ANTIETAM PRELUDE
(a new full-length drama)
by
Ruth Tyndall Baker
Ruth Tyndall Baker
743 Growth Avenue
Fort Wayne, IN 46808
260-422-3486
[email protected]
Dramatist Guild Member
ANTIETAM PRELUDE
CHARACTERS
Lottie Tilker:
Alice Chitwood:
Flo:
18 years. Fervently opposed to abolition (From PA)
55 years. Tavern Keeper; underground railroad conductor (MD)
20‟s.
A camp follower, she is worldly wise (NY)
Alva Thornburg:
Ben Thornburg:
Sergeant:
Obadiah:
21 years. A farm boy (IN)
23 years. Reckless older brother of Alva (IN)
28 years.
25-35 years. A runaway slave (GA)
TIME
Summer, 1862 through the bloodiest 24 hour period of the Civil War on September 17th at
Antietam, Maryland when 4,8000 were killed and thousands more fatally wounded.
PLACE
Mrs. Chitwood‟s tavern and underground railway station in Maryland
Various camp sites
Antietam battlefield, Maryland
PRODUCTION NOTES:
Dialects have been minimally suggested by the spelling of a few key words but attention should
be paid to the various sectional dialects of the country.
Action should flow as much as possible between scenes assisted by lighting and sound effects.
Battle sounds and lighting should be maximum and surround the audience if possible.
Unit set.
(page numbers did not copy; pg 1-20)
SCENE 1:
July, 1862. Maryland.
Mrs. Chitwood‟s tavern: a mail stop,
lodging, and underground railway
station. Lottie has a cloth tucked
around her and a bucket nearby.
Pre-show period music.
LOTTIE
Dear Mama,
I‟m in Maryland now, staying at Mrs. Chitwood‟s tavern for a few more days; then I‟ll be joining
a new regiment. It‟s different from our Pennsylvania farms but still beautiful. Folks seem more
divided here about slavery and the war; but I am hopeful that people will see that slavery goes
against God‟s loving, natural order. It is too cruel to break up families and drive the slaves like
they are oxen. …I asked Pastor to get a copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin for you. President Lincoln
says Harriet Beecher Stowe is the woman who started this war—all by herself! …Please let me
know if you receive word of Papa‟s whereabouts, and I pray every night Robert is safe.
Remember I am doing the Lord‟s work by writing letters for all the boys who can‟t write. …The
need is so great to read and write that I said I‟d stay a little longer. But don‟t you fret. I promise
you I‟ll be home before winter. I look forward to sewing or reading with you in front of the
fireplace. Maybe President Lincoln will end the war, and Papa and Robert will be home, too.
…I wear your gloves only on Sundays. They keep you close to me. Love, Lottie. P.S. I‟m fine,
so please don‟t worry about me. (Beat) Oh-oh! The pail! The pail, Mts. Chitwood!
(Mrs. Chitwood hurries to get a bucket for her. Lottie vomits.)
I‟m not much help to the soldiers like this.
MRS CHITWOOD
Just take your broth and you‟ll feel better in the mornin‟. Everyone goes through this when you
live on hardtack. You‟ll be over it soon.
LOTTIE
But I won‟t be able to catch up with the Regiment. And I didn‟t get to tell Captain I couldn‟t
keep up because I got sick on the army food.
MRS. CHITWOOD
Never you mind. General Hooker‟s men will be along in a few days. You‟ll be healthy enough
to join up with them.
LOTTIE
But will they want me when I tell them I won‟t work in any infirmary? My first assignment
from Harrisburg, they said I didn‟t have to work in the infirmary at all, and—
MRS. CHITWOOD
My, of, my, yes they‟ll want you! Especially since you don‟t go around with a painted face.
LOTTIE
Mrs. Chitwood! I‟m a respectable Christian lady.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Laughing)
I know, child. Nevertheless, you‟ll be seein‟ things no respectable Christian lady should ever see
in her life time.
LOTTIE
You‟re just trying to scare me, but I‟m not going back home. Papa and Robert are doing their
part for the Union and I will, too, --even though Papa‟s not so sure we shouldn‟t let those
„Sessionists go off and be by themselves. …How do you know the General will be coming by
here?
MRS. CHITWOOD
Because I‟ve been a mail stop since long before the war started. I hear all the news that‟s to be
heard straight from Washington.
LOTTIE
…I wish Mama would get a letter from Papa or Robert.
MRS. CHITWOOD
A letter can either have good or bad news in it.
LOTTIE
It would mean so much to her to know something. Anything. She worries with all of us gone.
MRS. CHITWOOD
War don‟t have any favorites.
LOTTIE
We just want to know if they‟re all right.
MRS. CHITWOOD
They‟d be walkin‟ up the front steps if they wasn‟t. Army can‟t afford to keep the wounded
hangin‟ „round if a man can‟t put up a fight.
LOTTIE
(Ready to be sick again)
Oh, oh, Mrs. CHITWOOD! Here I go again!
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Passing her the bucket)
Get it all out child. Then you need to take more of my broth to get your strength back.
LOTTIE
Must I?
(Vomiting more) …Oh, oh, oh.
SCENE 2:
Alva and Ben are drinking
coffee at a small campfire.
ALVA
I still think we should be at home workin‟ the farm.
BEN
No, no, NO! When I was Sam‟s age, I was plowin‟ with Pa. Sixteen ain‟t too young to be
runnin‟ the farm.
ALVA
But he‟s only supposed to help out at harvest. Pa told him to keep on doin‟ the harness work.
Ma needs that extra. Sam don‟t know nothin‟ „bout farmin‟ yet. Not like we do.
BEN
Look, you shouldn‟t a come if you feel that away. But I‟m not gonna miss out on the one great
adventure of my lifetime!
ALVA
That‟s „zactly why you shouldn‟t be here. War ain‟t no „Great Adventure.‟ Ma worries every
day that Pa‟ll come back without a leg or, or hear that he‟s not comin‟ back at all. What‟ll
happen to the farm then?
BEN
Stop your worry‟in‟. When Pa finds out we both joined up, he‟ll be proud. You‟ll see.
ALVA
We gotta send every bit of our pay home to help out.
BEN
I know. …How‟d you get Grandpa‟s gun away from him?
ALVA
Just told him I needed it; that I was goin‟ to war „n I needed it.
BEN
Hum. He can‟t tramp „round the woods huntin‟ anymore.
ALVA
But he can still sit on the back porch „n hit a squirrel dead ringer every time. Did you know he
fought in a war? I didn‟t know he was ever in Mexico. His talk was all mixed up; you know
how he is. Then he jist got up and handed it to me. Gave it up easier than I thought he would.
SCENE 3:
A week later at Mrs.
Chitwood‟s.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(To a Sergeant in Hooker‟s Regiment)
This is Lottie, Sergeant. She got the „Nasties‟ from that army food and had to stay behind. But I
fixed her up with my chicken broth and tea; she‟s fit now.
SERGEANT
How do you do, Miss Lottie. The Quartermaster will give you a blanket, and the ladies will tell
you what needs to be done.
LOTTIE
A blanket?
SERGEANT
Guard it with you life. We‟re crossing some high mountains down the road, and it‟ll get pretty
cold at night when fall comes on.
LOTTIE
(Being ignored)
Oh, I don‟t expect to help through the winter.
MRS. CHITWOOD
I‟ve had a good chat with her, Sergeant. She‟s not like the other.
LOTTIE
Not to be rude, Mrs. Chitwood, but what do you mean, „others?‟
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Ignoring her)
You tell Captain she can read and write, drive horses, and do a heap of other tasks. You see to it
she gets the best of rations.
LOTTIE
But what do you mean, „others,‟ Mrs. Chitwood?
SERGEANT
That is good to know. We‟ll take care of this one, all right.
(Stepping to the door to call)
Flo! Oh, Flo!
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Hugging)
You write me, Lottie; and I‟ll let your ma know we might be able to get your letters here if not
clear home to Pennsylvania to her.
FLO
(Entering)
Need your „laundry‟ done, Sarg?
SERGEANT
(Embarrassed, clearing throat)
We have a new lady recruit, here, still wet behind the ears. Would you get her a blanket, select a
tent for her quarters, show her the ropes. (Introducing) Flo, …Lottie.
FLO
Be glad to.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(To Flo)
Just a minute. Keep her away from the regular girls. Don‟t show her that kind of rope.
FLO
Special treatment, eh? This‟ll be interesting.
LOTTIE
But I don‟t want any special treatment.
SERGEANT
She just got over the heaves, and we don‟t want her coming down with anything else,
understand?
FLO
Yes, sir, Sarg. Follow me, Lottie. Far be it from me to cause you any grief with the men.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(To Lottie)
If you do have any trouble at all, you can always come back here.
LOTTIE
Thank you, Mrs. Chitwood. I do appreciate all you‟ve done for me.
(Crossing with Flo)
It‟s all so new to me. Mrs. Chitwood said this regiment would be different from my first one. I
guess everyone in the Union knows who General Hooker is except me.
FLO
He‟s quite a General. I‟d never say „No‟ to him.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Pouring two alcoholic drinks)
Here you are, Sergeant. Some of my best.
SERGEANT
Bless you, Alice.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Pulling the glass away as he reaches for it)
Ah-ah-ah, Sergeant. In exchange for the real news.
SERGEANT
Anything you want to know.
MRS. CHITWOOD
Tell me truthfully now, how‟s the North doin‟?
SERGEANT
We‟re fighting our hearts out; but for that matter, the Rebs are fighting their hearts out, too. That
Rebel yell is chilling.
(He reaches out again expecting her to hand him the drink but she withdraws it.)
MRS. CHITWOOD
Now get down to brass tacks. Jeb Stuart passed through without doin‟ much damage here. But I
hear those Southerners are givin‟ us a run for our money. How many of your own men have you
lost?
SERGEANT
Dozens to disease. —Half our men every time there‟s a skirmish. These men are green as
apples, straight from Washington; and they panic. But, some are seasoned fighters, and they
keep us going forward.
MRS. CHITWOOD
Don‟t „spare‟ me and withhold, Sergeant. I asked you—
SERGEANT
Truthfully, we lost seventeen hundred—
MRS. CHITWOOD
Seventeen?
SERGEANT
at the second Bull Run.
MRS. CHITWOOD
Oh, my.
SERGEANT
Another eight thousand wounded.
MRS. CHITWOOD
Mercy!
SERGEANT
Almost…six thousand missing.
(Mrs. Chitwood shakes her head in disbelief.)
Thank heaven they sent General Pope away. We won‟t be seeing much of him anymore.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Handing him the liquor, and they toast and down it)
…To our lost men. …Are those Rebels pushing further North?
SERGEANT
We never counted on them being so aggressive. But don‟t you worry none, Alice. They won‟t
be coming by here.
(Starting to leave and then turning back)
You‟re doing pretty good yourself?
MRS. CHITWOOD
My lodging‟s always full. And the Quakers send me…all the…‟supplies‟ I can handle.
SERGEANT
Right. But I‟m still concerned about that tunnel. You best get some men to brace it up before an
accident happens.
MRS. CHITWOOD
(Getting a cake)
I‟ll get around to it soon enough. Here‟s a little somethin‟ for the General. Give him my best
wishes. Tell him it‟s from Alice. He‟ll know.
SERGEANT
I‟ll do that. (Beat) You be careful now. I don‟t know another person who would do what you
venture. Thank you for my „refreshment,‟ Alice. It was very…refreshing.
SCENE 4:
Continuous outside at Mrs.
Chitwood‟s.
FLO
Here‟s what you need to understand, Lottie. These soldiers are hungry for attention, so do not be
flirtatious as that is an invitation for them to latch onto you.
LOTTIE
Latch onto? Goodness, I don‟t even know how to flirt. I‟m a Godly Christian woman.
FLO
A „Godly Christian woman‟ serving in the army.
LOTTIE
Why, yes. I first started serving by distributing Bibles.
FLO
And you distribute Bibles?
LOTTIE
Not anymore. But I did until the Bibles were all gone. Then I decided to—
FLO
—We‟re keeping that part. I‟ll put out the word that—what‟s your real name?
LOTTIE
Lottie. Lottie Tilker. Papa didn‟t like „Loretta‟ which is what my Mama wanted to name me.
She thought that was a real lady‟s name. But Papa didn‟t like it, so he named me Lottie.
FLO
All right. But Miss Loretta sounds more formal Here‟s what I‟ll tell everyone: “Miss Loretta, a
Godly Christian woman, distributes Bibles—
LOTTIE
—From the American Missionary Society.
FLO
That’s good. —from the American Missionary Society, and she is joining Hooker‟s Corps to
lead Sunday worship services.”
LOTTIE
Gracious, I can‟t do that!
FLO
It‟s the only way to keep the soldiers away from you.
LOTTIE
I don‟t understand why you have to tell them anything at all. I won‟t pay the soldiers no mind
anyway.
FLO
Listen to me, Lottie. There are women, camp followers, who are here for a good time.
LOTTIE
When there‟s a war going on?
FLO
—A very good time, and the men take advantage of the „Godly‟ women who are helping out
with their laundry. Don‟t want you to be surprised when they ask you for other favors.
LOTTIE
I haven‟t been around men much—only my brother Robert—so I don‟t know how to—
FLO
(Rolling her eyes at what is apparent)
—Now I don‟t know what kind of work Sarg or the General has in mind for you, but—
LOTTIE
—Not the infirmary—I can‟t stand seeing anyone in pain or the sight of blood. I faint at the
sight of blood.
FLO
But don‟t leave your tent after dark, and don‟t light a red lantern.
LOTTIE
I won‟t if you say so. Besides, I‟ll be cooking and writing letters for the soldiers, and I‟ll be
ready to go to sleep after a long day.
FLO
Just tell any soldier who asks your name that you‟re Miss Loretta from the American Missionary
Society. Then ask them if they need a Bible. That ought to do it. Now come with me, and I‟ll
see if I can get you into a wagon so you don‟t have to walk. You‟d best sleep in my tent. And
don‟t let anyone in when I go out for the night.
LOTTIE
Why would you go out for—
FLO
—Because you‟ll be in my tent, Miss Loretta. Let‟s go get your blanket and get you settled.
LOTTIE
But I don‟t understand—
FLO
—I will explain it to you again. Some of these young men are on their way to die tonight…or
tomorrow night…or the next night…without ever having…worldly knowledge of a woman.
LOTTIE
W-worldly knowledge?
FLO
And they don‟t want to die feeling alone, that no one cares, that life is over before it begins. So
the camp ladies…give them a taste of…life…before they…die. You might say I‟m kind of a
…nurse.
LOTTIE
Mercy!
FLO
And Mrs. Chitwood says, “You gotta live today like there‟s no tomorrow, „cause there might not
be.” So I live like there‟s no tomorrow.
LOTTIE
Oh, Flo, war is awful!
FLO
And you hain‟t even seen it yet! Come on, Lottie.
SCENE 5:
On a log, Lottie is reading
Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
ALVA
(Approaching)
Excuse me, miss. I, I see you‟re readin‟.
LOTTIE
Oh, yes. It‟s my favorite book. I try to get a few more pages read every night before the sun
goes down.
ALVA
I, I know. I see you here every night. I mean, wherever we set up camp, there you are, on a log,
readin‟ a book after supper, night after night…readin‟ a book.
LOTTIE
I sure like to read.
ALVA
Well, I, I was wonderin‟…wonderin‟ if…
LOTTIE
Flo says I shouldn‟t talk to any of the soldiers.
ALVA
Oh, I didn‟t mean! I‟m sorry! I jist wondered, since you read, if you could help me with a word.
I got a letter here from Margaret Sue „n between her spellin‟ „n my readin‟, I can‟t make any
sense of it. She‟s my little sister.
LOTTIE
(Taking the letter)
Oh. “Dear Benjamin and Alva,” Which one are you?
ALVA
Alva. I‟m Alva.
LOTTIE
Glad to meet you. I‟m Lottie. …Now let‟s see. …Soemthing about chickens. I‟m sorry; I can‟t
make it out, either.
ALVA
Oh. But look here. She drew a picture of a chicken on the edge. It‟s her chore to feed the
chickens. She has „em all named. Whenever any of „em disappear, we all have to stop what
we‟re doin‟ „n pretend to go out „n look for „em „cause Ma don‟t want Margaret Sue to know we
eat „em.
LOTTIE
(Looking)
It doesn‟t have a head. Or wings.
ALVA
That‟s how she draws her chickens. A circle „n two legs.
LOTTIE
(Giggling)
It looks like a walking egg!
ALVA
I miss her. She‟s the youngest. Do you have brothers „n sisters?
LOTTIE
Just Robert. He‟s two years younger than me. Sixteen.
ALVA
Why, he‟s the same age as my brother Samuel.
LOTTIE
He‟s not enlisted, too, is he? Robert had to sneak in because he‟s so young—against Mama‟s
wishes, of course. Papa said he‟d have to make up his own mind, and they joined up together.
ALVA
Me „n Ben enlisted together, too. Sam has to be the big brother to all the rest now.
LOTTIE
I do wish I was from a big family.
ALVA
In order, my family is: Benjamin, me, Mary—she‟s betrothed; Sam, he‟s sixteen like your
brother; Thomas—Ma says he‟s jist like Ben; he‟ll never grow up. Sarah, Clarence, and
Margaret Sue—all eight of us.
LOTTIE
What a wonderful family! You must get lots of letters.
ALVA
I, I do, but…it‟s awful hard for me to figure „em out. I don‟t read so good.
LOTTIE
Oh, I‟ll help you figure them out—except for Margaret Sue‟s! …My Mama just wrote me that
my brother was wounded. Got a wound in his right arm and that he‟s lucky it wasn‟t in a vital
organ. …Sorry. He‟s been on my mind.
ALVA
Where‟s he now?
LOTTIE
When he wasn‟t healing fast enough, they sent him home—just like Mrs. Chitwood said they
would. She‟s a nice woman who took care of me when, when I got very sick once.
ALVA
We have a one-arm cook here. I‟m surprised they discharged your brother. …‟N your father?
LOTTIE
No word at all…for three months.
ALVA
Maybe if you don‟t hear anythin‟, maybe he‟s busy marchin‟ „n such.
LOTTIE
We pray awfully hard for Papa, hoping he‟ll come home, too. …Mama says the pears are all
picked by now. The neighbors helped.
ALVA
You have a lot a pear trees?
LOTTIE
More apples than pears, but they‟re not ripe yet. Funny how you can miss doing your chores.
Seeing the blossoms in the spring, picking the apples in the fall; that‟s what I miss.
ALVA
I miss our farm, too.
LOTTIE
(Awkward silence)
Mama makes the best pear pie.
ALVA
(Awkward silence)
I have another letter. Do you, do you want to… Would you mind if…if?
LOTTIE
(Unfolding and looking at a letter)
You want me to read it? That‟s what I‟m here for. …It was sent last month. This one is from
Sam. “Dear Alva, we are glad to get a letter from you. Ma cried when she saw it; she was so
happy. It‟s been very dry so it is hard to till the soil. I told Thomas and Clarence we would have
a plowing race: them against me. We took turns with the plow, and it got done fast. Everyone
sends their love. Sam.” …But who won the race?
ALVA
It don‟t matter. Competin‟ is the fun part. I wish I could read as good as you, Lottie.
LOTTIE
You could probably sound most of it out. You can practice with this letter now that you‟ve
heard it. Want to read the other letter?
ALVA
Maybe we can save it for tomorrow night? I don‟t want to read „em up all at once.
LOTTIE
Reading is so wonderful. Not just letters but stories, too. You‟ll love to read when you can read
better. I‟ve read Uncle Tom’s Cabin a dozen times by now, I guess.
ALVA
I heard of it but I don‟t know much about it.
LOTTIE
It‟s about a slave, Eliza, taking her son north to freedom.
ALVA
Some say that‟s why we‟re fightin‟.
LOTTIE
Un-huh. And Uncle Tom—he was a slave, too—had such a strong Christian belief in God. He
was unshakeable. That made his owner awfully angry, so he had Uncle Tom beaten—to death!
Isn‟t that just awful!
ALVA
I don‟t know anyone who‟s ever owned a slave. We do our own plowin‟, „n I can‟t imagine Ma
lettin‟ anyone—slave er not—into her kitchen to do the cookin.‟
LOTTIE
Goodness, yes. Slavery‟s terribly wrong, you know. My teacher gave me her book. I could read
it a hundred times.
ALVA
(In awe)
You got schoolin‟.
LOTTIE
My brother, too. Mama was determined to raise an educated lady and a gentleman. Her people
were from France. She said we both had to get schooling; and Papa said he needed help. So
they compromised. Robert and I alternated so one of us was always home doing chores. We‟d
do our schoolwork together at night so we never missed any lessons.
ALVA
My older brother didn‟t get to go much. Neither did I. Wish, wish I could read that book
myself, the one you read over „n over.
LOTTIE
Well, let‟s keep on reading. We can read it together.
ALVA
I‟d like that. Here, tomorrow? After supper?
(She nods Yes.)
SCENE 6:
Later.
Alva is standing guard.
There‟s a rustling noise.
ALVA
(Standing picket duty)
Hault! Who goes there! I say Hault! Hault, who goes there! (Beat) You‟re supposed to tell me
who you are so I don‟t have to shoot you. Now get it right this time! Hault! Who goes there!
OBADIAH
Don‟t shoot! Don‟t shoot, massa. I‟m lost. I don‟t know wheres I am.
ALVA
Well, then, come out with your hands up!
OBADIAH
(Appearing)
What you say, massa?
ALVA
Don‟t call me that. What‟s your name? Speak up; what‟s your name?
OBADIAH
Obadiah, massa.
ALVA
I said don‟t call me that!
OBADIAH
Yes, massa. What do I call you, sur?
ALVA
Private Thornburg. Call me „Private.‟
OBADIAH
Yes, sur, Mista Private. I‟m lost. I don‟t know which way is up I so lost.
ALVA
Well, where did you come from? Where do you live?
OBADIAH
I been livin‟ in the woods. Tryin‟ to find the Yankees. Come from Georgia.
ALVA
Georgia? Why, that‟s miles „n miles away from here! You‟ve been goin‟ east „n north a long
ways. Are you a runaway?
OBADIAH
(Dropping to his knees)
Don‟t shoot me; please, massa, don‟t shoot me!
ALVA
I won‟t shoot you. Now get up, „n stand up straight like a man while I try to figure out what to
do with you. You‟re not a Confederate soldier so I guess I don‟t have to take you prisoner.
OBADIAH
Kin, kin I jist go north „til I outrun the slavers?
ALVA
Well, I suppose, …er you could come with us. We got some others like you workin‟ fer us.
Would you like to do that? I see you can use a good pair of shoes.
OBADIAH
Yes, sur, I could use a good pair a shoes, mas—
ALVA
—Private. Private Thornburg. Well, it‟s my tie to report in. Come along „n I‟ll take you to
Lottie. She‟ll know what to do with you.
OBADIAH
(As they cross)
I work hard fer you, Mista Private. I‟m a hard worker, yes, sur!
ALVA
(With an informal salute, he acknowledges his replacement guard who is not seen.)
We all work hard, Obadiah. But you‟ll be safe here. We won‟t send you back south.
OBADIAH
I thanks the Lord!
ALVA
(Approaching Lottie who‟s sewing on buttons)
This here‟s Obadiah, Lottie. He‟s a runaway slave. I was on picket duty, and he jist walked
right up to me. Maybe you can take care of seein‟ what needs to be done. I gotta report. I‟ll see
you tonight.
(Exiting)
LOTTIE
My goodness, I‟ve never met a real, live slave before.
OBADIAH
Yes, „m, ah‟m „live, fer sure.
LOTTIE
How are you Obadiah?
OBADIAH
H-how am I?
LOTTIE
Yes. How-are-you?
OBADIAH
I-am (beat) hungry.
LOTTIE
You come with me, then. I‟ll take you over to the mess and we‟ll feed you extra good. Then
we‟ll get you settled.
OBADIAH
Oh, thank you, ma‟m.
LOTTIE
(Crossing to mess area)
I can‟t wait to get to know you. Have you ever read Uncle Tom’s Cabin? It‟s about a runaway
slave, too.
OBADIAH
No, ma‟m. I, I can‟t read. Slaves, we ain‟t „lowed.
LOTTIE
Oh, of course; that was thoughtless of me. Well, now that you‟re with us, you can learn!
OBADIAH
I can learn to read, ma‟m?
LOTTIE
If you want to. I‟ve been teaching Alva how to read. Private Thornburg, that is.
OBADIAH
If there no law „gainst it. I been tol there a law „gainst it.
LOTTIE
No, no! We Yankees want everybody to read.
OBADIAH
That be glorious, ma‟m! Jist glorious.
LOTTIE
After you eat, I‟ll introduce you to the Captain, and he can tell me where I should put you. I
mean, where you‟ll sleep and what chores you‟ll be assigned.
OBADIAH
I get to meet a Captain?
(She nods.)
That be jist glorious!
LOTTIE
(Picking up a bowl and handing it to him)
We need to talk while you eat, Obadiah. I need to find out what kind of chores did you do as a
slave? And you can call me Miss Lottie. That‟d be just fine.
OBADIAH
Mz Lottie, ma‟m, we all pick cotton come cotton pickin‟ time. But I do lots a things for massa.
Milk the cows. Fix the fence. I feed the chickens. I cut the fire wood. I take care of massa‟s
horse once it got deathly sick. I rubs it down real good with hog lard, „n it live; and massa jist
„bout cried. (Beat) I don‟t know what massa gonna do without me. (Beat) Maybe I ought go
back.
LOTTIE
Oh, no, Obadiah! We need you here. You can do lots of things here. Please don‟t go back.
OBADIAH
They tol me you Yankees fierce tigers. You no fierce tiger.
LOTTIE
Fierce tigers! (Laughing) Can you peel potatoes?
OBADIAH
Yes, ma‟m.
LOTTIE
We‟ll make a great team. I‟m sure the Captain will approve. You‟ll get your own mess kit
tonight. …Obadiah, do you mind my asking, …do you have a family? Anyone?
OBADIAH
(Eating hungrily)
Yes, ma‟m, but ah don‟t know where my wife and little girl. Massa took „em away.
LOTTIE
Oh, my. This evil institution of slavery has to stop, like Mrs. Stowe says. She‟s the one who
wrote that book I told you about. If you‟re not too tired after supper, I‟ll start teaching you how
to read it. You‟ll know how to read the title by tonight.
OBADIAH
I, I don‟t know, ma‟m. I‟m jist a slave.
LOTTIE
Not anymore. You‟re one of us fierce tigers! (Beat) You know the alphabet, don‟t you?
OBADIAH
I know A-B-C. That‟s all ma‟m.
LOTTIE
Well, well, that‟s all right. I‟ll teach you.
OBADIAH
But I can count to ten.
(Holding hands out, fingers spread)
I have ten fingers.
LOTTIE
We‟ll count the potatoes when we peel them. Before you know it, you‟ll be counting to one
hundred!
OBADIAH
But Ms. Lottie, why do I need count to one hundred? That a heap a anything.
LOTTIE
There are many reasons, and I‟m going to be your teacher.
OBADIAH
…Mz Lottie, Ma‟m.
LOTTIE
Yes?
OBADIAH
Any bounty hunters „round with you Yankees?
LOTTIE
Why, no, Obadiah. There are no hunters with us. And you know, General Hooker‟s men are
going to defeat the Confederacy so there won‟t be any more slavin‟. Won‟t that be glorious?!
SCENE 7:
Later.
New camp site.
Alva and Ben are cleaning
their rifles.
BEN
I‟m sure we‟re marchin‟ soon.