A Distant Trumpet (1964)

James Gregory: Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint

Photos 

Quotes 

• Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint : Captain Gray, tell me, when was the last time that Fort Delivery was attacked by an unchallenged enemy at night?

  Capt. Cedric Gray MD : Sir, we've never been attacked at night.

  Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint : The opportunities for an enemy would seem to be enormous. I should think an Army outpost a hundred miles from nowhere with no sentries on duty would be as inviting to an enemy, as it is astonishing to me.

• Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint : [At West Point, recounting his pursuit of War Eagle, who crossed the river into Mexico to avoid apprehension from U.S. forces who were forbidden to cross into Mexico]  And so, he crossed the Little River into Mexico, and escaped me. "Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit," which I'm sure you all remember from your Cicero. I translate it to mean, "He is gone, departed, slunk off, and gotten clean away."

• Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint : You know, Mr. Hazard, a man is not a man who would permit his people to die needlessly.

  2nd Lt. Matthew 'Matt' Hazard : Would that be from the Latin, sir?

  Maj. Gen. Alexander Upton Quaint : No... no, that's from Alexander Upton Quaint.