Gettysburg1993

Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead:
Well, what do you hear about Sam Hood?

Lt. Gen. James Longstreet:
May lose an arm.

Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead:
Dick Garnett ain't fit. Can't hardly walk. Thing is, if there's a fight, he can't stand to stay out of it. But if you ordered him to stay out of it... Huh. Don't suppose you could do that.

Lt. Gen. James Longstreet:
Mm-mm.

Irish Tenor:
[in the background] Kathleen Mavourneen, the gray dawn is breaking. The horn of the hunter is heard on the hill. The lark from the light... [continues song through conversation]

Lt. General James Longstreet:
Mm-hmm. That boy can sing. That's "Kathleen Mavourneen".

Brig. Gen Lewis Armistead:
[looks away, slightly husky voice] What do you hear about Hancock?

Lt. Gen James Longstreet:
[lighting pipe] Ran into him today. He's out there, 'bout a mile or so. Just a mile or so. He was... tough. Very tough today.

Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead:
He's the best they got. God don't make 'em any better, and that's a fact. Well, I'd like to go over and see him as soon as I can. Last time I saw Win, we played that song, that very song. Back in California, we were all together for the last time. Before we broke up. Spring of '61. [pauses] Almira Hancock. You remember Almira, Hancock's wife? Beautiful woman. Most perfect woman I ever saw. They were a beautiful couple. Beautiful... Garnett was with me that night. A lot of fellows from the old outfit. People standin' around singin'. In the blue uniform. We were leavin', the next day. Some goin' North, some goin' South. Splittin' up. [looks up] A soldier's farewell. "Goodbye. Good luck. I'll see you in hell." [chuckles] You remember that? [sighs] Towards the end of the evening, we all sat around the piano. And Mira played that- that song there, that was the one she played. "May be for years, may be forever..." I'll never forget that. [laughs] You know how it was, Pete. [sits down, voice husky] Win was like a brother to me... Remember? [Longstreet nods] Towards the end of the evening... [shakes his head] things got a little rough. We all began to- Well, there were a lot of tears. [takes several shaky breaths] I went over to Hancock.. I-I took him by the shoulder. I said, "Win... so help me... if I ever raise my hand against you... may God strike me dead!" [pauses, quickly wipes his eyes] I ain't seen him since. He was at Malvern Hill, White Oak Swamp, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg... [sighs] One of these days... I will see him, I'm afraid. Across that small, deadly space. I thought about sittin' this one out, but I can't do that. That wouldn't be right, either. [wipes his eyes again] I guess not. [nods] Thank you, Peter. I had to talk about that.

Lt. Gen James Longstreet:
Yup.

Brig. Gen Lewis Armistead:
[stands, turns slightly] Um, I'm sending Almira Hancock a small package to be opened in the event of my death. [takes package from coat, holds it towards Longstreet] You'll drop by and see her, after all this is over... Won't you, Pete? [Longstreet takes the package] Thank you.