Good morning Mr. Huang. ; )
Posted on 02/11/2003 12:42:39 AM PST by JohnHuang2
Even though it chronicles one half of the Eastern sector of the bloodiest war ever fought on American soil, the new movie "Gods & Generals," is one of the most deeply religious movies ever produced.
In every one of the four Gospels, there is that account of the violence of Jesus Christ. For after a brief sermonette of one verse, he took "a small scourge of cords" and used it to whip the money changers and sacrificial animal salesmen out of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Two of the most devoutly religious and courageous soldiers in American history were Thomas Jonathan (Stonewall) Jackson of Virginia and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain of Maine. Both of these men were well aware of the violence of Jesus in the Temple, which cost him his life by an enraged Sanhedrin and a Roman procurator who wanted peace at any price. Both of these devout Christian generals are superbly portrayed: Jackson by Steve Lang and Chamberlain by Jeff Daniels.
I cannot remember at any time of my life, of having seen so many hundreds of films, that I have ever seen prayer more deeply moving than Gen. Jackson's early morning devotions alone in the countryside, facing a rising sun and praying just before military action near a town called Manassas.
That and the expressed theology of this Cromwellian genius, who, when asked by a subordinate officer how he had remained so calm under heavy fire, replied: "The Lord knows my time of departure – which could be in battle, or in bed. Therefore I am no more afraid in battle than in bed."
Equally devout is Col. Chamberlain, the North's primary hero in both "Gods & Generals" and its predecessor film, "Gettysburg." So is Gen. Robert E. Lee, first portrayed by Martin Sheen in "Gettysburg," and now by an actor, who in my view, has had no peer since the death of Lawrence Olivier – Robert Duvall.
Through the inestimable kindness of director, screenwriter and producer Ron Maxwell, I was given the honor of a bit part in both of these movies – as well as playing a Confederate color sergeant during the six days of filming "Pickett's Charge" – on the first of these six days, we were on the actual hallowed ground where that great Napoleonic assault took place.
When we heard the war drums and the cheering of the artillerymen as we marched out from the woods of Seminary Ridge, I am sure that I was not alone in weeping. I had the remembrance of seven of my family that served in that army. For this was a march described by one writer as:
Pickett's Virginians were passing through;
supple as steel and brown as leather
Rusty and dusty of hat and shoe
wonted to hunger and war and weather
Peerless, fearless, an army's flower!
Sterner soldiers the world saw never
Marching lightly that summer's day
to death, and failure – and fame forever
The speaking role I had in both movies was Confederate Brig. Gen. William Barksdale of Mississippi. He was my cousin, and that had one importance because he was the only clean-shaven confederate general in the battles – and I look like him.
There is enough in Barksdale's life to do a movie about him – as there was in the lives of a number of the leaders on both sides. I was very deeply moved to be able to portray him in one scene in "Gettysburg," and two in "Gods & Generals" in the absolutely stupendous Battle of Fredericksburg.
Barksdale responded by knocking Davis down, Davis got up, pulled a penknife and stabbed Barksdale 10 times in his arms, chest and side (all flesh wounds). Barksdale, bloody but unbowed, decked Davis again. The fight was finally broken up, and there was no duel. The electors were horrified, not at duels or knife fights, but at Davis attacking an unarmed man. Therefore, Barksdale was elected in a landslide. He was re-elected in 1855, and twice more in 1857 and 1859 – without opposition.
Grow retorted: "I will make my objection anywhere I choose." And then arching his eyebrows, he added: "Since this is a free House." Rep. Keitt responded: "You are a black Republican puppy!" Rep. Grow countered: "I'll not allow any n--ger-driver to crack a whip around my ears!" At which Keitt clutched Grow by the throat. The House floor then became a free-for-all, with numerous fisticuffs and wrestlings. When the curious onlookers approached this melee to get a ringside view, they were thought by Republicans to be reinforcements.
Among the fist-swinging congressmen were Davis of Mississippi (who had knifed Barksdale six years earlier), Craig of North Dakota, Potter of Wisconsin ("a fist like an ox"), Washburne of Illinois, Washburn of Wisconsin, Lamar of Mississippi, Lovejoy of Ohio, Bocock of Virginia, Montgomery of Pennsylvania and Covode of Pennsylvania "who seized a giant spittoon." (Washburne and Washburn both became Union generals).
Barksdale was in the thick of the fighting when he received a fierce blow from Grow. This caused Barksdale, whose hair was thinning, to lose his hairpiece. He promptly reached down and put it back on – backwards. This was instantly noticed by his violent colleagues. They began roaring with laughter, shook hands, voted to adjourn and went off to bed.
When the Mississippi legislature passed the ordnance of secession, Barksdale resigned from Congress and returned to Mississippi, to volunteer for military service. He was appointed quartermaster general for all of Mississippi's troops but, within days, he resigned to accept election as Col. of the 13th Mississippi Regiment of the Confederate States Army, organized on May 14, 1861. This regiment was ordered to Union City, Tenn., to a training center under Gen. Leonidas Polk, the Episcopal bishop and West Pointer.
After brief training, they were moved to Lynchburg and, on July 20, railroaded to Manassas Junction, arriving after dark. The following day, after reporting to Gen. Jubal Early, this regiment attacked the Union Army's right flank, with such speed and savage intensity that the Federals fled, beginning a momentous rout and a spectacular Confederate victory.
On Dec. 9, 1861, the 13th was assigned to the Mississippi Brigade, under command of Gen. Richard Griffith, who in the next spring's fighting on the Peninsula was mortally wounded. His place was taken by Col. Barksdale, as senior colonel.
After the Battle of Malvern Hill, where Barksdale's command suffered 91 killed and 434 wounded, the new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Gen. Robert E. Lee, recommended Barksdale for promotion, with Lee's personal citation: "Seizing the colors himself and advancing under terrific artillery and infantry fire, Col. Barksdale displayed the highest qualities of a leader and soldier." (How often in that war were fallen colors seized and carried by colonels?) Barksdale was promoted to brigadier general on Aug. 12, 1862.
At Fredericksburg, Barksdale's Brigade had its most strategic effect of the war – rivaled only by their nearly breaking the Union line in Gettysburg's Peach Orchard.
From 2 a.m. until after sundown, on Dec. 11, 1862, the Mississippians kept decimating Gen. Burnside's army engineers as they were trying to build pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock. Finally, Gen. Burnside grew impatient with trying to dislodge the southern snipers with return musketry. So, he ordered his artillery chief Gen. Hunt, to barrage the town with his 147 guns on Stafford Heights. Barksdale's men took cover in cellars. Whenever the Union heavy artillery let up, out they came and began shooting down more Union army engineers. The artillery caused Fredericksburg homes to burn.
Barksdale sent a message to Longstreet, "Shall I have my men put out the fires?"
Longstreet replied, "You have enough to do to watch the Yankees!"
It took two orders by Barksdale's superior, Major Gen. Lafayette McLaws to get him to evacuate this artillery-pulverized town instead of remaining for some hand-to-hand. Finally, after sunset, the Mississippians evacuated. They went to Marye's Heights, where their heroic delaying action under heavy bombardment had given the 75,800-man Lee, Jackson, Longstreet and company time to dig in for the Dec. 13 Confederate shoot-out of 12,700 of Burnside's 106,000 Federals.
The Mississippi Brigade remained in this area for nearly five months. During the Chancellorsville battle, they were stretched thin for three miles and given the task, as one brigade, of halting the entire Union Fourth Corps of the competent and well-beloved Gen. (Uncle John) Sedgwick – 15,000 to 20,000 against part of one Confederate brigade.
They built triple campfires to try to deceive the North. They were eventually overrun with heavy casualties, but they held long enough to keep Sedgwick from attacking Lee, and that was an essential. For in an audacious gamble, Lee divided his army, and turned loose Stonewall Jackson for his spectacular flanking of Howard's Corps – and another Confederate victory.
On July 2, 1863, the Mississippi Brigade arrived on the line at Gettysburg Seminary Ridge. Here, William Barksdale led his final and most spectacular charge … at the sacrifice of his life. He was at such a distance in front of his men that one Union Army officer ordered his men to: "Aim at that big politician!"
Barksdale fell with several wounds. After being kindly treated in a Union hospital, he died near dawn of July 3, still confident of Confederate victory – and praying at last that God would take care of his wife and two young sons back home in Mississippi.
Good morning Mr. Huang. ; )
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A man after my own heart! Ever since I first heard about the movie Gettysburg, I wondered if they were going to get Robert Duvall to play Lee. I can't say Martin Sheen was terrible as Lee, but he simply wasn't right for the part. I eagerly look forward to seeing this movie to see how Lee comes alive through Duvall this time around.
Wow!...what a great verse......deeply moving to this day
Stonewalls
I simply cannot wait to see this movie.
I have three heroes from this war. Lincoln, for obvious reasons, was the man who was most responsible for the salvation of the United States as a political unit. However, I choose not to get into a "Lincoln was a Caesar" fight with my Southern brethren.
The two military characters from that war who leave me in awe are Robert E. Lee and Joshua Lawrence Chamberalain.
Lee and Jackson confer before Chancellorsville
Col. Chamberlain leads the 20th Maine down the Little Round Top at Gettysburg
These two men were profoundly Christian. They lived their Christianity and were men of sterling character and selfless devotion to duty. I cannot say enough about these two.
I should think that someone, someday, should make a cinematic biography of Lee.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
.....I never cared much for Turner, but I'll give him credit for putting up $53 million of his own money to make this film...if Hollywood had financed it, it would have been little more than an anti-Confederate propaganda piece....
BTW a sneak screening of part of the film was shown over the weekend at Baltimore-Washington International Airport to troops deploying to the Mid-East......it was a big hit.....Robert Duval was there and was mobbed by the troops.......he was asked to repeat his famous line: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning..." which he did to the delight of the crowd....
Stonewalls
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