电影《拯救大兵瑞恩》中，做出营救瑞恩决定的马歇尔（乔治·卡特利特·马歇尔 George C. Marshall），可能是本片全部主要角色中，唯一一个真实存在的历史人物。其他角色，或是完全虚构，或是根据真实人物的故事改编而来。
而在这整个故事中，有一封马歇尔引用的林肯的信，贯穿始终，却是真实存在的。
该信件，据说是林肯受邀写给一位在战争中不幸失去5个儿子的太太。全篇字斟句酌，感情真挚。曾有人评价其是最完美的英文信函之一。虽说对于其作者否为为林肯本人还是其秘书还有些许争议，但对于其存在的真实性，却得到了公认。
影片中，马歇尔共引用了2次。第一次，是在其作出决定营救瑞恩前；第二次，是在片尾，守桥战斗结束后。
马歇尔所引用的林肯的信▼
Dear Madam:
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Abraham Lincoln.
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