My Great-Great Granpa Neville was in the 21st Mississippi from January 1862 until the surrender at Appomattox. He fought in no less than 47 engagements and brought home an 1860 Spencer Repeater that he got off of a trooper in the 58th Indiana at Chicamauga. His Granddaughter, my Great Aunt Deanni used to tell us stories of his exploits during the Rebellion. In 1961, at the age of 7, she gave me the Spencer AND the rifle he had carried all through the Rebellion, an 1816 Flintlock Musket.
1816 Flintlock Musket? What an old rifle to carry, even in the Civil War. "The 1853 Enfield Pattern Rifle Musket was the most-used shoulder weapon by Confederate soldiers. The Springfield M1816 musket? Many of these old flintlock muskets were converted to the percussion system and some of the barrels were even rifled to accept the Minié ball. The quality of these conversions varies from manufacturer."
I love it when the cadets march out of their academy seeing the little guy bringing up the rear stumbling along, and the two kids with the mumps left behind looking wistfully on. It’s little touches like these that are the marks of a great director!
A memorable scene!! It may have been based on the 257 VMI cadets who fought at the Battle of New Market on 15 May 1864. Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge gave the order to commit the cadets to battle, saying "Put the boys in..and may God forgive me for the order." Ten cadets were killed in action in the service of the Confederacy. They died as soldiers. On May 15th each year VMI honors those cadets at a memorial ceremony.
John, I have thought for years (I saw this film as a little boy and learned to love that song, even though I am a Yankee by birth) that John Ford's use of sentimentality, patriotism and layers of symbolism may have had the VMI cadets is mind. I guess we will never know. I do know that while stationed in Texas, I saw a beautiful piece of Civil War art in a gallery (in the style of Kunstler) depicting the cadets. I regret not adding to my collection.
This part is not fictional. This event actually happened. The military school in the movie is the one from the 1860's. Unfortunately, it closed for good just a few years after this movie was filmed.
@@rc59191 "Rio Lobo" from 1970, I believe, has a very novel & exciting opening Civil War sequence in which Wayne is deeply involved. Rest of movie postwar but a good story. "The Undefeated", 1969, perhaps, has a good Civil War sequence in first segment, again, with Wayne front & center. Then, postwar. "Quantrill's Raiders", much earlier, actually is prewar, set in Bleeding Kansas. Wayne stars with Walter Pidgeon.
@rc59191 I forgot to mention that Wayne actually plays Sherman, alongside Grant, in the Civil War segment of "How the West Was Won", 1963, I think. The sequence is set during the Battle of Shiloh & is quite good.
I think Wayne s got the wrong uniform on I think he s got a soft spot for the south he was a racist anti native Indian probably anti catholic and anti jew William holden was good in the horse soldiers
On 15 May 1864, the VMI Corps of Cadets fought as an independent unit at the Battle of New Market.[17] VMI suffered fifty-two casualties with ten cadets killed. The cadets were led into battle by the Commandant of Cadets and future VMI Superintendent Colonel Scott Shipp. Shipp was also wounded during the battle. Six of the ten fallen cadets are buried on VMI grounds behind the statue "Virginia Mourning Her Dead" by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, a VMI graduate who was also wounded in the
My Grandfather Lieutenant Colonel Su-Sing's "boss" was Chinese Nationalist General Sun Li-jen KBE, who was nicknamed the "Rommel of the East" due to his military achievements versus the Japanese and Chi-Coms, graduated VMI's Class of 1927.
It also has a touch of satire. These boys are playing at war and the only reason they didn’t suffer any casualties was that the Union horsemen were more interested in getting to Union lines as quickly as possible. Also, any possibility of fighting was ruined due to the artillery barrage.
@@WorldWar2freak94 The scene is, of course, inspired by the historical Battle of New Market, in which the corps of cadets of the Virginia Military Institute led a charge against Union forces.
@chrisjohnson7039 Patriots? 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 I know you meant Traitors in Armed Insurrection against the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 🇺🇸 You do remember the USA, don't you? Dress it up any way you like. The Confederacy were a bunch of turncoats who just wanted to keep degrading their fellow man.
MY WIFE AND I ARE CIVIL WAR REENACTORS . WE WATCHED THIS AT MY BROTHERS AND HIS WIFES HOUSE . WE STARTED SINGING "THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG" .THEY SHOOK THIER HEADS AND LAUGHED !
There were 247 VMI cadets who lost 10 dead and 47 wounded, they captured cannons from Union Army under Sigel. It was a Union defeat for sure, but no real effect on the outcome of the war.
This scene has been edited. It's missing the part where the mother imposes on the Confederate Reverend to release her son from going since his father and brothers have already been killed. The reverend does but then the boys sneaks out of the house and rejoins his comrades, Great scene from a great flick.
One of John Wayne's greatest movies, a magnificent scene. Also one of the best civil war movies. Deosn't try to make the south look bad. They don't make em like this anymore.
The South was defeated, any country who 6:17 puts CHILDREN into battle deserves to lose, eg the nazis ,oh wait the confederacy was the same thing, confederacy
Ya there's nothing more irritating than cannons that only have the smoke for fire coming out of them with no recoil whatsoever. I mean seriously how hard is it to replicate that older movies have been doing it for years.
I love "The Horse Soldiers". I first saw it at the local cinema in my home town many years ago; it ignited a lifelong interest in the War Between the States and American history generally. My brother and I used to play at being Colonel Marlowe and Doc Kendall, and my little sister was drunken Sergeant Kirby, with the occasional switch to Gin'l Nathan Bedford Forrest and his Reb cavalry. As we lived in a rural area and spent most of our free time on horseback we were able to spend many happy hours as childhood 're-enactors'. I have the film on DVD, and still watch it from time to time, even though, by the standards of more recent films of the genre such as "Gettysburg", it is a bit corny. RIP John (Colonel Marlowe) Wayne.
I can't speak to any sort of realism in this film, but those kids must have been having the time of their lives. I mean, going on a cavalry charge with John Wayne himself? probably the dream of every boy back then.
Great flick based on Grierson's Raid. No doubt the most lavish & realistic portrayal of the Civil War up to that time with many impressive, evocative scenes, hampered only a little by a contrived & unnecessary romance. It was made & released as a lead-up to the Civil War Centennial, only about a year or so away.
Vous êtes Sudiste et ces trous du cul de whokyste vous interdisent le drapeau à la Croix de Saint André ! Réveillons-nous à notre tour pour lutter contre ces ennemis !
@@michaelbarnett2527 More like "Utterly defeated by Superior Union command and resources, unable to feed or equip themselves, and unable to garner help and recognition from foreign powers due to the insurmountable fact that their cause, rooted in and dedicated to the continuation and expansion of slavery, was abhorrent to the civilized world."
It is an 1861 Irish song. Unit song of Kelly's Irish Brigade and southern Irish Regiments. Unofficial southern anthem. 2:35)They are carrying the CS Navy battle ensign and the 2nd National Standard, AKA "The Stainless Banner". The Blue Flag had a big white star centered. 3:00) Firing the cannon from behind could get them ran over when the cannon recoils.
Absolutely great scene from a great movie about the Secession War (no one outside the USA knows it as "Civil War"). The Spanish dubbing (From Spain) is quite well done and is one of our favorite John Wayne movies in our house. Thanks for the video.
When the Cadets march out I spot at least 2 artillery pieces sitting in the assembly yard that could have been put to better use on a day like that! There WERE no Kids on the Civil War battlefields. When War is fought at home everyone is a soldier. Lets pray it never comes to that again.
Virginia still has boys and girls as brave (as those Lexington, VA lads in 1863 immortalized in the Horse Soldiers,) in our military academies and schools here... more military schools than any other state in the Nation
Battle of New Market. Cadets put in the line. Area now known as the field of lost shoes. Cadets were always issued grown man shoes. Their field of battle was very wet and soggy. The mud pulled their shoes off. They acquitted them selves well. There is a tv movie about them.
Stopped and walked that field on way back from Charlottesville last year. Recommend it-very compact battlefield and mostly intact save the Federal far left flank where the interstate went through + 2 good museums on site.
Cadets in the film were from the Jefferson Military Academy. The actual event, that the movie segment was based on, took place on 05-15-1864 by cadets from the Virginia Military Academy. Battle of New Market.
@@marletamisch6709 You know why Jefferson Davis was never taken before a court and tried for treason after the war? It's because they knew Davis would have won the case by simply referring to the Constitution and unloading the Union's repeated breaches of said document. There was no way they were going to have such a show put on for the whole world to see.
@marletamisch6709 really? You do know that slavery was born and continued under the stars and sripes, yes? You do realize that Maryland, a northern Yankee state, held her slaves a full two years after the start of the war, right? And you do realize that Lincoln said he wouldn't sign the anti slavery act if the south would not leave the union, right? AND you do realize that Lincoln himself knew and discussed that his war was unconstitutional and that is the reason they would not prosecute Jeff Davis, right? And you do realize that the south already had a rapidly growing anti slavery movement before the war, right? So in other words, the war was not about slavery but about states rights. The very reason for the NEXT civil war.
Stonewall Jackson had four artillery pieces and he named them Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. He said he would "deliver the Gospel to the enemy" or something to that effect.
“The rebels have now in their ranks their last man. The little boys and old men are guarding prisoners, guarding railway bridges, and forming a good number of their garrisons in entrenched positions. A man lost by them cannot be replaced. They have robbed the cradle and the grave equally to get their present force. Besides what they lose in frequent battles and skirmishes they are now losing in desertions and other causes at least on regiment per day.”- Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant, August 1864.
You have to realize unlike the north who forced tens if not hundreds of thousands of Irish into the army the South only had their citizens and the numerous Native tribes that fought with them. So yeah after 4 years of war they had lost or had injured a large part of the southern male population of fighting age.
I loved that part as a little kid. I noticed the part where the mother pulled her kid out of the marching formation as they went off to battle wasn't in there. That was a funny part.
My great great granddaddy stood only 5 feet tall and was with Pickett's division at Gettysburg. Said the only reason he survived was the damn Yankees was all shootin' to high. He had thirteen daughters. All married Confederate soldiers. All were widows at war's end
I believe this episode is based on historical fact. My ancestors fought in the Union Army, but they respected the valor and courage of the Confederate soldiers. And it needs to be remembered that relatively few of the soldiers in gray owned slaves or cared about slavery. They were fighting for states rights and for their homes.
Yes it is it's based on the Battle of New Market where the VMI Cadets temporarily routed the Union troops in the Shenandoah Valley. You should watch the movie The Field of Lost Shoes it's not as great or epic as Gettysburg but it goes into deep detail about the Battle of New Market. Also pretty cool that Jason Isaacs plays General Breckinridge.
All the Slaves were owned by 3% of the Southern Population - the Plantation Owners. The rest of those poor dirt farmers were NOT fighting for those rich guys. .
+JOSEPH CORSBIE Although I am fully for the Confederacy, I agree with you. I believe the Southern cause was totally right, but I still honor and respect those who fought for the Union. I've a lot of friends who are reenactors, many of them are Union, and not once have we disagreed on a subject regarding the war. Even slavery. In fact, the Union reenactors are even angered by the shits who say the South fought for slavery because that's direct disrespect and slander to the men who fought for the South. If only everyone could just accept the truth and respect the Confederates like many a Yank did and still does to this day. Deo Vindice, sir
+WizKid 1123 '''my family history has over 40 Confederates 37th N.C. and 4th Alabama cavalry . also 2 yanks , one who was awarded the MEDAL of HONOR for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay . and Andrew Johnson Vice President of the U.S. that's why its also called the war of brother against brother .
JOSEPH CORSBIE Yup. It was terrible. Brother fought brother, father fought son. It sickens me that today, we're treating the men who fought and died for the South's side of the war worse than how Vietnam vets were treated. Not only are they being shit on and slandered by society, our governent is shitting on them and slandering them. They're also trying to erase them. the only thing they do when pieces of shit like Black Lives Matter desecrate, deface, and destroy Confederate monuments, memorials, and graves is side with Black Lives Matter and remove those monuments, memorials, and graves. They've gone so far as to try to dig up the graves of Confederates and remove the bodies. It's now to the point where the law doesn't apply to you if you're committing crimes against pro-Confederates. Theft, trespassing, assault & battery,harassment, vandalism, arson, death threats, and even murder for fuck's sake. Even the lond deceased Union veterans would be disgusted with the national bigotry of their former foes and today's pro-Confederates
+WizKid 1123 Lincoln was clever though, twisting it all to be an issue of slavery. Otherwise he would have run out of volunteers. "Keeping the union together" didn't have the same emotional appeal.
Except for that scene in front of the academy, which is the Jefferson Military Academy, Natchez, Miss... the entire movie was filmed in and around Natchitoches, La. The scene of the two boys on the front balcony, with the mumps, is the Wright House, in downtown, historic Natchitoches. All the river scenes, including the bridge being blown up, is the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The forest scenes were filmed in the Kistachie National Forest, again in Natchitoches Parish.
I quite like how a scene thats supposed to show the tragedy and somberness of sending literal children off to war is being interpreted by those of questionable minds as some glorious event. I graduated from a military high school folks, they are schools first, military second. The reverend knew full well his column was marching to death, he lead it thusly. There’s no glory in that, nor glory to be found in a kid who’s barley started living getting killed.
Since this is a film and not a documentary, I suppose that what many viewers like of this scene is that John Wayne´s Colonel decides to retreat so as not to inflict casualties among the boys...
If only the war itself had been so bloodless as this "battle" was. Ironically those kids can rightly claim to their children and grandchildren how they defended their homes and "drove off" the Yankee invaders. I do appreciate the impartiality of the movie. It showed both sides in a positive light and though the main characters were the Northerners and John Wayne as the Yankee colonel, the Southern characters were not the classic villains but depicted fairly as simply people defending their home ground.
Cap America I would point out that Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas would probably not have seceded at all if Lincoln had not ordered the governors of those States to furnish soldiers in violation of the US Constitution. If he hadn't they wouldn't have, Robert E. Lee would have accepted the rank of US Major General and the CSA would have been finished before the end of summer. Plus if you really want to look at who started the war, it was egged on for years before this by Northern industrialists and railroad barons who were anxious to get fat government contracts for weapons manufacturing. Negotiations done in earnest would have brought the South back to the Union, but instead Lincoln was a puppet of the military establishment. Davis was a puppet also, of the plantation class and those who controlled the blockade runners. Yep, plenty of people profited from that war in both sides, and the poor folk where the ones who did the dying. You wanna know what caused the war and what it was all about: The dollar. That's what every war is about.
Samurai Momo I would imagine that had Virginia stayed Union, it would be with the understanding that no action would be taken to recover federal property or enforce United States laws,in the south,even after Fort Sumpter was fired on. In history,that was the cause Lincoln used to call on the various governors to provide troops to help him enforce federal laws and protect federal property. For Virginia to stay union,there couldn't have been a call issued by Lincoln for federal troops. Therefore,no need to offer Robert E. Lee command of a Union Army which would not exist. That also means he couldn't finish the CSA "before the end of the summer" because Virginia would only support the union if it did not attack a southern state, even after such a state had already fired on the US flag and United States forces. The deep south saw the situation after Lincoln's election as one of "It's now or never" to make a bid for independence, so they were primed to force the issue at Fort Sumpter before negotiations could play out. Lincoln knew the deep south was determined to leave the union and didn't want negotiations to work, so he set a trap the hot heads in South Carolina would bite on to make them the aggressor in the coming war. He didn't count on,that once shots were fired, it was pretty much a done deal Virginia would join her southern sisters. Lincoln was invoking the militia act of 1792, which gives the President the authority to call out the militias of the several states "Whenever the laws of the United States shall be opposed or the execution thereof obstructed,in any state,by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings,or by the powers vested in the (US)Marshal's for this act. The Militia act of 1792 was passed by Congress and signed into law by George Washington with the Shays' Rebellion of 1784, in mind and it was used to put down the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Both those uprisings were in Yankee states and the US Army later prepared to invade New England to preserve Federal authority,in 1814,had the Hartford Convention voted for secession in order for New England to make a separate peace with Britain in the War of 1812. President Madison moved US troops from the Buffalo New York area where they were involved in the invasion of Canada,to the New York State capital of Albany,to put them into position to invade Massachusetts and Connecticut where most of the secessionist talk was coming from. In New England's case,cooler heads and Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans,saved the Union. Had they not,It would have been a southern slave owning President ordering federal troops to invade New England and Madison would have quoted the exact same law that Lincoln did in 1861,to support his position. Andrew Jackson would almost use this law and a further "Force act" by Congress to face down South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis of 1832/1833. How is invoking a federal law on the books for 70 years,used once and nearly used twice more,Unconstitutional? The driving force before the war was not weapons contracts or railroads,It was which section of the nation would have control of the national government and the balance of power in the Senate. Take a look at our Presidents,House Speakers and Supreme Court Chief Justices before the Civil War and its plain as day,the south had dominance of federal levers of power,way out of proportion of its white population. Southern slave interests had no problem using federal power to protect their institutions even when they intruded on the policies of the free states,such as the Fugitive Slave law,which forced free states to assist slave posses in recovering "lost property" even from the streets of Boston. As long as the south controlled Washington by electing its own to high office,or backing yankees who owed "favors" to slave interests, everything was ok. Once the north was able to elect a President (Lincoln) who owed nothing to the south and it became clear that all future states in the west would be free,that's when the deep south wanted out. Negotiations would have done nothing to pull the union back together because what the south wanted wasn't just Constitutional protection of slavery,but the opening of the west to slavery and new slave states being formed to maintain a southern Senate voting block big enough to filibuster any future attempts to end it. While the north was willing to pass an amendment protecting slavery,it would not allow it in the western territories,mostly for economic reasons, but increasingly,in response to out cries from anti slavery New Englanders in Congress. At best, negotiations would have resulted in the deep south leaving the union peacefully in exchange for giving up any rights to the west. Virginia,Tennessee,North Carolina and Arkansas would have stayed in the union and formed a voting block with the border states (Kentucky,Missouri,Maryland) and midwestern states that became Copperhead hot beds in the Civil War(Ohio,Indiana,Illinois) to force the northeast to accept normal relations with the CSA, while pushing for a long term policy of gradual emancipation (and resettlement to Liberia) of slaves in the US,while New England would push for full citizenship.
@@darthroden i know you wrote this 6 years ago. perhaps your view is changed, i'd hope so... but i'm seeing it for the first time now, so i'm replying: i don't know about north carolina or tennessee, but arkansas was absolutely going to secede... it was a foregone conclusion. we know this because 3 months prior to their official secession, the arkansas militia forcibly marched all federal soldiers stationed in the territory outside state lines, and handed over every arsenal/fort in the state over to the confederate government. virginia, likewise, was going to secede, because much of their delegation/military leadership were part of the elitist planter class who wanted to preserve slavery, *including* people like robert e. lee, george pickett, and to an extension, stonewall jackson. the south was not willing to negotiate. the north did everything in their power to try and compromise with the south, but the south was never willing to compromise themselves. hell, the north went so far as to even *guarantee* the survival of slavery with the corwin amendment, and the south *STILL* rejected it and seceded anyway, because they wanted to expand slavery out west, the one thing the federal government wasn't willing to negotiate over. upon secession, southern militias began to attack federal soldiers and seize federal property/equipment in order to build up an army, an army which the confederate congress authorized jeff davis to raise... all this happened *before* they fired on fort sumter, by the way... the south were the ones who wanted a war. davis wasn't a "puppet" of the planter class... he was *apart* of the planter class. all the confederate generals, all the confederate diplomats, cabinet members, any high ranking official in the army and government, were all part of the elitist plantation society. the average confederate soldier, though poor and fighting for their homes, knew that by extension, they were also fighting for slavery, and they took that very seriously. don't listen to gods and generals lol.
@@derps8690 LMAO! ROFL! Oh wow, thank you soooo much for "educating" me. I needed someone like you to come along and show me the error of my ways....(FYI this is sarcasm in case you didn't pick it up the first time). Sorry that my comment triggered you so much, but unlike you I actually wrote what I wrote based on the art of storytelling, not to play SJW like you seem to be.
For all of you commenting here as if this were based on an actual event, it wasn't; not at all. The military academy where the kids were from had been closed at the time of the Union cavalry raid by Union authorities. This incident wasn’t even in the initial script. It was the brainchild of John Ford after he became acquainted with the now unfortunately defunct Jefferson College (its official name, though it was a military academy and college prep school, 1811-1964) after filming had begun in the area. The VMI cadets would have been much older than these kids, largely 17 to 21, i.e., college students and not middle to high school as was Jefferson. Some of these kids looked as young as twelve. Yes, it's a great scene from movie history, but not a bit of it is true and not all that much regarding the movie as a whole.
I guess that you could say that it was "inspired by" an actual event, namely the mobilization of the VMI Keydets in 1864 and their participation in the Battle of New Market. I am not aware of any military prep school cadets fighting as a unit. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Yes, I meant 1863 and Chickamauga. Thank you for the correction. You might be right concerning the inadequacy of the Confederate RR system, but Longstreet seemed to think it was at least somewhat adequate to facilitate his strategic vision.
I am Graduate Of Riverside Military Academy Gainesville Georgia, a Son of the Confederacy, The Stars and Bars are tattooed on my Heart . God and Country
3;04-3:05 and 3:18-3:19 Have to compliment the director for realistic artillery impacts. Thankfully, we are spared the usual "Hollywood-napalm-flame" rounds that are so in-vogue with action movies! This scene is one of my all-time favorites in any movie@
You failed to mention the 65,000 African Americans that served in the southern armies, or the fact they held ranks and were not segregated like the northern armies. Those human flesh owners as you called them, treated the slaves better than Lincoln and the feds treat the freed African Americans and the immigrants in the sweat shops up north, which had a 60% fatality rate. Many slaves were raped and murdered by union troops as they raided plantations.
I've probably said it before but at the risk of boring this scene may have nothing to do with history but it has a lot to do with great American film making, It's just bloody terrific.
I believe this is based in part on the Battle of New Market (May 15, 1864) when VMI Cadets took to the battlefield and actually inflicted a partial defeat on the Union men, who did not want to shoot at children.
after that partal defeat though the union did shoot them afterwards. when you see that happening you know the end is near for your enemy and you have to shoot them down. it is the only thing to do to end it quick other wise any defeat like that at new market will only prolong the war.
A blood relative of mine, Major General John C. Breckinridge, Commander of the Trans Alleghency Department (renamed the Department of East Tennessee and West Virginia), Confederate States of America, gave the order, to wit: "Put the boys in and may God forgive me for the order." when the 257 VMI cadets were submitted to the Battle of New Market, Virginia on 15 May 1864.
I love the story about General Breckenridge, Vice President Breckenridge...When he and Johnson were surrendering to General Sherman.. Sherman gave him and Johnson only one drink of Whiskey... And poured another for himself... The point is the Breckenridge thought Sherman had bad manners. I love this story... Did you see how Sherman hogged the Whiskey.... Grins.. .
Since it has been a while since I last seen the movie in whole, I do not remember that part. I did notice that it is on TV this coming week and will attempt to watch in full again. In real life, MG Breckenridge did not surrender to Sherman but escaped to Cuba and then to Europe. It was a couple of years after the war that he returned home to Kentucky. Thank you for your comment.
The following morning when the generals met for the second time at the Bennett Place, Johnston asked that Confederate Secretary of War Breckenridge be admitted to the discussions in order to help work out the points concerning President Davis and his cabinet. After approximately half an hour of conversation on the subject, Johnston presented a plan which had been written earlier. Sherman listened, then sat down and wrote out the terms agreed upon at that time. In conceding the point of general amnesty, Sherman gave Breckenridge, who had been traveling with Davis' party, the hint that President Davis and his cabinet should make their escape before their amnesty could be challenged in Washington.
Wayne your given Gen Breckenridge less credit than is his due.. He was Secretary of War and as such he had as much or more authority to agree to a Blanket Surrender for all CSA forces.... He was a hell of a guy! The more you know about the South and the war , the more you can appreciate how decent these people were.....Remember, God Save The South and all America.
***** You are gravely mistaken that I given Major General/Secretary of War John C. Breckenridge less credit than what he is due. In late February 1865, he knew that the Confederate cause was lost and he did attempt to lay the groundwork for a surrender, it was President Jefferson Finis Davis who wanted to continue the war. You can be greatly assured that I am very knowledgeable about this nation's history from exploration. colonization to the present. As for the Great American Conflict of 1861-1865, I had both family blood and ties who supported and fought on each side. My own grandfather, Lieutenant William Finis McClanahan, served in both the 30th Tennessee Regiment, CSA, and Company C, 12th Tennessee Cavalry, LTG Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps, CSA. Maybe someday, I will enlighten you of other family blood and ties, other than, MG/Secretary of War Breckenridge and my grandfather, who supported and fought for each side, including Jefferson Finis Davis, General Robert Edward Lee and LTG Jonathan Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson for the Confederacy and MG Robert Anderson (Fort Sumter), MG Napoleon B. Buford and his brother, MG John Buford (Gettysburg) for the Union.
Not counting the artistic license, this really happened in Tallahassee, Florida at the Battle of Natural Bridge. The boys from what is Now FSU along with the old men of the "Gadsden Grays" defeated the Union attack on Tallahassee and the ROTC unit at FSU flys a Battle Streamer on their guidon.
MarvelDcImage Thank you for picking that up. I went back and saw the relevant scene within the entire movie. I had forgotten about it as I hadn't seen the film in many years. That explains where the reb drummer boy came from whom the Yankee caught. Watching this cut scene, I also had wondered what the point of the one worried looking woman was. I had guessed the implication was that one of the cadets was her son but hadn’t connected him to the boy "taken prisoner." Good work, Marvel , and thanks again!
+MarvelDcImage Yes, it was sort of a comedy-drama type scene. Also, the uncut scene has the Confederate battery commander ordering: "Fire Peter"" thus explaining the two commands in the cut scene of: "Fire Paul." I wonder how the good reverend colonel felt about that! The kids were real cadets from (the soon to be defunct) Jefferson College, a boys' military academy. According to strict Hollywood union rules, the ones with a speaking part (even one line or word!) had to join the union, an additional expense for Ford. He must have really wanted this scene in. (Maybe the two boys with speaking parts were child actors already in SAG. If so, they did a very good Deep South accent, the cadet major and the hapless drummer boy: "You dirty Yankee!" Poor kid. He got no respect: first humiliated by his mom in front of his friends and then by the enemy!)
I came from the north but don't claim it any longer. I am a student of history and ex- Army officer and the more I learn about history the more I side with the South. I love my country but not what it has become .This is a lawless nation which needs to get back to our roots, Constitution and Bill of Rights. If a new war between the states should begin, I know what side I'll be taking. This time the south will win and that's for sure and for certain. If war is what they want than let it begin here and I shall be first to give them their wish. Molan Labe
Although a Southerner, I've followed the same path in regards to the rest of the story. Even as a kid, I realized there was something 'fishy' about Civil War history and the adoration for Lincoln.
I wish you had not cut out the scenes where him mother dragged him from the ranks and when he escaped from the upstairs window. THOSE were classic scenes!
"That's just some kids from the military school." "Yeah, but they keep coming!"
Lol I like how it took them getting shot at to finally get moving. You're not related to General Robert E Lee by chance are you?
That day those "kids" became Men and Warriors.
😅😅😅😅
My Great-Great Granpa Neville was in the 21st Mississippi from January 1862 until the surrender at Appomattox. He fought in no less than 47 engagements and brought home an 1860 Spencer Repeater that he got off of a trooper in the 58th Indiana at Chicamauga. His Granddaughter, my Great Aunt Deanni used to tell us stories of his exploits during the Rebellion. In 1961, at the age of 7, she gave me the Spencer AND the rifle he had carried all through the Rebellion, an 1816 Flintlock Musket.
What treasures!!!
My GR GR Grandfathers fought for the CSA from Texas and Tennessee LOYALTY TO THEIR STATES AND THE SOUTH.
That is an exceedingly rare American Civil War trophy! Your GGGf was a brave man.
Still a bunch of losers who supported slavery
1816 Flintlock Musket? What an old rifle to carry, even in the Civil War. "The 1853 Enfield Pattern Rifle Musket was the most-used shoulder weapon by Confederate soldiers. The Springfield M1816 musket? Many of these old flintlock muskets were converted to the percussion system and some of the barrels were even rifled to accept the Minié ball. The quality of these conversions varies from manufacturer."
I love it when the cadets march out of their academy seeing the little guy bringing up the rear stumbling along, and the two kids with the mumps left behind looking wistfully on. It’s little touches like these that are the marks of a great director!
Hmmm, the classmates of my father we're went off against an American armoured column, may also have looked dashing... Too few came back...
That's why John Ford the director won four academy awards
Joe Biden still claims it as his military service.
@@tillposer88
.
@@tillposerpanzerfaust brats?
A memorable scene!! It may have been based on the 257 VMI cadets who fought at the Battle of New Market on 15 May 1864. Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge gave the order to commit the cadets to battle, saying "Put the boys in..and may God forgive me for the order." Ten cadets were killed in action in the service of the Confederacy. They died as soldiers. On May 15th each year VMI honors those cadets at a memorial ceremony.
John, I have thought for years (I saw this film as a little boy and learned to love that song, even though I am a Yankee by birth) that John Ford's use of sentimentality, patriotism and layers of symbolism may have had the VMI cadets is mind. I guess we will never know. I do know that while stationed in Texas, I saw a beautiful piece of Civil War art in a gallery (in the style of Kunstler) depicting the cadets. I regret not adding to my collection.
It must have been out of desperation.
ALL of the cadets who went to the war from OLE MISS died at Gettysburg.
This part is not fictional. This event actually happened. The military school in the movie is the one from the 1860's. Unfortunately, it closed for good just a few years after this movie was filmed.
God bless 'em all!!
This is my favorite john Wayne movie from 1959 John Wayne is an legend
Don't suppose you know of any other Civil War movie's John Wayne was in?
He was a racist.
@@rc59191 "Rio Lobo" from 1970, I believe, has a very novel & exciting opening Civil War sequence in which Wayne is deeply involved. Rest of movie postwar but a good story. "The Undefeated", 1969, perhaps, has a good Civil War sequence in first segment, again, with Wayne front & center. Then, postwar. "Quantrill's Raiders", much earlier, actually is prewar, set in Bleeding Kansas. Wayne stars with Walter Pidgeon.
@rc59191 I forgot to mention that Wayne actually plays Sherman, alongside Grant, in the Civil War segment of "How the West Was Won", 1963, I think. The sequence is set during the Battle of Shiloh & is quite good.
I think Wayne s got the wrong uniform on I think he s got a soft spot for the south he was a racist anti native Indian probably anti catholic and anti jew William holden was good in the horse soldiers
On 15 May 1864, the VMI Corps of Cadets fought as an independent unit at the Battle of New Market.[17] VMI suffered fifty-two casualties with ten cadets killed. The cadets were led into battle by the Commandant of Cadets and future VMI Superintendent Colonel Scott Shipp. Shipp was also wounded during the battle. Six of the ten fallen cadets are buried on VMI grounds behind the statue "Virginia Mourning Her Dead" by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, a VMI graduate who was also wounded in the
My Grandfather Lieutenant Colonel Su-Sing's "boss" was Chinese Nationalist General Sun Li-jen KBE, who was nicknamed the "Rommel of the East" due to his military achievements versus the Japanese and Chi-Coms, graduated VMI's Class of 1927.
VMI = V.M.I. = Virginia Military Institute
@@Lao_Xiashi0:00 I'm
@@garywilliams6258 ?
No doubt the leftists will want that statue removed.
Love this film, saw it as a boy and can still enjoy it as if the first time!
What could have been a horrible scene was humorously and compassionately done. Bravo, Mr. Ford.
It also has a touch of satire. These boys are playing at war and the only reason they didn’t suffer any casualties was that the Union horsemen were more interested in getting to Union lines as quickly as possible. Also, any possibility of fighting was ruined due to the artillery barrage.
@@WorldWar2freak94 The scene is, of course, inspired by the historical Battle of New Market, in which the corps of cadets of the Virginia Military Institute led a charge against Union forces.
@@odysseusrex5908 the Field of Lost Shoes
@@WorldWar2freak94Pas sûr !
@armynurseboy that movie could have rivaled Gettysburg if it had a better director.
I loved this scene. Those precious little boys fighting for their state.
Another great movie.
Traitors to their Nation.
@@downunderrob
So wrong.
A war for right is just.
Study history. Study our constitution & the Declaration of Independence.
@@downunderrobno they were the true patriots of the country 🫡🫡🫡 and our Southern heritage
@chrisjohnson7039 Patriots? 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 I know you meant Traitors in Armed Insurrection against the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 🇺🇸
You do remember the USA, don't you?
Dress it up any way you like.
The Confederacy were a bunch of turncoats who just wanted to keep degrading their fellow man.
@@downunderrobwe are not a nation but a Union of fifty nation states.
MY WIFE AND I ARE CIVIL WAR REENACTORS . WE WATCHED THIS AT MY BROTHERS AND HIS WIFES HOUSE . WE STARTED SINGING "THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG" .THEY SHOOK THIER HEADS AND LAUGHED !
Bravo Sir!! BRAVO!
brings tears to my eyes
This was filmed at Chamberlain Hunt Military Academy in Port Gibson Mississippi. Great job!!!
As John Ford once said..."It was not the way it was,,,but it was the way it should have been!
There were 247 VMI cadets who lost 10 dead and 47 wounded, they captured cannons from Union Army under Sigel. It was a Union defeat for sure, but no real effect on the outcome of the war.
This scene has been edited. It's missing the part where the mother imposes on the Confederate Reverend to release her son from going since his father and brothers have already been killed. The reverend does but then the boys sneaks out of the house and rejoins his comrades, Great scene from a great flick.
biff mcdermott that’s the same boy who gets spanked I believe haha
Amazon Prime has an excellent UN-EDITED FULL VERSION - - 2 hr. movie
One great film indeed
I recall seeing that scene and the Reverend yells out relived of duty !!
A great scene from a great movie! Cheers from Australia.
Is Breaker Morant still a popular movie? One of my favorites.
One of John Wayne's greatest movies, a magnificent scene. Also one of the best civil war movies. Deosn't try to make the south look bad. They don't make em like this anymore.
"Yes, Colonel, what are you going to do?
"With all due respects, Mam , I'm going to get the hell out of here."
Well, the South was bad, so...
i dunno chief, sending actual children to fight in your war to keep people as property is pretty bad.
you ever think maybe it's because of movies like this that people think the slaveholding south wasn't "bad?"
The South was defeated, any country who 6:17 puts CHILDREN into battle deserves to lose, eg the nazis ,oh wait the confederacy was the same thing,
confederacy
Good cannon recoil, impt detail many war films do not have.
I'm no expert, but I'm sure those aren't 12 pounder Napoleons. Looks more like heavy artillery than field guns.
@@53kills IIRC, they are replica British 9 pounders from a previous movie. Cant remember which one.
Ya there's nothing more irritating than cannons that only have the smoke for fire coming out of them with no recoil whatsoever. I mean seriously how hard is it to replicate that older movies have been doing it for years.
With no ball there's no recoil
But they have 1873 45-70 Trapdoor Carbines!!! Too Bad They Didn’t Have the Spencer Carbines!!!!!!☹️☹️☹️
I love "The Horse Soldiers". I first saw it at the local cinema in my home town many years ago; it ignited a lifelong interest in the War Between the States and American history generally. My brother and I used to play at being Colonel Marlowe and Doc Kendall, and my little sister was drunken Sergeant Kirby, with the occasional switch to Gin'l Nathan Bedford Forrest and his Reb cavalry. As we lived in a rural area and spent most of our free time on horseback we were able to spend many happy hours as childhood 're-enactors'. I have the film on DVD, and still watch it from time to time, even though, by the standards of more recent films of the genre such as "Gettysburg", it is a bit corny. RIP John (Colonel Marlowe) Wayne.
I can't speak to any sort of realism in this film, but those kids must have been having the time of their lives. I mean, going on a cavalry charge with John Wayne himself? probably the dream of every boy back then.
I saw this when I was younger and could never remember the movie. Thanks for uploading this classic
"Artillery fire Sir. Hidden battery." (thank you Sgt. Maj. obvious)
yeah, he got a battlefield promotion to Captain Obvious.
Great flick based on Grierson's Raid. No doubt the most lavish & realistic portrayal of the Civil War up to that time with many impressive, evocative scenes, hampered only a little by a contrived & unnecessary romance. It was made & released as a lead-up to the Civil War Centennial, only about a year or so away.
The ironic thing was that gierson was no John Wayne and didn't like horses. However he used his brain and thought outside if the box.
Salute to the VMI cadets who fought in the civil
War.
Still my favorite part of this film. BTW - The voice of the Reverend/Colonel is priceless.
Makes my Southern heart proud seeing the column move out...
Vous êtes Sudiste et ces trous du cul de whokyste vous interdisent le drapeau à la Croix de Saint André ! Réveillons-nous à notre tour pour lutter contre ces ennemis !
still brings chills up my spine. You may destroy the monuments but you can't destroy history.
Yep can't change the fact they lost 🤷🏻♂️
Spot on.
Ah yes, having to use literal children in combat roles is something we should all be proud of 😑
@@ashkash8686 Very nearly won against insurmountable numbers…
@@michaelbarnett2527 More like "Utterly defeated by Superior Union command and resources, unable to feed or equip themselves, and unable to garner help and recognition from foreign powers due to the insurmountable fact that their cause, rooted in and dedicated to the continuation and expansion of slavery, was abhorrent to the civilized world."
My favorite charge, honor & humor, John Ford's Civil War.
It is an 1861 Irish song. Unit song of Kelly's Irish Brigade and southern Irish Regiments. Unofficial southern anthem.
2:35)They are carrying the CS Navy battle ensign and the 2nd National Standard, AKA "The Stainless Banner". The Blue Flag had a big white star centered.
3:00) Firing the cannon from behind could get them ran over when the cannon recoils.
Absolutely great scene from a great movie about the Secession War (no one outside the USA knows it as "Civil War"). The Spanish dubbing (From Spain) is quite well done and is one of our favorite John Wayne movies in our house. Thanks for the video.
I am from outside the U.S. and have been studying this conflict for years, and it has always been referred to as the American Civil War.
When the Cadets march out I spot at least 2 artillery pieces sitting in the assembly yard that could have been put to better use on a day like that! There WERE no Kids on the Civil War battlefields. When War is fought at home everyone is a soldier. Lets pray it never comes to that again.
Just listen and have fun; it is always a pleasure to hear this song.
Beautiful tune. Love it.
Virginia still has boys and girls as brave (as those Lexington, VA lads in 1863 immortalized in the Horse Soldiers,) in our military academies and schools here... more military schools than any other state in the Nation
For VIRGINIA!!!
But now they fight for the United States.
That was 1863, look at our kids today, God help and forgive us.
That was 1864 you can see the 2nd national flag of the confederacy in the video.
Gamma Crafter
well, still the same concept
Flag&Anthem
Its hollywood not history. The flags are all out of context and the uniforms for the cavalry are WAY off
True
WTF does that mean? the Confederacy started the first draft in early 1862, the Federal Gov didn't until 1863
Soldiers marching into battle to music. Its always a stirring site. Cool Post, now I have to watch this movie.
One of the best songs ever.
This is undoubtable the best of the best truthful movie part of the War between the States..
that scene still chokes me up.
"One of the most memorable moments in the Horse Soldiers 1959" Yes, of course.
One of my favorite movie scenes of all time!
Battle of New Market. Cadets put in the line. Area now known as the field of lost shoes. Cadets were always issued grown man shoes. Their field of battle was very wet and soggy. The mud pulled their shoes off. They acquitted them selves well. There is a tv movie about them.
Stopped and walked that field on way back from Charlottesville last year. Recommend it-very compact battlefield and mostly intact save the Federal far left flank where the interstate went through + 2 good museums on site.
Sad they dont make movies like this anymore ..
One of the best films ever,God Bless them all,
Battle of New Market, Va. Those BOYS, actually won the battle, beating they yanks and securing that win on the battlefield.
4:19 Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!Just perfect! I`m love this moment.
"Well, at least that Holy Joe ain't no kid"
😅😅😅
First civil war movie that shows realistic cannon firing recoil.
This breaks my heart.....
Beautiful rendition Sir.
THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET, VIRGINIA
yes.
The Cadets were the boys at Virginia Military Institute.
No, not in this case
Cadets in the film were from the Jefferson Military Academy. The actual event, that the movie segment was based on, took place on 05-15-1864 by cadets from the Virginia Military Academy. Battle of New Market.
Fighting spirit. That IS the South...
Thank you sir !!! How brave will we have to be ! The battle is coming will have to fight the fight is coming.soon.
May God bless them
Slavery and traitors, that was the south.
@@marletamisch6709 You know why Jefferson Davis was never taken before a court and tried for treason after the war? It's because they knew Davis would have won the case by simply referring to the Constitution and unloading the Union's repeated breaches of said document. There was no way they were going to have such a show put on for the whole world to see.
@marletamisch6709 really? You do know that slavery was born and continued under the stars and sripes, yes? You do realize that Maryland, a northern Yankee state, held her slaves a full two years after the start of the war, right? And you do realize that Lincoln said he wouldn't sign the anti slavery act if the south would not leave the union, right? AND you do realize that Lincoln himself knew and discussed that his war was unconstitutional and that is the reason they would not prosecute Jeff Davis, right? And you do realize that the south already had a rapidly growing anti slavery movement before the war, right? So in other words, the war was not about slavery but about states rights. The very reason for the NEXT civil war.
my 2nd favorite movie of all time right behind Ft Apache
Peter and Paul are the names given to two Confederate artillery pieces.
Stonewall Jackson had four artillery pieces and he named them Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. He said he would "deliver the Gospel to the enemy" or something to that effect.
Truly one of my favorite scenes.
“The rebels have now in their ranks their last man. The little boys and old men are guarding prisoners, guarding railway bridges, and forming a good number of their garrisons in entrenched positions. A man lost by them cannot be replaced. They have robbed the cradle and the grave equally to get their present force. Besides what they lose in frequent battles and skirmishes they are now losing in desertions and other causes at least on regiment per day.”- Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant, August 1864.
One of the greatest presidents we ever had.
@@Nebris LOL, one o fthe most corrupt. Not a great general either...when you have 2 to 1 advantage its easy to win. Even for a drunk like grant.
You have to realize unlike the north who forced tens if not hundreds of thousands of Irish into the army the South only had their citizens and the numerous Native tribes that fought with them. So yeah after 4 years of war they had lost or had injured a large part of the southern male population of fighting age.
And still they fought, surely all Americans today can feel proud of that.
I loved that part as a little kid. I noticed the part where the mother pulled her kid out of the marching formation as they went off to battle wasn't in there. That was a funny part.
Wow they actually got them to leave. And the spanking of the "prisoner of war" was utterly hilarious lol.
the one doing the spanking was Ken aka Festus Hagen Curtis from gunsmoke fame.
My great great granddaddy stood only 5 feet tall and was with Pickett's division at Gettysburg. Said the only reason he survived was the damn Yankees was all shootin' to high. He had thirteen daughters. All married Confederate soldiers. All were widows at war's end
I believe this episode is based on historical fact. My ancestors fought in the Union Army, but they respected the valor and courage of the Confederate soldiers. And it needs to be remembered that relatively few of the soldiers in gray owned slaves or cared about slavery. They were fighting for states rights and for their homes.
Yes it is it's based on the Battle of New Market where the VMI Cadets temporarily routed the Union troops in the Shenandoah Valley. You should watch the movie The Field of Lost Shoes it's not as great or epic as Gettysburg but it goes into deep detail about the Battle of New Market. Also pretty cool that Jason Isaacs plays General Breckinridge.
All the Slaves were owned by 3% of the Southern Population - the Plantation Owners. The rest of those poor dirt farmers were NOT fighting for those rich guys.
.
Another movie. With outstanding actors.
God have mercy on all who died in that great war . neither side was totally right but all were brave and deserve respect .
+JOSEPH CORSBIE Although I am fully for the Confederacy, I agree with you. I believe the Southern cause was totally right, but I still honor and respect those who fought for the Union. I've a lot of friends who are reenactors, many of them are Union, and not once have we disagreed on a subject regarding the war. Even slavery. In fact, the Union reenactors are even angered by the shits who say the South fought for slavery because that's direct disrespect and slander to the men who fought for the South. If only everyone could just accept the truth and respect the Confederates like many a Yank did and still does to this day. Deo Vindice, sir
+WizKid 1123 '''my family history has over 40 Confederates 37th N.C. and 4th Alabama cavalry . also 2 yanks , one who was awarded the MEDAL of HONOR for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay . and Andrew Johnson Vice President of the U.S. that's why its also called the war of brother against brother .
JOSEPH CORSBIE Yup. It was terrible. Brother fought brother, father fought son. It sickens me that today, we're treating the men who fought and died for the South's side of the war worse than how Vietnam vets were treated. Not only are they being shit on and slandered by society, our governent is shitting on them and slandering them. They're also trying to erase them. the only thing they do when pieces of shit like Black Lives Matter desecrate, deface, and destroy Confederate monuments, memorials, and graves is side with Black Lives Matter and remove those monuments, memorials, and graves. They've gone so far as to try to dig up the graves of Confederates and remove the bodies. It's now to the point where the law doesn't apply to you if you're committing crimes against pro-Confederates. Theft, trespassing, assault & battery,harassment, vandalism, arson, death threats, and even murder for fuck's sake. Even the lond deceased Union veterans would be disgusted with the national bigotry of their former foes and today's pro-Confederates
+WizKid 1123 Lincoln was clever though, twisting it all to be an issue of slavery. Otherwise he would have run out of volunteers. "Keeping the union together" didn't have the same emotional appeal.
+WizKid 1123 Somebody does know facts of Civil War. Hizzah!
...saw this movie at the old Lee Theater in Fort Lee, NJ with mom, dad & my two brothers (all deceased)...
Those boys have coordination than every enemy in every other movie
Except for that scene in front of the academy, which is the Jefferson Military Academy, Natchez, Miss... the entire movie was filmed in and around Natchitoches, La. The scene of the two boys on the front balcony, with the mumps, is the Wright House, in downtown, historic Natchitoches. All the river scenes, including the bridge being blown up, is the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The forest scenes were filmed in the Kistachie National Forest, again in Natchitoches Parish.
I quite like how a scene thats supposed to show the tragedy and somberness of sending literal children off to war is being interpreted by those of questionable minds as some glorious event.
I graduated from a military high school folks, they are schools first, military second. The reverend knew full well his column was marching to death, he lead it thusly. There’s no glory in that, nor glory to be found in a kid who’s barley started living getting killed.
There were lots of teenage boys in the Confederate army. My greatgranddy went to fight at the age of 17.
Since this is a film and not a documentary, I suppose that what many viewers like of this scene is that John Wayne´s Colonel decides to retreat so as not to inflict casualties among the boys...
The best movie that we get to see the western theater :(
The scene is classic...and hilarious!
Besides "Master and Commander: Far Side of the World"
This is probably one of my favorite movie endings of all time.
I really wish that movie would get a sequel since there's multiple book's they can use.
If only the war itself had been so bloodless as this "battle" was.
Ironically those kids can rightly claim to their children and grandchildren how they defended their homes and "drove off" the Yankee invaders.
I do appreciate the impartiality of the movie. It showed both sides in a positive light and though the main characters were the Northerners and John Wayne as the Yankee colonel, the Southern characters were not the classic villains but depicted fairly as simply people defending their home ground.
Cap America
I would point out that Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas would probably not have seceded at all if Lincoln had not ordered the governors of those States to furnish soldiers in violation of the US Constitution. If he hadn't they wouldn't have, Robert E. Lee would have accepted the rank of US Major General and the CSA would have been finished before the end of summer.
Plus if you really want to look at who started the war, it was egged on for years before this by Northern industrialists and railroad barons who were anxious to get fat government contracts for weapons manufacturing. Negotiations done in earnest would have brought the South back to the Union, but instead Lincoln was a puppet of the military establishment. Davis was a puppet also, of the plantation class and those who controlled the blockade runners.
Yep, plenty of people profited from that war in both sides, and the poor folk where the ones who did the dying. You wanna know what caused the war and what it was all about: The dollar. That's what every war is about.
Cap America
That's okay Mr. New-castrati. I knew if I dumbed it down for you, you'd at least begin to get it.
Samurai Momo
I would imagine that had Virginia stayed Union, it would be with the understanding that no action would
be taken to recover federal property or enforce United States laws,in the south,even after Fort Sumpter
was fired on.
In history,that was the cause Lincoln used to call on the various governors to provide troops to help him enforce federal laws and protect federal property.
For Virginia to stay union,there couldn't have been a call issued by Lincoln for federal troops.
Therefore,no need to offer Robert E. Lee command of a Union Army which would not exist.
That also means he couldn't finish the CSA "before the end of the summer" because Virginia would
only support the union if it did not attack a southern state, even after such a state had already fired
on the US flag and United States forces.
The deep south saw the situation after Lincoln's election as one of "It's now or never" to make a bid for independence, so they were primed to force the issue at Fort Sumpter before negotiations could play out.
Lincoln knew the deep south was determined to leave the union and didn't want negotiations to work, so
he set a trap the hot heads in South Carolina would bite on to make them the aggressor in the coming war.
He didn't count on,that once shots were fired, it was pretty much a done deal Virginia would join her
southern sisters.
Lincoln was invoking the militia act of 1792, which gives the President the authority to call out the militias
of the several states "Whenever the laws of the United States shall be opposed or the execution thereof obstructed,in any state,by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings,or by the powers vested in the (US)Marshal's for this act.
The Militia act of 1792 was passed by Congress and signed into law by George Washington with the
Shays' Rebellion of 1784, in mind and it was used to put down the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.
Both those uprisings were in Yankee states and the US Army later prepared to invade New England
to preserve Federal authority,in 1814,had the Hartford Convention voted for secession in order for New England to make a separate peace with Britain in the War of 1812.
President Madison moved US troops from the Buffalo New York area where they were involved in the
invasion of Canada,to the New York State capital of Albany,to put them into position to invade
Massachusetts and Connecticut where most of the secessionist talk was coming from.
In New England's case,cooler heads and Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans,saved the Union.
Had they not,It would have been a southern slave owning President ordering federal troops to invade
New England and Madison would have quoted the exact same law that Lincoln did in 1861,to support
his position.
Andrew Jackson would almost use this law and a further "Force act" by Congress to face down
South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis of 1832/1833.
How is invoking a federal law on the books for 70 years,used once and nearly used twice more,Unconstitutional?
The driving force before the war was not weapons contracts or railroads,It was which section of the nation would have control of the national government and the balance of power in the Senate.
Take a look at our Presidents,House Speakers and Supreme Court Chief Justices before the Civil War
and its plain as day,the south had dominance of federal levers of power,way out of proportion of its white population.
Southern slave interests had no problem using federal power to protect their institutions even when they intruded on the policies of the free states,such as the Fugitive Slave law,which forced free states to assist slave posses in recovering "lost property" even from the streets of Boston.
As long as the south controlled Washington by electing its own to high office,or backing yankees who
owed "favors" to slave interests, everything was ok.
Once the north was able to elect a President (Lincoln) who owed nothing to the south and it became
clear that all future states in the west would be free,that's when the deep south wanted out.
Negotiations would have done nothing to pull the union back together because what the south wanted
wasn't just Constitutional protection of slavery,but the opening of the west to slavery and new slave states being formed to maintain a southern Senate voting block big enough to filibuster any future attempts to
end it.
While the north was willing to pass an amendment protecting slavery,it would not allow it in the western territories,mostly for economic reasons, but increasingly,in response to out cries from anti slavery
New Englanders in Congress.
At best, negotiations would have resulted in the deep south leaving the union peacefully in exchange
for giving up any rights to the west.
Virginia,Tennessee,North Carolina and Arkansas would have stayed in the union and formed
a voting block with the border states (Kentucky,Missouri,Maryland) and midwestern states
that became Copperhead hot beds in the Civil War(Ohio,Indiana,Illinois) to force the northeast to
accept normal relations with the CSA, while pushing for a long term policy of gradual emancipation
(and resettlement to Liberia) of slaves in the US,while New England would push for full citizenship.
@@darthroden
i know you wrote this 6 years ago. perhaps your view is changed, i'd hope so... but i'm seeing it for the first time now, so i'm replying:
i don't know about north carolina or tennessee, but arkansas was absolutely going to secede... it was a foregone conclusion. we know this because 3 months prior to their official secession, the arkansas militia forcibly marched all federal soldiers stationed in the territory outside state lines, and handed over every arsenal/fort in the state over to the confederate government. virginia, likewise, was going to secede, because much of their delegation/military leadership were part of the elitist planter class who wanted to preserve slavery, *including* people like robert e. lee, george pickett, and to an extension, stonewall jackson.
the south was not willing to negotiate. the north did everything in their power to try and compromise with the south, but the south was never willing to compromise themselves. hell, the north went so far as to even *guarantee* the survival of slavery with the corwin amendment, and the south *STILL* rejected it and seceded anyway, because they wanted to expand slavery out west, the one thing the federal government wasn't willing to negotiate over. upon secession, southern militias began to attack federal soldiers and seize federal property/equipment in order to build up an army, an army which the confederate congress authorized jeff davis to raise... all this happened *before* they fired on fort sumter, by the way... the south were the ones who wanted a war.
davis wasn't a "puppet" of the planter class... he was *apart* of the planter class. all the confederate generals, all the confederate diplomats, cabinet members, any high ranking official in the army and government, were all part of the elitist plantation society. the average confederate soldier, though poor and fighting for their homes, knew that by extension, they were also fighting for slavery, and they took that very seriously.
don't listen to gods and generals lol.
@@derps8690 LMAO! ROFL!
Oh wow, thank you soooo much for "educating" me. I needed someone like you to come along and show me the error of my ways....(FYI this is sarcasm in case you didn't pick it up the first time).
Sorry that my comment triggered you so much, but unlike you I actually wrote what I wrote based on the art of storytelling, not to play SJW like you seem to be.
My favorite John Wayne film and my favorite scene!
Can we all just enjoy the video and not have a pointless argument that'll lead nowhere?
***** Agreed.....The Duke, Bill Holden, Ben Johnson........actors for the ages.
fligemon Fine actors indeed !
***** Absolutely
I see you are new here lol
+Dutch_Atlantic_13 No because us southerners are still mad about these lying yankees and their stupid movies
Great scene from a great movie!
For all of you commenting here as if this were based on an actual event, it wasn't; not at all. The military academy where the kids were from had been closed at the time of the Union cavalry raid by Union authorities. This incident wasn’t even in the initial script. It was the brainchild of John Ford after he became acquainted with the now unfortunately defunct Jefferson College (its official name, though it was a military academy and college prep school, 1811-1964) after filming had begun in the area. The VMI cadets would have been much older than these kids, largely 17 to 21, i.e., college students and not middle to high school as was Jefferson. Some of these kids looked as young as twelve.
Yes, it's a great scene from movie history, but not a bit of it is true and not all that much regarding the movie as a whole.
There is a scene very much like this in Dr Zhivago.
I guess that you could say that it was "inspired by" an actual event, namely the mobilization of the VMI Keydets in 1864 and their participation in the Battle of New Market. I am not aware of any military prep school cadets fighting as a unit. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
@@simplock Yes, exactly. I agree.
Yes, I meant 1863 and Chickamauga. Thank you for the correction. You might be right concerning the inadequacy of the Confederate RR system, but Longstreet seemed to think it was at least somewhat adequate to facilitate his strategic vision.
what fun it must have been for those boys - to play army with John Wayne :)
I just finished re-reading Bruce Catton's Civil War trilogy. It is a must read.
Check out abbevilleinstitute.org they have books you've probably never heard of.
I am Graduate Of Riverside Military Academy Gainesville Georgia, a Son of the Confederacy, The Stars and Bars are tattooed on my Heart . God and Country
That would have been a story those young kids would have told their Grandchildren. Amazing.
3;04-3:05 and 3:18-3:19 Have to compliment the director for realistic artillery impacts. Thankfully, we are spared the usual "Hollywood-napalm-flame" rounds that are so in-vogue with action movies! This scene is one of my all-time favorites in any movie@
The movie is about an 1863 raid, regardless of flags or uniforms.
Love that the cadets are screaming the rebel yell while they got the bluebellies on the run!
I’m class of 1995. Hard to believe this happened, but it shows the bravery of these young men
Confederates named their artillery units after the apostles
One of the Duke’s BEST pictures!!!
You failed to mention the 65,000 African Americans that served in the southern armies, or the fact they held ranks and were not segregated like the northern armies. Those human flesh owners as you called them, treated the slaves better than Lincoln and the feds treat the freed African Americans and the immigrants in the sweat shops up north, which had a 60% fatality rate. Many slaves were raped and murdered by union troops as they raided plantations.
Butthurt neo-Confederate alert!!!
I've probably said it before but at the risk of boring this scene may have nothing to do with history but it has a lot to do with great American film making, It's just bloody terrific.
I miss the Duke. R.I.P. Big Guy
Great scene and great film.🎉
This should be one of the proudest moments of American History, but you won't see it in our schools.
Because it had no effect on the war.
This 5 minutes of film changed my life. Honestly. NO SURRENDER.
I believe this is based in part on the Battle of New Market (May 15, 1864) when VMI Cadets took to the battlefield and actually inflicted a partial defeat on the Union men, who did not want to shoot at children.
after that partal defeat though the union did shoot them afterwards. when you see that happening you know the end is near for your enemy and you have to shoot them down. it is the only thing to do to end it quick other wise any defeat like that at new market will only prolong the war.
A great movie. With great actors
A blood relative of mine, Major General John C. Breckinridge, Commander of the Trans Alleghency Department (renamed the Department of East Tennessee and West Virginia), Confederate States of America, gave the order, to wit: "Put the boys in and may God forgive me for the order." when the 257 VMI cadets were submitted to the Battle of New Market, Virginia on 15 May 1864.
I love the story about General Breckenridge, Vice President Breckenridge...When he and Johnson were surrendering to General Sherman.. Sherman gave him and Johnson only one drink of Whiskey... And poured another for himself... The point is the Breckenridge thought Sherman had bad manners. I love this story... Did you see how Sherman hogged the Whiskey.... Grins.. .
Since it has been a while since I last seen the movie in whole, I do not remember that part. I did notice that it is on TV this coming week and will attempt to watch in full again. In real life, MG Breckenridge did not surrender to Sherman but escaped to Cuba and then to Europe. It was a couple of years after the war that he returned home to Kentucky. Thank you for your comment.
The following morning when the generals met for the second time at the Bennett Place, Johnston asked that Confederate Secretary of War Breckenridge be admitted to the discussions in order to help work out the points concerning President Davis and his cabinet. After approximately half an hour of conversation on the subject, Johnston presented a plan which had been written earlier. Sherman listened, then sat down and wrote out the terms agreed upon at that time.
In conceding the point of general amnesty, Sherman gave Breckenridge, who had been traveling with Davis' party, the hint that President Davis and his cabinet should make their escape before their amnesty could be challenged in Washington.
Wayne your given Gen Breckenridge less credit than is his due.. He was Secretary of War and as such he had as much or more authority to agree to a Blanket Surrender
for all CSA forces.... He was a hell of a guy!
The more you know about the South and the war , the more you can appreciate how decent these people were.....Remember, God Save The South and all America.
***** You are gravely mistaken that I given Major General/Secretary of War John C. Breckenridge less credit than what he is due. In late February 1865, he knew that the Confederate cause was lost and he did attempt to lay the groundwork for a surrender, it was President Jefferson Finis Davis who wanted to continue the war. You can be greatly assured that I am very knowledgeable about this nation's history from exploration. colonization to the present. As for the Great American Conflict of 1861-1865, I had both family blood and ties who supported and fought on each side. My own grandfather, Lieutenant William Finis McClanahan, served in both the 30th Tennessee Regiment, CSA, and Company C, 12th Tennessee Cavalry, LTG Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps, CSA. Maybe someday, I will enlighten you of other family blood and ties, other than, MG/Secretary of War Breckenridge and my grandfather, who supported and fought for each side, including Jefferson Finis Davis, General Robert Edward Lee and LTG Jonathan Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson for the Confederacy and MG Robert Anderson (Fort Sumter), MG Napoleon B. Buford and his brother, MG John Buford (Gettysburg) for the Union.
Not counting the artistic license, this really happened in Tallahassee, Florida at the Battle of Natural Bridge. The boys from what is Now FSU along with the old men of the "Gadsden Grays" defeated the Union attack on Tallahassee and the ROTC unit at FSU flys a Battle Streamer on their guidon.
The Battle of Moon Lake Florida was another late war victory fought by a throw together army.
This cuts out the scene where the mom begs to have her drummer son removed from the battle and preacher agrees and the the son sneaks back.
MarvelDcImage Thank you for picking that up. I went back and saw the relevant scene within the entire movie. I had forgotten about it as I hadn't seen the film in many years. That explains where the reb drummer boy came from whom the Yankee caught. Watching this cut scene, I also had wondered what the point of the one worried looking woman was. I had guessed the implication was that one of the cadets was her son but hadn’t connected him to the boy "taken prisoner."
Good work, Marvel , and thanks again!
litwriter100 Thanks. The actions of the mom and her son make the scene poignant so it is puzzling why it is removed here.
+MarvelDcImage Yes, it was sort of a comedy-drama type scene. Also, the uncut scene has the Confederate battery commander ordering: "Fire Peter"" thus explaining the two commands in the cut scene of: "Fire Paul." I wonder how the good reverend colonel felt about that!
The kids were real cadets from (the soon to be defunct) Jefferson College, a boys' military academy. According to strict Hollywood union rules, the ones with a speaking part (even one line or word!) had to join the union, an additional expense for Ford. He must have really wanted this scene in. (Maybe the two boys with speaking parts were child actors already in SAG. If so, they did a very good Deep South accent, the cadet major and the hapless drummer boy: "You dirty Yankee!" Poor kid. He got no respect: first humiliated by his mom in front of his friends and then by the enemy!)
Try watching it on encore to
Try watching it on encore westerns on cable. It's there.
+Phil Benza I have seen this movie several times over the decades back when rabbit ears TV channels ran good re-run movies.
Interesing fact: this entire sequence is a nod to the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute, who took part in the Battle of New Market in 1864.
They actually had no working firearms. They charged with the bayonet only, and won.
I came from the north but don't claim it any longer. I am a student of history and ex- Army officer and the more I learn about history the more I side with the South. I love my country but not what it has become .This is a lawless nation which needs to get back to our roots, Constitution and Bill of Rights.
If a new war between the states should begin, I know what side I'll be taking.
This time the south will win and that's for sure and for certain. If war is what they want than let it begin here and I shall be first to give them their wish.
Molan Labe
Ditto! USAF Ret.
Although a Southerner, I've followed the same path in regards to the rest of the story. Even as a kid, I realized there was something 'fishy' about Civil War history and the adoration for Lincoln.
Someone is being a little drama llama.
Someone's being a good little Lincolnite.
I wish you had not cut out the scenes where him mother dragged him from the ranks and when he escaped from the upstairs window. THOSE were classic scenes!
From the window straight down the trellis!