SCENE: After ordering the men of the 25th Ohio regiment to retreat from a battle they had no possibility of winning, CAPTAIN TIBBALS comes upon LIEUTENANT RIDGEWAY and SERGEANT O'NEILL reviewing a casualty list.
He comes upon Ridgeway and O’Neill, going over a casuality list and the events of the day.
O’NEILL
Privates Jarrett, Moore, Scott...
RIDGEWAY
That seems to be all of them then, Sergeant.
Ridgeway notices Tibbals observing them.
RIDGEWAY
Casualty list, sir.
TIBBALS
How bad?
RIDGEWAY
Bad enough. 63 dead, 120 wounded altogether.
TIBBALS
What about Collins? I didn’t hear his name.
O’NEILL
Who, sir?
RIDGEWAY
Private Collins. The one who had such trouble with the dummy.
O’NEILL
I warned him it would cost him...
TIBBALS
More like you brow-beat him, as I understand it, Sergeant.
O’NEILL
When these boys come to me, I have to shape them with a firm hand, sir.
RIDGEWAY
Yes, but you never really encourage them to do their best, do you? Just make them feel like damned fools when they don’t perform to your expectations.
O’NEILL
I ain’t here to be their Mammies, Lieutenant...
TIBBALS
That’s enough, both of you!
Both men stand silently.
TIBBALS
Sergeant, I’ve been reviewing your training methods and I think Lieutenant Ridgeway’s point is valid. If these men don’t go out there with a sense of confidence in their superiors and themselves, there’s no way we’re ever gonna win a battle.
O’NEILL
With all due respect sir, I have never heard of any instance where a group of raw recruits ever distingushed themselves in battle.
TIBBALS
Then you obviously don’t know your recent history, Sergeant. Do you know what Los Niños Héroes means?
O’NEILL
No, sir.
RIDGEWAY
It’s Spanish. “The Boy Heroes.”
TIBBALS
That’s right, Lieutenant. They were a group of Mexican Army cadets. Young boys, no older than 15, who were brought in to defend Chapultepec Castle during the last battle of the war with Mexico. Many of them chose death, sometimes inflicted by themselves, rather than surrender.
Tibbals pauses momentarily, letting this sink in to O’Neill’s head.
TIBBALS
Whatever you may think about the young recruits who come to us, Sergeant. They are still soldiers. No different than you or me. They deserve at least that much respect.
O’NEILL
Yes, sir.
TIBBALS
I trust you’ll adjust your training program accordingly.
Tibbals walks off leaving Ridgeway and Tibbals alone to ponder his words.
