- [first lines]
- Title Card: This is a story of our early America... of the century of conflict with the French and Indians... when necessity made simple men, unknown to history, into giants in daring and endurance. It begins in Portsmouth New Hampshire, in 1759...
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [referring to Langdon's abdominal wound] Are ypu hurt bad?
- Langdon Towne: First thing I've had in my stomach in days.
- Langdon Towne: What did he have in the sack?
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [pause] The head of an Abenaki indian.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [trying on indian moccasins] Don't any of these red hellions have man-sized feet?
- Lt. Crofton: [giving away his share of parched corn] If you fellows were smart, you wouldn't have to eat corn!
- [scurries away laughing]
- Langdon Towne: [limps into camp on a crutch] Food? Where's the food?
- Hunk Marriner: Langdon!
- [runs towards him]
- Hunk Marriner: You're just in time for a little corn with the rest of us roosters!
- [last lines]
- Elizabeth Browne: [standing alongside Langdon Towne as Major Robert Rogers and his rangers march into the distance] Is there, Langdon? Is there a Northwest Passage?
- Langdon Towne: Who knows.
- [pause]
- Langdon Towne: It's every man's dream to find a short route to his heart's desire. If the major dreams long enough, he'll find it.
- Elizabeth Browne: Will we hear from him?
- Langdon Towne: Hear from him?
- [pause]
- Langdon Towne: Every time we look across the river we'll hear his voice calling us through the wind. He'll be within us, Elizabeth - wherever we are or he may be - for that man will never die.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [Addressing his troops before the raid on Fort Francis] Now pay attention. I've just had a look at the town. They've been having a whale of a time all night. Haven't left a sentry out - not one. The wind is in our favor... even the dogs can't smell us.
- Hunk Marriner: Lucky thing for the dogs.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Now w're under orders to wipe out this town, so see that you kill every fighting Indian - kill 'em quick and kill 'em dead, and for Heaven's sake, don't kill any of our own Indians and don't kill any of the white captives. Our own Indians will have white crosses on their backs, so keep your eyes open. Don't make any mistakes.
- Cap Huff: [to Langton] If you're tryin' to drink yourself outta lovesickness, why don't you switch to rum? We've got some rum that'll burn the knots out of a pine plank.
- Langdon Towne: [Drunkenly] Bring 'em me.
- Langdon Towne: [Slapping at mosquitoes as they walk through wetlands] Mosquitoes don't bite you, do they?
- Hunk Marriner: Nope.
- Langdon Towne: You put something on that keeps them off?
- Hunk Marriner: Rancid bear grease. They hate the stink worse than I do.
- Langdon Towne: [Smelling some of the bear grease that Hunk offers him] thanks. I'll take the mosquitoes.
- Sergeant McNott: You're right, Major, but I'd hate to be a man that's always as right as you are.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: I'm not a man now, Sergeant. I'm a soldier in command of men. If you ever meet me when I'm just a man, you may have to use a little charity.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [notices Crofton clutching a bundle intensely] Whatta ya got in that knapsack, Crofton?
- Lt. Crofton: [answers with wild eyes] Souvenir!
- Maj. Robert Rogers: You better throw it away if it's heavy!
- Lt. Crofton: It ain't heavy! It's light!
- [begins laughing insanely]
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Rejoin your company, Marriner.
- Hunk Marriner: Langdon's wounded!
- [pause]
- Hunk Marriner: I'm not leaving him!
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [shouts] Another word out of you and I'll have you shot! Now rejoin your company!
- Hunk Marriner: [mumbles] Yes, sir.
- Cap Huff: [watching the column of rangers march past] Ain't you goin'?
- Hunk Marriner: [looks up in disbelief] No... I've been!
- Hunk Marriner: [upset] But I'd hate to be a man and always be as right as you are.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: I'm not a man now, Sergeant. I'm a soldier and commander of men.
- [pause]
- Maj. Robert Rogers: If you ever meet me when I'm just a man, you may have to use a little charity.
- Hunk Marriner: [shocked] Yes, sir.
- [pause]
- Hunk Marriner: I'm sorry, sir.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [to Langdon referring to a drunken Indian] Don't worry, he won't kiss you. These Indians haven't learned that yet.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [to a wounded Langdon] You know, it's pretty hard to destroy a man who's got a real incentive to live.
- Hunk Marriner: [Trying to get comfortable in a tree branch] I slept ina lot of worst places, but right now I can't recall where they was.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Captain Ogden?
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Yes, sir!
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Bring those white prisoners here.
- Captain Ogden: All right, move on. Get up here.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: What's your name, ma'am?
- Sarah Hadden: Sarah Hatten, from New Hampshire. They took me seven years ago. Killed my husband and knocked my baby's head against a tree. My husbands scalp is over there with 700 others. Oh, don't - don't leave me here.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: I'll look out for you.
- Sarah Hadden: The French will be back. They'll see the smoke.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: How many of them are there?
- Sarah Hadden: About 400 and a band of braves from here.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Is she telling the truth?
- Jennie Coit: It's the truth, all right, They'll be back and put up their stakes again, and your ugly head will be the first one on the pole.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: What's your name?
- Jennie Coit: Jennie Coit... Why?
- Sarah Hadden: She's been living here so long she's worse then any of these red rips.
- Jennie Coit: Ah, rip yourself, you old hag.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: She's white. So she goes back. Lieutenant Dunbar, get them started across the river.
- Lt. Dunbar: Come on!
- Jennie Coit: You can't take me away from here. I won't go! I'll stay here where I belong. You white devil!
- [spits at him]
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Go on! Get her moving! Hurry up! She gives you any trouble, stick her in the rump with a bayonet.
- Scout: What do we do with squaws?
- Maj. Robert Rogers: Let them go. They are no good to use anyway. And tell them I'm letting them go so they can give a message to their people. Say that I destroyed their town as a lesson. And tell 'em if they ever again send their warriors to take the scalps of our people, I'll have no mercy on anyone the next time I come.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: [notices Langdon is nervous prior to the attack on the Abenaki village] Cold?
- Langdon Towne: I never shot a man before.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: I know just how you feel, there's nothing to be ashamed of. I was paralysed all through my first fight. Like getting buck fever, I just stood there. But my old musket was s'well trained that it kept firing and reloading all by itself. Yes sir it killed six Indians I never pulled the trigger.
- Langdon Towne: If I had that gun I'd be alright.
- Maj. Robert Rogers: When things start popping maybe you'll find it.
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