Gettysburg1993

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
You wish to see me, sir?

General Robert E. Lee:
[nods and sighs] It is the opinion of some... excellent officers that you have let us all down.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
[looking angry, voice raising] General Lee, sir, if you will please tell me who these gentlemen are...

General Robert E. Lee:
[quietly but sharply] There will be none of that. There is no time.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
Sir, I only ask that I be allowed to defend my...

General Robert E. Lee:
[sharper, and louder] There is no time. [Stuart stares for a moment in stunned silence] General Stuart... your mission was to free this army from the enemy cavalry and report any movement by the enemy's main body. That mission was not fulfilled. You left here with no word of your movement, or movement of the enemy, for several days. Meanwhile, we were engaged here and drawn into battle without adequate knowledge of the enemy's strength or position, without knowledge of the ground. So it is only by God's grace that we did not meet disaster here.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
General Lee, there were reasons...

General Robert E. Lee:
[holds up his hand for silence] Perhaps you misunderstood my orders? Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Well, sir... this must be made very clear. You, sir, with your cavalry, are the eyes of this army. Without your cavalry, we are made blind. That has already happened once. It must never, never happen again.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
[stares at the floor, then slowly draws his sword, holding it out] Sir... since I no longer hold the General's...

General Robert E. Lee:
[pounds the table with his fist, suddenly furious] I have told you, there is no time for that! There is no time! [Lee pauses, takes a deep breath, and calms down again] There is another fight comin' tomorrow, and we need you. We need every man, God knows. You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does. [He takes Stuart's sword and replaces it in its scabbard] There has been a mistake. It will not happen again; I know your quality. You are one of the finest cavalry officers I have ever known, and your service to this army has been invaluable. Now... let us speak no more of this. [Lee turns and slowly walks away; Stuart stares in silence for a moment, and Lee turns back to him] The matter is concluded. Good night, General.