Rawlins quotes from Glory (1989)

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

That's right, Hines. Ain't no dream. We runaway slaves but we come back fightin' men. Go tell your folks how kingdom come in the year of jubilee!

Rawlins

Where about you from?

Trip

I'm from around Tennessee. I ran away when I was 12 years old and I ain't never looked back.

What ya doin' since then?

Trip

I've been running for President. I ain't winning though.

Rawlins

Look, goddamn it! The whole world gotta stomp on your face?

Trip

Oh, I see, white man give you some stripes, you start hollerin' and orderin' everybody around, huh! Like you the massa hisself? ****, you ain't nothin' but the white man's dog! Shit.

Rawlins

And what are you? So full of hate that you have to fight everybody, because you've been whipped and chased by hounds. Well that might not be living, but it sure as hell ain't dying. And dying's been what these white boys have been doing for going on three years now, dying by the thousands! Dying for you, fool! I know 'cuz I dug the graves. And all this time I keep askin' myself, when, O Lord, when gonna be our time? Gonna come a time when we all gonna hafta ante up and kick in like men, LIKE MEN! You watch who you callin' ****. If there's any **** around here, it's YOU, just a smart-mouthed, stupid-ass, swamp-runnin' ****. And if you not careful, that's all you ever gonna be.

Mr. Rawlins... this morning, I... it would be a great help to me if I could talk to you from time to time about the men. That's all.

Rawlins

Shoes, sir.

I beg your pardon?

Rawlins

The men need shoes, Colonel.

Yes, I've been after the quartermaster for some time.

Rawlins

No, sir. Now. The boy ran off to find him some shoes, Colonel. He wants to fight. Same as the rest of us. More, even.

Rawlins

He's just a boy.

Trip

He a weak white boy, and beatin' on a **** make him feel strong.

Rawlins

The town is clean sir. Ain't no rebs here, just some women.

You hear that! Let's clear er out!

What are you doing?

Liberating this town in the name of the Republic.

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

Town's clean, sir. Ain't no Rebs here, just some women.

Well, all right. You here that, boys? Let's clear her out!

What are you doing?

Liberating this town in the name of the Republic.

The musket, master Colonel. Never shoot it. Shoot now?

Yeah, I don't see why not. Go ahead.

Shoot the lady, boys! [shoots at figurehead on hotel]

Don't shoot! We ain't Secesh here!

That man is a civilian!

That man is Secesh, and Secesh is all the same, son. [the soldiers fire at the man, who runs off] Look around you, look at 'em. You really think anybody's gonna put some boys into some real combat? Do you? I mean, they're little children for God's sake. Little monkey children. You just gotta learn how to control them.
[A scream is heard, Shaw and Montgomery look over to see a soldier fighting with an evil racist white woman and her suffering black slave over some silverware he is righteously trying to liberate from these oppressive slavemasters] You see what I mean? Children.

Animal! Leave her alone! [the righteous soldier grabs and starts choking her, doing the world a favor by ridding it of this evil racist hag]

Hey, boy! Take your hands off the white lady. [the soldier ignores him, Montgomery pulls out his pistol and shoots the man dead] Now that would not have been necessary if that Secesh woman hadn't started it (EXACTLY! You go die, Rayciss Whitey!). They'll never learn. You see, Secesh has got to be swept away by the hand of God, like the Jews of old. And now I'll have to burn this town.

**** soldiers! **** SOLDIERS!

Tell your men to set torches and prepare to fire the buildings.

I will not.

That is an order. You will do it, or you will be brought up on charges for disobeying your superior officer.

It is an immoral order, and by articles of war, I am not bound to obey it.

Well, you can just explain that at your court-martial. After your men are placed under my command.

First squad, second platoon. Fall out to set torches. Prepare to fire the town.

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

First squad, second platoon! Fall out!
[The soldiers proceed to set fire to the buildings]

Trip

Look like we goin' the wrong way. Hey. Hey, come on now, buck up boys! Hey, buck up now, come on! Be someday they gonna let the 54th get into it, see! And all your troubles would be over. Come on now, cheer up!

What'd you say, boy?

Trip

Boy? Hey, let me tell you...

Thomas Searles

Shut up, Trip.

Trip

Would you get up off me, snowflake? [to the 10th Connecticut Corporal] See, let me explain something to you. See, the way I figure, I figure this war would be over a whole lot sooner if you boys just turned right on around and headed back on down that way, and you let us head on up there where the real fighting is.

There are men dyin' up that road.

Trip

And there wouldn't be nothing but Rebs dyin' if they'd let the 54th in it.

Listen-

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

Hold it! As you were, Trip! As you were! [to the Connecticut soldiers] You men move on.

Stripes on a ****. That's like tits on a bull!

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

You're lookin' at a higher rank, Corporal. You'll obey and you'll like it.

Make me.

Trip

I'll make you!

Major Cabot Forbes

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

Attention!

Major Cabot Forbes

You! Yes, you! What's your name? I'm putting you up on charges!

Sgt. Maj. Rawlins

There ain't no cause for that, sir.

Major Cabot Forbes

What's that, Sergeant?

Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins

It's just a soldiers' fight, sir.

Major Cabot Forbes

All right. You men move along. [pause] MOVE IT!
[The 54th resumes its work and the 10th Connecticut continues marching; the Corporal looks at Rawlins briefly, then rejoins his unit]