Gettysburg quotes

View Quote Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Tell me something, Buster. What do you think of Negroes?
Pvt. Buster Kilrain: Well, if you mean the race, I don't really know. This is not a thing to be ashamed of. The thing is, you cannot judge a race. Any man who judges by the group is a pea-wit. You take men one at a time.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: To me, there was never any difference.
Pvt. Buster Kilrain: None at all?
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: None at all. Of course, I haven't known that many freed men, but those I knew in Bangor, Portland, you look in the eye, there was a man. There was a "divine spark," as my mother used to call it. That is all there is to it. Races are men. "What a piece of work is man. How infinite in faculties, in form and moving. How express and admirable. In action, how like an angel."
Pvt. Buster Kilrain: Well, if he's an angel, all right then. But he damn well must be a killer angel. Colonel, darling, you're a lovely man. I see a great vast difference between us, yet I admire you, lad. You're an idealist, praise be. The truth is, Colonel, there is no "divine spark." There's many a man alive no more of value than a dead dog. Believe me. When you've seen them hang each other the way I have back in the Old Country. Equality? What I'm fighting for is the right to prove I'm a better man than many of them. Where have you seen this "divine spark" in operation, Colonel? Where have you noted this magnificent equality? No two things on earth are equal or have an equal chance. Not a leaf, not a tree. There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't think race or country matters a damn. What matters, Colonel, is justice. Which is why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve. Not as my father deserved. I'm Kilrain, and I damn all gentlemen. There is only one aristocracy, and that is right here. [taps his temple] And that's why we've got to win this war.

View Quote Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: What's your name?
Pvt. Joseph Bucklin: I don't feel too kindly, Colonel.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Yes, well, I'm not usually this informal. I just, uh, just took command of this regiment a few days ago, so somebody ought to welcome you to my, uh-- to our outfit. They, uh, they tell me that, uh, they're holding you fellas because you signed 3-year papers-- I'm sorry, would you like some coffee? [Bucklin shakes his head] You sure? Go ahead, sit down, Mister...
Pvt. Joseph Bucklin: Bucklin.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Bucklin.
Pvt. Joseph Bucklin: Joseph Bucklin. Listen, Colonel, I've been in eleven different engagements. How many have you been in?
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Not that many.
Pvt. Joseph Bucklin: It ain't the papers. I done my share. We all have. Damn good men. Should not to be used this way. Lookee here. [Bucklin pulls up his pants leg to reveal a bullet wound scar] Went clean through.
Pvt. Buster Kilrain: [walks up] Colonel, we got a courier comin'. [walks off]
Pvt. Joseph Bucklin: Listen, Colonel, I'm tired. You know what I mean? I'm tired. I've had all this army, and all these officers, this damn Hooker, this damn idiot Meade. All of them. The whole bloody, lousy rotten mess of sick-brained, potbellied scareheads that ain't fit to lead a johnny detail! They ain't fit to pour pee out of a boot with instructions written under the heel. I'm tired. We are good men and we had our own good flag. These damn idiots used us like we were cows or dogs or worse. We ain't gonna win this war. We can't win no-how with these lame-brain bas**** from West Point. These damn gentlemen, these officers!

View Quote Col. Strong Vincent: The whole reb army is down there, and coming up around our flanks. They could be here any minute. We've got to hold this place. We've got to hold it. Well, all right. I place you here. Put your colors here, and set your regiment to the left of this line. The rest of the brigade will form on your right. Understood?
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Yes. Ellis, this is the point.
Cpt. Ellis Spear: Yes, sir.
Col. Strong Vincent: Now, your regiment is to the left of this point. Colonel, sir, you're the end of the line.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Yes.
Col. Strong Vincent: You're the extreme left of the Union army. Understood? The line runs all the way from here back to Cemetery Hill, but it ends here.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Understood.
Col. Strong Vincent: You cannot withdraw under any condition. If you go, this line will be flanked. If you go, the enemy will sweep up over the hillside and take this entire army from the rear. You must defend this place to the last.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Yes, sir.
Col. Strong Vincent: [shakes Chamberlain's hand] Now we'll see how professors fight.

View Quote General Robert E. Lee: General Ewell, I had hoped that after moving through the town, you would've taken that hill.
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell: I didn't think it was practical. Well, for many reasons. We'd marched all day, and we'd fought. And your orders were to caution against bringing on a general engagement.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: There were reports of Federal troops in the north, sir. We couldn't bring sufficient artillery to bear on that hill. We decided it was best to wait for another of our divisions, Johnson's.
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell: Yes, sir. Johnson didn't arrive till after dark, just a while ago. He's out there now, looking over the terrain.
General Robert E. Lee: General Early, do you think you can attack on your flank in the morning?
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: [sighs] That hill will be a very strong position once it's fortified, which is what they're doing right now, sir.
General Robert E. Lee: I am very much aware of that, General.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: Have you looked over the ground yourself, sir?
General Robert E. Lee: From a distance only.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: I do not think we should attack this point. This will be the strong point. Our troops have marched hard and fought hard toady. I suggest we hold here while the rest of the army attacks the other flank.
General Robert E. Lee: Do you think an attack on your flank will succeed?
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: I think it would be very costly.
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell: Very costly, sir.
General Robert E. Lee: General Rodes?
Maj. Gen. Robert Rodes: We, uh, could attack of course, General, but the boys have had a good fight and that will be a strong position. General, I am sorry we didn't take that hill today.
General Robert E. Lee: Well, this day is done. You know, General Longstreet proposes that we move our army around to the right, and flank the Federal army, and interpose between Meade and Washington.
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell: And to vacate this position? To leave this town we've just captured, sir?
General Robert E. Lee: This town is of no military significance whatsoever, General.
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early: To move this entire corps in the face of a fortified enemy?
General Robert E. Lee: And yet you tell me that you cannot attack in the morning? Gentlemen, if we do not withdraw and if we do not move in the face the enemy then we must attack. Is there any alternative? General Hill?
Lt. Gen. Ambrose P. Hill: No, sir.
General Robert E. Lee: Very well. I do thank you, gentlemen.
[Generals Early, Rodes, and Hill salute and leave. General Ewell remains to speak to Lee.]
Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell: [clears throat] General... I believe I may have been too slow today. I regret that very much. I was trying to be careful. May have been too careful.
General Robert E. Lee: You won a victory this day, General. It was not a large victory. It could have been larger. Perhaps we could have pushed harder. But it was a victory nonetheless. And your people fought valiantly. This was your first campaign commanding a corps. Now you know it's not always as simple as it sometimes appears. Go and rest now for tomorrow.

View Quote Lt. Col. Arthur Fremantle: We have so much in common, your country and mine. I earnestly hope that we shall become allies.
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Your government will never ally itself with a Confederacy that had the institution of slavery. You know that, and so do I.

View Quote Lt. Col. Edward Porter Alexander: The longer we delay, the more time the Federals have to strengthen their own line. And even if we recover more supplies from the ordnance trains, how much more damage can we inflict on them then they on us? They're bringing in fresh Batteries as quickly as we drive them off.
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Just get some more ammunition and keep it hot! I cannot send in Pickett's division, or the others, until we clear some of those guns off that ridge!

View Quote Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Good Lord, George, what is that smell?
Maj. Gen. George Pickett: That's me. Ain't it lovely?
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: He got it off a dead Frenchman.

View Quote Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: You English had your own civil war once, didn't you?
Lt. Col. Arthur Fremantle: Oh, that was ages ago. Wouldn't dream of it now. Cavaliers and Roundheads. "Off with his head, off with his head!" Heads lying about everywhere. One could hardly take a step without tripping over a fallen crown. We're much more civilized now, I assure you.

View Quote Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: I've got some night work for you. Are you up for it?
Harrison: "All the world will be in love with night, and pay no worship to the garish sun!"
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: When this is over, I do look forward to seeing you on the stage.

View Quote Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: The boys from the 2nd Maine are being fed, Lawrence.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Ye- Don't call me Lawrence.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Darn it, Lawrence, I'm your brother.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Well, just be careful about the name business in front of the men, alright? Just because you're my brother- It looks like favoritism.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: God Almighty, General Meade's got his own son as his aide-de-camp.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Well, that's different. Generals can do anything. Nothing quite so much like God on Earth as a general on a battlefield.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Well, what are you gonna do with 'em, huh, sir? Colonel, sir. You can't shoot 'em, you'll never go back to Maine if you do that.
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: I know that, I know that. I wonder if they do.
Your government will never ally itself with a Confederacy that had the institution of slavery. You know that, and so do I.

View Quote Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: [to a wounded General Armistead, who has just been captured] Sir. Sir!
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: Will you help me up, please?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Sir, could you tell me what your name is? Who you are?
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: I would like to speak to General Han****. Do you know... where... General Han**** may be found?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: I'm sorry, sir. The general is down. He's been hit.
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: No! Not both of us... not all of us! Please, God!
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Sir, sir, we're having a surgeon come as quickly as we can.
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: Can you hear me, son?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Yes, sir. I can hear you.
Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead: Will you tell General Han****... that General Armistead sends his regrets? Will you tell him... how... very sorry I am?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: I will tell him, sir. I will tell him.

View Quote Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Hello, men. What outfit you with?
Confederate Prisoner: Archer's Brigade, Heth's Division.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Where you from?
Confederate Prisoner: Tennessee. How 'bout you?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Maine. I never been to Tennessee.
Confederate Prisoner: I reckon I never been to Maine neither.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: I don't mean no disrespect to you fightin' men. But sometimes I can't help but figure, why you fightin' this war?
Confederate Prisoner: Why you fightin' it?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: Well, to free the slaves, of course. And to preserve the Union.
Confederate Prisoner: I don't know about some other folk but I ain't fightin' for no darkies, one way or the other. I'm fightin' for my rights [pronounced "rats"]. All of us that's what we're fightin' for.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: For your what?
Confederate Prisoner: For our rights. Why is it you folks can't just live the way you want to live, and let us live the way we do? Live and let live, I hear some folks say. Be a mite less fuss and bother if more folks took it to heart.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: [nods slowly, considering the man's words] Where'd you get captured?
Confederate Prisoner: Railroad cut just west of Gettysburg town. Wasn't a pretty sight. Many a good boy lost a young and promising life. Some were blue, some were grey. Seen enough of this war?
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: I guess I have.
Confederate Prisoner: I guess I have, too. It looks like I'm gonna be sittin' out the rest of it.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: [nods] Well, I appreciate you talkin' to me.
Confederate Prisoner: [salutes] See you in hell, Billy Yank.
Lt. Thomas Chamberlain: [salutes] See you in hell, Johnny Reb.

View Quote Lt. Tom Chamberlain: One thing about this brigade is we got our own special bugle call. Ever hear tell of Dan Butterfield?
2nd Maine Soldier: What, General Butterfield? What was with Hooker?
Lt. Tom Chamberlain: That's the same fellow. See, he used to be our brigade commander.
2nd Maine Soldier: Yeah, he was a pistol. No man like him for having a good time.
Lt. Tom Chamberlain: I don't know about that. But I know he used to like to write bugle calls. The problem with this army is, we got too many calls. We got a call for artillery, infantry, get up and eat, retreat. Anyway, old Butterfield, he wrote a special call for this here brigade. Say there is an order for this brigade, you and me. Some blame fool'll be blowing his bugle, we will think that order's for us when it wasn't. We'll follow that order anyway, and then we'll look around and we'll be in a world of hurt.
2nd Maine Soldier: Yeah, that happened to me once. Us, that is. Half the regiment charged, the other half retreated. You had your choice.

View Quote 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.

View Quote Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood: General. Look here. The ground is strewn with boulders. The soldiers up there are entrenched all over the ground. And there are guns in the rocks. Every move I make is observed. If I attack as ordered, I lose half my division. And they'll still be looking down the throats at us from that rocky hill, right there. We must move around to the right, sir, and take them from the rear.
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Sam, the commanding general will not allow a flanking movement around those hills. I argued it yesterday, I argued it all morning, hell, I've been arguing against any attack at all. I can't call this one off. You know it.
Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood: Let me move move up the big round hill to the south. There's nobody on that. Now if I could get a battery up there...
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: There ain't enough time. You'd have to cut down trees to place your artillery. It'd be dark before you were in action. On the other hand, if they get batteries up there, we're gonna need buckets to catch the lead. You've got to take that hill.
Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood: They don't even need guns to defend that. All they need to do is roll rocks down on you.
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Just take it.
Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood: General, I do this under protest.
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet: Sam, you are the best I got. Now, sir, if you are ready, why don't you take that hill?