All language subtitles for S2E15 - The Flint McCullough Story

Fort Bridger
was only a few hours' ride

from the territory the wagon
train was rolling through,

and I had reason to go there.

Good reason.

Fort Bridger's where I grew up.

I suppose growing up
for everybody

is sugar and spice...

A concoction
of happiness and pain.

Time waters down
unpleasant memories

and sort of magnifies
the happy ones.

Can I take care
of your horse, stranger?

Stranger?

'Fraid you're the stranger, boy.

Fort Bridger here's my home.

Your home?

Well, I've been here
nearly four years

and I ain't never seen...
Hold on, now.

You ain't...

Well, sure. You must be.

Y-you're Mr. Bridger's son,
Flint McCullough.

That's right.

Hey, you've come home!

I'll go get Mr. Bridger for you.

Oh, no, you don't.
I want to surprise him.

Yes, sir. Mr. McCullough.

Where is he?

He ain't here, McCullough.

Tell me where he is,
or I'll kill you.

He'll be here.

Sundown.

What are you aiming
to do, McCullough?

I'm gonna kill him.

Move!

JIM: Who's down there?

Flint! You've come home!

Why, what's happened
to you, boy?

What is it, boy?

I'm sorry, Mr. Bridger.

I came home to see you,

and I found him.

Oh, so this is what
the war did to you.

You sick, boy?

I'm gonna kill him at sundown.

Sundown? Who, boy, who?

It was a day
just like any other day

when the nightmare started
four years ago.

Son, this war's
no business of yours.

This is a rebellion,
an uprising.

It'll be put down soon.

It's a war, sir,
the North against the South.

I was born in Virginia.

I owe my allegiance
to the South.

You was born in Virginia,
but this is your home.

You was raised here
with me and the Indians.

The West is your home.

Mr. Bridger, there are
lots of people in the West

from the North and the South.

A man's got to pick a side
and do his share.

You know, when you was little

and got a stubborn streak
like that,

I whupped you good for it.

Would you like to try it
now, Mr. Bridger, sir?

Hey, uh, here come
Tom Yates and Jean.

Howdy, Mr. Yates. Hello, Jean.

I got the bracelet
ready for you.

May I go, Father?

Yes.

Don't go wandering
far, daughter.

We'll have to hurry
to get back before dark.

I'll get you your present.

Talk to your folks? Did ya?

Yes.

Is it all right?

Is it...

Well, is it all right?

Well, with my mother, yes,

but you know
what my father's like.

Jean, we've been through
all this before.

I love you. What difference
does it make what we believe?

It doesn't make
any difference to me.

Then I'll tell your father right
now we're gonna be married.

Flint, no, you can't do that.

What else can I do?
What do you expect?

Well...

You know I love you

more than anybody else
in this whole world.

And I love you.
Isn't that enough?

Oh, Flint, I'm Mormon
and you're not.

But if you just have
a little patience,

my father will
understand in time.

Time! How much time
does he want?

It's been months now
since I asked you.

We're no closer to getting
married now than we were then.

Jean, I don't have any time.

I'm gonna join the army.

The army?

I've been thinking
about it a long time.

No!

A man isn't much of a man

if he doesn't do his share
when the time comes.

Flint, you know I love you
and I want to marry you.

When?

Well... well, I just
don't know, Flint.

If I could have a little
time to think about it...

When?

Well...

Next time I see you.

TOM: Jean. Jean!

I bet she'll be straightening
her bonnet when she comes out.

I'll be in in a few weeks, Jim.

I hope your stock
comes around all right.

Thank you.

Hey!

We'll be here.

She's a fine girl, Flint.

They're good people,

but I don't know how Tom
might feel about Jean

taking up with somebody
who ain't one of them.

Might you be James Bridger?

Always have been.

We're in need of supplies.

Well, that's what
we're here for.

Uh-huh.

Mm.

All this just for
the two of you?

No, there's a party of us.

We're camped
some distance from here.

Oh, I see.

Well, I guess we can
take care of this.

Sugar, flour, beans...
ammunition?

That's an awful lot
of ammunition.

I guess you aim
to do a lot of shooting, eh?

We're traveling.
It may be some time

before we reach
another point of supply.

Oh ho. Well.

Uh, Flint?

Yes, sir.

This is my adopted son,
Flint McCullough.

Adopted, eh?

Mr. Bridger's been
taking care of me

since my real folks died,
about ten years now, I guess.

You must know the country
around here pretty well.

Well, Mr. Bridger says he's
taught me everything he knows.

If that's true, that's
every stick and stone of it.

Oh, that's interesting.

You know, it'll probably take some
time to get those supplies together.

I was wondering
if there was some place

around here we might
get a bite to eat.

Oh, no, there ain't
no place around here,

but we'd be pleased
to have you eat with us.

Well, thank you kindly.

Get going, boy.

Yes, sir.

Take care of your supplies.

McCullough is
our man, Lieutenant.

Seems so, Colonel.

But suppose he isn't interested?

You should know me
better than that, Quincy.

When I want something, I get it.

You know, that's
an interesting story,

how you came
to adopt Flint here.

JIM: Yep, kinda tough
on a young'un

to lose his folks so early.

They schooled him
and taught him his manners,

and I learned him all I could,

but I couldn't
teach him to forget

that he was born in Virginia.

Oh, I don't know.

It's a strange fact,
Mr. Bridger,

that a man's heart stays with

the place
of his birth, as a rule.

Of course, that isn't always so.

How do you feel about it, Flint?

Well, I was brought up
here, sir,

but if somebody asked me
where I was born,

I'd be mighty proud
to say Virginia.

You see?

And, uh...

how do you feel
about the war, Flint?

Well, I've been thinking
about it a lot...

Thinking a lot about it?

He's been doing
nothing but talk about it,

getting himself all riled up!

Hmph. Lot of nonsense.

War is a serious business,
Flint.

Takes a particular type
of man to be a soldier.

Oh, there's glory in it, sure.

The thrill of battle.

But, uh, victory
on the battlefield

is won by the blood
and sweat of men,

real men who are
not afraid to face death

for the things they believe in.

That's what I've been telling
Mr. Bridger.

I think a man's gotta do
his duty as he sees it.

Takes a lot of courage.

I'm not afraid, Mr. Taylor.

Oh, I didn't mean
to imply that you are...

but, you know, you'd think,

feeling the way you do,
that, uh...

you'd have acted instead
of just talking about it.

If I knew where to join up,
I'd do it right now.

There you go again, getting
yourself all riled up, Flint.

Just a minute, Mr. Bridger.

I'm gonna take you two men
into my confidence.

I'm Colonel Jason Taylor,
Army of the Confederacy.

This is Lieutenant
Quincy Abbott,

my adjutant.

Confederate Army?
Whatcha doing way out here?

Well, I'll tell you,
Mr. Bridger.

There are a lot of men
out here like this young man

who were born in the South

and whose hearts
are still there,

in spite of the fact
that they live here.

We're on a recruiting mission
to give these young men

the opportunity to fulfill
their obligations.

You mean I could join up now?

The lieutenant and I
are returning to camp tonight.

But, of course, if you're
sure you want to join up...

I am sure, sir.

I'll get my things.

I, uh, I'd like
to talk to my boy alone.

Why, yes, of course.

You sure you know
what you're doing, son?

Yes, sir, I'm sure.

Nothing I can do or say
to keep you?

No. I've made up my mind.

Oh, what about Jean?

Tell her...

Tell her she
forgot her bracelet.

She'll understand.

All right.

Well, Flint...

I tried hard to raise you
up to be a good man,

the right kind of man.

Stay right, son.

Take care of yourself.

Come back when it's over.

Mr. Bridger...

I'll come back.

And for everything,
thank you, sir.

Fall in! Come on, let's move.

Fall in. Fall in. Wake up.

You get rid of that bucket,
soldier, and quick.

Fall in! You're not farmers.

Let's try to make
two straight lines out of this.

Hold in that gap, soldier.

Straighten up that
line back there!

Take them smiles off your faces.

You better remember
what I taught you.

We're ready, sir.

At ease.

Colonel Taylor.

Yes?

Your men are assembled.

All right.

About time
I made them acquainted

with their assignment.

My hunch is they
won't like it, sir.

Doesn't matter what they like.

They'll do as they're told.

Let's not waste time.

You have a new man
out there, sir.

They're all new men!

This one hasn't been sworn in.

McCullough. Flint McCullough.

Hogwash!

It's army, Colonel.

The oath is an important thing
to most men.

Attention!

Flint McCullough, step forward.

Raise your right hand.

Repeat after me.

I solemnly pledge
all of my allegiance...

I solemnly pledge
all of my allegiance...

to the cause of the
Confederate States of America...

to the cause of the
Confederate States of America...

promising to fight her enemies,

protect her people, and
keep faith with her principles.

Promising to fight her enemies,

protect her people, and
keep faith with her principles.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Return to rank, soldier.

Pick up that rifle, soldier!

Soldier, return to ranks!

Colonel, how soon are
we gonna be heading south?

Soldier, you're at attention.

Sergeant Hayes, is this
the way you train your men?

No, sir.

Thorpe, you keep your mouth shut

till you give
permission to speak.

Soldier, the answer
to your question is...

that we are not heading south.

It takes more than guts
to win a war.

It takes powder and shot,

mules and flour,

and all kinds of things
that cost lost of money.

And the side that has
the largest supply of gold

is the side that,
in the long run, wins.

That is a military fact.

Regardless of the hogwash
you may have heard

about the glory

of great victories
on the battlefields...

our enemies...

have a large source of gold

which pours to them
from the western mines.

And their source
of gold must be cut.

And it is up to us
to see that this is done.

That is our mission.

Any further questions?

Yeah. When we...

HAYES: Soldier.

You say "sir"

when you are addressing
the colonel.

Sir...

When we signed up,

we thought we was heading
for the battlefields.

Are you telling us
we're not even gonna get there?

I'm telling you
what your mission is,

and as a soldier I expect you

to carry out my orders

whenever and wherever
they are issued.

When do we get our uniforms?

You will receive your uniforms

when our orders take us
back behind the Southern lines.

Until that time, you are
not really regular soldiers,

but guerrillas,
assigned to special duty.

Guerrillas? Why, they're
the same as spies.

If they catch us in no uniforms,

why, they'll kill us.

A very good thing
for you all to remember.

It should make you careful,
very careful,

not to get caught.

Sergeant, dismiss your men.

Yes, sir.

Company dismissed!

Thorpe, what'd you
think about today?

Hmm?

Thorpe?

I said what'd you...

What do you want?

I'd like to talk to you, sir.

Have a drink?

Well, you'll come
to it eventually.

It's the soldier's only friend.

Speak up.

Why didn't Colonel Taylor
tell me what this job was?

You didn't ask.

You couldn't wait
to become a soldier.

I didn't think
it'd be like this.

Lot of things you didn't
know about, McCullough.

You ever kill a man?

Give it some thought.

You said it.

"A man's gotta do
his duty as he sees it."

Mr. Abbott?

Mr. Abbott?

Lieutenant Abbott, sir.

I don't like
being laughed at, sir.

All right.

All right.

We'll forget rank for now.

Just man to man.

I wasn't laughing
at you, McCullough.

Not exactly.

It's, uh...

the whole stupid thing
that makes me laugh,

you and a million others
fired up with the...

idea, the glory of war,

a hero's death
on the battlefield,

uniforms, shiny buttons, medals.

You listen to me, McCullough.

I'm gonna do something for you,

set you straight.

War is a word.

There's glory
in the sound of it,

and that's where it ends.

War is a foul, stinking sin.

It makes men into butchers,

and rips and tears them apart

morally and physically.

But Colonel Taylor said that...

'Course he said!

He wanted you.

Colonel. Taylor.
My superior officer.

McCullough, what do you
think of Colonel Taylor?

Colonel Taylor, my boy...

is a barbarian.

A peasant.

An educated peasant,
but a peasant.

His father before him
was a peasant,

and his father
before him, peasants,

all of them.

But Jase Taylor's
a good soldier.

I respect him for that.

Just how good, you'll
come to know soon enough.

I-I don't understand.

My family...

is one of the most
aristocratic strains

in all of the South.

I was born a gentleman.

Atlanta's my home.

Plantations, wealth,
comfort are my heritage.

This war is being fought

to preserve my way of life.

This is reality, my boy.

Selfish, unidealistic,
but it is reality.

I'm fighting this war
for myself.

But you're an officer.

Well, yes.

I'm an officer.

I learned all about being
an officer at West Point.

For two years, they
tried to make an officer

and a gentleman out of me.

I quit why?

Because I am
a gentleman by birth,

and I shall always
be a gentleman,

whether I like it or not.

But you mark
these words, McCullough.

There'll come a time

when you'll wish
you never set eyes

on Jase Taylor or me or the war.

Is that all, sir? No.

You've got an ounce
of reality in you,

you'll heed what I've said.

You'll climb back on your horse.

You'll ride back to Fort Bridger

before it's too late.

Lieutenant, you're drunk.

I've never been more sober.

Come in.

HAYES: Dismissed.

Get Lieutenant Abbott.

Lieutenant, the Federals
have a shipment of gold

on the way from Virginia City.

Should reach this area

sometime within
the next two days.

Yes, sir, and your orders?

I want you to take
Sergeant Hayes

and a couple men and
scout the trails around here.

I want to pick out
a spot that'll

lend itself to our purpose.

I think we would need
the help of a man

thoroughly familiar
with the surrounding country.

What?

Our new man. McCullough.

He knows every stick
of this country,

and every trail.

Lieutenant, I said
to take a couple of men.

Obviously, that left it open

for you to choose
whoever you want.

Yes, sir.

With your permission,
I won't take Hayes.

The men don't like him.

Sergeant Hayes
is a good soldier.

He does what he's told
when he's told.

Sir, if the colonel
resents my suggestions,

in the future
I'll keep them to myself.

Lieutenant...

You know that I'm always
open to suggestion.

That last remark
was unnecessary.

Yes, sir.

All right. Leave Hayes here.

Take whoever you want.

And get to it!

How much further?

About an hour's ride.

It's a Yankee patrol.

Shut up. Listen.

They don't know who we are.

You do all the talking,
McCullough.

Detail, halt!

Who are you men?

FLINT: We're riding the line
for old man Thorwell.

Who's he?

Mr. Tad Thorwell.
I thought everybody knew him.

He raises most the beef
you fellas eat.

Oh, I see.

Riding line for him?

Well, just what does that mean?

Herding his cattle for him.

Just took a herd down
to the lower range.

You men look fit and healthy.

How does it happen
you're not in uniform?

Or aren't you interested
in the war?

Sure we are!

I was gonna join up,
but, well, they told me

somebody had to take care
of the beef for the army

and everybody else,
I guess, so...

Well, we do that best,
so we're doing it.

I guess you're right.

It does take more than soldiers
and guns to fight a war.

You men seem to know
this country pretty well.

Where are you headed
for right now?

Heber Valley. Going down
to pick up another herd.

Well, you could do us
a good service.

As you can plainly see,
this country's new to us.

Our next assignment
is Heber Valley.

We're headed for it right now.

Maybe you could guide us.

Sure. All you gotta do
is turn your patrol around

and go up this hill.

I'll show you the way
from there on in.

Good enough.

Detail, follow me!

What'll we do now?

How far is it to that place?

Overnight ride.

Let's go.

Can't leave him.

It's bad.

You know your way out of here?

Yes, sir.

Don't know, McCullough.
It looks too risky.

He'll bleed to death,
sir, if we keep moving.

I know the people
in that farmhouse, sir.

They're Mormons.
They'll help us.

All right. You go alone.

Yes, sir.

JEAN: Who is it?

Flint.

Let me in. Flint!

Let me in.

Flint! What are you doing here?

I'm in trouble, Jean.
I need some help.

TOM: Jean! Who are
you talking to?

It's Flint.

What's wrong?

I'll explain later,
Jean. Trust me.

What are you doing here
at this hour?

There's a man outside, sir.
He's badly wounded.

If he doesn't get help
soon, he's gonna die.

Well, what are you
waiting for, boy?

Bring the man in.

Yes, sir.

Martha, bring hot water
and something for bandages.

But, Thomas, do you know
what you're doing?

Martha, my dear, it's right.

The man is hurt.

It is God's will.

We must help those distressed.

He will show us the right.

Where will we put him,
Mr. Yates?

Sir, nobody must
know we're here.

Very well.

Bring boiling water.

This way.

Put him down right here.

Yes.

We are deeply grateful
to you, sir.

I'm Lieutenant Abbott,
Army of the Confederacy.

These men are under my command.

I think you're entitled
to know that.

TOM: It doesn't matter.

We do not hold
with war or violence.

It is sinful and useless,

but we cannot withhold our help
when it is needed.

I respect your beliefs, sir.

Jean, don't be angry.
Let me explain.

Jean, if you were a man,
you'd understand.

I'm a woman, Flint,

and I don't understand.

Just doesn't matter anymore.

Doesn't it matter anymore?

Have you stopped loving me?

Oh, Flint!

I love you so much!

If anything would happen to you,

I'd want to die.

Jean, nothing's
going to happen to me,

so don't worry about it.

Don't go back, Flint.

You don't have to. Stay here.

If you love me like you
say you do, you'd stay.

You asked me to think of
our love and understand

while you're out there being
hunted down like an animal.

Oh, Flint, please stay. Please!

Jean.

I believe what
I'm doing is right.

When the war's over,
I'll come back

and we'll be married,
no matter what.

Don't say that unless
you mean it, Flint.

You know I mean it.

I've made the boy
as comfortable as I could.

Thank you, Mrs. Yates.

Jean, I love you.

Don't ever forget that.

Come on.

Get in your room.

I'm staying with you, Flint.

All right.

McCullough, you're a fool.

What do you want?

Anybody pass by here tonight?

There's been no one by here.

You know what it means to
harbor an enemy in time of war.

We have no enemies.

What are you, anyway?

We're Mormons, sir.

Mormons, huh?

You give me your word

you're hiding no one
in this house?

There's no one here
but my wife and myself.

I'm sorry to have bothered you.

Thomas!

Yes, Martha, I lied.

If it is right,
God will forgive.

That's a courageous
thing he did.

Lieutenant, we can't ask
any more of these people.

We've gotta get out of here.

What about Thorpe?

We'll just have to move him.

You don't have
to worry about him.

He's dead.

Now, you remember
what I said last night.

All I remember about
last night was...

That man lying down there
could've been you, Flint.

But it wasn't.

Look at me.

And it won't be.

Flint. Flint!

Why don't you stay?

As far as Colonel Taylor
is concerned,

you could be as dead as Thorpe.

I've made my decision.

You're an uncommonly
high-principled young man, McCullough.

I'm a fool.

Come on, fool.

Guide me back to camp.

You're right, McCullough.

This is a fine
tactical position.

Thank you, sir.

Hayes, deploy your men!

Yes, sir!

All right, dismount!

Now, look, McCullough,

I want you to take
a detail of four men.

Use the black powder.

I want you to blow up
those bridges.

No prisoners, and I'll
hold you responsible

for anybody who escapes
in that direction.

Yes, sir.

All right, move, you men!

Come on!

Let's see a little speed here!

If the Yankees
don't kill you, I will!

Come on, let's get a move on!

Come on, kill them!

Come on, kill them!

Yahoo!

Kill them all!
Come on, no prisoners!

Kill them! Kill them all!

What's this?

Prisoner, sir.

I told you we didn't
want any prisoners.

You heard me. But
he surrendered, sir.

Hayes! Here's
another one for you.

No!

After him!

McCullough, you're under arrest.

But you don't understand, sir.
He surrendered.

You don't just shoot a prisoner.

Hayes was obeying my orders.

Lieutenant, take
this man in charge.

First battle's always
bad for the appetite.

It isn't that.

It's to see men
shot down in cold blood.

No use brooding about it.

In his position, the
Colonel had no choice.

Lucky it wasn't you.

Come with me.

McCullough, your conduct
this afternoon as a soldier

was inexcusable.

Sir, I didn't know that you...

I'm not finished.

Because of your conduct,
a prisoner has escaped.

In our circumstances,
unless that man is caught,

it can mean death for all of us.

I didn't realize that
at the time, sir.

Military regulations call for

the extreme penalty
for such behavior.

However, in view of the fact

that this was
your first encounter

and because of your youth
and inexperience,

I have decided
to forget the whole matter

for the present.

Thank you, sir.

All right.
Now there is something

you are going to do for us.

My men have combed every inch
of the surrounding country.

No sign of
this escaped prisoner.

Recalling your fortunate
escape from the patrol,

it occurs to me that
this escaped prisoner

may be hiding
in the same farmhouse.

I don't want to waste time
looking for him.

You know exactly where it is,

and you will lead us
there right now.

What do you want here?

I'm Colonel Taylor,
Confederate Army.

I have reason to believe you
are hiding an enemy in this house.

We have no enemies.

I'll give you one last chance

to disclose his whereabouts.

Otherwise, I'll shoot
you on the spot.

Sir, if he's here,
he's in the cellar.

Hayes, put the old man
down there with the others.

Burn the place.

Jean!

I don't remember
what happened after that.

It was a long time
before I remembered anything.

Then I learned Taylor'd
been sent to prison.

That's the only thing
that kept him from me.

So I tried to forget.

And I thought I had until today.

The nightmare
was four years ago,

but now it seems like yesterday.

The man is alive,
and as long as he lives

it is not a nightmare;
it's a reality.

I knew this day would come.

I know what I have to do.

Taylor!

Taylor...

There's nothing left of him
for me to destroy.

The Fates
have played a weird trick.

He destroyed himself
just as he destroyed others.

This part of my life
now is just a memory.

After spending some time
with Mr. Bridger

and reminiscing about

some of the more pleasant
years of my youth,

I again joined the wagon train
on its journey west.