Prisoner of Shark Island, The (1936) Movie Script
- Give us a speech!
- Speech! Speech!
- My friends...
you want a speech, but...
I cannot make one at this time.
I must have opportunity to think.
Undue importance
might be given to what I said.
However, there is
one thing I will do.
You have a band with you.
There's one piece of music
I've always liked.
Heretofore, it hasn't seemed
the proper thing to use it in the North...
but now...
by virtue of my prerogative
as president...
and, uh, commander-in-chief
of the army and navy...
I declare it contraband of war...
and our lawful prize.
I ask the band to play "Dixie."
Your daughter craves affection.
Now I ain't got no fortune,
but I'm just a-bubblin' over with affection...
and ready to pour it all over her...
like applesauce over roast pork.
Mr. Fletcher, I see that you have not
the good manners of society...
and for that reason alone, I forgive
the impertinence of which you are guilty.
I don't know the manners of society?
Just a minute here.
I think I know enough
to turn you inside out, old gal...
you sockdolaging old mantrap!
See, I had her that time!
I expect I'm liable
to call myself some awfully bad names.
You know, friends?
$400,000 is a big
heaped-up pile of money...
- to light a man's cigar with.
Sic semper tyrannis!
Mr. Lincoln has been shot.
Oh! I can't make it.
The bone is ramming through the skin.
But we-we've got to get
across the Potomac, sir.
We won't be safe
till we're in Virginia.
I can't do it.
Hey, you!
Inside that cabin there!
Come here, boy!
Yes, sir, Captain!
- Do you know if any doctor lives around here?
- Doctor?
Yes, sir!
I knows one.
Dr. Mudd.
Dr. Sam Mudd.
He lives just around that bend.
- Can I help you, boss?
- No. No. Get out.
Get out! Come on.
- Sam. Sam!
- Huh?
- There's somebody at the door.
Oh, it's the stork,
lookin' for Aunt Rosabelle's cabin.
I've been waitin' for him.
If the stork hasn't learned his way
to Aunt Rosabelle's after 11 visits...
he never will learn.
Eleven?
That's right.
Don't you and Martha have breakfast
till I get back. I want to eat with you.
Plenty of batter-cakes, too,
'cause I'm gonna be hungry.
- And keep it turned up, too,
'cause it's raining out.
- Yeah.
Dr. Mudd?
- Yes?
- His- His leg's broken.
Can you- Can you do
something for him?
Yes.
- Let's get him inside.
I'm sorry here
to have to cut your boot.
I'm sorry.
I know it hurts.
Hurry, please. Hurry.
I've got to be going.
Oh, no.
Not on that leg.
You've got a bad
transverse fracture there.
You-You'll be lucky
if you're on that in a week.
- Uh, just fix it the best you can.
- Hurry.
Let me see. I haven't got
any regular splints here.
But take it easy now.
Coming down from Washington?
No, from, uh- uh, Baltimore.
Oh.
I'd certainly like to have been
at the White House last Sunday...
when old Abe asked the band
to play "Dixie."
I guess old Abe's
all right after all.
Looks to me like he's the only salvation
we Southerners can look for-
him and- and God's mercy.
I never thought anybody but doctors
had to be out at this hour of the night.
His mother's dyin'-
over in Virginia.
- Oh, I'm so sorry, sir.
- Where's that, uh- that knife?
Oh. Thank you.
Now I'm gonna-
Oh, dear,
get some brandy, will you?
Now I'm gonna set this leg.
First I want to give you
a good stiff drink of brandy.
Think you can stand it?
Thank you.
Now, it'll only take
a second or two.
Now, easy now.
Easy now.
- There.
There.
You know, I think it's downright foolish
trying to travel on a leg like that.
- Look, I could put you up in a spare room.
- How much do I owe you?
Oh, I don't know.
Two-Two dollars will cover it.
Thank you.
Oh, say, look. Wait a minute.
I want to give you a prescription.
Now, this is gonna help
to ease that pain.
It's a sedative.
I want you to get it filled now
as soon as you can.
Thank you, Doctor.
You've done me a great service.
I'm sorry if I seemed
rude or abrupt.
Well, things like that
can't matter to doctors.
- His door's gotta be open day and night.
- Good night, sir.
Say, I do wish you'd
change your-
Good night.
Queer sort of-
sort of snake, wasn't he?
- How much?
- Huh?
How much?
Good heavens!
Fifty dollars!
Fifty? Oh, Sam,
there must be some mistake.
Shall I call him back
or- or lock the door?
Lock it! Lock it, and bar it too!
Huh.
And to think I called him a snake.
As a matter of fact, he's probably
a very kindly old philanthropist...
just lookin' around
for deserving families like us.
At 5:00 in the morning?
Of course.
Well, philanthropists
don't care what time it is.
Say, you know what
he probably thought?
He probably said to himself,
"Here's a pretty good couple.
"Of course, he don't amount to much.
Just a country doctor.
- "But his wife-
- Crazy!
"Poor little thing.
Pretty as a picture too.
"Tied up to that
country pill peddler...
"stuck way down here
in the piney woods.
Probably just as unhappy as she can be,
so I'll just give him $50."
- Oh, he thought no such thing.
- All right.
What do you think he thought?
He probably said to himself,
"Well, my goodness.
"Here's the luckiest woman
I've ever seen.
- She's got the sweetest child
in the whole world"-
- Oh, wait a minute.
- How'd he know that?
- Philanthropists know everything.
"And as for her husband...
"no matter how far out
in the country he may live...
"he set my leg better
than any New York specialist could do it...
so I'll just make this
his lucky day and pay him $50."
Oh, yeah?
Well, if that's what he aimed to do-
give us a lucky day-
he certainly knew how
to start it right.
Well, it was nice while we had it.
She's ready for you now.
She sure is ready for you now.
Ah, the stork, huh?
It's here!
Marse Sam, Aunt Rosabelle
ain't gonna have no stork, is she?
Whoa!
Whoa.
- You, come here!
- Who?
You're the man said
his buggy was stolen last night?
Yes, horse and buggy.
Took it right out of my barn.
- Which way'd the tracks go?
- They turned off up thataway.
- They must have come from that way.
- We're on the right track.
- Who lives up that road?
- Dr. Mudd. Samuel A. Mudd.
- Should we try him?
- Sure. We'll try everybody.
It's dead certain he got help
from somebody in this neighborhood.
- What about him?
- Arrest him! Take him down to Washington.
But I tell you, it was not
a question of slavery and never was!
This is a question
of states' rights.
The Constitution of the United States
laid down certain fundamental truths...
igad!
And one of them was that the individual state
had a right to secede...
at any time it so chose.
But what happened? Did-
- What in thunder's that?
- That's just hominy grits.
Eh, hominy grits.
Flies all over everything.
- Where's your ma?
- She hasn't got up yet.
- Well, where's your pa?
- He's out.
What?
Who's sick now?
- Aunt Rosabelle, I think.
- What? What ails Rosabelle?
Huh? Oh.
Say, honey.
- W- Would you mind leaving
the room for a minute?
- Why?
Because your grandpa says so!
Ha, ha, ha.
- "Ha, ha" you! Now run along.
- Shoo, shoo.
- Yes, "shoo, shoo" to you.
- Shoo, shoo.
Get- Get out of here!
Well, what-what-
what about Rosabelle?
Rosabelle's gonna have a baby.
Eh, uh-
Igad, how many is that?
- She say 12.
- Twelve! Eh-
Igad. What's Rosabelle trying to do,
start a whole new generation by herself?
- Janglin' them bells when you're
trying to eat your breakfast!
Uh-Yankees! Igad!
Wait! Sorry, sir, but
is this Dr. Mudd's home?
It is!
- Igad!
- Where is Dr. Mudd?
- Who wants to know?
- Lieutenant Lovell, United States Army.
I am Dr. Mudd's father-in-law...
Colonel Jeremiah Milford Dyer...
Confederate States Army, sir.
- Yes, uh-
- Well, then maybe you'll help us, sir.
We're looking for two men who passed
through this part of Maryland last night.
One of them was hurt.
Had a bad leg- broken probably.
Did you see or hear
anything of them?
If you will order that animal
to keep his filthy Yankee nose out
of my affairs, I may answer you.
Oh, wait outside,
Sergeant- in front.
Have you ever heard
of John Wilkes Booth?
Never.
- He's quite a well-known actor.
- An act-
Igad, sir.
I leave actors to women.
Rockaby, little baby
There were an old woman
who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children,
she didn't know what to do.
So she spanked them
and put them to bed.
Howdy, little Johnny Reb.
What do you call that?
- That's my dolly's carriage.
That's the first time I ever saw
a dolly's carriage with a spur on it.
Now, look.
You've broken my dolly!
Ah, we can fix that. Here.
Ah, I've done this lots of times.
This'll be easy.
And if I had my way, igad...
I'd line up every dad-blamed
official of the North, sir...
and have them shot!
Yes, sir.
Have them shot!
And are these the sentiments
of your son-in-law?
My son-in-law, sir, is a Southerner.
Then with your permission,
Colonel, or without it...
we'll wait here for him.
- Uh-
- Colonel!
Stay here...
and sit down.
You colored brothers
have got to realize...
that you're no longer slaves!
You're free men, and you're as good
as any white man in the state of Maryland!
The right to vote is yours,
and it's up to you to take it!
- Whoa.
- Don't let him think he can scare you.
- You're just as good as he is,
as good as any white man!
- Wait a minute.
Who gave you permission to come on my land
and take my hands away from their work?
You can't bluff me, Mudd!
You're a slaver, and you always have been!
Are you gonna get off my place,
or do you wanna be thrown off?
These colored men are my friends.
- Go on. Throw him off.
- Get back! Keep away!
Don't you dare lay your black hands
on a white man!
Why, Captain, you just been telling us
we's as good as you is.
Hey, Buck! Buck!
Come here.
Yes, sir, Marse Sam.
Get back to your cabin.
Rosabelle's baby's born.
Is she, sir?
Well, what kind I got this time, sir?
A fine-lookin' boy.
Strong as a bull.
Come on. Giddyap.
I vow and do declare!
Another boy!
That Rosabelle sure do have a lot of children,
don't she, Marse Sam?
Do you hear that, mule?
Well, whose big girl is this
coming to meet her daddy, huh?
It's Martha!
But, honey, you-you've been crying.
Wait a minute.
Who made my big girl cry?
The soldier broke my dolly. See?
Why, darling, no, no.
There aren't any soldiers around here.
You oughta know that.
Peggy! Oh, Peggy!
- Good morning.
- Good mornin' nothin'!
Don't speak to the filthy
Yankee hounds, igad!
Come bustin' in a man's home
here when he's eating his vittles.
- Dr. Mudd?
- Yes?
Do you know John Wilkes Booth?
Why, I've seen him. L-Yes,
I've seen him on a stage in Washington.
Would you recognize him
if you saw him on the street?
Why, I suppose so.
Yes, yes, I believe I would.
- Was he here last night?
- Of course not.
Bring Mrs. Mudd down.
Here, if you harm my-
Say, what's the meanin' of all this?
You can't even guess,
I suppose, huh?
Sam! What does this mean?
What are they going to do?
- Now will you be good enough to tell us?
- Certainly.
Dr. Mudd is under arrest
for conspiracy...
in the assassination
of President Abraham Lincoln.
If this court
don't have the courage...
to hang these murderers
of Abraham Lincoln...
- we'll hang 'em!
Let's get 'em now!
Burn the traitors!
Burn 'em!
- Go! Grab 'em-
Gentlemen, Mr. Erickson,
the assistant secretary of war.
Good morning, gentlemen.
I suppose you all realize...
that as members of the court-martial
for the trial of the conspirators...
in the assassination
of our beloved president...
you have on your souls
a grave responsibility.
We realize it very deeply,
Mr. Secretary.
The object of this trial
is not to determine the guilt or innocence...
of a handful of rebels...
but to save this country
from further bloodshed.
The solemn truth, gentlemen, is...
that the federal union
is on the verge of hysteria.
That is why the trial of these conspirators
has been placed in your hands...
rather than
in a civil court-
because men of the sword
can be hard...
and hardness is all that can save this country
from riots, mob rule...
even a resumption of the war itself.
- Have you any suggestions, sir?
- Two, to help you to be hard.
First, you must not allow your judgment
and decision in this case...
to be troubled by any trifling
technicalities of the law...
or any pedantic regard...
for the customary rules of evidence.
Second, and most important...
you must not allow yourself
to be influenced...
by that obnoxious creation
of legal nonsense- reasonable doubt.
- Is that clear?
- Yes, it's clear.
Briefly...
the voice of this court
has got to be the voice of the people.
Before you start,
I want you to hear that voice.
Listen to it.
Bring the prisoners.
Prisoners to the bar.
This court is now in session.
- Mr. President.
- The Judge Advocate General.
The death of John Wilkes Booth...
who was shot down
while resisting arrest in Virginia...
has left us eight members...
of his criminal band.
So, in the name of the government
of the United States...
the crime of assassination
and conspiracy...
to assassinate Abraham Lincoln...
then-president
of the United States...
is charged against
the following:
David E. Herold...
Lewis Payne...
George A. Atzerodt...
Michael O'Laughlin...
Edward Spangler...
Samuel Arnold...
Mrs. Mary E. Surratt-
- And Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Mudd?
I'm General Ewing.
With your permission,
I should like to act as your counsel.
Thank you, General.
Thank you.
We'll fight together now,
as we once fought each other.
With the permission of the court...
we will begin the cases in order.
We will start with the charge
against George A. Atzerodt.
Uh-
But isn't there any kind of news
you can give us about- about Dr. Mudd?
That's all they're gonna tell, lady-
just what you see on the board.
That's War Department's orders.
War Department's orders!
Ha! Didn't know they had one!
- Shh!
- Well, the dad-blamed-
Good night, Sam darling.
The government will now present its case
against Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Tell them I've got to speak.
I've gotta defend myself.
L- I can't let them treat me
the way they've treated all these others.
General Ewing.
You will instruct the defendant
to remain silent and respect this court.
I'm confident, Mr. Erickson...
that after observing
the conduct of these trials...
Dr. Mudd's respect for this court...
is every whit as great as my own.
Frank J. Thomas will take the stand.
Tell the court what you know...
of Dr. Mudd's loyalty
to the federal union.
Dr. Mudd was
a dyed-in-the-wool slaver.
Yes, sir! Slaver!
Dr. Mudd's name
was on the prescription which I filled.
Dr. Mudd served
in the Confederate Army.
Dr. Mudd denied
that he'd ever seen Booth.
Dr. Mudd denied everything...
until I showed him Booth's own boot
right in his own home.
Dr. Mudd, when I examined him in prison,
confessed to me...
that he set Booth's broken leg
and then aided him with directions...
how to reach the Potomac
and Virginia.
- The case is ended.
- No! No!
The case is not ended!
Here's one defense you're gonna
hear whether you want it or not.
- The prisoner will observe order.
- Why? Why?
What more could you do to me?
What threat have you got left?
You can hang me. You can hang us all-
the innocent as well as the guilty!
Because you-you nine gallant officers
and gentlemen-
have stripped yourselves
of your pride and your honor.
But I'll not go without a fight.
I'll not go without trying to blacken
your memories with the insane injustice...
you'll carry on your souls
till the day you die!
And till the day you die, you'll ask
yourselves in your heart three questions:
Does an assassin confide
his plans to anyone?
Was I, a physician, in the plot...
because it was part
of John Wilkes Booth's plan...
to break his leg and to need me?
Does a man, whose first devotion is no longer
to a lost cause or to any flag that flies...
but to his wife and his child...
risk any act that could only cause
misery and heartbreak...
on their innocent lives?
In the sight of the holy God I worship,
I'm innocent.
The court will ignore
the remarks of the prisoner.
Sergeant! And-
And you still can't tell me
what they've decided?
Lady, I must have told you
that I don't know any more
than them bulletins.
He's coming now.
Oh, but, General, isn't-
isn't there any possible means...
of- of stopping things,
just for a little while anyway?
My child, I'm using
every legal means that I know of.
Be brave, my dear.
Peggy.
Martha.
- Now, now.
No, darling.
Don't do that.
It won't be long now.
We'll all be back together again.
Darling.
Sam.
Don't you know?
- Haven't they told you?
- Told me what?
You mean that you've heard?
Sam, the verdict...
was guilty.
Guilty.
I don't know.
It's... like a nightmare-
The way you can't fight,
you can't run, you can't do anything.
All the time,
it's coming towards you.
Oh, but, darling, we haven't given up.
We're not through, not yet.
No, Peggy, no. We're not giving up-
you and Martha and me.
But if Daddy has to stay away
a little while longer.
I want you to take care of Mama.
You know? Dry her tears,
try to make her happy.
Tell her, too, that in-
in the bottom drawer of the rolltop desk...
there are a lot of old bills-
bills that-
Well, Daddy never got around
to collecting them.
Maybe they'll get enough,
though, to send you to school...
buy you some new dresses.
Try not to forget Daddy, won't you?
Come on. Come on.
Let's go.
We're not giving up, not yet, dear!
Hey, bring him downstairs.
My cell is here.
You ain't going to need a cell anymore.
- I'll see General Hunter. I know him very well.
- Oh, Martha.
Martha.
Shoulder! Halt!
Oh, not now! No, no. Not now!
Please!
No!
Steady.
Steady, dear.
Say, you got the best place
in the yard, lady.
Over yonder's where
they're coming out.
Courage.
Courage, my dear.
Right face!
Forward march!
Right face!
Forward march!
Sam! Darling!
Courage. Courage.
Well, looks like that's all.
He's going to live! Live!
Present arms!
- Well, I guess the show's over.
- Phew.
- What about him?
- Life imprisonment on Dry Tortugas.
A new bunch from
Washington prison, sir.
Hard ones.
Report 'em
to the officer of the guards.
Yes, sir.
Mudd- Number 6.
All right. Left step!
- Next.
- William A. Dunger.
William Dunger-
insubordination, striking an officer.
- Ten years.
- Left step!
- Next.
- Otto Lehrman.
Otto Lehrman- desertion, 20 years.
You'll never make it, Otto.
You're too old.
The mosquitoes will get you.
Left step!
- Next.
- Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Mudd, I've been waitin' for you.
So all they gave you was life.
Couldn't hang you, eh?
Well, by Judas, you're gonna wish
they had fore I'm through with you!
Take a look at him, you filthy rats!
Take a look at the man
who killed Abe Lincoln...
the greatest man who ever lived.
Look at him! Watch him get
what's coming to him!
Next.
Left step!
All right.
Drop your chains.
Attention.
Now, before we go
any further here...
I want you to listen to me...
because I know exactly
what you're thinking...
every mother's son of ya.
You're figuring on whether
you're gonna be able to break out of here.
Well, we got a little way here
of putting thoughts like that...
out of your heads.
Follow me.
You first, Doctor.
Come on. Get up!
Halt!
Now, whenever you slops
get to figuring...
on breaking out of here...
I just want you to give
a little thought to this moat.
It runs all around the island.
It's 75 feet wide...
and 35 feet deep.
And you know what we keep in it?
We keep pets in it.
Nice little pets.
We got more pets in that moat
than you can count.
And sometimes we feed 'em.
Not often. Oh, no.
But just for you,
because I like you...
I'm going to give 'em
a little treat.
Now watch close.
Buck!
Move on, white man.
- A prisoner, sir.
- Just a minute.
Now, you know,
that's quite interesting.
Those are mosquito larvae.
See there.
But not very interesting
to anyone but a medico, I'm afraid.
Well, I'm also a physician, sir.
No.
Now I am pleased.
That's Dr. Mudd.
Oh.
Well, l-
I thought that-
I thought that, that as another physician,
you would understand the circumstances-
the obligation of a doctor to-
to give aid to anyone, whoever he might be.
Mr. Mudd...
if you assumed you might find sympathy here,
get rid of the idea.
The profession you have dishonored
is ashamed of you...
ashamed of your membership in it.
As a doctor, I may tell you that I despise you
even beyond the rest of the world.
It would be of no use for me...
to swear to you on the- on the honor
of the profession we both respect...
that I had nothing
whatsoever to do with-
with the death of Mr. Lincoln?
It would be of no use whatever.
I'm sorry, sir.
Marse Sam!
Marse Sam.
- Oh, Buck.
- Marse Sam.
I's sorry, sir...
but I was too scared this afternoon.
I couldn't say nothin' to you then.
Oh, I knew. I knew that.
Tell me, what are you doing down here?
- Oh, I've been here a month
waiting for you, sir.
- You have?
Yes. You see, Mrs. Mudd, she told me
to get on down this here man's island.
So here I is- done gone on down on it.
Oh, you-you've given me
the first hope I've had since this-
since this nightmare started.
Yes, sir. I guess so.
But, uh, here's some soap I brung you.
- What? Oh, yes. I guess I do need it.
- Yes, sir.
- But it's for the mosquitoes.
- Mosquitoes?
- Yes, sir. You put it on your face and hands.
- Oh, I know. I know.
Yes, sir, because there's more mosquitoes
on this here man's island...
than I've ever seen before.
- I know. That's why-
- Watch it.
My home, sir.
Darling, General Ewing.
How do you do, General? This is Judge Maiben
of the district superior court.
Why, how do you do, Judge?
- How do you do, sir?
- The judge is a Yankee, but he's honorable.
- Thank you, Colonel.
- He's gonna get Sam out of jail.
- But, Colonel- Colonel, please-
- Won't you sit down?
Let me take your things.
Please sit down.
Let me explain, General.
At my request
and for my own satisfaction...
Judge Maiben's gone over
the whole record of the case word by word.
On the evidence produced, no civil court
could hold Dr. Mudd for 10 minutes.
You have some sort of plan, Judge?
The plan is, uh, Mrs. Mudd's.
No judge'd dare devise
anything quite so, uh, extreme.
I explained to Judge Maiben
what happened...
to the writ of habeas corpus
you obtained for Sam.
The government simply laughed at it.
But... if a writ was served on him
in, say, Key West...
a civil municipality,
it would be honored, wouldn't it?
Of course.
But Dr. Mudd's not in Key West.
- I know he isn't... yet.
- What did I tell you?
But, great Scott, Mrs. Mudd,
you surely wouldn't dare-
General Ewing, I'd dare
anything for my husband.
And it isn't only freedom
I want for him. It's exoneration too.
He's innocent, and I want them to say so
to the whole world.
- But if we wait-
- Wait? Wait for what?
For the government
to kill my husband?
That's all we've done is wait
and trust and have faith.
Oh, I'm so sick of waiting.
I've found a way to get Sam out.
Just a moment, Mrs. Mudd.
Now, all I have to say is this.
If Dr. Mudd should be able to deliver himself
to the civil authorities in Key West...
I could have a writ of habeas corpus there
to be served on him.
Now, under its protection,
he could be brought back here.
I'd reopen the case,
and I feel sure...
give him a far different trial
than the one he had at the court-martial.
But as to how Dr. Mudd...
is going to be able
to get to Key West...
well, I think I'd rather not hear.
Good luck, my dear, and remember...
I won't be the only Yankee
who'll be praying with you.
- And don't let anything disturb you.
- I won't.
- Good day, gentlemen.
- Good day.
We'll sell, pawn,
mortgage everything.
We'll get enough money. Oh.
You understand what
this means to me, don't you?
It's all that's left of our lives-
Sam's and Martha's and mine.
And it's only your support-
your support behind us- that we're asking.
You can leave the escape
entirely to me, sir.
Within 24 hours, I'll have 5,000
of my old brigade under my command.
We'll seize a war vessel or two and blow
the whole dad-blamed prison to ashes...
and deliver Sam in Key West
with a guard of honor.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Mudd...
but if you're set on
such a foolhardy plan...
I must withdraw from the case.
But we have to do it.
He's got to be free to be tried.
- It's the only way. Oh, don't you see?
- I'm sorry.
- The risk is too great.
- Igad, sir!
And if you'll take my advice,
you too will abandon this mad scheme.
- What do you think?
Igad, sugar...
we'll show these dad-blamed,
chickenhearted Yankee lawyers!
You leave it to me.
I'm gettin' tired of this fiddlin' around,
messin' around.
Lawyers!
Lawyers are no-good-
Oh.
Yeah, lawyers are dad-blamed old women
with their habeas corpus and all that.
Lookee there.
There.
You see that?
Stonewall Jackson gave me that.
Pure Toledo.
And if I don't get $150 for that...
I'll have the pleasure of spitting the heart
of the swine that dare offer me less.
Open the door!
Marse Sam!
- Marse Sam!
- Yes, Buck?
Thanks. Thanks.
Yes, sir, that's me. I kind of fixed my name up
a little bit to make it sound kind of nice.
Buck, I'm ready.
- But tonight, sir?
- Yes, tonight.
But how about the moat
and them sharks?
- I'm gonna have to try the bridge.
- But they got a guard on it.
- Yeah, I know.
- Watch it.
- Marse Sam.
- Yeah.
- If I could go with you-
- Yes.
I can arrange to be the guard
that's on the bridge.
If you could arrange to be the guard
on the bridge, we could both go together.
- Now, listen.
- Yes, sir.
There's gonna be a boat.
It's gonna flash two lights.
I'm gonna have to swim to it.
Nice view?
What's outside?
Just outside.
Don't start anything
you might be sorry for, Doctor.
Second guard detail, forward step!
Guard detail, halt!
Right face.
Number two, step up.
What were you doin'
down in that cell block?
- Uh, cells which?
- I saw you!
No, sir.
T'weren't me.
As you were.
Left face.
Forward step!
- What's up?
- I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.
What post is that boy Buck on?
- The bridge. He swapped
with another one of them.
- That's what I thought.
Relieve him.
Place him under arrest and bring him here.
- What's up?
- Mudd's out.
Wait!
He's out, but I don't
want him back alive.
Do you understand? Post extra guards
to the bridge. Notify all sentries.
We'll see if we can give this Judas
what the court-martial should've given him.
Tell them to shoot and shoot straight!
Guard, watch that-
No. Wait.
Guard that magazine over there.
Quick step!
Halt! Who goes there?
Corporal of the guard!
The star boarder's out!
- What?
- Yeah, and Rankin don't want him back.
His orders are to shoot on sight.
If I see him, I will, with pleasure.
Mudd's out!
Double all your guards.
Guards, halt!
Cover that cell.
You cover that house there.
Go and watch that gate.
The rest of you, follow me. Get!
Soldier!
You're under arrest.
- But I just-
- Keep it to yourself. Move!
Take your post.
Buck!
Buck!
Buck!
Bring out those pieces
on the double. Hurry it up!
Give me that.
Wait!
There!
There he is!
Keep firing!
He'll never make it!
If we don't get him,
the sharks will.
- What sharks?
- What sharks do you think, sir?
Sergeant, with that
barrage on the water...
you're lucky if you've got a shark left
in a hundred yards of this spot.
Stop firing, you fools!
You wanna drive those sharks away?
Keep your eyes open!
L- I don't see anything down here.
Out yonder! He's outside!
There's a boat puttin' in toward him.
Rankin, man two boats.
I want that man back.
Alive! You understand?
Yes, sir. Boat crew number one!
Number two!
- Man your boats!
- Number one!
Pull, you mangy rats!
- Starboard a little more.
- There he is, boys! Pull him in!
Pull, you lazy rats!
On your way!
You're all right now, Sam.
Come along. That's a boy.
He's all right now.
He's all right.
Now, get him right
over here in this bunk. It's all right.
There you are, Sam.
That's a boy.
- Oh, darling, you're so cold.
- Easy now.
Go easy with him.
Don't get him excited. Good.
- Oh, my darling, you're wounded.
- He's all right now.
- You're an angel, Peggy.
- Everything's arranged for.
You're gonna have a new trial.
And Martha's waiting.
- Where's Martha?
- In Key West.
She hasn't...
forgotten me?
Oh, my sweet,
not for one little minute.
Igad, I'll soon stop this!
- You stay here with Sam.
- Dad! Dad!
- No!
Oh, they can't take you back.
They can't!
Hiya, Judas.
And then the prince leaned down...
and kissed the sleeping beauty
on both eyes-
smack, smack.
- And what do you suppose happened?
- What?
- The sleeping beauty waked up.
- Mama!
Where's Daddy?
Daddy... couldn't come, darling.
He wanted to, but-
Oh, sweet dear, darling,
it doesn't mean forever.
He'll come yet.
He will, I promise you.
Where's Grandpa?
Grandpa's gone away.
He's gone a long, long way away.
Forever?
Forever.
How long has it been, Marse Sam?
I don't know.
Three, maybe-
maybe four days, I guess.
Marse Sam...
can I have a little
bit more of that water?
I ain't even heard no bugle calls.
Ain't even seen nobody.
No food, no nothin'.
I guess everybody just
done run on off and left us.
Reckon it'd do any good
to holler again?
No, I hollered till I'm hoarse.
What you suppose happened?
I don't know, Buck. Maybe-
Maybe just as you say-
That they have gone off
and left us to die maybe.
Tell the captain of that ship
I've got to have those supplies.
Tell him I got a thousand hospital cases here
and only one doctor.
Tell the commandant again,
I'm sorry, but I refuse to put in.
Tell him he's a filthy yellow coward
with my compliments.
Tell him I've waited
five bloody days...
for him to make up his lily-livered soul
to be a man and deliver me my medicine.
And now, if I don't see some action
out there inside of five minutes...
I'm gonna turn a cannon on his bloody tub
and blow it to kingdom come...
government ship
or no government ship!
That'll make you sleep a little.
You're gonna be all right, son.
Good morning, Clark.
Are you all right, sir?
Just tired.
Very tired.
It's a hard job, son.
Always a hard job
when you don't know what to do...
and got no one to do it with you.
If it hadn't been for you
and a couple of others who've stuck by me-
Well, l- I don't wanna
catch it myself, sir.
Hmm. That's something
I can't promise you...
because I don't know.
I don't know
what causes yellow fever.
I don't know how to cure it.
And I don't know how it spreads...
where it comes from...
or where it goes.
I'm going to see the commandant.
White doctor- He got it.
- Hey, soldier.
- Yes, sir?
My compliments-
My compliments to the commandant,
and tell him-
- Yes, sir?
- I can't come.
Tell him I've got to go
to my quarters.
Tell him-
- White boss sick!
- He's got it too!
- White boss sick!
- He's got it too!
Soldier!
Soldier, come here.
Help me.
- Come here, you fools.
- No, sir, white boss. No, sir.
You swine! I tell you,
you've gotta help me up!
Doctor? Doctor?
Doctor!
Doctor.
- Well?
- Says he can't do it, sir.
- Said he's scared.
- Scared?
If ever I get my hands
on that muck's throat-
Imagine the hound,
loading my supplies on rafts...
and just shovin' 'em
toward the shore through that surf.
Look at 'em!
Scared to land 'em.
Scared to touch 'em.
Scared to tend 'em when they're sick.
Holy mother!
How long do they expect to live?
Forever?
Beg pardon, sir.
If the commandant pleases,
there's a doctor among the prisoners.
- Dr. Mudd.
- Mudd?
- Yes, sir.
- Dr. Mudd?
Come on.
Open up.
Doctor, I'm here on a curious mission.
I want your help.
- My help?
- I need it desperately.
Doctor, this island is a pesthole.
It's teeming with yellow fever.
The worst epidemic
we've had in years.
I've got 3,000 men here-
soldiers and prisoners.
And those that aren't dead
are dying or crazy with terror...
and we're all trapped here together.
What's all this to me?
That's what you must
decide for yourself, sir.
And the good Dr. MacIntyre?
The good Dr. MacIntyre is down bad.
You're quite right.
You couldn't possibly be
in a better position...
to tell me and my men
to go straight to the devil.
And no one would understand it
better than I would.
In your place, I'd do it myself.
But in spite of that
and in spite of the fact...
that I can promise you no reward...
that I can offer you nothing
but exposure to death...
I want your help.
Once before, I was a doctor.
I'm still a doctor.
Thank you, Dr. Mudd.
Buck. Buck.
We're-We're going up in the open.
Will you give me a hand,
sir, please?
It was the last straw when they heard
about Dr. MacIntyre's dying.
They all quit. They're in the mess hall now
barricaded, guards and all.
We've got to do something, sir.
Those patients are all alone, deserted.
- Have I any authority, sir?
- You give the orders.
- I'll take the responsibility, Doctor.
- All right, sir. Thank you.
You wait here.
You come with me.
- Aren't you afraid?
- Doctor, I'm scared to death.
Yeah, so am I.
- Steady!
- Don't come no closer, white man!
Stay where you is.
Us men ain't gonna
come out there for nobody.
I'm not gonna ask you to come out.
But you're gonna listen to me.
I'm just gonna tell you
what you're gonna get.
You're gonna get hanged, all of ya!
You're soldiers, and you mutinied!
You deserted your posts!
You shot at your officers!
You can't get away with it.
And here's what
they're gonna do to you.
They're gonna take you
before the judge.
Gonna take you out in the courtyard
and build a scaffold.
And you're gonna have to build it
yourselves too- your own scaffold.
And when you get that done,
you're gonna do some digging.
You're gonna dig your own graves.
And then the law is gonna hang you.
They're gonna put a rope around your necks
and they're gonna choke you...
choke you till your eyeballs pop out
and your tongue swells up!
- You ought not talk like that.
- No.
That ain't no Yankee talkin'
just to hear hisself talk.
That's a Southern man,
and he mean it. Yes, sir.
But for those here that wanna be saved,
that wanna live, I got a proposition.
Us don't wanna go near
them yellow fever men.
- Do you wanna hear it or not?
- Yes.
All right. Then nobody
go near those yellow fever men
but this orderly and me.
But I need help outside!
I need workers, colored boys, water boys.
Boys that are willing
to do what I say.
Now, any of you boys that are willing
to do that, I promise to save from hanging.
He sound like a nice man.
I don't wanna go near
them yellow fever boys!
The white man said
you don't have to.
And besides, I'd rather be beside
them yellow fever boys...
than to hang till
my eyeballs popped out.
- Comin' out, white boss.
- All right. Now, look.
I'm gonna give all of ya just one minute
to make up your minds.
- That's it. Come on! All of ya!
Hurry up! Hurry up!
And don't forget,
I'll keep my promise to every one of ya.
Come on, all of ya!
Come on, all of ya!
Comin' out, white boss!
All right, you men begin
tearing out those windows, sash and all.
I wanna get some air and sunlight
in this hospital. Come on. Double time now.
Come over here, you fellas.
Get ready to soak these blankets.
Keep 'em wet. I wanna wrap those men up
till I wash some of that fever out.
Hurry up now! Get going.
Come on. You and I are going in.
- You think all this'll do any good, sir?
- "Good." I don't know.
But it'll make 'em
comfortable at least.
Here. You men,
put those blankets over your faces.
We're gonna smash out these windows
and get some air in this hospital.
All right!
Tear 'em out!
How are you, soldier?
Get away, Judas!
What about that wind, sir?
With those windows out,
it looks like a hurricane-
Let it blow! Let it rain!
It's cooling, isn't it?
If it does nothing else, it'll help to blow
these blasted mosquitoes away.
Come on. We'll take 'em in their order.
This one first.
- How are you feeling, Buck?
- I'm feeling pretty good, Marse Sam...
since you done
chased them mosquitoes away.
It sure seems
a long way from Maryland.
Long time...
long ago.
I wonder-
I wonder if Rosabelle
done forgotten me.
Forget you after- after 12 children?
It's impossible.
That Rosabelle sure is
one real woman...
ain't she, Marse Sam?
- Shh! Buck. Shh.
Well, how's it look today?
All right, I guess.
What do you mean?
How long do you think these supplies
are gonna last? Forever?
Where's the medicine coming
from two days from now, out of the air?
- Steady.
- And how long do you think
I'm gonna last? Forever?
You've got to get some sleep.
You've had five days of this.
You're exhausted.
Yeah. Right off yonder, not a mile offshore,
there's a ship full of supplies.
And a half a dozen doctors,
not country doctors brought up
on bellyaches and babies...
but real city doctors!
And the whole United States government
can't make that boat come help us.
- Will you let me put you to bed?
No! I'm sorry.
I'll go to bed because-
because I'm tired.
Get up!
- Get up and come with me.
- What is it, sir?
- Come with me. I need your help.
- Doctor, you're sick.
Of course I'm sick.
I got yellow jack.
I'm the doctor,
but I got yellow jack.
Didn't you know that doctors
could ever get yellow-
Only doctor in the world
who's got a thousand cases-
Only doctor in the world
who's got a thousand cases
and ain't got no medicine!
- Won't you tell me where we're going, sir?
- Here's where we're going.
Get up there!
Open that door. Kick it open.
- You're the gun crew?
- Yes, sir!
Get up!
Man your guns. Hurry up!
Pull down that ladder!
Get the signal lamp.
Hurry up!
Get up!
What's he saying now?
He says it's impossible, sir.
It's too dangerous in this storm.
You tell him again.
Tell him again, I say put in.
Tell him if he doesn't,
I'm gonna fire.
Excuse me, sir,
but that's a government ship!
Tell him again, I say put in.
Get ready to drop one near him.
He says he won't, sir.
All right. Fire!
- What's he doin' now?
- They're puttin' out to sea, sir!
All right! Hit him!
You can't do that, Doctor.
You fool!
I gotta get that medicine.
I gotta get those doctors.
Can't you see I'm sick too?
I got yellow jack like everybody else here,
but I'm a doctor.
I gotta look out for things.
Come on! Give it to him, I tell ya!
- Fire!
- But, Captain, us can't fire at the flag.
Fire that gun, Negro!
Fire!
It hit the mast!
Get ready to hit him again.
Again!
He's turnin'!
He's headin' in!
He's headin in!
He's headin in, Doctor!
He's headin in, Doctor. He's headin in.
How's everything this morning?
Still all right?
Looks like I'm going to live.
Doctor, this is something
I've prepared to send to Washington...
by special messenger today.
Of course, I'm in no position to speak
for our government-yours and mine.
But because I do love the flag I serve
and because I'm jealous of its honor...
I'd-
I'd like to read this letter to you.
It's to the president
of the United States.
"As commandant of the military prison
at Port Jefferson, Florida...
"I can testify that the final checking
of the recent yellow fever epidemic...
"was the direct result of extraordinary
and unselfish courage...
"and bravery and skill on
the part of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
"On behalf of the personnel
of the post...
"including officers and enlisted men,
civilians and prisoners...
"I take this means of urging
executive clemency for Dr. Mudd...
as a reward for heroism far above
and beyond the demands of duty. "
I wrote that this morning...
and every man on this island
would be glad to sign it.
- I promise you.
- I'd like to be the first.
With your permission, Major.
With Dr. Mudd's permission.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Come here, darling.
Darling, Daddy's coming home.
And when he comes, he- he may not look
like he did when you last saw him.
But don't say so.
Don't look at him like that, dear,
just because his face...
may be old and sad...
and tired...
and he may be thin,
and his hair-
But don't notice it, dear.
Just-Just kiss him.
Kiss his cheeks and his eyes...
and his arms
and his wrists and-
- Whoa.
- Much obliged, sir.
Thank you, Marse Sam.
Giddyap.
- Rosabelle!
- Speech! Speech!
- My friends...
you want a speech, but...
I cannot make one at this time.
I must have opportunity to think.
Undue importance
might be given to what I said.
However, there is
one thing I will do.
You have a band with you.
There's one piece of music
I've always liked.
Heretofore, it hasn't seemed
the proper thing to use it in the North...
but now...
by virtue of my prerogative
as president...
and, uh, commander-in-chief
of the army and navy...
I declare it contraband of war...
and our lawful prize.
I ask the band to play "Dixie."
Your daughter craves affection.
Now I ain't got no fortune,
but I'm just a-bubblin' over with affection...
and ready to pour it all over her...
like applesauce over roast pork.
Mr. Fletcher, I see that you have not
the good manners of society...
and for that reason alone, I forgive
the impertinence of which you are guilty.
I don't know the manners of society?
Just a minute here.
I think I know enough
to turn you inside out, old gal...
you sockdolaging old mantrap!
See, I had her that time!
I expect I'm liable
to call myself some awfully bad names.
You know, friends?
$400,000 is a big
heaped-up pile of money...
- to light a man's cigar with.
Sic semper tyrannis!
Mr. Lincoln has been shot.
Oh! I can't make it.
The bone is ramming through the skin.
But we-we've got to get
across the Potomac, sir.
We won't be safe
till we're in Virginia.
I can't do it.
Hey, you!
Inside that cabin there!
Come here, boy!
Yes, sir, Captain!
- Do you know if any doctor lives around here?
- Doctor?
Yes, sir!
I knows one.
Dr. Mudd.
Dr. Sam Mudd.
He lives just around that bend.
- Can I help you, boss?
- No. No. Get out.
Get out! Come on.
- Sam. Sam!
- Huh?
- There's somebody at the door.
Oh, it's the stork,
lookin' for Aunt Rosabelle's cabin.
I've been waitin' for him.
If the stork hasn't learned his way
to Aunt Rosabelle's after 11 visits...
he never will learn.
Eleven?
That's right.
Don't you and Martha have breakfast
till I get back. I want to eat with you.
Plenty of batter-cakes, too,
'cause I'm gonna be hungry.
- And keep it turned up, too,
'cause it's raining out.
- Yeah.
Dr. Mudd?
- Yes?
- His- His leg's broken.
Can you- Can you do
something for him?
Yes.
- Let's get him inside.
I'm sorry here
to have to cut your boot.
I'm sorry.
I know it hurts.
Hurry, please. Hurry.
I've got to be going.
Oh, no.
Not on that leg.
You've got a bad
transverse fracture there.
You-You'll be lucky
if you're on that in a week.
- Uh, just fix it the best you can.
- Hurry.
Let me see. I haven't got
any regular splints here.
But take it easy now.
Coming down from Washington?
No, from, uh- uh, Baltimore.
Oh.
I'd certainly like to have been
at the White House last Sunday...
when old Abe asked the band
to play "Dixie."
I guess old Abe's
all right after all.
Looks to me like he's the only salvation
we Southerners can look for-
him and- and God's mercy.
I never thought anybody but doctors
had to be out at this hour of the night.
His mother's dyin'-
over in Virginia.
- Oh, I'm so sorry, sir.
- Where's that, uh- that knife?
Oh. Thank you.
Now I'm gonna-
Oh, dear,
get some brandy, will you?
Now I'm gonna set this leg.
First I want to give you
a good stiff drink of brandy.
Think you can stand it?
Thank you.
Now, it'll only take
a second or two.
Now, easy now.
Easy now.
- There.
There.
You know, I think it's downright foolish
trying to travel on a leg like that.
- Look, I could put you up in a spare room.
- How much do I owe you?
Oh, I don't know.
Two-Two dollars will cover it.
Thank you.
Oh, say, look. Wait a minute.
I want to give you a prescription.
Now, this is gonna help
to ease that pain.
It's a sedative.
I want you to get it filled now
as soon as you can.
Thank you, Doctor.
You've done me a great service.
I'm sorry if I seemed
rude or abrupt.
Well, things like that
can't matter to doctors.
- His door's gotta be open day and night.
- Good night, sir.
Say, I do wish you'd
change your-
Good night.
Queer sort of-
sort of snake, wasn't he?
- How much?
- Huh?
How much?
Good heavens!
Fifty dollars!
Fifty? Oh, Sam,
there must be some mistake.
Shall I call him back
or- or lock the door?
Lock it! Lock it, and bar it too!
Huh.
And to think I called him a snake.
As a matter of fact, he's probably
a very kindly old philanthropist...
just lookin' around
for deserving families like us.
At 5:00 in the morning?
Of course.
Well, philanthropists
don't care what time it is.
Say, you know what
he probably thought?
He probably said to himself,
"Here's a pretty good couple.
"Of course, he don't amount to much.
Just a country doctor.
- "But his wife-
- Crazy!
"Poor little thing.
Pretty as a picture too.
"Tied up to that
country pill peddler...
"stuck way down here
in the piney woods.
Probably just as unhappy as she can be,
so I'll just give him $50."
- Oh, he thought no such thing.
- All right.
What do you think he thought?
He probably said to himself,
"Well, my goodness.
"Here's the luckiest woman
I've ever seen.
- She's got the sweetest child
in the whole world"-
- Oh, wait a minute.
- How'd he know that?
- Philanthropists know everything.
"And as for her husband...
"no matter how far out
in the country he may live...
"he set my leg better
than any New York specialist could do it...
so I'll just make this
his lucky day and pay him $50."
Oh, yeah?
Well, if that's what he aimed to do-
give us a lucky day-
he certainly knew how
to start it right.
Well, it was nice while we had it.
She's ready for you now.
She sure is ready for you now.
Ah, the stork, huh?
It's here!
Marse Sam, Aunt Rosabelle
ain't gonna have no stork, is she?
Whoa!
Whoa.
- You, come here!
- Who?
You're the man said
his buggy was stolen last night?
Yes, horse and buggy.
Took it right out of my barn.
- Which way'd the tracks go?
- They turned off up thataway.
- They must have come from that way.
- We're on the right track.
- Who lives up that road?
- Dr. Mudd. Samuel A. Mudd.
- Should we try him?
- Sure. We'll try everybody.
It's dead certain he got help
from somebody in this neighborhood.
- What about him?
- Arrest him! Take him down to Washington.
But I tell you, it was not
a question of slavery and never was!
This is a question
of states' rights.
The Constitution of the United States
laid down certain fundamental truths...
igad!
And one of them was that the individual state
had a right to secede...
at any time it so chose.
But what happened? Did-
- What in thunder's that?
- That's just hominy grits.
Eh, hominy grits.
Flies all over everything.
- Where's your ma?
- She hasn't got up yet.
- Well, where's your pa?
- He's out.
What?
Who's sick now?
- Aunt Rosabelle, I think.
- What? What ails Rosabelle?
Huh? Oh.
Say, honey.
- W- Would you mind leaving
the room for a minute?
- Why?
Because your grandpa says so!
Ha, ha, ha.
- "Ha, ha" you! Now run along.
- Shoo, shoo.
- Yes, "shoo, shoo" to you.
- Shoo, shoo.
Get- Get out of here!
Well, what-what-
what about Rosabelle?
Rosabelle's gonna have a baby.
Eh, uh-
Igad, how many is that?
- She say 12.
- Twelve! Eh-
Igad. What's Rosabelle trying to do,
start a whole new generation by herself?
- Janglin' them bells when you're
trying to eat your breakfast!
Uh-Yankees! Igad!
Wait! Sorry, sir, but
is this Dr. Mudd's home?
It is!
- Igad!
- Where is Dr. Mudd?
- Who wants to know?
- Lieutenant Lovell, United States Army.
I am Dr. Mudd's father-in-law...
Colonel Jeremiah Milford Dyer...
Confederate States Army, sir.
- Yes, uh-
- Well, then maybe you'll help us, sir.
We're looking for two men who passed
through this part of Maryland last night.
One of them was hurt.
Had a bad leg- broken probably.
Did you see or hear
anything of them?
If you will order that animal
to keep his filthy Yankee nose out
of my affairs, I may answer you.
Oh, wait outside,
Sergeant- in front.
Have you ever heard
of John Wilkes Booth?
Never.
- He's quite a well-known actor.
- An act-
Igad, sir.
I leave actors to women.
Rockaby, little baby
There were an old woman
who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children,
she didn't know what to do.
So she spanked them
and put them to bed.
Howdy, little Johnny Reb.
What do you call that?
- That's my dolly's carriage.
That's the first time I ever saw
a dolly's carriage with a spur on it.
Now, look.
You've broken my dolly!
Ah, we can fix that. Here.
Ah, I've done this lots of times.
This'll be easy.
And if I had my way, igad...
I'd line up every dad-blamed
official of the North, sir...
and have them shot!
Yes, sir.
Have them shot!
And are these the sentiments
of your son-in-law?
My son-in-law, sir, is a Southerner.
Then with your permission,
Colonel, or without it...
we'll wait here for him.
- Uh-
- Colonel!
Stay here...
and sit down.
You colored brothers
have got to realize...
that you're no longer slaves!
You're free men, and you're as good
as any white man in the state of Maryland!
The right to vote is yours,
and it's up to you to take it!
- Whoa.
- Don't let him think he can scare you.
- You're just as good as he is,
as good as any white man!
- Wait a minute.
Who gave you permission to come on my land
and take my hands away from their work?
You can't bluff me, Mudd!
You're a slaver, and you always have been!
Are you gonna get off my place,
or do you wanna be thrown off?
These colored men are my friends.
- Go on. Throw him off.
- Get back! Keep away!
Don't you dare lay your black hands
on a white man!
Why, Captain, you just been telling us
we's as good as you is.
Hey, Buck! Buck!
Come here.
Yes, sir, Marse Sam.
Get back to your cabin.
Rosabelle's baby's born.
Is she, sir?
Well, what kind I got this time, sir?
A fine-lookin' boy.
Strong as a bull.
Come on. Giddyap.
I vow and do declare!
Another boy!
That Rosabelle sure do have a lot of children,
don't she, Marse Sam?
Do you hear that, mule?
Well, whose big girl is this
coming to meet her daddy, huh?
It's Martha!
But, honey, you-you've been crying.
Wait a minute.
Who made my big girl cry?
The soldier broke my dolly. See?
Why, darling, no, no.
There aren't any soldiers around here.
You oughta know that.
Peggy! Oh, Peggy!
- Good morning.
- Good mornin' nothin'!
Don't speak to the filthy
Yankee hounds, igad!
Come bustin' in a man's home
here when he's eating his vittles.
- Dr. Mudd?
- Yes?
Do you know John Wilkes Booth?
Why, I've seen him. L-Yes,
I've seen him on a stage in Washington.
Would you recognize him
if you saw him on the street?
Why, I suppose so.
Yes, yes, I believe I would.
- Was he here last night?
- Of course not.
Bring Mrs. Mudd down.
Here, if you harm my-
Say, what's the meanin' of all this?
You can't even guess,
I suppose, huh?
Sam! What does this mean?
What are they going to do?
- Now will you be good enough to tell us?
- Certainly.
Dr. Mudd is under arrest
for conspiracy...
in the assassination
of President Abraham Lincoln.
If this court
don't have the courage...
to hang these murderers
of Abraham Lincoln...
- we'll hang 'em!
Let's get 'em now!
Burn the traitors!
Burn 'em!
- Go! Grab 'em-
Gentlemen, Mr. Erickson,
the assistant secretary of war.
Good morning, gentlemen.
I suppose you all realize...
that as members of the court-martial
for the trial of the conspirators...
in the assassination
of our beloved president...
you have on your souls
a grave responsibility.
We realize it very deeply,
Mr. Secretary.
The object of this trial
is not to determine the guilt or innocence...
of a handful of rebels...
but to save this country
from further bloodshed.
The solemn truth, gentlemen, is...
that the federal union
is on the verge of hysteria.
That is why the trial of these conspirators
has been placed in your hands...
rather than
in a civil court-
because men of the sword
can be hard...
and hardness is all that can save this country
from riots, mob rule...
even a resumption of the war itself.
- Have you any suggestions, sir?
- Two, to help you to be hard.
First, you must not allow your judgment
and decision in this case...
to be troubled by any trifling
technicalities of the law...
or any pedantic regard...
for the customary rules of evidence.
Second, and most important...
you must not allow yourself
to be influenced...
by that obnoxious creation
of legal nonsense- reasonable doubt.
- Is that clear?
- Yes, it's clear.
Briefly...
the voice of this court
has got to be the voice of the people.
Before you start,
I want you to hear that voice.
Listen to it.
Bring the prisoners.
Prisoners to the bar.
This court is now in session.
- Mr. President.
- The Judge Advocate General.
The death of John Wilkes Booth...
who was shot down
while resisting arrest in Virginia...
has left us eight members...
of his criminal band.
So, in the name of the government
of the United States...
the crime of assassination
and conspiracy...
to assassinate Abraham Lincoln...
then-president
of the United States...
is charged against
the following:
David E. Herold...
Lewis Payne...
George A. Atzerodt...
Michael O'Laughlin...
Edward Spangler...
Samuel Arnold...
Mrs. Mary E. Surratt-
- And Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Mudd?
I'm General Ewing.
With your permission,
I should like to act as your counsel.
Thank you, General.
Thank you.
We'll fight together now,
as we once fought each other.
With the permission of the court...
we will begin the cases in order.
We will start with the charge
against George A. Atzerodt.
Uh-
But isn't there any kind of news
you can give us about- about Dr. Mudd?
That's all they're gonna tell, lady-
just what you see on the board.
That's War Department's orders.
War Department's orders!
Ha! Didn't know they had one!
- Shh!
- Well, the dad-blamed-
Good night, Sam darling.
The government will now present its case
against Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Tell them I've got to speak.
I've gotta defend myself.
L- I can't let them treat me
the way they've treated all these others.
General Ewing.
You will instruct the defendant
to remain silent and respect this court.
I'm confident, Mr. Erickson...
that after observing
the conduct of these trials...
Dr. Mudd's respect for this court...
is every whit as great as my own.
Frank J. Thomas will take the stand.
Tell the court what you know...
of Dr. Mudd's loyalty
to the federal union.
Dr. Mudd was
a dyed-in-the-wool slaver.
Yes, sir! Slaver!
Dr. Mudd's name
was on the prescription which I filled.
Dr. Mudd served
in the Confederate Army.
Dr. Mudd denied
that he'd ever seen Booth.
Dr. Mudd denied everything...
until I showed him Booth's own boot
right in his own home.
Dr. Mudd, when I examined him in prison,
confessed to me...
that he set Booth's broken leg
and then aided him with directions...
how to reach the Potomac
and Virginia.
- The case is ended.
- No! No!
The case is not ended!
Here's one defense you're gonna
hear whether you want it or not.
- The prisoner will observe order.
- Why? Why?
What more could you do to me?
What threat have you got left?
You can hang me. You can hang us all-
the innocent as well as the guilty!
Because you-you nine gallant officers
and gentlemen-
have stripped yourselves
of your pride and your honor.
But I'll not go without a fight.
I'll not go without trying to blacken
your memories with the insane injustice...
you'll carry on your souls
till the day you die!
And till the day you die, you'll ask
yourselves in your heart three questions:
Does an assassin confide
his plans to anyone?
Was I, a physician, in the plot...
because it was part
of John Wilkes Booth's plan...
to break his leg and to need me?
Does a man, whose first devotion is no longer
to a lost cause or to any flag that flies...
but to his wife and his child...
risk any act that could only cause
misery and heartbreak...
on their innocent lives?
In the sight of the holy God I worship,
I'm innocent.
The court will ignore
the remarks of the prisoner.
Sergeant! And-
And you still can't tell me
what they've decided?
Lady, I must have told you
that I don't know any more
than them bulletins.
He's coming now.
Oh, but, General, isn't-
isn't there any possible means...
of- of stopping things,
just for a little while anyway?
My child, I'm using
every legal means that I know of.
Be brave, my dear.
Peggy.
Martha.
- Now, now.
No, darling.
Don't do that.
It won't be long now.
We'll all be back together again.
Darling.
Sam.
Don't you know?
- Haven't they told you?
- Told me what?
You mean that you've heard?
Sam, the verdict...
was guilty.
Guilty.
I don't know.
It's... like a nightmare-
The way you can't fight,
you can't run, you can't do anything.
All the time,
it's coming towards you.
Oh, but, darling, we haven't given up.
We're not through, not yet.
No, Peggy, no. We're not giving up-
you and Martha and me.
But if Daddy has to stay away
a little while longer.
I want you to take care of Mama.
You know? Dry her tears,
try to make her happy.
Tell her, too, that in-
in the bottom drawer of the rolltop desk...
there are a lot of old bills-
bills that-
Well, Daddy never got around
to collecting them.
Maybe they'll get enough,
though, to send you to school...
buy you some new dresses.
Try not to forget Daddy, won't you?
Come on. Come on.
Let's go.
We're not giving up, not yet, dear!
Hey, bring him downstairs.
My cell is here.
You ain't going to need a cell anymore.
- I'll see General Hunter. I know him very well.
- Oh, Martha.
Martha.
Shoulder! Halt!
Oh, not now! No, no. Not now!
Please!
No!
Steady.
Steady, dear.
Say, you got the best place
in the yard, lady.
Over yonder's where
they're coming out.
Courage.
Courage, my dear.
Right face!
Forward march!
Right face!
Forward march!
Sam! Darling!
Courage. Courage.
Well, looks like that's all.
He's going to live! Live!
Present arms!
- Well, I guess the show's over.
- Phew.
- What about him?
- Life imprisonment on Dry Tortugas.
A new bunch from
Washington prison, sir.
Hard ones.
Report 'em
to the officer of the guards.
Yes, sir.
Mudd- Number 6.
All right. Left step!
- Next.
- William A. Dunger.
William Dunger-
insubordination, striking an officer.
- Ten years.
- Left step!
- Next.
- Otto Lehrman.
Otto Lehrman- desertion, 20 years.
You'll never make it, Otto.
You're too old.
The mosquitoes will get you.
Left step!
- Next.
- Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
Dr. Mudd, I've been waitin' for you.
So all they gave you was life.
Couldn't hang you, eh?
Well, by Judas, you're gonna wish
they had fore I'm through with you!
Take a look at him, you filthy rats!
Take a look at the man
who killed Abe Lincoln...
the greatest man who ever lived.
Look at him! Watch him get
what's coming to him!
Next.
Left step!
All right.
Drop your chains.
Attention.
Now, before we go
any further here...
I want you to listen to me...
because I know exactly
what you're thinking...
every mother's son of ya.
You're figuring on whether
you're gonna be able to break out of here.
Well, we got a little way here
of putting thoughts like that...
out of your heads.
Follow me.
You first, Doctor.
Come on. Get up!
Halt!
Now, whenever you slops
get to figuring...
on breaking out of here...
I just want you to give
a little thought to this moat.
It runs all around the island.
It's 75 feet wide...
and 35 feet deep.
And you know what we keep in it?
We keep pets in it.
Nice little pets.
We got more pets in that moat
than you can count.
And sometimes we feed 'em.
Not often. Oh, no.
But just for you,
because I like you...
I'm going to give 'em
a little treat.
Now watch close.
Buck!
Move on, white man.
- A prisoner, sir.
- Just a minute.
Now, you know,
that's quite interesting.
Those are mosquito larvae.
See there.
But not very interesting
to anyone but a medico, I'm afraid.
Well, I'm also a physician, sir.
No.
Now I am pleased.
That's Dr. Mudd.
Oh.
Well, l-
I thought that-
I thought that, that as another physician,
you would understand the circumstances-
the obligation of a doctor to-
to give aid to anyone, whoever he might be.
Mr. Mudd...
if you assumed you might find sympathy here,
get rid of the idea.
The profession you have dishonored
is ashamed of you...
ashamed of your membership in it.
As a doctor, I may tell you that I despise you
even beyond the rest of the world.
It would be of no use for me...
to swear to you on the- on the honor
of the profession we both respect...
that I had nothing
whatsoever to do with-
with the death of Mr. Lincoln?
It would be of no use whatever.
I'm sorry, sir.
Marse Sam!
Marse Sam.
- Oh, Buck.
- Marse Sam.
I's sorry, sir...
but I was too scared this afternoon.
I couldn't say nothin' to you then.
Oh, I knew. I knew that.
Tell me, what are you doing down here?
- Oh, I've been here a month
waiting for you, sir.
- You have?
Yes. You see, Mrs. Mudd, she told me
to get on down this here man's island.
So here I is- done gone on down on it.
Oh, you-you've given me
the first hope I've had since this-
since this nightmare started.
Yes, sir. I guess so.
But, uh, here's some soap I brung you.
- What? Oh, yes. I guess I do need it.
- Yes, sir.
- But it's for the mosquitoes.
- Mosquitoes?
- Yes, sir. You put it on your face and hands.
- Oh, I know. I know.
Yes, sir, because there's more mosquitoes
on this here man's island...
than I've ever seen before.
- I know. That's why-
- Watch it.
My home, sir.
Darling, General Ewing.
How do you do, General? This is Judge Maiben
of the district superior court.
Why, how do you do, Judge?
- How do you do, sir?
- The judge is a Yankee, but he's honorable.
- Thank you, Colonel.
- He's gonna get Sam out of jail.
- But, Colonel- Colonel, please-
- Won't you sit down?
Let me take your things.
Please sit down.
Let me explain, General.
At my request
and for my own satisfaction...
Judge Maiben's gone over
the whole record of the case word by word.
On the evidence produced, no civil court
could hold Dr. Mudd for 10 minutes.
You have some sort of plan, Judge?
The plan is, uh, Mrs. Mudd's.
No judge'd dare devise
anything quite so, uh, extreme.
I explained to Judge Maiben
what happened...
to the writ of habeas corpus
you obtained for Sam.
The government simply laughed at it.
But... if a writ was served on him
in, say, Key West...
a civil municipality,
it would be honored, wouldn't it?
Of course.
But Dr. Mudd's not in Key West.
- I know he isn't... yet.
- What did I tell you?
But, great Scott, Mrs. Mudd,
you surely wouldn't dare-
General Ewing, I'd dare
anything for my husband.
And it isn't only freedom
I want for him. It's exoneration too.
He's innocent, and I want them to say so
to the whole world.
- But if we wait-
- Wait? Wait for what?
For the government
to kill my husband?
That's all we've done is wait
and trust and have faith.
Oh, I'm so sick of waiting.
I've found a way to get Sam out.
Just a moment, Mrs. Mudd.
Now, all I have to say is this.
If Dr. Mudd should be able to deliver himself
to the civil authorities in Key West...
I could have a writ of habeas corpus there
to be served on him.
Now, under its protection,
he could be brought back here.
I'd reopen the case,
and I feel sure...
give him a far different trial
than the one he had at the court-martial.
But as to how Dr. Mudd...
is going to be able
to get to Key West...
well, I think I'd rather not hear.
Good luck, my dear, and remember...
I won't be the only Yankee
who'll be praying with you.
- And don't let anything disturb you.
- I won't.
- Good day, gentlemen.
- Good day.
We'll sell, pawn,
mortgage everything.
We'll get enough money. Oh.
You understand what
this means to me, don't you?
It's all that's left of our lives-
Sam's and Martha's and mine.
And it's only your support-
your support behind us- that we're asking.
You can leave the escape
entirely to me, sir.
Within 24 hours, I'll have 5,000
of my old brigade under my command.
We'll seize a war vessel or two and blow
the whole dad-blamed prison to ashes...
and deliver Sam in Key West
with a guard of honor.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Mudd...
but if you're set on
such a foolhardy plan...
I must withdraw from the case.
But we have to do it.
He's got to be free to be tried.
- It's the only way. Oh, don't you see?
- I'm sorry.
- The risk is too great.
- Igad, sir!
And if you'll take my advice,
you too will abandon this mad scheme.
- What do you think?
Igad, sugar...
we'll show these dad-blamed,
chickenhearted Yankee lawyers!
You leave it to me.
I'm gettin' tired of this fiddlin' around,
messin' around.
Lawyers!
Lawyers are no-good-
Oh.
Yeah, lawyers are dad-blamed old women
with their habeas corpus and all that.
Lookee there.
There.
You see that?
Stonewall Jackson gave me that.
Pure Toledo.
And if I don't get $150 for that...
I'll have the pleasure of spitting the heart
of the swine that dare offer me less.
Open the door!
Marse Sam!
- Marse Sam!
- Yes, Buck?
Thanks. Thanks.
Yes, sir, that's me. I kind of fixed my name up
a little bit to make it sound kind of nice.
Buck, I'm ready.
- But tonight, sir?
- Yes, tonight.
But how about the moat
and them sharks?
- I'm gonna have to try the bridge.
- But they got a guard on it.
- Yeah, I know.
- Watch it.
- Marse Sam.
- Yeah.
- If I could go with you-
- Yes.
I can arrange to be the guard
that's on the bridge.
If you could arrange to be the guard
on the bridge, we could both go together.
- Now, listen.
- Yes, sir.
There's gonna be a boat.
It's gonna flash two lights.
I'm gonna have to swim to it.
Nice view?
What's outside?
Just outside.
Don't start anything
you might be sorry for, Doctor.
Second guard detail, forward step!
Guard detail, halt!
Right face.
Number two, step up.
What were you doin'
down in that cell block?
- Uh, cells which?
- I saw you!
No, sir.
T'weren't me.
As you were.
Left face.
Forward step!
- What's up?
- I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.
What post is that boy Buck on?
- The bridge. He swapped
with another one of them.
- That's what I thought.
Relieve him.
Place him under arrest and bring him here.
- What's up?
- Mudd's out.
Wait!
He's out, but I don't
want him back alive.
Do you understand? Post extra guards
to the bridge. Notify all sentries.
We'll see if we can give this Judas
what the court-martial should've given him.
Tell them to shoot and shoot straight!
Guard, watch that-
No. Wait.
Guard that magazine over there.
Quick step!
Halt! Who goes there?
Corporal of the guard!
The star boarder's out!
- What?
- Yeah, and Rankin don't want him back.
His orders are to shoot on sight.
If I see him, I will, with pleasure.
Mudd's out!
Double all your guards.
Guards, halt!
Cover that cell.
You cover that house there.
Go and watch that gate.
The rest of you, follow me. Get!
Soldier!
You're under arrest.
- But I just-
- Keep it to yourself. Move!
Take your post.
Buck!
Buck!
Buck!
Bring out those pieces
on the double. Hurry it up!
Give me that.
Wait!
There!
There he is!
Keep firing!
He'll never make it!
If we don't get him,
the sharks will.
- What sharks?
- What sharks do you think, sir?
Sergeant, with that
barrage on the water...
you're lucky if you've got a shark left
in a hundred yards of this spot.
Stop firing, you fools!
You wanna drive those sharks away?
Keep your eyes open!
L- I don't see anything down here.
Out yonder! He's outside!
There's a boat puttin' in toward him.
Rankin, man two boats.
I want that man back.
Alive! You understand?
Yes, sir. Boat crew number one!
Number two!
- Man your boats!
- Number one!
Pull, you mangy rats!
- Starboard a little more.
- There he is, boys! Pull him in!
Pull, you lazy rats!
On your way!
You're all right now, Sam.
Come along. That's a boy.
He's all right now.
He's all right.
Now, get him right
over here in this bunk. It's all right.
There you are, Sam.
That's a boy.
- Oh, darling, you're so cold.
- Easy now.
Go easy with him.
Don't get him excited. Good.
- Oh, my darling, you're wounded.
- He's all right now.
- You're an angel, Peggy.
- Everything's arranged for.
You're gonna have a new trial.
And Martha's waiting.
- Where's Martha?
- In Key West.
She hasn't...
forgotten me?
Oh, my sweet,
not for one little minute.
Igad, I'll soon stop this!
- You stay here with Sam.
- Dad! Dad!
- No!
Oh, they can't take you back.
They can't!
Hiya, Judas.
And then the prince leaned down...
and kissed the sleeping beauty
on both eyes-
smack, smack.
- And what do you suppose happened?
- What?
- The sleeping beauty waked up.
- Mama!
Where's Daddy?
Daddy... couldn't come, darling.
He wanted to, but-
Oh, sweet dear, darling,
it doesn't mean forever.
He'll come yet.
He will, I promise you.
Where's Grandpa?
Grandpa's gone away.
He's gone a long, long way away.
Forever?
Forever.
How long has it been, Marse Sam?
I don't know.
Three, maybe-
maybe four days, I guess.
Marse Sam...
can I have a little
bit more of that water?
I ain't even heard no bugle calls.
Ain't even seen nobody.
No food, no nothin'.
I guess everybody just
done run on off and left us.
Reckon it'd do any good
to holler again?
No, I hollered till I'm hoarse.
What you suppose happened?
I don't know, Buck. Maybe-
Maybe just as you say-
That they have gone off
and left us to die maybe.
Tell the captain of that ship
I've got to have those supplies.
Tell him I got a thousand hospital cases here
and only one doctor.
Tell the commandant again,
I'm sorry, but I refuse to put in.
Tell him he's a filthy yellow coward
with my compliments.
Tell him I've waited
five bloody days...
for him to make up his lily-livered soul
to be a man and deliver me my medicine.
And now, if I don't see some action
out there inside of five minutes...
I'm gonna turn a cannon on his bloody tub
and blow it to kingdom come...
government ship
or no government ship!
That'll make you sleep a little.
You're gonna be all right, son.
Good morning, Clark.
Are you all right, sir?
Just tired.
Very tired.
It's a hard job, son.
Always a hard job
when you don't know what to do...
and got no one to do it with you.
If it hadn't been for you
and a couple of others who've stuck by me-
Well, l- I don't wanna
catch it myself, sir.
Hmm. That's something
I can't promise you...
because I don't know.
I don't know
what causes yellow fever.
I don't know how to cure it.
And I don't know how it spreads...
where it comes from...
or where it goes.
I'm going to see the commandant.
White doctor- He got it.
- Hey, soldier.
- Yes, sir?
My compliments-
My compliments to the commandant,
and tell him-
- Yes, sir?
- I can't come.
Tell him I've got to go
to my quarters.
Tell him-
- White boss sick!
- He's got it too!
- White boss sick!
- He's got it too!
Soldier!
Soldier, come here.
Help me.
- Come here, you fools.
- No, sir, white boss. No, sir.
You swine! I tell you,
you've gotta help me up!
Doctor? Doctor?
Doctor!
Doctor.
- Well?
- Says he can't do it, sir.
- Said he's scared.
- Scared?
If ever I get my hands
on that muck's throat-
Imagine the hound,
loading my supplies on rafts...
and just shovin' 'em
toward the shore through that surf.
Look at 'em!
Scared to land 'em.
Scared to touch 'em.
Scared to tend 'em when they're sick.
Holy mother!
How long do they expect to live?
Forever?
Beg pardon, sir.
If the commandant pleases,
there's a doctor among the prisoners.
- Dr. Mudd.
- Mudd?
- Yes, sir.
- Dr. Mudd?
Come on.
Open up.
Doctor, I'm here on a curious mission.
I want your help.
- My help?
- I need it desperately.
Doctor, this island is a pesthole.
It's teeming with yellow fever.
The worst epidemic
we've had in years.
I've got 3,000 men here-
soldiers and prisoners.
And those that aren't dead
are dying or crazy with terror...
and we're all trapped here together.
What's all this to me?
That's what you must
decide for yourself, sir.
And the good Dr. MacIntyre?
The good Dr. MacIntyre is down bad.
You're quite right.
You couldn't possibly be
in a better position...
to tell me and my men
to go straight to the devil.
And no one would understand it
better than I would.
In your place, I'd do it myself.
But in spite of that
and in spite of the fact...
that I can promise you no reward...
that I can offer you nothing
but exposure to death...
I want your help.
Once before, I was a doctor.
I'm still a doctor.
Thank you, Dr. Mudd.
Buck. Buck.
We're-We're going up in the open.
Will you give me a hand,
sir, please?
It was the last straw when they heard
about Dr. MacIntyre's dying.
They all quit. They're in the mess hall now
barricaded, guards and all.
We've got to do something, sir.
Those patients are all alone, deserted.
- Have I any authority, sir?
- You give the orders.
- I'll take the responsibility, Doctor.
- All right, sir. Thank you.
You wait here.
You come with me.
- Aren't you afraid?
- Doctor, I'm scared to death.
Yeah, so am I.
- Steady!
- Don't come no closer, white man!
Stay where you is.
Us men ain't gonna
come out there for nobody.
I'm not gonna ask you to come out.
But you're gonna listen to me.
I'm just gonna tell you
what you're gonna get.
You're gonna get hanged, all of ya!
You're soldiers, and you mutinied!
You deserted your posts!
You shot at your officers!
You can't get away with it.
And here's what
they're gonna do to you.
They're gonna take you
before the judge.
Gonna take you out in the courtyard
and build a scaffold.
And you're gonna have to build it
yourselves too- your own scaffold.
And when you get that done,
you're gonna do some digging.
You're gonna dig your own graves.
And then the law is gonna hang you.
They're gonna put a rope around your necks
and they're gonna choke you...
choke you till your eyeballs pop out
and your tongue swells up!
- You ought not talk like that.
- No.
That ain't no Yankee talkin'
just to hear hisself talk.
That's a Southern man,
and he mean it. Yes, sir.
But for those here that wanna be saved,
that wanna live, I got a proposition.
Us don't wanna go near
them yellow fever men.
- Do you wanna hear it or not?
- Yes.
All right. Then nobody
go near those yellow fever men
but this orderly and me.
But I need help outside!
I need workers, colored boys, water boys.
Boys that are willing
to do what I say.
Now, any of you boys that are willing
to do that, I promise to save from hanging.
He sound like a nice man.
I don't wanna go near
them yellow fever boys!
The white man said
you don't have to.
And besides, I'd rather be beside
them yellow fever boys...
than to hang till
my eyeballs popped out.
- Comin' out, white boss.
- All right. Now, look.
I'm gonna give all of ya just one minute
to make up your minds.
- That's it. Come on! All of ya!
Hurry up! Hurry up!
And don't forget,
I'll keep my promise to every one of ya.
Come on, all of ya!
Come on, all of ya!
Comin' out, white boss!
All right, you men begin
tearing out those windows, sash and all.
I wanna get some air and sunlight
in this hospital. Come on. Double time now.
Come over here, you fellas.
Get ready to soak these blankets.
Keep 'em wet. I wanna wrap those men up
till I wash some of that fever out.
Hurry up now! Get going.
Come on. You and I are going in.
- You think all this'll do any good, sir?
- "Good." I don't know.
But it'll make 'em
comfortable at least.
Here. You men,
put those blankets over your faces.
We're gonna smash out these windows
and get some air in this hospital.
All right!
Tear 'em out!
How are you, soldier?
Get away, Judas!
What about that wind, sir?
With those windows out,
it looks like a hurricane-
Let it blow! Let it rain!
It's cooling, isn't it?
If it does nothing else, it'll help to blow
these blasted mosquitoes away.
Come on. We'll take 'em in their order.
This one first.
- How are you feeling, Buck?
- I'm feeling pretty good, Marse Sam...
since you done
chased them mosquitoes away.
It sure seems
a long way from Maryland.
Long time...
long ago.
I wonder-
I wonder if Rosabelle
done forgotten me.
Forget you after- after 12 children?
It's impossible.
That Rosabelle sure is
one real woman...
ain't she, Marse Sam?
- Shh! Buck. Shh.
Well, how's it look today?
All right, I guess.
What do you mean?
How long do you think these supplies
are gonna last? Forever?
Where's the medicine coming
from two days from now, out of the air?
- Steady.
- And how long do you think
I'm gonna last? Forever?
You've got to get some sleep.
You've had five days of this.
You're exhausted.
Yeah. Right off yonder, not a mile offshore,
there's a ship full of supplies.
And a half a dozen doctors,
not country doctors brought up
on bellyaches and babies...
but real city doctors!
And the whole United States government
can't make that boat come help us.
- Will you let me put you to bed?
No! I'm sorry.
I'll go to bed because-
because I'm tired.
Get up!
- Get up and come with me.
- What is it, sir?
- Come with me. I need your help.
- Doctor, you're sick.
Of course I'm sick.
I got yellow jack.
I'm the doctor,
but I got yellow jack.
Didn't you know that doctors
could ever get yellow-
Only doctor in the world
who's got a thousand cases-
Only doctor in the world
who's got a thousand cases
and ain't got no medicine!
- Won't you tell me where we're going, sir?
- Here's where we're going.
Get up there!
Open that door. Kick it open.
- You're the gun crew?
- Yes, sir!
Get up!
Man your guns. Hurry up!
Pull down that ladder!
Get the signal lamp.
Hurry up!
Get up!
What's he saying now?
He says it's impossible, sir.
It's too dangerous in this storm.
You tell him again.
Tell him again, I say put in.
Tell him if he doesn't,
I'm gonna fire.
Excuse me, sir,
but that's a government ship!
Tell him again, I say put in.
Get ready to drop one near him.
He says he won't, sir.
All right. Fire!
- What's he doin' now?
- They're puttin' out to sea, sir!
All right! Hit him!
You can't do that, Doctor.
You fool!
I gotta get that medicine.
I gotta get those doctors.
Can't you see I'm sick too?
I got yellow jack like everybody else here,
but I'm a doctor.
I gotta look out for things.
Come on! Give it to him, I tell ya!
- Fire!
- But, Captain, us can't fire at the flag.
Fire that gun, Negro!
Fire!
It hit the mast!
Get ready to hit him again.
Again!
He's turnin'!
He's headin' in!
He's headin in!
He's headin in, Doctor!
He's headin in, Doctor. He's headin in.
How's everything this morning?
Still all right?
Looks like I'm going to live.
Doctor, this is something
I've prepared to send to Washington...
by special messenger today.
Of course, I'm in no position to speak
for our government-yours and mine.
But because I do love the flag I serve
and because I'm jealous of its honor...
I'd-
I'd like to read this letter to you.
It's to the president
of the United States.
"As commandant of the military prison
at Port Jefferson, Florida...
"I can testify that the final checking
of the recent yellow fever epidemic...
"was the direct result of extraordinary
and unselfish courage...
"and bravery and skill on
the part of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
"On behalf of the personnel
of the post...
"including officers and enlisted men,
civilians and prisoners...
"I take this means of urging
executive clemency for Dr. Mudd...
as a reward for heroism far above
and beyond the demands of duty. "
I wrote that this morning...
and every man on this island
would be glad to sign it.
- I promise you.
- I'd like to be the first.
With your permission, Major.
With Dr. Mudd's permission.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Come here, darling.
Darling, Daddy's coming home.
And when he comes, he- he may not look
like he did when you last saw him.
But don't say so.
Don't look at him like that, dear,
just because his face...
may be old and sad...
and tired...
and he may be thin,
and his hair-
But don't notice it, dear.
Just-Just kiss him.
Kiss his cheeks and his eyes...
and his arms
and his wrists and-
- Whoa.
- Much obliged, sir.
Thank you, Marse Sam.
Giddyap.
- Rosabelle!