_An Orderly (entering)_: A despatch, sir. _Grant_: Yes. THE ORDERLY _goes, and a_ YOUNG OFFICER _comes in from the field. He salutes and hands a despatch to_ GRANT. _Officer_: From General Meade, sir. _Grant (taking it_): Thank you. _He opens it and reads_. You needn't wait. THE OFFICER _salutes and goes_. Yes, they've closed the ring. Meade gives them ten hours. It's timed at eight. That's six o'clock in the morning. _He hands the despatch to_ LINCOLN. _Lincoln_: We must be merciful. Bob Lee has been a gallant fellow. _Grant (taking a paper_): Perhaps you'll look through this list, sir. I hope it's the last we shall have. _Lincoln (taking the paper_): It's a horrible part of the business, Grant. Any shootings? _Grant_: One. _Lincoln_: Damn it, Grant, why can't you do without it? No, no, of course not? Who is it? _Grant_: Malins. _Malins (opening a book_): William Scott, sir. It's rather a hard case. _Lincoln_: What is it? _Malins_: He had just done a heavy march, sir, and volunteered for double guard duty to relieve a sick friend. He was found asleep at his post. _He shuts the book_. _Grant_: I was anxious to spare him. But it couldn't be done. It was a critical place, at a gravely critical time. _Lincoln_: When is it to be? _Matins_: To-morrow, at daybreak, sir. _Lincoln_: I don't see that it will do him any good to be shot. Where is he? _Malins_: Here, sir. _Lincoln_: Can I go and see him? _Grant_: Where is he? _Malins_: In the barn, I believe, sir. _Grant_: Dennis. _Dennis (coming from his table_): Yes, sir. _Grant_: Ask them to bring Scott in here. DENNIS _goes_. I want to see Colonel West. Malins, ask Templeman if those figures are ready yet. _He goes, and_ MALINS _follows. Lincoln:_ Will you, Hay? HAY _goes. After a moment, during which_ LINCOLN _takes the book that_ MALINS _has been reading from, and looks into it_, WILLIAM SCOTT _is brought in under guard. He is a boy of twenty_. _Lincoln (to the_ GUARD): Thank you. Wait outside, will you? _The_ MEN _salute and withdraw_. Are you William Scott? _Scott_: Yes, sir. _Lincoln_: You know who I am? _Scott_: Yes, sir. _Lincoln_: The General tells me you've been court-martialled. _Scott_: Yes sir. _Lincoln_: Asleep on guard? _Scott_: Yes, sir. _Lincoln_: It's a very serious offence. _Scott_: I know, sir. _Lincoln_: What was it? _Scott (a pause_): I couldn't keep awake, sir. _Lincoln_: You'd had a long march? _Scott_: Twenty-three miles, sir. _Lincoln_: You were doing double guard? _Scott_: Yes, sir. _Lincoln_: Who ordered you? _Scott_: Well, sir, I offered. _Lincoln_: Why? _Scott_: Enoch White--he was sick, sir. We come from the same place. _Lincoln_: Where's that? _Scott_: Vermont, sir. _Lincoln_: You live there? _Scott_: Yes, sir. My ... we've got a farm down there, sir. _Lincoln_: Who has? _Scott_: My mother, sir. I've got her photograph, sir. _He takes it from his pocket_. _Lincoln (taking it_): Does she know about this?