hissing]
AND IT IS HE WHO WILL DECLARE
THE NEGRO YOUR EQUAL!
[angry shouts, booing]
- THE ECONOMIC REALITY
OF SLAVERY
DOES NOT ADMIT TO FORCE
OR RAPID ABOLITION,
AND I DO NOT ADVOCATE
FOR ANY SUCH RADICAL COURSE.
BUT I WILL NOT STAND BY
AND HAVE IT EXPAND
INTO ANY NEW TERRITORY!
[cheers and applause]
- LEAVE SLAVERY ALONE
WHERE IT IS,
BUT FORBID IT FROM SPREADING,
OUR COMMON-SENSE POSITION
THAT MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES.
MR. LINCOLN LOST
HIS SENATE RACE WITH DOUGLAS,
BUT JUST TWO YEARS LATER,
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
BESTOWED UPON HIM
THE HIGHEST OFFICE EVER GIVEN
TO A MAN
OF SUCH HUMBLE ORIGIN.
[Hail To the Chiefplaying]
♪ ♪
LINCOLN,
I HAVE BEEN THINKING
HOW I MAY BEST SERVE
OUR COUNTRY.
- HAVE YOU, NOW?
- I BELIEVE BEN FRANKLIN'S
OLD JOB WOULD SUIT.
- AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
- AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
I ONLY WISH MY WIFE
HAD LIVED TO SEE THE DAY.
- GOD REST ANGELINE'S SOUL,
HILL.
MARY AND I MISS HER TERRIBLY.
BUT AS FOR AMBASSADOR...
FACT IS,
I WANT YOU TO COME
TO WASHINGTON WITH ME.
- IN WHAT CAPACITY?
- I DON'T KNOW YET.
BUT A FIGHT MAY BE COMING,
AND IF IT DOES,
IT WILL BE HANDY
TO HAVE YOU AROUND.
- SECOND ADMINISTRATION?
- [laughs]
MY FRIEND, IF THERE IS
A SECOND ADMINISTRATION,
AND YOU AND I BOTH LIVE
TO SEE IT, THEN YES...
YOU SHALL MAKE A SUPERB
AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.
- THE FIGHT CAME QUICKLY.
SEVEN STATES LEFT THE UNION,
AND SEVEN MORE EMBARKED
UPON THE SAME COURSE.
SACKS OF LETTERS
ARRIVED DAILY,
CURSING MR. LINCOLN
FOR DESTROYING OUR NATION,
AND PROMISING TO DESTROY HIM
IN RETURN.
ONE FELLOW EVEN
DEMONSTRATED HIS INTENT
BY SENDING MRS. LINCOLN
A PAINTING OF HER HUSBAND
TARRED, FEATHERED,
AND HANGING BY THE NECK.
- MY FRIENDS, NO ONE
NOT IN MY SITUATION
CAN APPRECIATE
MY FEELING OF SADNESS
AT THIS PARTING.
TO THIS PLACE, AND THE KINDNESS
OF THESE PEOPLE,
I OWE EVERYTHING.
- GENTLEMEN.
- HILL...
WE ENTRUST THE SACRED LIFE
OF MR. LINCOLN TO YOUR KEEPING.
- I AM HONORED, SIR.
- HILL, IF YOU FAIL
TO PROTECT HIM,
NEVER RETURN TO ILLINOIS,
FOR WE WILL MURDER YOU ON SIGHT.
- I WILL NOT FAIL HIM.
[train whistle blows]
LYNCH YOU, SHOOT YOU,
HANG YOU, BURN YOU.
- THEY HAVE SEIZED
THE FEDERAL FORTS.
ALL BUT SUMTER
AND CHARLESTON.
- THAT'S IT, THEN.
IT'S WAR.
- NO, TRAITORS HAVE SEIZED
FEDERAL FORTS.
THEY WILL BE PROSECUTED,
BUT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE
NEVER CHOSE THIS COURSE,
AND I WILL NOT
MAKE WAR ON THEM.
- AND I TELL YOU THEY HAVE
ALREADY MADE WAR ON YOU.
MY OWN BROTHERS
ARE BURNING UNION FLAGS.
- THAT IS FREE SPEECH,
NOT WAR.
- SHOULDER, ARMS!
both: ONE, TWO!
- HE CANNOT ORDER
THE FORTS RETAKEN
BEFORE HE IS INAUGURATED.
- HE CAN ANNOUNCE
HIS INTENTIONS.
- ANY SUCH ANNOUNCEMENT
WILL PRECIPITATE WAR.
- SO WE'RE TO MAKE 70 STOPS
IN 12 DAYS.
I MUST NEITHER SPEAK
NOR REMAIN SILENT.
[kids soldiering in background]
WAR IS IMMINENT...
AND OUR GREAT AMERICAN
EXPERIMENT,
NOW ENTRUSTED
TO MY CARE...
HANGS BY A THREAD.
WELL, OLD DAN TUCKER WAS
A FINE OLD MAN,
WASHED HIS FACE
IN A FRYING PAN.
COMBED HIS HAIR
WITH A WAGON WHEEL,
♪ DIED WITH A TOOTHACHE
IN HIS HEEL ♪
all: ♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
- ♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
HE GOT DRUNK ♪
♪ FELL IN THE FIRE...♪
- CITIZENS OF COLUMBUS...
BUFFALO...ALBANY...
TRENTON...
all: ♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
WENT TO TOWN ♪
♪ RIDING A MULE
AND LEADING A HOUND ♪
♪ HOUND BARKED
MULE JUMPED ♪
♪ LANDED OLD DAN
UPON A STUMP ♪
♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
- ♪ HERE'S OLD DAN
HE COMES TO TOWN ♪
♪ SWINGS THE LADIES
ROUND AND ROUND ♪
♪ SWINGS ONE EAST
SWINGS ONE WEST ♪
♪ SWINGS WITH THE ONE
HE LOVES THE BEST ♪
all: ♪ GET OUT THE WAY
OLD DAN TUCKER ♪
♪ HE'S TOO LATE
TO GET HIS SUPPER ♪
♪ SUPPER'S OVER
AND BREAKFAST COOKING ♪
♪ OLD DAN TUCKER
STAND THERE LOOKING ♪
[railroad bell clanging]
- ♪ DAN BEGAN EARLY
IN LIFE ♪
♪ TO PLAY THE BANJO
AND THE FIFE ♪
♪ HE'D LULL THE CHILDREN
ALL TO SLEEP ♪
♪ THEN INTO HIS BUNK
HE'D CREEP ♪
- MR. LINCOLN.
- YEAH?
HILL, IT'S OUR
OLD FRIEND, PINKERTON.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR?
MRS. LINCOLN.
- MA'AM.
- HOW DO YOU COME
TO BE HERE?
- DETECTIVE JOB
FOR THE RAILROAD, SIR.
MR. LINCOLN,
WE HAVE COME TO KNOW, SIR,
AND BEYOND A SHADOW
OF A DOUBT,
THERE EXISTS AN ORGANIZED PLOT
TO ASSASSINATE YOU.
- WHAT?
- BALDERDASH.
NO PRESIDENT WAS EVER
ASSASSINATED.
- THE ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE
TOMORROW AT BALTIMORE STATION.
A GANG OF TOUGHS WILL
START A FIGHT
TO DRAW OFF THE POLICE.
ASSASSINS WILL THEN APPROACH
THROUGH THE CROWD
AND PLUNGE THEIR KNIVES
INTO YOUR SIDE.
- YOU HAVE EVIDENCE?
- HERE ARE THE NAMES.
- BUT YOU KNOW OF IT. SURELY,
THE POLICE WILL STOP THEM.
- THE CHIEF OF POLICE
IS ONE OF THEM, MA'AM.
- WE'LL CHANGE THE ROUTE.
- YOU'LL NOT FIND
A SAFE ROUTE THROUGH MARYLAND
IF THEY KNOW YOU'RE COMING.
SIR, WE PROPOSE TO TAKE YOU
TO WASHINGTON THIS VERY NIGHT,
AND STEAL A MARCH
ON YOUR ENEMIES.
- STEAL INTO THE CAPITAL
LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT?
- WOULD YOU PREFER
A FUNERAL, MA'AM?
- THE PAPERS WILL SHRIEK.
- WE WILL SURROUND HIM
WITH A REGIMENT
AND CUT OUR WAY THROUGH.
- WITH MRS. LINCOLN
AND THE BOYS ABOARD?
THE PAPERS WILL PRAISE YOU
FOR PUTTING THEIR SAFETY FIRST.
- IT IS A MOB
OF DESPERATE CHARACTERS
IN BALTIMORE, MR. LINCOLN,
BUT THEY EXPECT YOU TOMORROW.
PASS THROUGH TONIGHT
AND DESTROY THEIR PLOT.
- I BELIEVE I MUST.
- AYE.
WE'LL CHANGE TRAINS
IN HARRISBURG.
KINDLY LEAVE THE HAT BEHIND.
YOU AND I WILL THEN RIDE ON
AS PRIVATE CITIZENS.
- I WILL RIDE
WITH MR. LINCOLN.
- THE PLAN CALLS
FOR ONE COMPANION.
- I HAVE PLEDGED MY LIFE
TO PRESERVE, PROTECT,
AND DEFEND MR. LINCOLN.
I WILL RIDE WITH HIM!
- MR. PRESIDENT--
- I WILL RIDE WITH HILL.
[bell clanging,
steam hissing]
[clock ticking]
[steam hisses]
- ♪ LOOK AWAY, DIXIELAND ♪
♪ I WISH I WAS IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ IN DIXIELAND
I'LL TAKE MY STAND ♪
♪ TO LIVE AND DIE
IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ AWAY DOWN SOUTH
IN DIXIE ♪
- NO DOUBT THERE'LL BE
A GREAT TIME IN DIXIE
BY AND BY.
[bell clanging,
train whistle blows]
- YOU CAN'T PULL THAT
ON ME. WHOA!
[laughs]
- DO NOT STRIKE HIM.
IT IS THE NEW SENATOR
FROM OREGON.
- THE NEW--NED BAKER!
- LAMON, OLD FELLOW.
WELCOME TO WASHINGTON CITY.
NOW LET US SHOVE OFF,
ERE WE'RE OBSERVED.
THE PAPERS WILL HAVE THEIR FUN
SOON ENOUGH.
- THE PAPERS DID MORE
THAN HAVE THEIR FUN.
THEY CRUCIFIED HIM,
SAYING HE WAS
AN IMBECILIC,
NAMBY-PAMBY COWARD
WHO WOULD MAKE AMERICA
THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD
FOR HAVING NO BETTER MATERIAL
OUT OF WHICH
TO MAKE A PRESIDENT.
DETERMINED TO AVOID
ANY FURTHER SHOW OF COWARDICE,
MR. LINCOLN FLATLY REFUSED
ALL ATTEMPTS
TO PLACE GUARDS
ABOUT HIS PERSON.
AND IT IS ONLY BECAUSE
I PROVIDED COMPANIONSHIP
AND MUSICAL DIVERSION
THAT HE TOLERATED
MY OWN HEAVILY ARMED
PRESENCE.
- JUST GET ON WITH IT.
- HIS FIRST OFFICIAL ACT
WAS TO THROW OPEN THE DOORS
OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION
TO ANY AMERICAN
WHO DESIRED CONVERSATION
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
AND, SEEMINGLY,
ALL 30 MILLION OF THEM
ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
- THEY ARE BLUEPRINTS, SIR,
FOR A LIBRARY
IN CLARKSTOWN, NEW YORK.
- YOU ROLLED THEM YOURSELF?
- NOTHING WILL PREVENT WAR
BUT MY ACQUIESCENCE
IN THEIR SECESSION.
- AND IT IS EQUALLY PLAIN
YOU MUST REINFORCE SUMTER.
THESE CAVALIERS BELIEVE THAT
NORTHERN MEN ARE DEFICIENT
IN THE COURAGE NECESSARY
TO MAINTAIN GOVERNMENT.
AND THEY WILL BE UNDECEIVED.
- IT THE U.S. ARMY
INVADES CHARLESTON,
EUROPE WILL RUSH IN
TO DEFEND
THIS FLEDGLING CONFEDERATE
DEMOCRACY FROM TYRANNY.
- ENGLAND AND FRANCE
LOVE FREEDOM, SIR.
THEY WILL NEVER RECOGNIZE
A CONFEDERACY OF SLAVE OWNERS
TOO INDOLENT
TO FARM THEIR OWN LAND.
- YES. HOWEVER, THE STOPPAGE
OF AMERICAN COTTON
WILL REDUCE WHOLE COMMUNITIES
TO FAMINE,
AND POSSIBLY SPARK
REVOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
NOW, AGAINST THIS OUTCOME,
ENGLAND AND FRANCE
WILL NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE
THE CONFEDERATE STATES
OF AMERICA,
THEY WILL FEED THEM,
ARM THEM,
AND REINFORCE THEM
WITH LEGIONS OF MEN.
- [scoffs]
I AM COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF ALL OUR FORCES.
I CANNOT SURRENDER
A FEDERAL FORT WITHOUT A FIGHT.
- WELL, THEN,
YOU MUST INVADE MEXICO.
- COME AGAIN, MR. SEWARD?
- WELL, A FOREIGN FIGHT
WILL UNITE NORTH AND SOUTH,
AND PROVIDE LONG DISTRACTION
WHILE WE NEGOTIATE.
- HMM.
GENTLEMEN, I MUST THINK.
[banjo music]
IT'S A GORDIAN KNOT.
GIVE ENGLAND AND FRANCE CAUSE
TO ENTER THE WAR,
OR SURRENDER BOTH THE FORT
AND THE HONOR OF MY OFFICE.
- WHAT SAYS YOUR INSTINCT?
- MY INSTINCT SAYS
FIND ANOTHER CHOICE.
- MRS. LINCOLN, PLEASE STOP.
YOU WILL BE PRICKED.
- FATHER, IT IS AN OUTRAGE!
BECAUSE MY BROTHERS JOINED
THE CONFEDERACY,
THEY CHARGE ME
WITH TREASONOUS SYMPATHY!
- MOLLY, YOU BEDAZZLE ME.
- I DO?
- I TO AM DAZZLED,
MA'AM.
- OH. IT IS THE FINEST
PARISIAN SILK.
- EXCELLENT WORK,
MRS. KECKLY.
- BUT, FATHER...
- THANK YOU, SIR.
- THIS REPORTER CALLS ME
A CONFEDERATE SPY!
- AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT LIKENED TO
A SIMIAN BRUTE, AS I USUALLY--
- MARSHAL LAMON,
YOU MUST ARREST THIS MAN,
SHUT DOWN HIS PAPER,
AND CLEAR ME--OW!
- I'M SORRY, MRS. LINCOLN.
I WAS NOT ABLE
TO SECURE THE PINS.
- NOW, NOW, MRS. KECKLY,
I OUGHT NOT TO HAVE
RUSHED OFF.
BUT IT IS SO VEXING!
- I WILL SEND THIS PUBLISHER
A NOTE, MOTHER,
AS SOON AS I FIND A WAY
TO STOP ENGLAND AND FRANCE
FROM JOINING THIS WAR.
- ENGLAND AND FRANCE
ARE ANCIENT SOVEREIGN NATIONS
WHO RESPECT A STRONG
POTENTATE.
ONE WHO DOES MORE
THAN SEND A NOTE.
- MOTHER,
WE WILL SPARE NO EFFORT
TO RECTIFY YOUR GOOD NAME.
- THANK YOU.
GOOD NIGHT.
- MR. PRESIDENT.
- MRS. KECKLY.
[door shuts]
IT IS GROTESQUE THAT ANY
WOULD CONSIDER ME THE AGGRESSOR
WHEN TRAITORS BESIEGED
MY FORT.
- I AM REMINDED
OF THE YOUNG MAN
WHOSE AGED PARENTS HAD
A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT
OF PROPERTY.
- YES!
[laughs]
KILLED THE POOR FOLKS
TO GET HIS INHERITANCE.
JUDGE ASKED WHY
HE SHOULD NOT BE HANGED...
- AND THE YOUNG MAN REPLIED,
"PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON ME,
FOR I AM A POOR ORPHAN!"
[laughter]
- HILL, THAT'S IT.
ENGLAND AND FRANCE
WILL NOT EXONERATE AN ORPHAN
WHO KILLS HIS OWN PARENTS.
THESE SOUTHERNERS
ARE SO HUNGRY FOR WAR,
THEY WILL FIRE FIRST,
EVEN WITHOUT PROVOCATION.
SO I WILL NOT
REINFORCE SUMTER.
I WILL SIMPLY
SEND THE MEN FOOD.
IF THAT PRECIPITATES WAR,
I DARE SAY
THE ANCIENT SOVEREIGN NATIONS
WILL KEEP OUT.
[lively riff]
- THE REBELS DID FIRE FIRST.
EUROPE KEPT OUT, AND MR. LINCOLN
TOOK THE FIRST TRICK.
- THE REAL TRICK IS
SMASH A LITTLE...
CUT A LITTLE,
AND DIP.
- MR. PRESIDENT, A REBEL FLAG
FLIES ACROSS THE POTOMAC
IN FULL VIEW
OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
IT IS AN AFFRONT, SIR.
- AN EGREGIOUS AFFRONT.
- PERMISSION TO CROSS THE RIVER
AND RETRIEVE SAID FLAG, SIR.
- BY ALL MEANS, DEAR BOY.
- YIPPEE!
- NO, NO, NO.
WILLIE, WILLIE, WILLIE,
YOU AND TAD SHALL OBSERVE
THIS CRUCIAL MISSION
FROM A PRESIDENTIAL
PERSPECTIVE. COME, COME.
- THE FLAG SHALL BE YOURS
BY NOON, SIR.
- GODSPEED, COLONEL.
SEE, THE COLONEL SHALL OCCUPY
THE FURTHEST...
- COLONEL ELLSWORTH ALWAYS
PUT ON A GOOD SHOW.
HIS ZOUAVE MILITIA
THRILLED THE NATION
WITH THEIR PRECISION DRILLS.
AND IT WAS ELLSWORTH HIMSELF
WHO RECRUITED
THE FIRST 75,000
UNION VOLUNTEERS.
INDEED, THE WAR FEVER
HAD COME.
EVEN SENATOR BAKER JOINED UP.
[When Johnny Comes
Marching Homeplaying]
♪ ♪
[all cheering]
[gunshot]
- MY BOY. MY BOY!
WAS IT NECESSARY
THIS SACRIFICE SHOULD BE MADE?
- HE WAS CARRYING IT
DOWN THE STAIRS.
THEY SHOT HIM
IN THE HEART.
- THEY WILL MOURN THAT SHOT.
- MR. LINCOLN PUSHED
HIS GENERALS
TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS
AT ONCE.
THEY MET THE ENEMY
AT BULL RUN.
IT WAS A UNION DEBACLE.
[telegraphs clicking,
indistinct chatter]
- AH.
GENERAL MCCLELLAN.
- PRESIDENT.
- WELL...
YOU NOW COMMAND
ALL THE FORCES OF THE EAST.
WE OUTNUMBER THEM
TWO TO ONE.
I SUGGEST WE ADVANCE
EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
THOSE NOT SKINNIN'
CAN HOLD A LEG.
THE ENEMY WILL SOON
BE OVERCOME.
- MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS NOT
THE WAY WE CONDUCT A WAR.
- EXPLAIN YOUR PLAN.
- MR. BLAIR?
- MCCLELLAN DID TRANSFORM
OUR BATTERED EASTERN FORCES
INTO A MIGHTY ARMY,
BUT HE WOULD NOT RISK
AN ACTUAL BATTLE
UNTIL HE HAD MORE MEN,
CANNON, AND HORSES
THAN NAPOLEON HIMSELF.
THE RESULT WAS STAGNATION
IN THE EAST,
HEAVY LOSSES IN THE WEST,
AND MOUNTING ANGER
AT MR. LINCOLN.
- THE PEOPLE HATE YOUR WAR.
THEY'LL NOT BLEED FOR YOU
OR YOUR BELOVED NEGROES,
AND YOU MUST STOP NOW.
- THE PEOPLE DEMAND WAR!
THEY WANT THE SLAVES FREED,
AND YOU MUST ACT NOW.
- THE WAR COSTS
A MILLION DOLLARS A DAY.
WE SHALL HAVE TO IMPOSE
AN INCOME TAX TO PAY FOR IT,
AND THEN GOD HELP
OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY.
- THE LACK OF ANY SUCCESS
EXASPERATES EUROPE.
THEY SPEAK AGAIN
OF INTERCEDING.
IF THAT HAPPENS,
ALL IS LOST.
- ARE YOU NOT
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, SIR?
DO SOMETHING!
- HILL, I NEED A VICTORY.
SOMETHING TO SHOW
THAT THE SHIP OF STATE
IS NOT, IN FACT,
RUDDERLESS.
- I COULD VISIT MCCLELLAN,
HAVE A TALK,
AS I USED TO
WITH OUR RECALCITRANT CLIENTS.
- [chuckles]
NO. NO.
[idly strumming banjo]
I'LL ACCOUNT HIM
A GENIUS.
AND HE TOILS
NIGHT AND DAY,
PREPARING THE ARMY
FOR THE GREAT BATTLE
TO END THIS WAR.
BUT I WILL INSIST
THE OTHER GENERALS ADVANCE.
- SIR, GRANT AND SHERMAN
BOTH MOVING IN KENTUCKY.
BUTLER TOOK THE OUTER BANKS
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
- GOOD, GOOD.
THAT IS GOOD.
- WE DID HAVE A SETBACK
AT BALL'S BLUFF, THOUGH.
- WHERE IS THAT?
- IT'S JUST UP THE RIVER, SIR.
IT WAS A SMALL ACTION,
BUT A REGIMENT WAS OVERWHELMED.
223 KILLED, INCLUDING
THE COMMANDER, A COLONEL BAKER.
- NED--NED BAKER?
- IT SAYS
"EDWARD D. BAKER."
DO YOU KNOW HIM, SIR?
- "THERE WAS NO PATRIOT
LIKE BAKER,
"SO NOBLE AND SO TRUE.
"HE FELL AS A SOLDIER
ON THE FIELD,
"HIS FACE TO THE SKY
OF BLUE.
"HIS COUNTRY HAS
HER PART TO PLAY
"TOWARD THOSE
HE'S LEFT BEHIND.
"HIS WIDOW
AND HIS CHILDREN ALL...
[sniffs]
YOU MUST ALWAYS
KEEP IN MIND."
- NED BAKER WAS
THE ONLY SENATOR EVER
TO DIE IN BATTLE,
AND HIS DEATH
HIT WASHINGTON HARD.
SOME WEEKS LATER,
MRS. LINCOLN PROPOSED A BALL
TO SHOW THAT WE REMAINED
CONFIDENT OF THE WAR'S OUTCOME.
AND THE PRESIDENT AGREED.
I WAS MADE MARSHAL
OF CEREMONIES,
A DUTY I OFTEN UNDERTOOK
TO BETTER CONTROL ACCESS
TO THE PRESIDENT'S PERSON.
[upbeat music plays]
♪ ♪
- THE MARINE BAND IS PLAYING,
THE BANQUET IS SERVED.
THE ONLY ITEM LACKING
FROM THE FIRST LADY'S BALL
IS THE FIRST LADY.
- GO, MA.
♪ ♪
- I SHOULD HAVE CANCELED
THE BALL.
WHAT IF IT'S TYPHOID?
- DR. STONE SAID IT'S NOT.
- I HAVE SAT
WITH MANY A SICK CHILD,
MRS. LINCOLN.
IF THE FEVER RISES,
I WILL SEND FOR YOU.
- MOLLY, MRS. KECKLY
CAN BE TRUSTED.
AND WE HAVE 800 GUESTS.
♪ ♪
- WELL, THERE WILL BE
NO DANCING.
- A BALL WITH NO DANCING.
HMM.
THERE IS A WAR, AFTER ALL.
♪ ♪
[band playing upbeat melody]
- WELL, HE IS AN ABOLITIONIST
DEEP DOWN.
BUT HIS HANDS ARE TIED.
- IT IS NOT ABOLITION.
HE IS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF AN ARMY
FIGHTING A SLAVE POWER.
- YES, YES, FREE THEIR SLAVES
AND REMOVE THEIR POWER.
I TELL HIM THIS REPEATEDLY,
BUT HE INSISTS
THAT THE CAUSE IS...
both: UNION.
- THAT IS WHY
OUR BOYS FIGHT.
- WHAT DOES OUR SACRED UNION
STAND FOR IF NOT FREEDOM?
- THE BORDER STATES
ARE SLAVE STATES.
ANY TALK OF EMANCIPATION
WILL CAUSE THEM
TO JOIN THE REBELLION.
- MR. PRESIDENT, DOING GOD'S
WILL IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN PLACATING A PACK
OF SLAVEHOLDERS AT THE BORDER.
- MR. CHASE, I WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE GOD ON MY SIDE,
BUT I MUST HAVE KENTUCKY.
- THE HONOR IS NOT
CEREMONIAL, MA'AM, I ASSURE YOU.
THE PRESIDENT'S LIFE
IS IN CONSTANT JEOPARDY.
- OH, HOW DREADFUL.
TELL ME, DO YOU ACCOMPANY HIM
EVERYWHERE?
- [chuckles]
GOD KNOWS I TRY, MA'AM,
BUT HE IS A NIMBLE GENTLEMAN.
- [chuckles]
MARSHAL LAMON,
YOU'RE A VIRGINIA HORSEMAN.
HOW ON EARTH
COULD OLD ABE LINCOLN
ESCAPE YOUR WATCH?
- WELL, THE WAR DEPARTMENT
HAS MANY EGRESSES AND--
MA'AM, MAY I SHOW YOU
AN ASTONISHING SIGHT?
- OH. PLEASE DO.
- WASHINGTON SWARMED
WITH SPIES,
MANY REMARKABLY ATTRACTIVE.
EXTREME VIGILANCE
WAS REQUIRED,
EVEN AT THE RISK
OF DISCOMFORTING THE INNOCENT.
IF I MAY?
OLD CAP PRISON
FOR INTERROGATION.
- BUT WHAT HAVE I DONE?
- WE SHALL ASK
THE QUESTIONS, MA'AM.
- [scoffs]
- IT IS THE WAR.
THE ENTIRE CITY
IS A BARRACKS.
GASTRIC ILLNESS
IS WIDESPREAD,
AND IT OFTEN
EVOLVES INTO TYPHOID.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
FROM GENERAL GRANT, SIR.
- YES.
- "I OFFERED NO TERMS
"BUT UNCONDITIONAL
AND IMMEDIATE SURRENDER.
ENEMY ACCEPTED.
FORT DONALDSON OURS."
GIVES US THE CUMBERLAND RIVER,
SIR, A TRUE VICTORY AT LAST.
- [strained breathing]
- MOTHER?
OH, DEAR GOD.
- [strained breathing]
- OH, DEAR GOD.
- [sobbing]
DON'T GO, WILLIE, NO.
[screams]
[sobbing hysterically]
NO! NO! NO! OH, NO!
- [sobbing]
MY BOY IS ACTUALLY GONE!
- NO, LET ME GO!
LET ME GO!
I WANT MY BABY, PLEASE!
MY BABY.
- [sobs]
- WHEN I LOST MY WIFE...
YOU COVERED MY CASES
AS LONG AS I NEEDED.
GOD HELP ME, LINCOLN,
I CANNOT COVER YOURS.
YOU MUST--
- HOW IS MRS. LINCOLN?
- HER ANGUISH DESTROYS HER.
SHE BLAMES HERSELF
FOR WILLIE'S D--
BECAUSE THE BALL
WAS SO LAVISH.
- PERHAPS SHE'S RIGHT.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED IT.
- OH, NO, SIR. NO.
THE LORD TOOK WILLIE
FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES.
- AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY?
WHAT PURPOSE WAS THAT?
- I'M SORRY, SIR,
I DID NOT MEAN TO--
- NO, MRS. KECKLY,
TELL ME, WHAT--
WHAT PURPOSE HAD GOD
TO TAKE MY SON?
- I CANNOT SAY, SIR.
BUT WHEN I LOST MY SON, I WAS
COMFORTED BY THE STORY OF JACOB.
HE MOURNED FOR JOSEPH
ALL THOSE YEARS,
YET IN THE END,
IT WAS BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS TAKEN
THAT HE BECAME GOD'S INSTRUMENT
IN SAVING THE WHOLE FAMILY.
- BUT JOSEPH WAS NOT DEAD.
- NO, SIR,
AND NEITHER IS WILLIE.
- [scoffs]
- HE LIVES IN PARADISE.
- "LIVES."
WOULD THAT I HAD YOUR FAITH,
MRS. KECKLY,
FOR I HAVE LOST MANY PEOPLE.
ANOTHER SON, YEARS AGO,
MY SISTER,
MY MOTHER WHEN I WAS A BOY.
OTHERS ARE COMFORTED
BY STORIES OF HEAVEN,
BUT I NEVER HAD THAT FACULTY.
- BEG PARDON, SIR,
BUT FAITH IS NOT A FACULTY.
IT IS A CHOICE.
NO ONE CAN PROVE
THAT GOD IS OR IS NOT,
YET ANYONE CAN CHOOSE TO SEEK
HIS WISDOM AND HIS MERCY
IN THIS WORLD.
WHEN I MADE THAT CHOICE,
I BEGAN TO SEE HIS PURPOSE,
EVEN IN OUR SUFFERINGS,
AND THAT CHOICE HAS SUSTAINED ME
THROUGH TERRIBLE DAYS, SIR.
- WHEN DID YOU LOSE YOUR SON,
MRS. KECKLY?
- LAST YEAR AT WILSON'S CREEK.
- THE BATTLE
OF WILSON'S CREEK?
- YES, SIR.
GEORGE WAS LIGHT-SKINNED,
AND HE COULD PASS.
HE ENLISTED
AS SOON AS THE WAR BEGAN.
- IN AN ARMY
THAT WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN HIM
IF HIS RACE WERE KNOWN.
MRS. KECKLY,
I'M SO VERY SORRY.
GEORGE WAS A TRUE PATRIOT.
- HE ENLISTED
TO FIGHT SLAVERY, SIR.
GEORGE AND I WERE BOTH SLAVES
UNTIL 1855.
IT TOOK ME 30 YEARS
TO PURCHASE OUR FREEDOM.
I DID IT WITH THE MONEY
I EARNED DRESSMAKING.
BUT THE LORD HEARD OUR CRIES,
MR. PRESIDENT,
THE CRIES OF MY PEOPLE,
AND HE REMEMBERED US,
AND HE SENT YOU
TO DELIVER US.
- MRS. KECKLY, NO.
I AM NO PROPHET.
I AM JUST A MAN
OF THE COMMONEST SORT,
I ASSURE YOU.
- IF THAT IS TRUE, SIR, THEN HOW
DID YOU COME TO BE PRESIDENT?
- HMM, WHY I--
- MR. PRESIDENT, TRUST GOD.
YOU ARE HIS INSTRUMENT, SIR,
AND YOU WILL DO HIS WORK
WITH WILLIE WATCHING OVER YOU.
[sobs lightly]
- [sobbing]
[background chatter,
telegraphs clacking]
"I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ST--"
"I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
"AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMY AND NAVY,
"DO ORDER AND DECLARE
THAT ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES
IN ANY REBELLIOUS STATE--"
- MR. PRESIDENT,
DISPATCH FROM GENERAL GRANT.
FROM SHILOH CHURCH
ON THE TENNESSEE RIVER.
"DRIVEN BACK YESTERDAY.
REGROUPED, COUNTERATTACKED,
AND HELD THE RIVER."
SIR, IT'S A GREAT VICTORY.
- HALLELUJAH.
- "ESPECIALLY COMMEND
"GENERAL SHERMAN
FOR HOLDING THE CENTER,
"THOUGH WOUNDED TWICE,
AND THREE HORSES
SHOT OUT FROM UNDER HIM."
- GIVE THAT TO THE PAPERS.
WE NEED A HERO.
- AND THE CASUALTIES?
- UH...
OH, DEAR GOD. 13,000.
- THAT IS BOTH SIDES?
- IT'S UNION, SIR.
THE ENEMY LOST 10,000.
- JUST TO HOLD
A PIECE OF RIVER.
- LOSING 13,000 TO THEIR 10,000
IS NOT WINNING.
GRANT MUST BE REPLACED, SIR.
- I CANNOT SPARE THIS MAN.
HE FIGHTS.
- MR. LINCOLN HAD RESUMED
HIS DUTIES, BUT NOT HIS ROUTINE.
HOPING TO EASE MARY'S GRIEF,
HE SHIFTED HIS FAMILY
TO THE SUMMER RESIDENCE.
THE RESULT
WAS A DAILY THREE-MILE RIDE
ALONG AN UNGUARDED ROAD TEEMING
WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMBUSH,
A TRIP HE OFTEN UNDERTOOK
WITHOUT NOTICE TO ME.
[whispering in the distance]
- SHOOT. GO. GO.
[indistinct chatter]
- SHOW YOURSELF.
- [whispering] SHOOT.
[gunshot]
[indistinct chatter]
- I AM A U.S. MARSHAL,
AND I WILL SHOOT YOU!
[indistinct chatter]
- GO, GO! MOVE! COME ON.
[horse chuffs]
[voices fade into distance]
[horse chuffs]
- "I, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMY AND NAVY
"OF THE UNITED STATES,
DO ORDER AND DECLARE
"THAT ON THE FIRST OF JANUARY,
1863,
"ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES
WITHIN ANY STATE
"OR IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL
AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES
"SHALL NOT BE RECOGNIZED
AND SUBMITTED TO,
SHALL THEN, THENCEFORWARD
AND FOREVER, BE FREE."
- YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR MIND
ENTIRELY.
- YES, I HAVE, MR. BLAIR,
AND I DON'T THINK MUCH OF A MAN
WHO IS NOT WISER TODAY
THAN HE WAS YESTERDAY.
GENTLEMEN, WHO'S FOR IT?
AGAINST?
THE AYES HAVE IT.
- THE VOTE WAS THREE TO TWO.
- MR. CHASE,
I AM KNOCKED INTO A COCKED HAT
TO HEAR YOU DISAPPROVE
OF THIS MEASURE.
- I FAVOR EMANCIPATION,
OF COURSE,
BUT TO DO IT NOW,
WHEN WE MUST PASS AN INCOME TAX
AND SELL WAR BONDS--
- WOULD YOU PREFER TO WAIT
UNTIL 1864?
- I WOULD PREFER--
- ALLOW THE NEXT PRESIDENT
TO FREE THE SLAVES? PERHAPS YOU?
I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BEST
TO ORGANIZE AND ARM THE SLAVES.
- NO, IT WOULD NOT,
BUT WE WILL ACCEPT NEGROES
INTO THE ARMED FORCES.
- HEAR, HEAR.
- [stuttering]
MR. PRESIDENT,
ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION NOW,
WITH THE REBELLION
COMPLETELY UNCHECKED,
MIGHT WELL BE DEEMED
THE LAST DESPERATE SHRIEK
OF AN EXHAUSTED GOVERNMENT.
- PRECISELY.
- IT'S THE WRONG MESSAGE
TO SEND TO EUROPE.
NOW, I APPROVE THE MEASURE--
YOU KNOW MY VIEWS--
BUT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND
WE POSTPONE
THIS EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
- UNTIL WE WIN A BATTLE?
- JUST SO.
- MONTHS PASSED WITHOUT OUR
WINNING SO MUCH AS A SKIRMISH.
FOR RELIEF, MR. LINCOLN
TOOK TO THEATERGOING,
A PRACTICE
I VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED
FOR BRINGING HIM SO NEAR
TO GREAT MOBS IN DARKENED ROOMS.
I ALWAYS FEARED
THAT SOME VILLAIN WOULD LEVEL
HIS PISTOL AT MY FRIEND,
THOUGH I NEVER IMAGINED
THE MALEFACTOR MIGHT BE
STANDING UPON THE STAGE ITSELF.
- WELL, WELL, HE WAS
THE COVERTEST SHELTERED TRAITOR
THAT EVER LIVED.
WOULD YOU IMAGINE,
OR ALMOST BELIEVE,
WERE IT NOT
THAT BY GREAT PRESERVATION
WE LIVE TO TELL IT TO YOU,
THE SUBTLE TRAITOR THIS DAY
HAD PLOTTED IN THE COUNCIL HOUSE
TO MURDER ME
AND MY GOOD LORD OF GLOUCESTER?
- WHAT, HAD HE SO?
- WHAT? THINK YOU
WE ARE TURKS OR INFIDELS,
OR THAT WE WOULD,
AGAINST THE FORM OF LAW,
PROCEED THUS RASHLY
WITH THE VILLAIN'S DEATH...
BUT THAT THE EXTREME PERIL
OF THE CASE,
THE PEACE OF ENGLAND
AND OUR PERSON'S SAFETY,
ENFORCED US
TO THIS EXECUTION?
- HE LOOKS AS IF
HE MEANT THAT FOR YOU, PAPA.
- HE DOES LOOK AT ME
PRETTY SHARP, DOESN'T HE?
- WOULD THAT I HAD SEEN
THAT LOOK, BUT AT THE TIME,
JOHN WILKES BOOTH
WAS ONLY ONE OF A MULTITUDE
LOOKING SHARPLY
AT OUR PRESIDENT.
MCCLELLAN HAD FINALLY PROVIDED
THE LONG-AWAITED VICTORY.
THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
WAS MADE PUBLIC,
AND DEATH THREATS TO MR. LINCOLN
INCREASED BY A HUNDREDFOLD.
ONE SYNDICATE
OF GEORGIA PLANTERS
EVEN ISSUED A BOND WORTH $50,000
FOR MY FRIEND'S LIFE,
AND I COULD NEVER KNOW WHO WOULD
BE TEMPTED BY SUCH A VAST OFFER.
- HELLO, SIR.
- MORNING, BOYS.
BLESS YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SON.
GENTLEMEN.
- ON YOUR FEET,
IT'S THE PRESIDENT.
- HALT AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF!
- GOD BLESS YOU, BOYS.
BLESS YOU.
- DIDN'T SIGN UP
TO FREE NO DARKIES.
- PRESIDENT'S CARRIAGE!
MAKE A LANE!
- THANK YOU
FOR YOUR GREAT SERVICE.
I AM IN YOUR DEBT.
- HI-YA!
[horse whinnies]
- DUNKER CHURCH,
ARTILLERY STRONGHOLD,
BURNSIDE BRIDGE,
AND THAT IS BLOODY LANE,
WHERE I PIERCED
THE CONFEDERATE CENTER.
- HERDED THEM
FROM THE FIELD OF HONOR, EH?
- LIKE SHEEP, MR. PRESIDENT.
- WHY THEN
DID YOU NOT PURSUE?
THE BLEEDING SHEEP
WERE BEFORE YOU,
THE AX IN YOUR HAND,
YOU MIGHT HAVE
CRUSHED LEE'S ARMY AND ENDED
THIS TERRIBLE CONTEST.
- WHY, WE WERE EXHAUSTED.
THE FIGHTING CONT--
- HOW MANY THOUSANDS MORE
WILL PERISH
BECAUSE YOU LET HIM FLY?
- I REPELLED LEE'S INVASION,
SIR!
- HOLD STILL, PLEASE.
AND...
ONE, TWO,
THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
- AND I DID IT, NO THANKS TO YOU
OR ANY OTHER POLITICIAN!
- GENERAL MCCLELLAN WAS FINALLY
RELIEVED OF HIS COMMAND.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- HILL, PLAY THAT SAD SONG.
[plays
A Letter to Tom]
♪ ♪
- ♪ I'VE WANDERED
TO THE VILLAGE TOM ♪
♪ I'VE SAT BENEATH THE TREE ♪
♪ BUT NONE THERE TO GREET ME,
TOM ♪
♪ AND FEW ARE LEFT TO KNOW ♪
♪ PLAYED WITH US
UPON THE GREEN ♪
♪ SOME 20 YEARS AGO ♪
[plays
Picayune Butler's
Come to Town]
♪ ♪
♪ HERE I'LL SIT,
GOING TO SING ♪
♪ TELL YOU HOW
THE BANJO RING ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ SONG I KNOW,
PLEASE YOU TO DEATH ♪
♪ LAUGH YOU
NEARLY OUT OF BREATH ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COMIN', COMIN' ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COME TO TOWN ♪
♪ AH-OOH AH-OOH ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COMIN', COMIN' ♪
♪ PICAYUNE BUTLER
COME TO TOWN ♪
[music fades]
[softly]
♪ BUTLER COME TO TOWN ♪
♪ AH-OOH AH-OOH ♪
"DAY AFTER THE BATTLE,
"DEAD SOLDIERS
HEAPED BY THE ROADSIDE,
"LINCOLN SLAPPED THE KNEE
OF MARSHAL LAMON AND EXCLAIMED,
'GIVE US THAT SONG
ABOUT PICAYUNE BUTLER'"?
YOU DO NOT APPRECIATE
THE DANGER, SIR.
SENATORS WADE, DAVIS, POMEROY,
EVEN SUMNER BY HIS SILENCE,
THEY ALL CONSPIRE
AGAINST YOU.
- HILL, FOR A MAN
OF ACCREDITED COURAGE,
YOU ARE THE MOST PANICKY PERSON
I KNOW.
- THEY CALL YOU
"INDECISIVE, FEEBLE,
INCAPABLE OF WINNING THE WAR."
- HILL,
CRITICISM IS NOT CONSPIRACY.
- CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT
THEY MANEUVER TO REPLACE YOU
ON THE REPUBLICAN SLATE?
- I DO...
[gunshot]
SO I THINK WE BETTER WIN THE WAR
BEFORE NOVEMBER '64.
MR. SPENCER,
WE WILL TAKE 10,000.
- BUT THE NEW RIFLES
DID NOT ALLEVIATE
OUR LONG SEASON
OF FAILURES.
1863 ARRIVED...
- THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
- AND WITH IT, MORE LOSS.
- BLESS YOU, SON.
DEEPLY GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR SERVICE.
- [whimpering]
[wincing]
[yelling in pain]
- GOOD EVENING,
MR. PRESIDENT.
- WHAT--OH. OH, YES.
PERHAPS CHASE
SHOULD BE PRESIDENT.
HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO KNOW
WHAT THE ALMIGHTY WANTS,
WHEREAS I...
I THOUGHT FOR ONE MOMENT
I WAS GOD'S INSTRUMENT,
AND THEN, I BROUGHT DOWN
NOTHING BUT MISERY AND DESPAIR.
- "NOTHING BUT MISERY"?
COME WITH ME.
- ♪ IF I COULD,
I SURELY WOULD ♪
♪ STAND ON THE ROCK
WHERE MOSES STOOD ♪
all: ♪ PHAROAH'S ARMY
GOT DROWNDED ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- ♪ WHOA, WHOA ♪
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- THESE PEOPLE ESCAPED
BECAUSE YOU PROCLAIMED THEM
FREE.
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
- HERE IS NO MISERY, SIR.
HERE IS HOPE.
- ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
[hushed exclamations]
- EVENING.
[chuckles]
GOD BLESS YOU.
GOD--PLEASE.
- THANK YOU.
- PLEASE,
DON'T KNEEL BEFORE ME, PLEASE.
- THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU.
- OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU. BLESS YOU, MY DEAR.
- OH. [sobbing]
- GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
- THANK YOU.
- BLESS YOU.
MY HEART IS WITH YOU, HMM?
- PRESIDENT.
- PLEASE, SING.
SING. DON'T LET ME STOP YOU.
YOU SOUND WONDERFUL.
[laughter]
SING, PLEASE.
all: ♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP,
DON'T YOU MOAN ♪
♪ PHAROAH'S ARMY
GOT DROWNDED ♪
♪ OH, MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP ♪
- ♪ WELL, WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN,
GONNA SCREAM AND SHOUT ♪
[all shout]
- [laughs]
- ♪ NOBODY THERE
IS GONNA PUT ME OUT ♪
- JULY 4th, 1863.
FOR A MOMENT,
WE THOUGHT THE WAR HAD ENDED.
- ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
- IN THE WEST, GRANT CAPTURED
VICKSBURG AT LAST,
AND AN ENTIRE ARMY WITH IT,
AND IN THE EAST,
WHERE GENERAL LEE
HAD INVADED PENNSYLVANIA--
- "FROM GENERAL MEADE
TO GETTYSBURG."
- YES?
- "WE HAVE DRIVEN THE INVADER
FROM OUR SOIL."
- YES.
- WELL DONE.
- "DRIVEN THE INVADER
FROM OUR SOIL"?
MY GOD, IS THAT ALL?
- YES, SIR.
- LEE WAS TWO STATES AWAY
FROM HIS BASE OF SUPPLY!
MEADE COULD HAVE CAPTURED
HIS ENTIRE ARMY!
- BUT, SIR, WE WON THE BATTLE.
- AND LOST 23,000 MEN.
23,000 KILLED, MANGLED,
MISSING,
AND LEE
RIGHT BACK WHERE HE WAS!
THE PEOPLE
WILL NOT STAND FOR IT.
THEY WILL DEMAND PEACE
AT ANY PRICE,
AND THEN, ALL OF THIS
IS FOR NOTHING!
NOTHING!
- MR. PRESIDENT!
SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED
TO MRS. LINCOLN.
[horse chuffs]
[door opening]
- THE DRIVER'S BENCH
FELL OFF THE CARRIAGE.
THE HORSES RAN OFF.
SIR, THIS WAS
A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
- THIS WAS NO ACCIDENT, SIR.
A KILLER LOOSED THAT BENCH
IN THE HOPES
THAT YOU WOULD BE THE PASSENGER.
- MOTHER.
IS THE PAIN GREAT?
- YES.
YET I DO NOT MIND IT...
FOR NETTIE
BRINGS ME SUCH COMFORT.
- NETTIE?
- NETTIE COLBURN, SIR,
THE MEDIUM.
SHE'S FAMOUSLY GIFTED.
- I'VE SPOKEN TO WILLIE,
FATHER.
HE'S SO HAPPY IN HEAVEN.
- IS HE?
- YES. YES.
AS ARE SAM AND...
AND LITTLE ALEC.
DID YOU KNOW THEY FELL
AT BATON ROUGE AND SHILOH?
- OF COURSE, MOTHER.
- I COULD NOT MOURN
MY OWN BROTHERS,
LEST THE PAPERS
CALL ME A TRAITOR.
BUT NOW, THEY KNOW
HOW MUCH I MISS THEM.
ESPECIALLY WILLIE, FATHER.
HE COMES TO ME NOW.
EVEN WITHOUT NETTIE'S HELP.
LITTLE RASCAL.
- I'M...
I'M GLAD HE IS WELL.
- WILL YOU NOT ATTEND A SEANCE
WITH ME, FATHER?
NETTIE SUMMONS OTHERS
FROM BEYOND...
SOME WONDROUSLY WISE.
THEY CAN HELP YOU WIN THE WAR.
- I WILL, MOTHER.
AS SOON AS MY SCHEDULE
PERMITS.
YOU REST NOW,
AND WE WILL ALL DOTE ON YOU
UNTIL YOUR WOUNDS ARE HEALED.
[whispering]
FIND THEM.
- COME ON.
- [grunts]
- EVENING.
- EVENING, SIR.
WARD HILL LAMON,
U.S. MARSHAL.
WE ARE INVESTIGATING
AN ATTEMPT--
I ARREST YOU BOTH!
[pounding on the door]
WE NEVER FOUND THE MAN
WHO LOOSED THOSE BOLTS,
BUT WE DID UNCOVER
A MOST HEINOUS PLAN:
SEEKING TO KILL MR. LINCOLN
BY INFECTING HIM
WITH YELLOW FEVER.
THEY GATHERED CLOTHING
FROM VICTIMS OF THE DISEASE
IN BERMUDA.
OUR DETECTIVE WORK
SAVED MR. LINCOLN,
BUT I NEVER COULD BE AT EASE
WHILE ABSENT FROM HIS SIDE.
I AM ASKED
TO BE MASTER OF CEREMONIES
AT THE DEDICATION
OF THE CEMETERY OF GETTYSBURG.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR,
OF COURSE,
BUT AS I CANNOT LEAVE YOUR SIDE,
I WILL TENDER MY REGRETS.
OF COURSE, YOU COULD COME
AND DELIVER
A FEW APPROPRIATE REMARKS.
BUT AT SUCH A TIME
AS THIS...
YOU KNOW,
FOR YOU TO LEAVE THE CAPITOL,
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE,
AND I WOULD NOT PRESUME.
- I WILL COME.
- THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES!
[applause]
RESISTANCE TO THE WAR
WAS GROWING.
MR. LINCOLN NEEDED
TO REINVIGORATE THE PEOPLE,
TO EXPLAIN TO THEM,
AND PERHAPS HIMSELF,
WHY THIS ENDLESS PLAGUE OF WAR
MUST CONTINUE.
- FOUR SCORE
AND SEVEN YEARS AGO,
OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH
UPON THIS CONTINENT
A NEW NATION,
CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY,
AND DEDICATED
TO THE PROPOSITION
THAT ALL MEN
ARE CREATED EQUAL.
NOW, WE ARE ENGAGED
IN A GREAT CIVIL WAR,
TESTING WHETHER THAT NATION,
OR ANY NATION
SO CONCEIVED AND SO DEDICATED,
CAN LONG ENDURE.
WE ARE MET ON A GREAT
BATTLEFIELD OF THAT WAR.
WE HAVE COME TO DEDICATE
A PORTION OF THAT FIELD,
AS A FINAL RESTING PLACE
FOR THOSE
WHO HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES
THAT THAT NATION MIGHT LIVE.
IT IS ALTOGETHER FITTING AND
PROPER THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS,
BUT IN A LARGER SENSE,
WE CANNOT DEDICATE,
WE CANNOT CONSECRATE,
WE CAN NOT HALLOW THIS GROUND.
THE BRAVE MEN, LIVING AND DEAD,
WHO STRUGGLED HERE
HAVE CONSECRATED IT
FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER
TO ADD OR DETRACT.
THE WORLD WILL LITTLE NOTE,
NOR LONG REMEMBER
WHAT WE SAY HERE,
BUT IT CAN NEVER FORGET
WHAT THEY DID HERE.
IT IS FOR US THE LIVING,
RATHER,
TO BE DEDICATED HERE
TO THE UNFINISHED WORK
WHICH THEY WHO FOUGHT HERE
HAVE THUS FAR SO NOBLY ADVANCED.
IT IS, RATHER,
FOR US TO BE HERE
DEDICATED TO THE GREAT TASK
REMAINING BEFORE US.
THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD,
WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION
TO THAT CAUSE
FOR WHICH THEY HERE GAVE
THE LAST FULL MEASURE
OF DEVOTION,
THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE
THAT THESE DEAD
SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN,
THAT THIS NATION,
UNDER GOD,
SHALL HAVE
A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM,
AND THAT GOVERNMENT
OF THE PEOPLE,
BY THE PEOPLE,
FOR THE PEOPLE,
SHALL NOT PERISH
FROM THE EARTH.
[crowd murmuring]
- IS THAT IT?
- IT CAN'T BE.
- IT'S FAR TOO SHORT.
- AIN'T GOT NOTHING ELSE
TO SAY?
- [applauding]
[cheers and applause]
- "SILLY, FLAT,
AND DISHWATERY UTTERANCES
"OF A MAN
WHO MUST BE POINTED OUT
TO INTELLIGENT FOREIGNERS
AS THE PRESIDENT."
- WELL, I'VE NOT HAD
MUCH TIME FOR FOREIGN POLICY.
- YOU HAVE LOST
YOUR OWN PEOPLE, SIR.
THREE YEARS OF SLAUGHTER
AND NO END IN SIGHT.
SALMON P. CHASE OFFERS
YOUR IDEALS WITHOUT YOUR RECORD.
POMEROY AND HIS GANG
HAVE CIRCULATED A LETTER
DEMANDING CHASE'S NOMINATION.
[church bell tolling]
MR. PRESIDENT,
MCCLELLAN HAS AGREED
TO RUN FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
HE WILL OFFER PEACE WITH SLAVERY
AND THE PEOPLE WILL TAKE IT,
UNLESS OUR CANDIDATE
IS CHASE.
IT'S TIME NOW FOR MOSES
TO HAND THE STAFF TO JOSHUA
SO THAT HE MAY LEAD OUR PEOPLE
INTO THE PROMISED LAND.
DO NOT FAIL US, SIR.
- HILL!
- COFFEE OR BANJO?
- YOU HAVE HEARD
OF THE POMEROY CIRCULAR?
- I HAVE INTERCEPTED A COPY.
- BLESS YOU, HILL.
PLEASE, HAND IT OVER QUIETLY
TO THE PRESS.
- BUT IT EXFLUNCTICATES YOU.
- IF THE ALMIGHTY WANTS
ANOTHER MAN TO FINISH MY WORK,
ONE WHO CAMPAIGNS FOR MY OFFICE
WHILE SERVING IN MY CABINET,
WHO ARE WE TO DEFY HIM?
- OH-H-H.
WHAT KILLS THE SKUNK IS
THE PUBLICITY IT GIVES ITSELF.
- AYE, AND NOW...
I SHALL DO WHAT
I SHOULD HAVE DONE LONG AGO.
GENERAL GRANT,
I NOW PROMOTE YOU TO A RANK
LAST HELD
BY GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON.
- MUCH OBLIGED, SIR,
BUT IT WON'T BE PAPER
WINS THIS WAR.
- TELL ME YOUR PLAN.
- I'LL RUN THE EASTERN ARMIES,
SHERMAN THE WEST.
WE'LL HIT 'EM
EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
- THOSE NOT SKINNIN'
CAN HOLD A LEG.
- YES, SIR,
AND, MR. PRESIDENT...
WIN OR LOSE, WE KEEP HITTING.
- GODSPEED.
- FROM GENERAL GRANT.
14,000 CASUALTIES.
HE WILL ATTACK AGAIN
IN THE MORNING.
17,000.
- MY GOD.
31,000 BOYS.
I CANNOT BEAR IT.
I CANNOT BEAR IT.
AND YET, HE ADVANCES.
- ANOTHER 12,000
AT COLD HARBOR,
OF WHICH, 7,000 FELL
IN THE FIRST EIGHT MINUTES.
TOTAL IS NOW 54,000, SIR.
- MM.
- 54,000 SOLDIERS
IN ONE MONTH.
- THANK GOD
FOR OUR BRAVE NEGRO TROOPS.
LEE WILL RUN OUT OF MEN
BEFORE WE DO.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
HE MUST BE STOPPED.
- OH, LEE WILL BE STOPPED.
- GRANT, SIR.
- GRANT? NO.
GRANT CANNOT BE STOPPED.
- ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
JUST GIVE ME A FEW MINUTES
TO DEVELOP THE PLATE.
- OH, CAN I SEE?
- UH, TAD,
THESE ARE NOT FOR YOU.
HERE, LOOK AT A PICTURE
OF GENERAL GRANT ON HIS HORSE.
- I AIN'T NO NANCY BOY.
- TAD. TAD.
LOOK--OH, LOOK AT THAT.
TOM THUMB.
THAT'S P.T. BARNUM.
OH, LOOK AT THIS.
CHANG AND ENG, HUH?
- THESE ARE MORBID, SIR.
LOOK AT THE PARROTT GUN GRANT'S
USING AT PETERSBURG, 13 INCHES.
- PA, CAN I SEE?
- TAKE HIM HOME.
- SIR, I PREFER TO STAY
WITH YOU.
- CAN'T I SEE 'EM, PA?
- COME, TAD.
LET'S GO GET A LEMON ICE.
- [gasps]
CAN I GET STRAWBERRY?
- MY FAVORITE.
- THREE CHEERS FOR HILL!
HOORAY!
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- [gasps]
OH, THERE YOU ARE.
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN
YOUR PROMISE?
NETTIE COLBURN'S HERE.
EVERYONE'S WAITING.
MAY I PRESENT
NETTIE COLBURN.
- SO THIS IS
THE FAMOUS NETTIE.
- YES, SIR.
SO HONORED, SIR.
I INSISTED
MY FATHER VOTE FOR YOU.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
AN HONOR, SIR.
WE ARE ACCUSTOMED
TO SIT IN A CIRCLE.
WE WAIT UNTIL
ONE OF OUR SPIRIT FRIENDS
TAKES CONTROL
OF MISS COLBURN.
- MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASED
TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.
EZRA BAMFORD, M.D.
- NOW I HAVE SEEN
THE ELEPHANT.
- SHH!
- SIR,
I HAVE TRAVELED A LONG WAY
TO TELL YOU THIS:
STAND FAST BY GENERAL GRANT
AND RICHMOND WILL BE YOURS.
- ARE YOU
A MILITARY DOCTOR THEN?
- NO. I WAS A COUNTRY DOCTOR,
BUT I AM GIVEN TO KNOW
THAT STRONG PARTIES
URGE YOU TO DISMISS GRANT.
THEY SAY
THE COST IS TOO HIGH,
HE'LL NEVER PREVAIL,
HE'LL COST YOU THE ELECTION,
BUT MR. PRESIDENT, YOU MUST
IN NOWISE HEED SUCH COUNSEL.
STAND FIRM
BEHIND YOUR CONVICTIONS
AND FEARLESSLY
PERFORM THE WORK
FOR WHICH
YOU HAVE BEEN ELEVATED.
- AND THIS,
YOU ARE "GIVEN TO KNOW"?
- I AM, SIR.
- AND ARE YOU
"GIVEN TO KNOW"
HOW MANY BOYS
HAVE CROSSED INTO YOUR REALM,
THANKS TO THE WORK
I HAVE ALREADY PERFORMED?
- A GREAT MANY.
- 300,000, DR. BAMFORD.
AN ENTIRE CITY OF BOYS.
- THEY MADE THE SACRIFICE
PROUDLY.
- OH, YOU DARE
SPEAK FOR THEM?
YOU SPEAK FOR THEIR MOTHERS
AS WELL?
- YOURS IS NOT AN EASY TASK,
MR. PRESIDENT.
YOU BEAR IT HEROICALLY.
- "HEROICALLY."
I CONDEMN MULTITUDES
WITH A PEN.
I AM INCOMPETENT.
AND IT WAS
MY OWN SELF-SERVING AMBITION
WHICH ELEVATED ME!
[gunfire and cannon blasts]
[explosions and yelling]
- NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER
STOOD IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE!
YOUR PLACE, SIR,
IS ON THAT BOAT.
MUST MARY BURY
ANOTHER LINCOLN?
- LIEUTENANT!
REMOVE MARSHAL LAMON
FROM THE FORT.
[overlapping yelling
and gunfire]
- [grunts]
[grunting]
LINCOLN!
- FIRE!
[cannon blasts]
[muffled cannon blasts,
high-pitched tone]
- [muffled]
YOU THERE! STAND DOWN!
GET THAT DAMNED FOOL
OFF MY PARAPET!
[sound returns to normal]
- [grunts]
- YOU WILL STOP!
- RELEASE ME!
- I SHALL NOT!
[explosion]
FOR THREE YEARS,
I HAVE FOUGHT SPIES, TRAITORS,
AND ASSASSINS
WHO SEEK TO DESTROY YOU,
AND YET, MORE THAN ANY OF THEM,
IT IS YOU,
YOU, SIR, WHO ENDANGER
THE LIFE OF THE ONLY MAN
FIT TO COMMAND
OUR SHIP OF STATE!
- LIEUTENANT!
- BE STILL!
[explosion]
YOU ANSWER ME
ONE QUESTION,
AND THEN YOU MAY RETURN
TO THE CANNON'S MOUTH,
AND THE DEVIL TAKE YOU!
- WHAT?
- WHEN YOU STOOD
IN THE LINE OF FIRE,
OTHER MEN FELL.
WHY WAS YOUR LIFE SPARED?
- I DON'T KNOW!
- BECAUSE, SIR,
YOU ARE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF AN ARMY
FIGHTING A NECESSARY WAR.
[overlapping yelling]
BUT THAT ARMY MUST TAKE LIFE.
I KNOW YOU HATE IT.
IT IS A TERRIBLE DESTINY, SIR,
BUT IF YOU DID NOT HATE IT SO,
THE ALMIGHTY HIMSELF WOULD
NOT HAVE SELECTED YOU FOR IT.
[explosion]
- HILL, I--
- YES?
[gunfire and cannon blasts]
- I MUST RETURN
TO THE WHITE HOUSE!
- THANK YOU.
- THANK
YOU,HILL.
- WELL, THAT'S WHY YOU BRUNG ME.
NOW, COME!
[The Wayfaring Stranger
by Dave Alvin]
♪ ♪
- ♪ I AM A POOR ♪
♪ WAYFARING STRANGER ♪
♪ A-TRAVELING THROUGH ♪
♪ THIS WORLD OF WOE ♪
♪ YET THERE'S NO SICKNESS ♪
♪ TOIL, NOR DANGER ♪
♪ IN THAT BRIGHT WORLD ♪
♪ TO WHICH I GO ♪
♪ I'M GOING THERE ♪
♪ TO SEE MY FATHER ♪
♪ I'M GOING THERE
NO MORE TO ROAM ♪
- HILL.
- ♪ I'M ONLY GOING
OVER JORDAN ♪
I HAVE SOMETHING
TO TELL YOU.
COME.
- ♪ I'M ONLY GOING OVER HOME ♪
- YOU KNOW HOW I HATE
TO RIDE ABOUT WITH ARMED GUARDS.
- I HAVE OBSERVED
THE PHENOMENON.
- WELL, YOU NEEDN'T WORRY
ANY LONGER.
- MUCH OBLIGED.
JUST WAKE ME UP
BEFORE YOU ABSQUATULATE
INTO THE NIGHT.
- I MEAN THE GUARDS
WILL NO LONGER BE NECESSARY.
- COME AGAIN?
- HILL, LAST NIGHT,
I RODE OUT
TO THE SUMMER RESIDENCE ALONE--
- I KNOW.
- I WAS JOGGING ALONG
AT A SLOW GATE,
IMMERSED IN CONTEMPLATION.
SUDDENLY, BANG!
I WAS SEPARATED
FROM MY $8 PLUG HAT
WITH NO ASSENT ON MY PART,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
IT WAS RETURNED TO ME
THIS MORNING,
RATHER THE WORSE FOR WEAR,
I'M AFRAID.
- THIS IS YOUR EVIDENCE FOR
THE CLAIM, "I NEED NO GUARDS"?
- HILL, THE ALMIGHTY SPARED ME
FOR A PURPOSE.
- YES, HE DID, BUT IT WOULD BE
A SIN TO RELY ON HIS GOOD NATURE
WHEN YOU HAVE EARTHLY GUARDS
CLOSE AT HAND.
- HILL, I SEE IT NOW.
I WILL BE SPARED UNTIL
MY PURPOSE IS ACCOMPLISHED...
- THANK--
- AND THEN...
WHEN THE WAR IS FINALLY WON,
I SHALL BE GATHERED UNTO WILLIE,
ELLSWORTH, NED,
ALL THE OTHER BOYS.
THE VEIL BETWEEN THEM AND ME
IS THIN ALREADY,
BUT I WILL NOT BE TAKEN
UNTIL THEN.
THIS HAT IS THE PROOF.
- WHAT IF LAST NIGHT
WAS SIMPLY A NEAR MISS,
AND YOU ARE ALIVE TODAY
BECAUSE I HAVE REPEATEDLY
SAVED YOU THESE PAST FOUR YEARS?
- WHY THEN, MY FRIEND,
WE ARE BOTH
GOD'S INSTRUMENTS.
- MR. PRESIDENT,
THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
- MESSAGE FROM SHERMAN.
"ATLANTA IS OURS,
AND FAIRLY WON."
- YIPPEE!
[laughs]
- THE FALL OF ATLANTA
TRANSFORMED THE NATIONAL MOOD.
CANDIDATE MCCLELLAN
WAS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN,
AND MR. LINCOLN
SWEPT TO A SECOND TERM.
- I HAVE GIVEN THE MATTER
MUCH THOUGHT.
I NOW RELEASE YOU
FROM YOUR PROMISE.
- MY PROMISE?
- I WILL SACRIFICE
MY AMBASSADORSHIP TO FRANCE
SO THAT YOU MAY RETAIN
MY COMPANIONSHIP HERE.
- I SEE.
WARD HILL LAMON, YOU HAVE
THE THANKS OF A GRATEFUL NATION
AND MY OWN.
GOOD NIGHT, OLD FRIEND.
- SHERMAN NOW PLANNED
A THOUSAND-MILE MARCH
THROUGH THE HEART
OF THE SOUTH
IN ORDER TO JOIN GRANT
AT RICHMOND.
SHERMAN MADE GEORGIA HOWL.
BUT AS THE ENEMY WAS CORNERED,
SO HE BECAME MORE DANGEROUS.
HIS NEXT PLOT
WAS ALMOST ADMIRABLE
FOR ITS SHEER AMBITION.
MR. LINCOLN
WAS TO BE KIDNAPPED,
AND EXCHANGED
FOR 200,000 PRISONERS.
HALT AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF!
- THROW DOWN
YOUR WEAPON NOW!
- I WILL THROW DOWN YOUR SOULS
BEFORE I THROW DOWN--
- MARSHAL LAMON,
IS THAT YOU?
- MR. STANTON?
- IS THE PRESIDENT WITH YOU?
- NO, SIR.
I COME IN SEARCH OF HIM.
- WELL, HE'S NOT HERE,
AND I AM GROWING EXCEEDINGLY
CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY.
- AS AM I, SIR,
AS AM I.
HUP!
- GOOD NIGHT, SENATOR.
GOOD NIGHT,
YOUR EXCELLENCY.
- GOOD NIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT.
- GOOD NIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT.
- OH. [laughing]
HILL, THERE YOU ARE.
GOOD EVENING.
- YOU WENT TO THE THEATER?
- YES, YES.
A SUPERIOR OTHELLO.
- YOU WENT TO THE THEATER
UNATTENDED.
- NO, I--
- WHEN I SAY "UNATTENDED,"
I MEAN
YOU WENT WITH CHARLES SUMNER
AND A FOREIGN MINISTER,
NEITHER OF WHOM
COULD DEFEND HIMSELF
AGAINST THE ASSAULT
OF AN ABLE-BODIED WOMAN.
- YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE
IS SOUGHT-AFTER,
AND THAT I HAVE PROVIDED MEN
TO SAFEGUARD YOUR PERSON.
I, MYSELF, AM ALWAYS READY
TO PERFORM THE DUTY
WHEN I AM NOT OUT
PLAYING THE DETECTIVE.
YET, DESPITE ALL OF THIS,
YOU CHOOSE TO ELUDE US.
SO BE IT.
BUT I WILL NOT PASS INTO HISTORY
AS THE MAN WHO LOST LINCOLN.
YOU SHALL HAVE MY RESIGNATION
IN THE MORNING.
- I CANNOT FAULT YOU.
- I SHALL MISS YOU, SIR.
- PERHAPS MR. LINCOLN
DID NOT FAULT YOU, BUT I DO.
- THERE IS MORE.
- I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH. I--
- LET HIM FINISH.
BILLY.
- MY WIFE IS AS HANDSOME
AS WHEN SHE WAS A GIRL...
AND I, A POOR NOBODY,
FELL IN LOVE WITH HER.
WHAT IS MORE,
I'VE NEVER FALLEN OUT.
- THE LOST ARMY IS FOUND.
- FROM SHERMAN?
NEWS FROM SHERMAN.
- "MR. PRESIDENT,
I BEG TO PRESENT TO YOU,
AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT,
THE CITY OF SAVANNAH."
[laughter]
- MARVELOUS TIDINGS.
- NOW, HE HAS ONLY
TO TRANSECT THE CAROLINAS,
AND--
- MR. PRESIDENT,
A WORD, IF YOU PLEASE?
WHERE IS LAMON?
- HE WAS CALLED AWAY.
- WELL, HE MUST BE CALLED BACK.
THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT
NOW RUNNING
IN THE SOUTHERN PAPERS.
"IF THE CITIZENS
OF THE CONFEDERACY
"WILL FURNISH ME WITH CASH
OR GOOD SECURITIES
"IN THE SUM OF $1 MILLION,
"I WILL CAUSE
THE LIVES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
"WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
AND ANDREW JOHNSON TO BE TAKEN
BY THE FIRST OF MARCH NEXT."
- THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WILL BE HONORED
TO HAVE BEEN MENTIONED
AHEAD OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT.
- YOU JOKE, SIR.
- MR. STANTON, THAT MAN
WILL NEVER RAISE A COLD MILLION.
- HE NEED ONLY
TO APPLY IN MONTREAL.
REBEL AGENTS THERE
ARE DISPERSING ENORMOUS SUMS
FOR JUST SUCH OPERATIONS.
KILLERS ARE COMING,
MR. PRESIDENT.
IT IS THE ENEMY'S
ONLY HOPE,
AND YOUR CONTINUED DISREGARD
FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL PERSON
IS NIGH UNTO TREASON!
- I BELIEVE THAT
I WILL BE SPARED, MR. STANTON,
AT LEAST UNTIL THE WAR--
- JUST--JUST ANSWER.
WHERE IS LAMON?
- I CANNOT SAY.
[thunder rumbling]
"BOTH READ THE SAME BIBLE...
AND PRAY TO THE SAME GOD."
[thunderclap]
"IT MAY SEEM STRANGE
THAT ANY MAN
SHOULD DARE TO ASK..."
[thunder rumbling]
"SHOULD DARE TO ASK
A JUST GOD'S ASSISTANCE
IN WRINGING THEIR BREAD..."
"FROM THE SWEAT
OF OTHER MEN'S FACES."
[thunderclap]
"LET US JUDGE NOT,
THAT WE BE NOT JUDGED."
- BANG.
- [scoffs]
- HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW EASY
IT IS TO REACH YOUR PERSON?
- DID YOU PLAN
TO KILL ME YOURSELF
BY WAY OF EXTREME FRIGHT?
- IT IS THE GUARDS
AROUND THIS MANSION
WHO WILL SOON
SUFFER EXTREME FRIGHT.
- ARE YOU BACK THEN?
- WELL...
IF I'M TO BE THE MAN
WHO LOST LINCOLN,
AT LEAST I SHALL DO SO
WHILE STANDING MY POST.
- GOOD.
I NEED A PROPER MARSHAL
OF CEREMONIES.
[thunder rumbling]
- IF ANY OF YOU SHOULD FAIL
TO PROTECT THE PRESIDENT,
GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL,
FOR I SHALL HAVE NONE.
TAKE YOUR POSTS.
EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THRONGS
ASSEMBLE TO WITNESS
THE INAUGURATION OF A PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS ASTONISHING THAT ANY MAN
COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY ENTERTAINED
THE THOUGHT
OF ASSASSINATING MR. LINCOLN
IN THE PRESENCE
OF SUCH A CONCOURSE OF CITIZENS,
AND YET, THERE WAS SUCH A MAN
IN THE ASSEMBLAGE.
HE WAS THERE
FOR THE SINGLE PURPOSE
OF MURDERING OUR LEADER
IN THE VAIN HOPE
THAT THE SOUTH
MIGHT THEREBY RISE AGAIN.
THAT MAN
WAS JOHN WILKES BOOTH.
- IT'S LOVELY OUT,
IT'S WONDERFUL.
BRISK OUT. [laughs]
[thunder rumbling]
I MUST CONGRATULATE HIM.
[struggling]
I MUST CONGRATULATE
THE PRESIDENT.
- HAD I KNOWN
THE BLACKGUARD'S TRUE INTENT,
BOOTH'S EYES WOULD HAVE
NEVER AGAIN BEHELD THE SUN.
- UNHAND ME!
UNHAND ME, YOU ILL-BRED HARLOT!
- BUT I THANK GOD WE DETERRED
THE VILLAIN THAT DAY,
AND THAT WE THEREBY
ENABLED MR. LINCOLN
TO DELIVER HIS SPEECH,
FOR IT WAS NOT
AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
IT WAS A FAREWELL,
AND HIS WORDS OF PARTING
SHALL FOREVER CONVEY HIS SPIRIT
TO ANYONE NOT BLESSED
TO KNOW HIM AS WE DID.
[cheers and applause]
- WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE,
WITH CHARITY FOR ALL,
WITH FIRMNESS IN THE RIGHT,
AS GOD GIVES US
TO SEE THE RIGHT,
LET US STRIVE ON
TO FINISH THE WORK WE ARE IN,
TO BIND UP
THE NATION'S WOUNDS,
TO CARE FOR HIM
WHO SHALL HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE,
AND FOR HIS WIDOW,
AND HIS ORPHAN,
TO DO ALL WHICH MAY ACHIEVE
AND CHERISH
A JUST AND A LASTING PEACE,
AMONG OURSELVES
AND WITH ALL NATIONS.
[cheers and applause]
- WELL DONE, SIR.
[cheers and applause continue]
WELL DONE.
APRIL 10th, 1865.
WE AWOKE
TO THE SOUND OF A CANNON...
[cannon blasts]
[fanfare playing]
A 500-GUN SALUTE
TO THE PRESIDENT.
[fireworks screeching]
THE WAR WAS WON.
[Hail to the Chiefplaying]
[cheers and applause]
♪ ♪
- A CAUSE
FOR A NATIONAL THANKSGIVING
IS BEING PREPARED
AND WILL BE DULY PROMULGATED.
[cheers]
BUT FOR NOW,
I SHALL REQUEST
ONE OF THE BEST SONGS
I EVER HEARD.
CAPTAIN,
LET THE BAND PLAY
DIXIE.
[booing and jeering]
IT IS TIME TO RETURN IT
TO THE NATIONAL SONGBOOK.
[booing and jeering]
- PLAY
BATTLE HYMN!
[booing and jeering]
- PLEASE.
FRIENDS.
[booing and jeering]
- ♪ I WISH I WAS
IN THE LAND OF COTTON ♪
♪ OLD TIMES THERE
ARE NOT FORGOTTEN ♪
- ♪ LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY IN DIXIELAND ♪
[band joining in]
♪ IN DIXIELAND ♪
♪ WHERE I WAS BORN IN ♪
[crowd joining in]
♪ EARLY ON ♪
♪ THE FROSTY MORNING ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY ♪
♪ LOOK AWAY IN DIXIELAND ♪
♪ I WISH I WAS IN DIXIE ♪
♪ HOORAY! HOORAY! ♪
♪ IN DIXIELAND
I'LL TAKE MY STAND ♪
♪ TO LIVE AND DIE IN DIXIE ♪
♪ AWAY, AWAY ♪
♪ AWAY DOWN SOUTH IN DIXIE ♪
[party chatter and music]
OLD FRIEND.
- ON SUCH A NIGHT AS THIS,
PUT ASIDE YOUR TEMPERATE WAYS
AND HAVE YOURSELF A BUMPER.
[glasses clink]
- HILL...
I HAVE A MISSION FOR YOU.
- OH?
- I NEED AN AMBASSADOR,
A VIRGINIAN WITH TACT...
- [belches]
BEG PARDON.
- TACT AND DIPLOMACY,
TO CONVEY A MESSAGE
TO RICHMOND.
ALL THAT MATTERS NOW
IS RECONSTRUCTION,
AND I NEED OUR BEST MEN
ON THE JOB.
- I CAN SEE
WHY YOU THOUGHT OF ME, BUT--
- HILL, YOU ARE GOING.
- THE WAR...
IS OVER.
- AND THANK GOD
I'VE LIVED TO SEE IT.
AND THANK YOU, HILL.
- BUT YOU ARE
STILL IN DANGER.
- OH, COME, COME.
THE WAR IS DONE.
NOW, BE A GOOD AMBASSADOR
AND GO TO RICHMOND.
- BUT--
- HILL...
YOU ARE GOING.
- WILL YOU PROMISE ME
ONE THING?
- ANYTHING WITHIN MY POWER.
- DO NOT GO OUT AT NIGHT,
PARTICULARLY TO THE THEATER.
- [laughs]
HILL,
YOU ARE A MONOMANIAC
ON THIS SUBJECT.
I PROMISE, I WILL DO
THE BEST I CAN FOR YOU.
- I SHALL KNOW IT
IF YOU DON'T.
- GOOD-BYE, HILL.
AND GODSPEED.
- GOOD-BYE, LINCOLN.
THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I EVER SAW MY FRIEND.
YOU ASKED ME WHY
I DID NOT SAVE MR. LINCOLN.
I DID NOT SAVE MR. LINCOLN
BECAUSE MR. LINCOLN
DID NOT WISH TO BE SAVED.
HE COMPLETED HIS WORK,
AND HE EARNED HIS REST.
NOW, YOU WILL DO
WHAT YOU MUST.
[bell tolls in the distance]
[somber violin music]
♪ ♪
HOW THAT MAN
LOVED TO LAUGH...
- YES, YOU TWO BOTH LOOK--
[laughter]
- AND LOW COMEDY
WAS HIS FAVORITE.
- NOW, SOME GALS AND MOTHERS
WOULD GO AWAY FROM SUCH A FELLOW
WHEN THEY FIND THAT OUT.
[laughter]
- THE VILLAIN WAITED
FOR THE PLAY'S BIGGEST LAUGH
TO COVER
THE SOUND OF HIS PISTOL.
- [laughs]
- AND THAT IS WHAT ENABLED
MR. LINCOLN TO LEAVE THIS WORLD
DOING WHAT HE LOVED MOST.
[indistinct stage dialogue]
- [laughing]
- WHAT WILL MS. HARRIS THINK
OF ME HANGING ON TO YOU SO?
- SHE WON'T THINK
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
[door opens]
[indistinct stage dialogue]
[laughs]
[The Battle Hymn
of the Republicby Dave Alvin]
[females humming melody]
♪ ♪
- ♪ MINE EYES HAVE SEEN
THE GLORY ♪
♪ OF THE COMING OF THE LORD ♪
♪ HE IS TRAMPLING
OUT THE VINTAGE ♪
♪ WHERE THE GRAPES OF WRATH
ARE STORED ♪
♪ HE HATH LOOSED
THE FATEFUL LIGHTNING ♪
♪ OF HIS TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD ♪
♪ HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I HAVE SEEN HIM
IN THE WATCH FIRES ♪
♪ OF A HUNDRED CIRCLING CAMPS ♪
♪ THEY HAVE BUILDED HIM
AN ALTAR ♪
♪ IN THE EVENING DEWS
AND DAMPS ♪
♪ I CAN READ
HIS RIGHTEOUS SENTENCE ♪
♪ BY THE DIM AND FLARING LAMPS ♪
♪ HIS DAY IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
both: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ HIS DAY IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
- ♪ HE HAS SOUNDED FORTH
THE TRUMPET ♪
♪ THAT SHALL NEVER
CALL RETREAT ♪
♪ HE IS SIFTING OUT
THE HEARTS OF MEN ♪
♪ BEFORE HIS JUDGMENT SEAT ♪
♪ O, BE SWIFT, MY SOUL,
TO ANSWER HIM ♪
♪ BE JUBILANT, MY FEET ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
all: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
- ♪ HE IS COMING
LIKE THE GLORY ♪
♪ OF THE MORNING ON THE WAVE ♪
♪ HE IS WISDOM TO THE MIGHTY ♪
♪ HE IS SUCCOR TO THE BRAVE ♪
♪ SO THE WORLD SHALL BE
HIS FOOTSTOOL ♪
♪ AND THE SOUL OF TIME
HIS SLAVE ♪
♪ OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON ♪
♪ ♪
all: ♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
♪ OUR GOD ♪
♪ IS MARCHING ON ♪
[folk music]
♪ ♪