Gettysburg1993

Col. Arthur Freemantle:
I'm told you're descendant of an illustrious military family?

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead:
Who told you that? Kemper?

Col. Arthur Freemantle:
He tells me it was your uncle who defended Fort McHenry during the war of 1812, and that he was therefore regarded as the guardian of the original star-spangled banner. I must say, I do appreciate the irony of it all.

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead:
Col. Freemantle, it does not begin or end, with my uncle or myself. We're all sons of Virginia here. That major out there, commanding the canon? That's James Deeran, first in his class at West Point, before Virgina seceeded. The boy over there, with the color guard? That's private Robert Tyler John. His grandfather was President of the United States! That colonel behind me? That's Colonel William Ailen. Now, his great-grandfather was the Virginian Patrick Henry. It was Patrick Henry who said to your King George III; "Give me liberty, or give me death." There are boys here from Norfolk, Portsmouth, Malhamlet, Long James River. From Charlottsville, Fredericksburg, and the Shenondoah Valley. Mostly, they're all veteran soldiers now, the cowards and shirkers are long gone. Every man here knows his duty! They would make this charge even without an officer to lead them. They know the gravity of the situation, and the metal of their foe! They know, that this days work will be desperate and deadly. They know, that for many of them, this will be their last charge. But not one of them, needs to be told, what is expected of him! They're all willing to make the supreme sacrifice. To achieve victory, here, the crowning victory, and the end of this war. We're all hear, Colonel. You may tell them, when you return to your country, that all Virginia was here this day.