PRODUCTION NOTES
There are ten soldiers of varying ages, two to four of which can be double cast. As the play progresses, the lighting slowly dims as the sun sets. At the beginning, faces and uniforms can be distinguished. By the end – only silhouettes]
(Lights come up on an open grassy field surrounded by woods. The stage is littered with dead and wounded Union and Confederate soldiers. The wriggling movements accompany the sickening tune of deathly moans. A low hanging mist envelopes the bodies. It is dusk.)
(Sporadic musket fire can be heard in the distance.)
(A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER enters stage right, stepping over the dead and wounded, searching for something – not among the bodies, but rather on the ground.)
(A UNION SOLDIER creeps on stage from the opposite direction, also in search. A nearby WOUNDED SOLDIER calls out.)
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Water…
(The Union soldier wheels around. They both discover one another and freeze, waiting to see what the other will do.)
(Simultaneously, they both try to load their muskets. It is a race for their lives. Panic and fright take hold as each makes mistakes to properly load their weapon. Finally, the Confederate soldier has the upper hand. He aims. The Union soldier realizes…and closes his eyes in resignation. The trigger is pulled – CLICK. The Union soldier opens his eyes. They stare at one another. The Confederate soldier fumbles for another cap. The Union Soldier flees. The Confederate soldier scurries off opposite.)
(The Wounded Soldier reaches up from the ground.)
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Mama? Mama, I can’t find you.
(Another Union soldier, SAMUEL, enters stage left, scurrying about. He discovers a small spring. It’s like finding buried treasure.)
SAMUEL
(in a loud whisper)
I found it! Over here!
(He waves offstage, splashes his face and drinks rabidly. He fills his canteen. Two other Union soldiers, JOHNNY and MILES follow behind.)
SAMUEL
Here.
JOHNNY
Well, I’ll be…that boy knew what he was talking about.
MILES
Who?
JOHNNY
The one from the 2nd Mass. Said he lived on a farm not two miles from here.
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Water…
(They look around at the casualties.)
MILES
My God—looks like a popular spot.
JOHNNY
Not for them. Fill up quickly. Might be sharpshooters about.
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Water…please…water…
JOHNNY
Sam, give him some damned water before he gets us all killed.
(Samuel scampers about until he finds the wounded soldier.)
SAMUEL
Found him.
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Water…
JOHNNY
Well, give him some water, damnit!
SAMUEL
It’s a reb.
(He makes his way back.)
JOHNNY
So?
SAMUEL
You don’t think for a second I’m going to help a stinkin’ reb, do ya?
JOHNNY
He just wants water.
SAMUEL
He’s the enemy! What’s the matter with you? They gave you stripes, but they didn’t give you sense.
JOHNNY
Hey, you think I wanted this? You know there’s a reason you didn’t get the promotion.
SAMUEL
And why is that?
MILES
C’mon, guys. We don’t have time for this. Look, he’s going to die anyway.
SAMUEL
That’s what I’m saying.
MILES
So, there’s no hurt in giving him a sip’a yer canteen.
(Beat.)
SAMUEL
I don’t understand any of you. He was trying to kill us not long ago. Maybe one of us shot him. Now you want to help him?
JOHNNY
It’s the civilized thing to do.
SAMUEL
Civilized gets ya killed!
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Please…water?
SAMUEL
Shut up—we’re talking it over.
MILES
Can’t hurt none giving him some.
SAMUEL
Oh, it can’t, can it? What if every reb lying here wants some? What if our boys want some? You planning on staying here all night?
WOUNDED SOLDIER
It’s cold, Mama.
SAMUEL
Hah! I’m sweating like a hog and cold he says.
WOUNDED SOLDIER
So cold…
MILES
Fer God’s sake!
(Miles grabs the canteen from Samuel. He crosses over to the wounded soldier to
give him a drink. They hear voices and the clanking of canteens off stage right.)
JOHNNY
Let’s go.
(He and Samuel hastily exit stage left.)
JOHNNY
(calling)
Miles!
(Miles starts to follow.)
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Please!
(Miles turns and is immediately dropped after a gunshot. An excited rebel soldier, NATHAN, bounds on stage.)
NATHAN
Wooo! You got him, Captain!
(He lifts up Samuel’s head.)
NATHAN
Right through the temple!
(A rebel Captain enters stage right.)
NATHAN
Must’ve been forty feet! How could ya tell?
CAPTAIN
Tell what?
NATHAN
That he was a yank? I couldn’t—and I was closer.
CAPTAIN
His canteen. None of our boys were issued anything like that.
NATHAN
Damn!
CAPTAIN
Quiet, Nathan. Might be others lurking about. Get those filled quickly.
(He looks about the landscape, stepping over bodies.)
CAPTAIN
So peaceful here.
NATHAN
What?
CAPTAIN
It’s a beautiful spot.
NATHAN
Not sure what you’re seeing here, Captain.
CAPTAIN
Reminds me of a favorite picnic spot me and my Sarah used to go. We’d sneak off, so her daddy couldn’t find us. Had our own little clearing among the rocks. Stream flowing nearby. “Lilac and Star and bird twined with the chant of my soul, There in the fragrant pines and the cedars dusk and dim.”
(He is brought back by the moaning of a wounded soldier at his feet.)
CAPTAIN
This one’s a mess.
(He grabs a canteen and gives him water. Sadly, he stands, pulls his revolver, cocks and shoots him through the head.)
NATHAN
What the hell was that?
CAPTAIN
Compassion.
NATHAN
(softly)
Jesus.
(Nathan tries to wipe off the blood that spattered on him.)
CAPTAIN
You all done there?
(He gathers the canteens.)
CAPTAIN
I’d like to come back here some day…when this is all over.
NATHAN
What?!?
CAPTAIN
You need to be able to see past the carnage.
NATHAN
All I see is carnage.
(They make their way off stage right. A silhouetted figure, JACOB, slowly enters from the left . At the same time HENRY enters stealthily from the right. When they hear each other, both draw their rifles. They stand and aim.)
JACOB
You blue … or grey?
(Pause.)
HENRY
Don’t want to say. You?
JACOB
Can’t tell your colors. Make yourself known.
(Beat.)
HENRY
If I do, you have the upper hand.
(Beat.)
JACOB
Guess you’re right. What do we do?
HENRY
I just want some water. Was told of a spring near here. Been a helluva day. Got an intolerable thirst. Reckon you do too.
JACOB
Yeah.
(Jacob lowers his weapon. Henry does too. They both lay their rifles down.)
JACOB
Heard some water trickling somewhere over here.
(They discover the water source. Each is in full silhouette. Colors and faces are in darkness. They take turns filling their canteens.)
JACOB
Still can’t tell if you’re North or South.
HENRY
Does it matter now?
JACOB
Guess not. Figured I could place the way you talk. People have a way of speaking. North and South.
HENRY
I’m more towards the middle. Fact is, I grew up no more than 100 miles from where we are right now.
JACOB
Hah! Me too. Right on the edge. That could still make you grey or blue. But, like you said—it doesn’t matter now.
(They make themselves comfortable as they drink from their canteens.)
HENRY
You seen much action the last day or two?
JACOB
More than I’d like to remember. You?
HENRY
Yeah. It’s not what I thought it would be.
JACOB
I know.
HENRY
I can’t imagine anything being the same after this. When I go home. If I make it home. The things I’ve seen…the things I’ve done. You killed anyone?
JACOB
Don’t rightly know. Hit someone yesterday. He stumbled off to the woods. Maybe he’s alive. You?
HENRY
Two. The first wasn’t bad. He was a long ways off. I got excited that I finally hit something. The other—yesterday—he was real close. I could see the light leave his eyes. Don’t reckon I’ll ever forget that.
JACOB
Nothing will be the same. The sights…the sounds…the smells. Just livin’—before all this.
(Pause.)
HENRY
I had a great fishing hole at home. This place reminds me something of it. Minus the blood and the bodies.
(Henry takes out a small pipe, finds some tobacco and lights it.)
HENRY
When I was little, the trout were so big we could only carry four at a time.
(He offers the pipe to Jacob the pipe, who takes a smoke and passes it back.)
HENRY
We’d have to walk five miles home, and we’d have every varmint for miles following us!
JACOB
Our lakes were full of bass. Same thing. If we dragged them too far, every bear in the woods would be tracking us. So we just made a fire and ate them there at the lake.
HENRY
Sounds like we’re from the same area. What say we tell each other our company and regiment.
JACOB
Why ruin it? I don’t want to know. It’s nice to talk with someone without anyone else telling me whether I need to shoot them or not.
HENRY
It is. What’s your name?
JACOB
Jacob.
HENRY
I’m Henry.
JACOB
Thanks for the smoke, Henry.
HENRY
Say, Jacob, you got anything to eat? Ain’t had nothing since early muster.
(Jacob hands Henry some hardtack. He takes a bite.)
HENRY
Much appreciated.
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Water…
(They’re startled.)
HENRY
Can’t tell if he’s one of the good guys or the bad guys.
JACOB
He’s one of the dying guys.
HENRY
Where is he?
(They both look for a moving living body.)
JACOB
Here.
(Jacob cradles the soldier’s head as Henry gently puts his canteen to the soldier’s lips. He drinks.)
WOUNDED SOLDIER
Thanks kindly. It’s cold in the basement…I run off to play…Left my chores…
(He drinks some more.)
WOUNDED SOLDIER
I wanna go home. Tell Mama, I’m ready to come home…
(He dies.)
JACOB
He’s gone.
HENRY
He didn’t die thirsty.
JACOB
No, he didn’t.
(They carefully arrange the dead soldier’s body and cross his arms over his chest. They stand over the body. Henry removes his hat and bows his head. Jacob does likewise.)
HENRY
Every man deserves a prayer in death. No matter where he’s from.
JACOB
I can’t remember the last time I prayed.
HENRY
I pray all the time. Doesn’t seem to help any.
(He puts his hat back on. They refill their canteens.)
HENRY
Well, I have to get back.
JACOB
Me too.
HENRY
Hope you make it home, Jacob.
JACOB
You too, Henry.
(They grab their rifles and turn to each other. Henry looks around.)
HENRY
Not sure which way to go.
(He starts off.)
JACOB
Henry?
(Henry turns back.)
JACOB
(pointing)
Think you were more that way.
(Henry nods, unsure.)
HENRY
Thanks.
(They wave to each other and slowly make their way offstage in opposite directions.)
(A loud gunshot is heard.)
BLACKOUT