Trip: I ain't fightin' this war for you, sir. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: I see. Trip: I mean, what's the point? Ain't nobody gonna win. It's just gonna go on and on. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Can't go on forever. Trip: Yeah, but ain't nobody gonna win, sir. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Somebody's gonna win. Trip: Who? I mean, you get to go on back to Boston, big house and all that. What about us? What do we get? Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Well, you won't get anything if we lose.
(23 votes)
2
Trip: See the way I figure, I figure this war would be over a whole lot sooner if you boys just turned right on around and headed back on down that way, and you let us head on up there where the real fighting is. Heckled Union Soldier: We got men dyin' up that road. Trip: And there wouldn't be nothing but rebs dyin if they'd let the fifty-fourth in it.
(22 votes)
3
Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Never, question my authority in front of others Major Forbes: Well I is sorry, mas'sa. You be the boss-man now and all us chill'ins must learn your ways.
(20 votes)
4
Col. Montgomery: That wouldn't have been necessary if that sesesh woman hadn't started it. They never learn. You see sesesh has to be cleared away by the hand of God like the Jews of old. Now I will have to burn this town.
(23 votes)
5
John Rawlins: Where about you from? Trip: I'm from around Tennessee. I ran away when I was 12 years old and I ain't never looked back. Sharts: What ya doin' since then? Trip: I've been running for President. I ain't winning though.
(18 votes)
6
Rawlins: He's just a boy. Trip: He a weak white boy, and beatin' on a nigger make him feel strong.
7
Colonel Robert G. Shaw: So what do you want to do? Trip: Don't know, sir. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: It stinks, I suppose. Trip: Yeah, It stinks bad. And we all covered up in it too. Ain't nobody clean. Be nice to get clean, though. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: How do we do that? Trip: We anty up and kick in, sir. But I still don't want to carry your flag.
8
[Trip and Searles are about to fight when Rawlins steps in] Rawlins: Look, goddamn it! The whole world gotta stomp on your face? Trip: Oh, I see, white man give you some stripes, you start hollerin' and orderin' everybody around! Nigger, you ain't nothin' but the white man's dog! [Rawlins slaps him] Rawlins: And who are you? So full of hate that you have to fight everybody, because you've been whipped and chased by hounds. Well that might not be living, but it sure as hell ain't dying. And dying's been what these white boys have been doing for going on three years now, dying by the thousands, dying for you, fool. And all this time I keep askin' myself, when, O Lord, when gonna be our time? Gonna come a time when we all gonna hafta ante up and kick in like men, LIKE MEN! You watch who you callin' nigger! If there's any niggers around here, it's YOU, just a stupid-ass, swamp-runnin' nigger! And if you not careful, that's all you ever gonna be!
9
Jupiter Sharts: [praying aloud] Tommorrow we goes into battle, so Lordy, let me fight with the rifle in one hand, and the Good Book in the other. So that if I may die at the muzzle of the rifle... die on water, or on land, I may know that you blessed Jesus almighty are with me... and I have no fear.
10
[Soldiers from the 54th Massachusetts marching through Union soldiers, they will soon attack Fort Wagner] Union Soldier: Give 'em Hell, 54! All: Give 'em Hell, 54!
11
Trip: Let me tell you something, boy. You can march like the white man, you can talk like him. You can sing his songs, you can even wear his suits. But, you ain't NEVER gonna be nothing to him, than an ugly ass chimp... in a blue suit.
12
Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Sgt. Mulcahy! Sgt. Mulcahy: Sir! Colonel Robert G. Shaw: I have no doubt you a fair man, Mulcahy. I wonder if you are treating the men a little hard. [Sgt. Mulcahy pauses] Colonel Robert G. Shaw: You may speak freely. Sgt. Mulcahy: The boy is a friend of yours, is he? Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Yes, we grew up together Sgt. Mulcahy: Let him grow up some more.
13
Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Glory hallelujah.
14
Rawlins: The town is clean sir. Ain't no rebs here, just some women. Col. Montgomery: You hear that! Let's clear er out! [His men begin looting the town] Colonel Robert G. Shaw: What are you doing? Col. Montgomery: Liberating this town in the name of the Republic.
15
[Handing the journalist his letters home] Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Got some letters here, personal things. Also, if I should fall, remember what you see here.
16
Colonel Robert G. Shaw: There's more to fighting than rest, sir. There's character. There's strength of heart. You should have seen us in action two days ago. We were a sight to see! We'll be ready, sir. When do you want us?
17
Trip: Hey, yo, nigger, that's my spot, see. Cpl. Thomas Searles: If you don't mind, there's more sufficient reading light here. Trip: Oooh, I like it when niggers talk good as white folks! Cpl. Thomas Searles: I'd be happy to teach you. Trip: Now, listen here, I ain't got nothin' to learn from no house nigger, you hear? Cpl. Thomas Searles: I am a free man! Trip: Oh, really? Then move your free black ass out my spot, see!
18
[Col. Shaw approaches Rawlins after having Trip horse-whipped for deserting] Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Mr. Rawlins... this morning, I... it would be a great help to me if I could talk to you from time to time about the men. That's all. [turns to leave] John Rawlins: Shoes, sir. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: I beg your pardon? John Rawlins: The men need shoes, Colonel. Colonel Robert G. Shaw: Yes, I've been after the quartermaster for some time. John Rawlins: No, sir. Now. The boy ran off to find him some shoes, Colonel. He wants to fight. Same as the rest of us. More, even.
19
Trip: [addressing the 54th the night before battle] I ain't much about no prayin', now. I ain't never had no family, and... [they] Trip: killed off my mama. Well, I just... Y'all's the onliest family I got. I love the 54th. Ain't even much a matter what happens tomorrow, 'cause we men, ain't we?
20
Trip: Nigger, is you an old man or is you an old woman? I forget.
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