1865 Blog - George Otott IV (Lynn)

The Last Round

Characters

General Robert E. Lee

General Ulysses Grant

George Otott IV

Ruth

Orlin Kist

Steven Madden

Fitzhugh Pettigrew

James Richordson

Scene 1: The Upcoming Death
(Location: Reign of Dixie)

Pettigrew: Rise and shine! Report to the courtyard at 5!

Otott: Ow. My head hurts like a thousand dreaded ants bit me.

Madden: Maybe you shouldn't have gone out!

Kist: T'was peer pressure, I swear!

Madden: This is why you're a private, Private Kist.

(Kist rolls his eyes. All of the soldiers get up and get ready to go to begin their day. All of them report to the courtyard)

Pettigrew: Private Kist!?

(Private Kist runs, his clothes not fully on.)

Kist: Present Sir!

Pettigrew: You're late, again.

Kist: Sorry Sir.

Pettigrew: (head held up high) Today, today is going to be the worst of your days. General Robert E. Lee has assigned us to accomplish support for his side. We, have been assigned to blood. 

Kist: Sir!?

Pettigrew: Shut it Kist. We must overcome the path of death, for this will be a viscous fight. The enemy has taken our advantage, and we must steal it back. Remember your lessons because they are implied in Richmond. Company Dismissed!

(The soldiers all salute Pettigrew and walk away.)

Kist: What do you thin' he's talkin' about?

Madden: (chuckles) He's talking about defending Richmond.

Otott: The Union is attempting to capture the city.

Kist: (sigh) I need a drink.

Madden: Remember last time?

Kist: Well, I'm bout to die. I want a last drink at least.
Otott: I agree, except let us not get too intoxicated. Care to join us Steve?
Madden: No. I have a duty to serve, but you all must best be here early before the Union attempt to conquer.

Scene 2: The First Round

(Two soldiers locate in a tavern, located in Maryland, to have their "last" drink, before dying or the end of the war.)

Otott: Waiter, could we get some whiskey!?

Kist: I'm apart of we!

Otott: (saying it in misery) Can I get extra then!?

Waiter: Hello, the name's Ruth. I'll be servin' you today. Our special is our infamous Union fries, spiced with garlic and a ton of salt, ninety-nine cents.

Kist: We're part of the military.

Waiter: Yes?

Otott: He means nothing, just a show off. Can I get that special with extra salt?

Kist: M'am I would like the fries, but it's too much money. See, I serve for the army, and I risk my life most of the times.

Waiter: Mhm hmm.

Kist: What I'm saying is this will probably be my last drink and I'd rather have it, let me see here, free?

Waiter: You sayin' that I have to give up my home to you. I been working my a** off! But you don't see me here askin' for more dollars, do you? Do you?

Otott: Sorry m'am for the fellow, but we're going to pay full price, I know that this tavern is not exceeding its expectations.

Richordson: Good day m'am. Are these fellows bothering you?

Waiter: Why yes they are!

Richordson: (talking to the soldiers) Well, if it ain't some Johnnies. What're y'all doin' in parts like these.

Kist: We ain't scared.

Otott: (whispers to Kist) Private Orlin, I command you not commit to combat in Northern territory.

Kist: (whispers to Otott) Sir Otott, we can't go down without a fight!

Otott: Let this not be our last last round, but the last round of this war. Don't make me punish for your disobedience.

Kist: (sighs) Well, Yankees. Meet you in Virginia.

Richordson: (chuckles)Hmm, stupid and weak.

Scene 3: Bloodshed

(All of the Southern soldiers, about thousands, gather to hear Lee's speech empowering them. They are all ready for the Battle of Appomattox Court House)

Lee: Soldiers, in a short amount of time, we commit ourselves, our whole selves, to end this war once and for all. Our objective is to protect our nation for which thousands of us have died for, and what we accomplish results in everlasting rewards. Although some of us may not see the dawn after dusk, everyone will. Everyone. And, if we do not do so and fail, so will this nation. We have the world on our shoulders, and we can not forget. 

We'll have these soldiers advance to here (points somewhere on a map), and these (points in a different area) move here. With these movements, we can overcome them, allowing us to defend our nation.

Soldier: General Lee, sir, what if this plan fails?

Lee: Well. Let us see.

We must run and burn. If they are to conquer Richmond, we must leave them something unlike Richmond.

So, soldiers. I expect devotion to our nation. ARE YOU READY!?

All: Yes, sir, yes, sir!

(The marching band begins their music, signaling the army begins their fight. The Union head to Confederates, awaiting their arrival. The sound of a loud sharp bullet signals the battle.)

Pettigrew: Soldiers, don't stop shooting! Head forth!

(The regiment advances ahead, attempting to take the high ground. Smoke goes on for miles, no one can hear no more, blood is splattered everywhere.)

Pettigrew: We have the high ground! Keep shooting! Aim for their eyes or chest! I'll demote you if don't meet my commands!

Kist: I'd rather be promoted, sir!

Pettigrew: STAY FOCUSED PRIVATE!

(Time seems to be moving slowly, although some time goes on. Some rest and get back up, some die, some keep going. But, the army is progressively getting smaller and smaller.)

Lee: (inhales deeply, and whispers) Bastard.

(Lee spots thousands of soldiers surrendering)

Lee: My God! Has my army dissolved?

Scene 4: The Death of a Kist

(Near the end of the Battle of Appomattox Court House)

Madden: Sir Pettigrew! We're running out of supplies, men are dying, they need food and water, they seek medical help, we need bullets.

Pettigrew: We don't have the supplies! We, we must run. (points at others running) Follow them, Lee has ordered them to run.

(The regiment runs along with the herd. But, for some reason, Orlin Kist stops to aim.)

Otott: Orlin! What the hell are you thinking!?

Kist: I need to shoot!

Otott: Over my dead body! Run, we're outnumbered and the man ordered us to. KIST!

Kist: (turns to Otott) I've countlessly failed my nation, but I never sought to die for it. If I fail, then this nation fails. I --

(Kist gets shot right in the ribs.)

Otott: KIST! Oh my lord. (turns to Pettigrew, who is far away, and screams from the top of his lungs.) PETTIGREW, KIST NEEDS TO BE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY!

Pettigrew: (turns around from a far distance) WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING, OTOTT!? (tries to look closely from a far distance, and then turns back forward) Oh my, REIGN OF DIXIE! YOU AND YOU, CARRY KIST TO A HOSPITAL FOR HIM TO GET IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! NOW!

Otott: I'm coming!

Scene 5: The Round

(Location: Hospital)

Doctor: Put the soldier yonder.

Madden: Doctor, he's losing a lot of blood. He's been shot in the ribs.

Otott: He's passed out on the field and seeks medical attention.

Doctor: If you gentlemen could please stand back to allow myself to operate. GEORGIE! Come here darlin! Hand me the tongs!

(The Doctor attempts to find the bullet, takes the tongs, jabs it in the wound, and searches through. Then, he pulls out the bullet, a minie ball, and Kist wakes up screaming. Blood splaters everywhere, and the nurses put chloroform on Kist's mouth. They bandage him up.)

Doctor: S***, he's losing too much blood. Someone get some whiskey! And for me too!

(They take the bandage off and pour whiskey, making the skin red and more bloody. They take a used towel and attempt to wipe the blood from the body. They need to stitch Kist's wound. The doctor carefully takes a string and jabs it through a piece of skin and so on, closing the wound. Then, he is bandaged up with blood still on the bandage although the efforts to close the blood splatter.)

Madden: Kid, don't do it.

Otott: He is no kid. He was quite brave actually. (Turns to Madden) He told me how he had failed before, but was not willing to fail at the end. Well, I mean, he did not finish his sentence, so I wouldn't know. (Turns back to Kist's body) But he is starting to grow, he reminds me of my brother, well except my brother is dead.

Madden: The MAN might die too, the Civil War doctors don't do too good.

Otott: That looked good to me.

(Some time later... Kist wakes up, but not in a good way)

Kist: (catches breath) My Sweet Jesus! Where am I? Holy s*** something hurts! (Head hits the "pillow") Ow. Ow. OW. OW!

Madden: Kist, calm down. You're in a hospital. Do you remember what happened?

Kist: Yeah, some dummy shot me and now I'm in pain. Is that correct?

Otott: Why yes it is, and be glad you're still alive, dummy. Can't you be thankful at least?

Kist: Well, thank you I guess. But, I though that would be my la-- S***! OW! OW! No! OW!

(Madden and Otott hold Kist down while doctors come running. Kist coughs up some blood, the doctors don't realize they did not fix his internal bleeding. Kist had been diagnosed with a special bleeding disease.)

Kist: Sirs, I-- I, I don't want this to be, m- m- my last, la, last ro, rou (coughs up some blood) round. I, I, I wanna see the su, sun.

Otott: You will Kist, you will. I know you will. Everyone does, and so will you.

Kist: But-

Madden: No buts, Kist. You will, you'll see the sun.

Kist: George, I don't want to le, leave. Ste, Steve, tell my mo, mother I said "te amo in aeternum." 

Otott: You'll be here, I swear.

Kist: No, no, no--

Scene 6: The Surrender

Lee: Although soldiers, we are imprisoned in the Union, a nation can never die, our thoughts can never die, ideas can never die. Our idea was to allow ourselves to choose our likings, but we were not allowed to, by our will. But, no matter what, we are moved to a new home. Although some may not like our home, it IS our home. Let that be a known fact to you, for we have no need to lift a fighting finger, for it has been tired out. Thank you for you.

(Lee moves towards the building in which Grant is in. They shake hands and sit down)

Grant: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.