Journey to Shiloh (1968) Movie Script
1
There were seven boys from Texas
Rode off to fight a war
One thousand miles to Richmond
Was where they headed for
They were wild and bold
And reckless
Sons of the far frontier
Their lips had known No women
And their hearts had known
No fear
Buck Burnett was their leader,
The captain of this crew
The Indians made him orphan
At the age of two
Miller Nalls,
Buck's saddle buddy
As steady as the sun
He followed every order
He was the loyal one
Todo McLean was the quiet one,
A man that you could trust
His blood of Texas water
His flesh of Texas dust
Eubie Bell was their jester
Making laughter was his aim
And war the way he heard it,
Was just another game
Willie Bill was born in Pecos
Eighteen summers he's seen
He's old enough to soldier,
Will he see nineteen?
The youngest one was Little Bit,
Jed Lucket's only son
Uh hurrying to reach the war
Before the fighting's done
J.C. Sutton the fastest gun
Draws like a lightning bolt,
Touchy as a panther
As frisky as a colt
There were seven
Long-haired Texans
All dressed in buckskin brown
Heading for the Civil War
Rode into Dallas Town.
- He ain't there, Buck.
- Well, he's gotta be somewhere.
Any of you boys want some more?
You just keep coming.
There he is.
Let's go get him.
Get up. Get up.
Come on, Buck!
I bet they'll never let us
in that town again.
I don't know, it looks like
they handled us pretty good.
- ls that so?
- You Concho County boys maybe.
Not old J.C.
J.C., they want to split
your head wide open.
- I ain't finish with them.
- Sure you are.
- We got riding to do.
- I'm riding...
right back to Dallas.
Pretty good with bottles,
let's see how they are with guns.
- Let it go, J.C.
- I don't let nothing go.
- You're too damn touchy, J.C.
- Don't tell me what I am.
You ain't going back.
I said I am.
You gonna try and stop me?
Well, you know, I...
l can't match you
gun for gun, J.C.
You better believe it.
And I said l'm going.
Anybody arguing?
Well...
have it your way.
J.C. is stubborn as critter.
Get him on his horse.
He's gonna be mean
when he wakes up, Buck.
You all made me captain.
Didn't much want the job.
Now I gotta give the orders
he knew that when he wanted to join up.
I doubt he ever believed.
The man took an oath.
Let's go.
J.C., I told you we had
riding to do.
I know what you told me.
You hit me
when I wasn't looking.
There was no other way.
I ain't forgetting it, Buck.
- You mind that.
- Well, minded.
Nobody sneak-hits J.C. Sutton.
Suit yourself, J.C. Sutton.
Willie Bill.
How far you reckon
we made today?
I don't know. 35, 40 miles.
Ain't enough. We'll be all summer
to get to Richmond.
Yeah, by the time we get there,
there'll be no war.
Yeah, Ive been thinking about that.
But now, we better get some sleep.
Buck?
- You remember what I said.
- Oh, yeah.
Ill toss and turn over it
all night.
Bean and jerky.
There ain't nothing better.
Seen how we ain't eating anything else
since we left home...
you're a lot easy to please,
Little Bit.
Somebody coming.
What are you doing
on our lands?
- This here is your land?
- You're right here in the middle of it.
Don't tell!
Nice land.
- Suits me fine.
- You're trespassing.
Well, it doesn't seem
like we're hurting none.
Maybe you think we are.
Maybe you'd like to throw us off.
- J.C.
- Never mind.
I wanna see these stooges
throw us off.
Now nobody said anything
about throwing anybody off, did they?
As long as you're just camping,
l guess you're not hurting anything.
That's right, friendly.
Thank you.
Step down, have a bean.
- What's that you are eating?
- Beans and jerky.
That's real frontier food.
That's where we brought it from.
Concho County.
Concho County?
That's at the other side of Pecos.
There's still Indians out there.
None that we left alive, there is.
We're the Concho County Comanche's.
We're on our way to Richmond, Virginia.
We're gonna join the
General Hood Texas' Brigade.
- ls that right?
- This here is Buck Burnett...
he's our Capitain.
Boy, l'm proud to know you, captain.
I'm Carter Claiborne.
- This is my brother, Custis.
- Glad to know you.
- You're really going to Virginia?
- That's right.
We heard ourselves that General Hood
needs himself some good horse soldiers.
Yeah, we reckon
we're the best there's.
We're just afraid they're gonna ran
out of Yankees before we get there.
Boy, all the way to Richmond.
- Gee, wish I could do that.
- Why don't you come along with us?
We got plenty of room.
- You mean it?
- Sure!
We got room, ain't we, Buck?
We ain't talking about
recruiting anybody, but...
- You got guns?
- Of course we got guns.
- Know how to use them too.
- What would your folks say?
- We'll talk to them tonight.
- Yeah.
Captain Burnett.
You wanna come to a party?
- What kind of party?
- It's what they call a cotillion.
At our place.
And our cousin Airybelle,
she's from Alabama.
There'll be dancing, bourbon punch,
food and everything.
You gotta come.
Maybe be there when
we talk to our folks.
This cousin Airybelle of yours,
is she pretty?
She's the prettiest thing
you ever saw.
- Well now!
- I don't know, fellas. I mean...
Sounds kind of fancy for us.
Come on, general.
We've been invited to a party.
We're camping here
tonight anyway.
- Ain't no harm in going.
- He's right, Buck.
Come on, Buck. There ain't
no harm on looking at a pretty girl.
We'd be glad to have you.
Sure! With you going
to war and everything.
Pop will probably make you
the honor guest.
Come on, Buck.
It would do us good.
Oh, yeah.
Well, I guess we can scrabble up
in that cranky younger.
- No reason we can't go.
- Now you're talking, Buck.
Now listen, you tell them to stand by,
'cause the Concho County Comanche's...
are gonna show them how
to threw a party, right, Miller?
Get you boys!
Help! Help!
My goodness!
If you, young gentlemen,
ain't a sight?
- ls there something wrong?
- Nothing.
We've never seen
one of you before.
Well, there's a wisp
of us around.
- Not where we come from.
- Where is that, gentlemen?
Concho County, well western here.
My, my.
You're a long way from home.
We're going to be longer.
We're headed for Virginia.
Ain't that nice?
You know, where the war is.
We're going to fight Yankees.
I hear tell the Yankees
is fighting us.
I hear tell they're mighty mean!
Oh, I reckon we'll whip them, though.
- We?
- Yes, sir. Us Southerners.
- You live here?
- Yes, sir.
I run the cottage for Colonel Claiborne.
Buck?
Their house must be a mile.
Ive never seen a slave before.
Isnt that something?
We're just folks, sir.
The only difference is that
we belong to Colonel Claiborne.
He's a magnify gentleman.
- Claiborne house is down this way?
- Yes, sir.
Right on that road, you might.
You're all going to the party?
Yeah, we sure are.
Well, I hope you have a real good time.
And good luck with them Yankees.
Yeah, thank you.
Let's go.
So long.
- Never seen anything like this.
- Hear what he said "us Southerners"?
What do you suppose he meant by that?
Well, he lives here, don't he?
Sure ain't Northerner.
- Buck, something don't make sense.
- Yeah, I aim to found out what it is.
Look at that!
Are we suppose to get in there?
- Maybe this ain't the place, huh, Buck?
- It's the place alright.
- Are we going in?
- We've invited, ain't we?
J.C. is right.
We've been invited,
it wouldn't be fitted if we didn't go.
- I rather take a walk.
- Oh, come on!
We're as good as they are!
Besides, I wanna give myself
a good look at cousin Airybelle.
Come on, Buck. Let's go.
Yeah.
- Yes, gentlemen?
- It's all right, Benjamin.
- These are my friends.
- Very well, Mr. Carter.
Come on!
They'll take your horses.
- All these darks are yours?
- We own a couple hundred of them.
- They don't give you any trouble?
- Why would they give us any trouble?
- Just figures.
- No. This is their home.
- Don't you have any nigers?
- All we got is Indians.
They surely aren't the same.
When the Yankees talk about slaves...
you think we keep them in chains
and beat them twice a day.
It isn't like that.
- Well, we've got a lot to learn.
- Come on, it's already starting.
Well, Carter, I don't know.
You see the people go in there...
they're dressed with shirts and all.
Look at us.
But you're soldiers! You're not
suppose to look like civilians.
You know, he's got
a point there, Buck.
We've come this far. It would be
a shame not to go the rest of the way.
Well...
l thought a captain
was suppose to lead.
All right, let's go.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Captain Buck Burnett.
And the Concho County Comanche's.
Somebody get them out of here!
Pop, they're soldiers.
They're going to the war.
Get them out of here, Edward!
Outside, gentlemen.
Quickly now, outside.
- Outside.
- Pa, I invited them. They're soldiers.
They're savages!
They don't belong here.
- I invited them.
- I'm throwing them out.
Now you get upstairs,
fall of how old you are...
and take a staff to you!
These gentlemen are not to be
allowed in the house again.
- That ain't no way to treat soldiers.
- To think we're going to fight for them.
- There's a war going on, ain't there?
- Come on, let's get out of here.
Gentlemen, please.
Don't go.
Please, Captain Burnett.
Don't go.
If anyone belongs here, you do.
The folks here in Texas
just don't feel the world...
the way we do in Alabama.
Their behavior towards you
is inexcusable.
Well, ma'am, I guess
you can't much blame them.
We're not really dressed for a party.
But you soldiers are the Confederacy.
You're going after to fight their war.
I'm ashamed of them.
And l'm ashamed of myself
for standing by and saying nothing.
As an Alabama patriot,
l implore you, go back inside.
I don't think we'll do that, ma'am.
A man can get bit once
by a rattler by accident...
if he gets bit twice, well,
that's just being stupid.
Then please accept my apology...
and my gratitude for the brave
and noble thing you're doing.
I mean that from
the bottom of my heart.
Ma'am, we don't know much
about this here war, but...
as long as there are ladies like you
supporting it the way you do...
l'm sure the south
can't help but win.
We'll remember what you said
when we get to war.
Itll help us from being tired.
Yes, ma'am.
May God bless you
and keep you. Everyone.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, Ill tell you boys. I'm in love.
My heart is plumbed on.
Airybelle. Airybelle.
- What do you think, Buck?
- About what?
Them Claiborne boys. Do you reckon
they're going to join up with us?
I wouldn't bet my money on it, Miller.
Seen that house? What they got?
I figure if you're rich enough...
maybe you don't feel so much
like fighting the war.
Some people may find it tough to...
give up everything they've got
for beans and jerky.
They're Southerners, ain't they?
Maybe that ain't enough.
Just been Southerners.
All right, let's go.
Let's shake this dust.
We'll get someplace where
they feel more kind about the war.
All right, head them out.
Well, good as the finest house
l ever did see.
- At least we're in Louisiana, huh?
- Near as out of Texas.
I'm getting six feet ahead
and sleeping for a week.
- Not me. Ive got plans.
- We all got plans, J.C.
You've got yours and Ive got mine.
Well, boys, we've got us a problem.
The stock is pretty sad.
Little Bit, the bushes came out,
your horse's is feel with pastern.
It wouldn't be riding a saddle
for a whole week.
If we're gonna get to Richmond
while there's still a war on...
we'll have to do something.
- Ive been thinking.
- The General has been thinking.
We've got nothing to worry about!
Well, Ill go to Shreveport
first thing in the morning...
find us a dealer.
Sell them all our stock and gear...
buy us a ticket to
the next stage to Vicksburg.
We've got a couple of hours to spare,
we're gonna have to take a vote on it.
Ain't nobody selling my horse.
- He goes with me.
- What do you mean he goes with you?
I mean l'm moving on.
I'm tired of you toy soldiers.
You can't do that, J.C.
You took an oath.
Yeah, to the Concho
County Comanche's.
Well, l'm from Miner County.
And I don't like the way
things have worked out.
You treat us like we're
a bunch of school kids!
Well, l'm a man and
l do things my way.
- I ain't gonna let you go.
- You think you can stop me?
Any of you?
- Come on and try.
- Now you settled down.
I'm settling out.
Ive come along to fight
and as far as I concern...
the fighting can start right now.
That way, huh?
Now get your hands out
of those ponchos.
All of you. Come on.
I wanna see them.
Willie Bill!
You better drop that knife.
You're all pretty sneaky, aren't you?
From now on, I write the rules.
Now come on, hands up. All of you.
-J.C...
-You shut up...
or l'm gonna blow your belly out.
Now move!
Maybe you think
Ive forgotten, Buck?
Way you cold-cocked me
when I wasn't looking.
But I ain't!
Little Bit, flap him over
and give me out 50 dollars.
I can't do that, J.C.
We took an oath.
Give me that money!
Just fifty. I'm only taking
what I think my share is.
Any of you, chickens,
got any objections?
Adios, soldados.
Them Miner County boys
sure are a crazy bunch.
He took a good one.
- You all right, Buck?
- I'm all right.
J.C. said he would get me.
He sure did.
- What are you gonna do now, Buck?
- Ill go get him.
He was boilin', Buck.
He'll be trouble.
That's desertion.
- Can't allow it.
- Let him be, Buck.
He only took the fifty dollars
that was his.
- We're better off without him.
- Nope.
He's a lot touchy, but think what
a good soldier he would make...
- for General Hood.
- Miller.
You're the captain while l'm gone.
Take the horses and gear into town...
and get the best price.
- Sure thing, Buck.
- Wait for me at the stage depo.
He's might previous with that
gun of his, Buck. You watch him.
Yeah, I know it.
If it should happen l'm not there
in time, you leave without me.
That's an order.
- Remind what I said, Miller.
- Ill do it, Buck.
- Good luck with J.C.
- Yeah.
Give me two.
Two.
Show or bet.
The bet is twenty.
That's a sucker bet, J.C.
Maybe I didn't hit you
hard enough.
How do you figure
that's a sucker bet, Texas?
You're bucking too many hands.
I guess.
Blow away, general.
Your bet.
Is too rich for me.
Well, Ill tell you what...
since you're busted,
Ill take it easy on you.
You do that.
I call you, friend.
I call.
I would say is a rig.
No, thank you, ma'am.
Did you say something, cowboy?
Well, my friend is
dried that bottle and...
- I don't think he should be playing.
- That's his problem, not yours.
All right, friend. I called.
Queens. Four.
No good.
Ive got a straight flush.
In Diamonds.
How many tens diamonds
there is in this game?
All right.
On the table.
Buck! Buck.
It hurts.
I know he came
with fifty dollars in here.
Sal.
Wait.
- Now take thirty coins for yourself.
- For me? Why?
Look it up in the Bible, lady.
Thirty pieces of silver,
that's what the job pays.
Well, go ahead.
Anybody who wanna follow me outside
and take back what they think is his...
- is welcome.
- It's all right, cowboy.
You're going out clean.
Just keep going.
What's going on here?
A bunch of thieves
robbed my friend...
and killed him
when he didn't like it.
Sonny, we don't like Texas
coming into our town...
and making loose charges.
Now you give me that gun.
That way, huh?
All right.
Here's fifty dollars.
That oughta be enough
to bury my friend.
You take care of that, sheriff.
I don't expect you would
have that decency.
- You give me that gun, boy.
- You come any closer, you'll get this gun.
Now back off.
Everybody stay in pack.
- Buck!
- Buck!
- How are you, Buck?
- Thank goodness, Buck!
Get back or you'll lose
the schedule.
- How did you got out, Buck?
- Shot was faster than they shot.
Where are your horse and gear?
- Let in some farm.
- Hurry up.
Way to go.
Colonel, this is Buck Burnett.
He's our captain.
Colonel Cooney, Buck Burnett.
- Howdy.
- Nice to know you, Colonel.
- You a real Colonel?
- That's a honorary title, son.
Purely honorary.
I reckon you all will meet up
with the real one soon enough.
Buck, we heard about J.C.
- Hell of a note!
- Yeah.
I guess he was born
to die that way.
So, you're all gonna join
the heroic forces of the stars and bars?
The South needs every man
she can get.
If only I were twenty years younger...
Ten years!
- I reckon you would...
- It's a noble thing.
I only wish that more people
felt about it the way you do.
- Now you take Shreveport.
- A den of iniquity, son.
A den of iniquity.
And I can assure you that it's
not representative of the Confederacy.
We're a united nation engaged
in a holly crusade.
- Howdy, Case.
- Howdy, Colonel.
How many you
running down today, Case?
Just one big buck
took out this morning.
Case Pettibone here is a oversee
of old General Cannes Furton.
No niger is gonna run away
from old Case.
- Runaway, huh?
- Well, not for long, son.
- You got the dogs out, Case?
- Yep.
Ben Swayze expects too likely
you'll hear them open up...
- before you get to Munroe.
- That would be something to hear!
If you see that buck, general,
fire off a couple of shots.
- That should do it.
- We'll do it, Case.
We'll do it.
Get out of here!
Why you suppose he ran away?
You run into a bad one
every now and then.
Tries to get across the river
into Texas, but...
but they don't stand a chance
with old Case after them.
That Pettibone looks awful mean.
You don't run a hundred field
for been friendly, sonny.
That's Ben Sawyze's Redbone
running full bell on a hot track.
Stop! Please!
Please, stop!
Please, help me, mister!
Help me!
There he is!
- Please, help me!
- Get out of there!
Help me! Help me!
That man is scared for his life.
Why ain't the driver stopping?
No call to.
The runaway is dog beef for sure!
He'll have him before
he gets timber again.
- You watch close now.
- You watch close.
Please, mister!
I'm damned. They have hounds.
Hold that before
l blow you in two.
Come on, get in here.
Go ahead, get in there.
- Now whip him up!
- Get out there!
Whoa! That Buck is a runaway!
Why don't you try get us with your dogs?
You're losing your chicken gutters?
Driving a stage with a niger!
I understand they don't
bite off, Colonel.
What are we gonna do with him, Buck?
I don't know, but we ain't
giving him back to the dogs.
Now look here, boys.
We're going to Munroe station.
Just happens that the sheriff
there is a friend of mine.
Why don't you let me turn him
over to the sheriff?
No, don't do that.
I ran away twice before.
- The sheriff will sure hell kill me.
- The law don't do things like that.
Don't worry, boys.
My friend Will take care of everything.
Just calm down, you don't have
a thing to be afraid of.
My God, mister.
You don't understand.
- The sheriff is gonna kill me.
- Is that right, Colonel?
He's just scared we'll
whip his guts. That's all.
Of course the sheriff will
make an example out of him...
get him a lick or two, he got to.
Otherwise, they'll all run away.
But the sheriff will see
he gets back to his rightful owner.
That's the law, boys.
This bucky here is worth
over a thousand dollars.
You didn't think we
would let anything happen...
to that amount of money, did you?
Now don't you worry.
You just turn him over to me...
and Ill see he gets back
to where he belongs.
- That's mighty legible, Colonel.
- I'm glad to do it. Glad to do it.
The police station is just
at the other side of Munroe.
Let me go, mister.
I'm rested now.
That dogs ain't too close.
- Maybe I can make it.
- Won't let you do that, boy.
We've got to turn you to the sheriff,
just like the Colonel said.
Gotta, boy!
Ive never seen anything likes.
I rather men than dogs.
Father Vengeance
Let the poor me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Used to sing that song back home.
Let the water...
Munroe station sure ain't much.
Buck, I sure hope that runaway
comes out all right.
He'll be all right.
The Colonel gave us his word, didn't he?
- He sure was scared.
- He's got nothing to be scared now.
Come on.
Get on now!
What kind of town do you reckon
Vicksburg is going to be, Buck?
A lot better when we get there.
God all mighty, Buck! Look there!
It's him.
That runaway slave.
He said they would do it
and they did.
- Buck, you said...
- I know what I said.
- Ill tell the boys.
- No.
They won't understand this.
- We killed him, Buck.
- No, we didn't.
We've done the right thing,
according to the law.
- So don't tell them.
- But they oughta know.
Just shut up, Miller.
So this is Vicksburg?
Man! It's really something, isn't it?
Well, we've got until morning.
No reason we can't look around.
Ill give you two dollars each, huh?
I hear there's a street down there
by the river that really lives.
- l'm in for that.
- Me too.
- They'll eat you up, Little Bit.
- I'm a Texan, Ill take some eating.
- What are you gonna do, Buck?
- Look around.
Ill stick with you.
Ain't sure how much sin
l can do with two dollars...
but l'm willing to find out.
Let's go.
The stage leaves at eight
in the morning. You be there.
Well, where do we start, Buck?
Well, what happened to you?
We met this fellow said
he could get us some girls...
- took our two dollars.
- Would you shut up?
- Never came back, huh?
- No.
We should have known better.
You fellows don't look too happy either.
Well, let me tell you something...
when I fellow put one pea
under three shells...
and bet you can't tell which one is
under, you better believe you can't.
Let's find a friendly place.
Yes, saw a lot of people going to
this place across the street.
- Look at all these soldiers!
- That's us, Little Bit...
when we get ourselves
fancy uniforms.
Hey! I bet those buckskins
were hard to get, boy!
You reckon at the Confederacy these
folks will wear that to fight, huh?
- Isn't that something, Buck?
- It's something, all right.
- I don't been made sport of.
- He's just funny, Miller.
These boys sure have to scrap
the meat off of their skins...
before they put them on.
- You smell all over the place.
- Is that right?
We don't want no trouble
with soldiers, Todo.
- You tell him, long hair.
- I reckon I just did.
What can I get for you, boys?
Honey, you ain't got no milk in here
for them young.
- You job is to serve men.
- Let me go, please.
You heard the lady.
Let her go.
Lady? In here?
She may be a female,
but she sure ain't no lady.
- She came to take our order.
- You can't buy sugar tits in here, boy.
- Come here, honey.
- Let me out.
You heard the lady, mister.
Let her be.
Well now...
this old long hair,
"let her be" he says.
Out, buckskin.
Fight!
You're finally awake.
Feelling any better?
- How did I get in here?
- I brought you.
I just figure it would be better
than the Provos getting you.
The way they did to your friends.
- Provos?
- Yeah, that's our military police.
- What about my friends?
- They caught them, locked them up.
- Yeah, I better get them out of there.
- No.
You just stay right there.
They'll be let out in the morning.
In time to get your stage
to Richmond.
You sure learned a lot.
- I do know how to ask questions.
- How come you brought me here?
You stuck up for me, I could
hardly leave you just lying there.
Besides, you called me lady,
that was very nice.
Ive got some soup here.
Do you want some?
- Where are you from?
- New Orleans.
Your folks there?
Step daddy. But I forget him
as fast as I can.
Your friends tell me
you're from West Texas?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Is your family there?
Well, the Indians got them
when I was little.
Ive been on my own ever since.
We're kind of alike then,
aren't we?
I mean, we're both alone, sort of...
Yeah, I guess.
Well, I sure wanna thank you
for everything you've done...
- but I gotta be going.
- You don't have to go.
Yes, I do.
You gotta a place to sleep?
Well, I sure can't stay here.
Why not?
Well, I mean...
no place.
My name is Gabrielle.
Gabrielle DuPrey.
- Buck Burnett.
- Yes, I know.
- You did say I was nice, didn't you?
- Yes, you were nice to me.
Then let me go on
being nice to you, Buck.
Please.
- But you don't really know me.
- I know everything I need to know.
You're decent and gentle...
You don't know how long has been
since I met anybody like that.
I want you to stay.
I want you to stay so very much.
So much better than
alone in the dark.
- What are you doing down there?
- Well, you...
you were sleeping
all calm and all.
Come on up here.
Come on.
- This was scratchy.
- Yeah?
Is that better?
- A best girl gave this to you?
- No.
You do have a best girl,
though, don't you?
No.
Us Texans ain't much on girls.
We gotta save our strength
and burn up.
And it's not much beauty.
Nothing like you.
And all those lndian squad...
Aren't some of them pretty?
They're so valuable.
You sure knocked yourself a lot.
- You do know noble, right?
- No.
I was just born natural.
Probably when you find your best girl
you give this to her.
I ain't thought much about it.
You gotta go to this awful war, huh??
Sure, but I tell you...
l ain't so anxious now to get there
as I was yesterday.
Don't. No, no.
Don't start that blooding.
I better get dress,
l'm out before for ring tales.
And waste my time crying
over some wild man from Texas?
- Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?
- That's me.
Buck, would you mind if I came down
to the station to see you off?
All right, would take you kindly.
Figure...
that will be the last time
l see you, I guess.
- Listen, I...
- Yes?
Nothing. It's the 8 o'clock east,
you remember that.
Ill remember, Buck.
I'm very good at remembering...
if I want to.
We took by the tail
that Yankee army.
You don't look so surprise, Buck.
I don't know.
He looks pretty good, considering...
Considering what...?
Considering that pretty little doll
that dragged you off somewhere.
- Where have you been all night, Buck?
- Not that we have to ask.
I bet they weren't doing
no square dancing.
Never mind.
Maybe that wasn't no ordinary lady.
- Stage is gonna leave on time?
- Yeah. Right on time.
Well, let's load her up.
Come on, move.
Buck.
- I was afraid I was gonna miss you.
- Pretty near did.
I brought a going away present.
What is this?
- Oranges, all the way from Florida.
- Is the firs I ever seen.
That's a guarder. Something maybe
a best girl would give you.
Ain't that something?
Ill write when I get
to where l'm going.
Ill write to you.
Ill be coming back and...
if nothing happens,
you may wait.
Come on, Texas, if you're coming.
You mean then you won't mind...
if I pretend I really am
your best girl, will you?
You reckon you can't do that
all alone.
Come, Buck.
You're holding us up.
Ill pray for you.
Goodbye.
- Get up there.
- Ill be back.
Them West Texas boys
will rally them all.
What are they trying to do?
Scare them to death?
No!
No, that ain't the way!
What do you think you're doing?
You ain't hurting chickens out there...
you're hurting the horses that way!
You dumb blue bunch
of damn Yankees riggers, you!
Do these greybacks know nothing
about horses at all?
If they keep that they'll chase them
to the next county.
That's it.
Well, we've come to help
and sure look like they need it.
Come on, Miller.
That's the way!
All right, you clowns with
the two left feet!
Get out of there and let them
Concho boys saddle the horses.
Hello, boys.
- We sure are obliged to you all.
- Nothing to it.
Just like back home.
I'm Mercer Barnes...
first sergeant with these
Pensacola Light Blues.
- This is Tellis Yeager, he's a corporal.
- How you doing? Please to meet you.
We're the Concho County Comanche's.
We're on our way to Richmond to join up
General Hood Texas' Brigade.
Richmond, in Virginia.
We might be able to
make it a little bit easier for you.
Come on over to the tent.
The Colonel wants to see you.
- A real Colonel?
- Double register and stamped.
- We're gonna meet a Colonel.
- Come on.
- Sou you're meaning to sign up?
- Yes, sir.
- As soon as we get to Richmond.
- Maybe I can help you out.
How would you like
to sign up here and now?
Kind of return you
the favor you did us.
Sir, that would be fine!
You mean we would be
on army pay from right now, sir?
- That's what I mean.
- That would be fine, Colonel.
- We appreciate it.
- I'm glad to do it, boys.
Face the flag and raise
your right hands.
All you say "l do"
after this oath.
Do each of you solemnly swear to
protect the allegiance and the honor...
of the Confederate States of America...
now and days forward with
life and limbs so help you God?
I do.
You're now members
of the army of the Confederacy.
- Congratulations. Sergeant?
- Sir?
Right, hike!
That means turn to your right.
That's the way, boys.
Forward, hike!
Well, sergeant.
There's the stage, so...
You best be waving goodbye to it,
because you're in the army now.
The Pensacola Light Blues.
Out. Out.
Wait a minute...
- But we're going to Richmond.
- Virginia.
No, you ain't.
First you all will go to Mississippi.
Then you're going to Tennessee
and on up to Shiloh...
with twenty thousand infantry...
because we're fixing the shove
after General Bragg...
and the blue belly soldiers of his
pluming to lake Erie.
We're not infantry,
we're cavalry.
The only cavalry you're gonna see
is the end of the north horses.
Because Colonel Boykin needs someone
to handle General Bragg's remount...
and you're it.
- Who is this General Bragg?
- General Bragg?
He's your commander officer.
And he's the meanest,
the nastiest...
the shortest temper human being
that you'll ever going to meet up with.
In front, move 'er.
Okay, you goddamn boys.
Let's get the horses line down.
- Sargent Barnes!
- Sir.
- Get those men over here.
- Yes, sir General Bragg.
Alright, you, long hairs. Fall over
here by the general, come on.
Coronal.
Why aren't those men in uniform?
Hasn't anybody told them
anything about military discipline?
Well, sir, they've been so busy
taking care of your...
l don't want your excuses, I want
them to look and act like soldiers.
- ls that clear?
- Yes, sir.
Well...
which one of you
is the best hand with a horse?
Hell bells, general.
We're all a half horse.
You're gonna be half skin if you
don't start talking like a soldier.
Learn to say "yes, sir" and "no, sir"'
when addressed by an officer.
Is that clear?
Clear as a pimple...
- Yes, sir.
- Alright.
Which man is the best
hand with a horse?
That would be our captain, sir,
Buck Burnett.
- Burnett, step out.
- Nice to meet you, general.
Are you people deliberately
trying to antagonize me?
- No, sir.
- Alright, Burnett, you stay with me.
Coronal, take these man down.
See if they get an outfit.
- Yes, sir.
- Wait a minute.
- You ain't busting us up, are you?
- What did you say?
What I mean, general, is if we
could just hunker down and chatter...
maybe we could
figure this whole thing out.
- Do you, by any chance, mean "talk"?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- What he's trying to say, sir...
- Alright.
Never let it be said
that Braxton Bragg...
didn't listen
to the voices of his men.
Go ahead, soldier. Talk.
Well, sir, as seen as how Eubie
and me and the rest of the boys....
come all the way
from Pecos, Concho...
it sure don't seem right
to split us up right about...
- when there's some fight to be done.
- Hell no, general.
You just think about it: us,
Concho County Comanche's...
are damn just a bunch of
Yankee killers you ever did seen.
I bet there ain't a whole troop in the
Confederate Army better than us.
And you can tie that hard and fast,
general. We come here to fight.
Coronal, put this man under arrest.
You, pick up the best pony...
and bring him up to my tent.
Smith!
Wait a minute. Why does he
wanna go and arrest me for?
I don't reckon he went
through the proper channels.
No harm done, boys.
We'll get you looking like soldiers
and you'll feel better.
- Come along.
- Follow the colonel, will you?
Come on.
Buck! Buck Burnett!
Over here!
Tennessees got the wettest rain
l ever did see.
- Buck.
- Hi, boys.
- How are you, Little Bit?
- What have you been doing?
- Shoveling. How about you?
- We've been drilling...
in right face in a bob face
until we're flat fed up with it.
- You don't sound too good, Little Bit.
- Ive got the chill. Can't shake them.
- He's got a fever too.
- What are you doing in this rain?
- We had to come and see you.
- Come on, in there.
Come on.
Buck, this whole thing ain't
working up the way we figured.
Yeah, we're horse soldiers
and they got us scratching gravel.
- I reckon the army knows best.
- I think we oughta get out of here...
and head to Virginia,
like we started.
We can't do that.
That would be desertion.
Anyways, we're moving up the line
tomorrow, we'll get to see a fight.
Ive been thinking...
l ain't got a damn thing against
a Yankee. Ive never seen one.
Well, this is war.
We're Southerners; we gotta fight.
- lt's a matter of freedom.
- Whose freedom?
Like that slave we took in, Buck?
Look what happened to him!
- What happened to him?
- Never mind, Eubie.
No, I want to know
what happened to him.
They hung him!
We took him to the sheriff
and the sheriff hung him.
- ls that true, Buck?
- Yeah, I guess it is.
- The colonel lied.
- That don't make no sense.
- Why would they go and do that?
- I don't know.
He run away to be free.
Isnt that why we're here for?
To be free?
A lot of things just don't make
no more sense.
The way them folks throw us
out the cotillion back in Mendota.
J.C. getting killed.
Us, busted up.
And now getting ready to go to a battle
we don't know anything about...
not even why.
Well, I can tell you
it's gonna be a battle.
I overheard General Bragg
and General Beauregard...
arguing about how we're suppose
to move up against the Yankees.
You know, Bragg lost.
He comes over and said to me:
"Boy, you know any prayers?".
I said: "Yes, sir."
He said:
"Say them, boy. Say them".
Man, that's dismo.
Hey.
I bet you five
that you don't make it.
Make it ten, Buck.
You'll make some money.
Hey, I just talked to
that Sergeant Barnes...
he said you're just pretending so you
don't have to fight Yankees tomorrow.
You ain't got to say nothing, Buck.
Just stay here.
Hey, man, you be quiet.
Todo seem right, Buck.
We've come all this way...
- l'm dying...
- Nobody is dying.
You know what l'm doing?
I'm taking care of one
broken down plug.
You know the old lady general rides?
Ain't that a laugh?
All I got to do is keep him settled up
and ready to stamp.
- Ain't that a way to fight a war?
- Slack off, Buck.
You're fooling me.
Just sit there, alright?
Easy, boy.
Buck? Buck?
The candle's out.
Now, gentlemen.
Mark well the hour.
Now, you listen to that.
Sir.
You tell General Johnson
word for word...
that Ive hit Sherman and
l'm driving back toward the river.
But there's an opening in my
right flank and I want it closed.
- Do you got that?
- Yes, sir.
Howdy, Buck.
Todo, what you're going to do?
Hell of a mess, ain't it, Buck?
Everything just came apart.
Well...
better not talk.
- Got some water, Buck?
- Yeah.
Ill get it, Todo.
Miller!
Miller!
Buck!
Well, Texas!
You made it this far.
I thought he was a runner.
Where's your horse?
It was killed back there.
I gotta get through to General Johnson.
You ain't heard?
Johnson's dead.
He called a Yankee "miniball".
That's a fact.
I heard Beauregard
has taken over command.
Well, as soon as I get a horse
l better tell back to Bragg.
I don't hardly reckon you
to do that either.
Sherman was busted too
on the left.
There's a couple Yankees
between us and Bragg.
Why don't you
come along with us, Buck?
I might as well.
Where are you going?
Well, if we go down this road
and through the trees...
there's Yankees on the other side.
Miller...
Todo is dead.
I saw him get it.
Hoped he would make it through.
There you go, Texas. Everything
you need for squirrel shoot.
Alright, let's move out.
Come on.
- How about the rest of them?
- We ain't done so good, Buck.
This war ain't working out
the way I thought.
Willie Bill, he got a miniball
right between the eyes.
Eubie?
Well, the Yankees were
shouting something awful.
One of them mortars in a big gun
blow up right on us.
And Eubie just wasn't there no more.
Damn.
Sure ain't nothing
like I thought it would be.
Listen, there's Yankees on
the other side of this ridge...
and we're going to get them.
Now you best fasten on
your pick stickers.
I figured them Yankees would
take one look at us and run.
They ain't about to.
They don't give up easy.
Well, I don't understand it.
We're fighting for the South.
They invaded us...
what they've got to fight about?
- Whatever it is, they're still on it.
- Alright.
Let's go!
Hey, Texas!
Texas!
It's me, Texas. Mercer Barnes.
What happened?
They covered and got shot up
all over the place.
Ive been trying to round up
what's left of them.
- How long you all been in here?
- I don't know.
I was running
and everything blew up.
Miller?
Miller, is that you?
That ain't Miller.
We got a Yank in here?
Now, Texas, there's
an old saying among soldiers:
"When the miniballs is flying and
the artillery is hotter than hell...
there ain't no such thing
as an enemy".
Besides he was here in first.
It doesn't seem neighborly
to throw him out now.
- Hi there.
- Hello.
He's feeling kind of poorly.
Caught one in the belly.
It's a hell of a war.
Hey, Mercy.
You think is going to rain?
Yeah, more than likely.
We oughta take that Yankee
out of the weather.
It's bad enough he's bleeding to death,
no sense he gotta get pneumonia too.
I surely wouldn't know
where we could go.
- Well, there must be someplace.
- There's an old church up the road.
If you fellows give me a hand,
Ill guide you there.
- What do you think?
- Well, it will be drowning, I reckon.
Yeah, come on. Let's go.
Give me your hand, Yank.
Come on.
Come on, Texas.
We ain't alone.
I got a gun here that says
you better put that light out.
And shut that door.
We have no light because
old Bragg got his damn Provos...
out there hunting down
straight way from the fighting.
I guess he figures too many of us
is getting lost deliberately.
This ain't good.
We don't wanna get caught
with these here stragglers.
Bragg would shoot us first
and then ask the questions.
- He would shoot me, sure.
- Now that you are here, I better get back.
- I reckon he figures you're dead.
- I ain't a deserter.
Buck!
You made it.
I thought for sure
you had stop with that mini ball.
- Found me whole.
- I got a friend here that's going fast.
He could use some scripture reading.
Anybody know any?
There's me.
My father is a preacher up in Boston.
Boys, we've got
a blue belly in with us.
I don't know what color his belly is,
but is bleeding red now.
- He got shot.
- Let the Yankee read.
- I reckon is the same Bible.
- Come on, boy.
Somebody... make a light.
- I barely can look at his face.
- Bragg's Provo will see the light.
The hell with Bragg's Provo.
My friend is dying.
Somebody light up.
"He opened his mouth
and taught them, saying:"
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the peacemakers...
for they shall be called
children of God.
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you;
do good to them that hate you...
and pray for them
which despitefully use you...
and persecute you.
The Lord is my shepherd,
l shall not want.
Maketh me to lie down
in green pastures...
He leadeth me beside
still waters.
"He restoreth my soul..."
Buck, someone is out there.
Come on.
Everybody raise your hands.
You're all under arrest.
All right, boys.
Move out. Come on. Get out.
Come on.
You all right?
Come on,
we gotta get out of here.
All right, move out.
Come on!
I'm sorry, Texas.
- I gotta help them.
- You gotta help yourself.
- And Miller?
- Ain't nothing you can do.
Anyway, them Provos would kill you
before you got any place close to him.
You can hardly move
with that arm of yours.
Now listen to me. Old Bragg is
too busy with troubles of his own...
to have him shot right away.
Maybe we can do something later on.
All right, Mercer.
All right.
I ain't letting Bragg
or God all mighty shoot my friend.
You hear that, Mercer?
Mr. Burnett.
What do you think you're doing?
I sure wanna thank you
for everything you've done.
Being so nice and all...
- I just gotta be getting out of here.
- But the doctor didn't say you could go.
I reckon he's got more
important things on his mind.
And hell I know more about
how good I feel than he does.
Ma'am, is the General Bragg's Provos
officers here in town?
At the railroad station.
But you shouldn't go.
Well, I reckon if I don't get word
with General Bragg that l'm all right...
he won't sleep at night.
Anyway, I gotta see
about a friend of my.
I guess I can't stop you.
When you see Gabrielle,
give her my regards.
- How come you know about her?
- After they took your arm off...
when you were delirious,
she's all you talked about.
- ls she a nice girl?
- Yes, ma'am.
Very nice.
Thank you.
Buck!
Texas! I knew you would be
one of the lucky ones!
- That's our boy.
- What are you doing on Provos' duty?
The Light Blues got so busted up...
there wasn't enough of us left
to even stand roll.
They sent old Telli and me
down here.
- How you've been.
- Well, good as pie.
Sure won't win,
but I can manage.
I figure that night at the church
you weren't likely to lose.
I'm sorry.
- l'm still here.
- It's kind of a shame, though...
the only time you were wounded
had to be by a Southern bullet.
Kind of a friendly wound,
wouldn't you say?
Since you're in Provos' duty, maybe you
can tell me what's happened to Miller.
I got me a detachment to take care of.
You tell him, Tellis.
Tell me what?
Buck, I rather be in our shape
than Miller's.
He escaped.
Had him chained up
on a working party.
Don't know exactly what happened...
but he swung that chain lay down
his guard and took off.
The only thing is he split
that guard's head wide open.
He killed him, Buck.
No.
Now General Bragg put down
special orders on him.
Get him dead or alive,
just assumed dead.
Never thought Miller would run
like a jack rabbit.
Well, not no more, he don't.
A cracker named Junger says
a tough fellow like Miller...
tried to hide in his barn.
Says he put a bullet into him.
Appears he's still in the barn.
Mercer is fixing to go get him now.
The man would do a thing like that?
Shoot him?
A lot known they all crackers.
They're making a business
turning the boys over to Provos.
- Where did you say his place is at?
- Junger Virginhood.
It's ten miles out.
We'll get him.
Yeah, right.
That's a very nice horse.
- That's yours, Tellis?
- No, is Mercer's.
And it stays there,
in case you got any ideas.
- l'm a friend of yours.
- Yeah, but you Texas is a wild bunch.
I don't know.
Ain't that Colonel Boykin?
- I thought he was dead.
- Where?
Hey, you! Hey there, Buck!
Come back here, Buck!
Come back here!
- He got your horse, Mercer.
- There's a lot more horses.
Damn, damn, damn it all.
Now there's two I might get.
Miller?
Buck?
Buck?
You...
hit bad?
Pretty bad.
In the belly?
That's where it came out.
I was kind of hoping
that you would come.
We're getting out of here
and we're going to Texas.
I can't move, Buck.
I'm all frozen up
and dried out inside.
I would like you to kill me first now,
it don't hardly hurt at all.
- We'll make it.
- You'll make it.
It's only two days to big river.
You go on back to Texas.
No.
You ain't a captain no more.
You gotta go.
You go back to Vicksburg
and pick up that girl.
Buck?
I hit that guard pretty hard.
- Did I hurt him bad?
- You killed him, Miller.
- I didn't mean to.
- I know, Miller.
They said they were gonna shoot me.
What did I do to get shot for?
I don't know.
I know nothing about
this damn war.
Todo, Eubie...
Little Bit, Willie Bill, J.C.,
they're all dead.
We didn't make of a splash, did we?
That pretty girl in Mendota...
she said we were Southern patriots.
- Remember when we kissed her hand?
- Yeah. I remember.
Wasn't that something?
We sure done some living,
ain't we, Buck?
We're gonna do a lot more.
Somebody is outside.
Provos is after me.
No, there ain't nobody.
You better get going now, Buck.
I ain't gonna be here for long now.
Miller?
- Do you wanna pray?
- No.
Ive already done my praying.
I'm glad you are with me.
Buck, Miller, get out of there
with your hands up!
We got this place surrounded.
We need to get out of here.
Please. Please God, Buck.
Don't move me.
Miller...
Buck!
This is your last chance!
Ill get you out of here, Miller.
Ill cover you from up here,
they ain't gonna get you. I promise.
Buck, this is the last time
l'm gonna ask you!
- Sargent Barnes?
- Sir.
What are you doing here?
There's a couple of deserters
in the barn there, sir.
- Drag them out and shoot them.
- Yes, sir.
One of them is one of them Texas boys,
with your horse orderly.
- That Buck Burnett, sir.
- He's in there? A deserter?
Yes, sir.
He was in the hospital, sir...
Well, I reckon you gotta call him
a deserter, he stole a horse...
and came out here looking for
his friend, Corporal Nalls.
The one that killed the guard.
Let's get him out of there.
Barnes?
It's Nalls, general.
He's dead.
- Where's the other one?
- He's gotta be in here someplace.
That's my horse he stole
tied up outside.
With the general's permission, sir...
the way I heard it,
seven of them come down here...
all the way from West Texas
to join up.
Nobody named them.
Just boys they were.
- So?
- Well...
This Burnett is the last
one of them left alive...
seems kind of a shame
to hunt down the last one.
- One of them oughta get back to Texas.
- He stole a horse...
and deserted in my army.
We shoot men for that.
Yeah, I known, it just seems a shame.
I know all them boys.
There's no room for
sentiment in the army.
- No, I reckon there ain't.
- Discipline is discipline.
A soldiers obeys orders
or suffers for it.
- ls that clear?
- That's clear, general.
Sergeant!
Where the hell are you going?
- l'm going up there and dig him out.
- A man would be a fool to hide up there.
That boy is halfway to Texas by now.
- But my horse is still tied up outside.
- Are you arguing with me, sergeant?
- No, sir. No.
- All right.
Get that body in the wagon
and let's get out of here.
We've got too much to do
to waste time...
- running after one Texas straggler.
- Yes, sir general.
Sergeant?
Are you trying to argue me?
What are you doing?
I was just fixing to take
my horse along, sir.
You leave that horse here.
You ride the wagon.
Sent someone to pick that horse
in the morning.
Yes, sir. Of course,
with all these stragglers around...
Id run a bet that horse
won't be here in the morning.
- Just follow orders, sergeant.
- Yes, sir.
As a matter of fact, Id be
willing to say that horse is gone...
before we run one mile
on the road.
Move your men out.
Here!
There were seven boys from Texas
Rode off to fight a war
They rode as far as Shiloh
And never saw no more
Miller Nalls died a bleeding
From a bounty hunters gun
And Todo went to glory
Beneath a blood red sun
Eubie's laughter
nevermore is heard
A mortar killed him dead
And Willie fell a running
A bullet in his head
Little Bit he coughed his life out
For him, the war was done
And J.C. Suttons fastest gun
Had met a faster one
Just one rode back to Texas
To tell the story there
Across the big wide river
To the girl with silken hair
There were seven boys from Texas
Rode off to fight a war
One thousand miles to Richmond
Was where they headed for
They were wild and bold
And reckless
Sons of the far frontier
Their lips had known No women
And their hearts had known
No fear
Buck Burnett was their leader,
The captain of this crew
The Indians made him orphan
At the age of two
Miller Nalls,
Buck's saddle buddy
As steady as the sun
He followed every order
He was the loyal one
Todo McLean was the quiet one,
A man that you could trust
His blood of Texas water
His flesh of Texas dust
Eubie Bell was their jester
Making laughter was his aim
And war the way he heard it,
Was just another game
Willie Bill was born in Pecos
Eighteen summers he's seen
He's old enough to soldier,
Will he see nineteen?
The youngest one was Little Bit,
Jed Lucket's only son
Uh hurrying to reach the war
Before the fighting's done
J.C. Sutton the fastest gun
Draws like a lightning bolt,
Touchy as a panther
As frisky as a colt
There were seven
Long-haired Texans
All dressed in buckskin brown
Heading for the Civil War
Rode into Dallas Town.
- He ain't there, Buck.
- Well, he's gotta be somewhere.
Any of you boys want some more?
You just keep coming.
There he is.
Let's go get him.
Get up. Get up.
Come on, Buck!
I bet they'll never let us
in that town again.
I don't know, it looks like
they handled us pretty good.
- ls that so?
- You Concho County boys maybe.
Not old J.C.
J.C., they want to split
your head wide open.
- I ain't finish with them.
- Sure you are.
- We got riding to do.
- I'm riding...
right back to Dallas.
Pretty good with bottles,
let's see how they are with guns.
- Let it go, J.C.
- I don't let nothing go.
- You're too damn touchy, J.C.
- Don't tell me what I am.
You ain't going back.
I said I am.
You gonna try and stop me?
Well, you know, I...
l can't match you
gun for gun, J.C.
You better believe it.
And I said l'm going.
Anybody arguing?
Well...
have it your way.
J.C. is stubborn as critter.
Get him on his horse.
He's gonna be mean
when he wakes up, Buck.
You all made me captain.
Didn't much want the job.
Now I gotta give the orders
he knew that when he wanted to join up.
I doubt he ever believed.
The man took an oath.
Let's go.
J.C., I told you we had
riding to do.
I know what you told me.
You hit me
when I wasn't looking.
There was no other way.
I ain't forgetting it, Buck.
- You mind that.
- Well, minded.
Nobody sneak-hits J.C. Sutton.
Suit yourself, J.C. Sutton.
Willie Bill.
How far you reckon
we made today?
I don't know. 35, 40 miles.
Ain't enough. We'll be all summer
to get to Richmond.
Yeah, by the time we get there,
there'll be no war.
Yeah, Ive been thinking about that.
But now, we better get some sleep.
Buck?
- You remember what I said.
- Oh, yeah.
Ill toss and turn over it
all night.
Bean and jerky.
There ain't nothing better.
Seen how we ain't eating anything else
since we left home...
you're a lot easy to please,
Little Bit.
Somebody coming.
What are you doing
on our lands?
- This here is your land?
- You're right here in the middle of it.
Don't tell!
Nice land.
- Suits me fine.
- You're trespassing.
Well, it doesn't seem
like we're hurting none.
Maybe you think we are.
Maybe you'd like to throw us off.
- J.C.
- Never mind.
I wanna see these stooges
throw us off.
Now nobody said anything
about throwing anybody off, did they?
As long as you're just camping,
l guess you're not hurting anything.
That's right, friendly.
Thank you.
Step down, have a bean.
- What's that you are eating?
- Beans and jerky.
That's real frontier food.
That's where we brought it from.
Concho County.
Concho County?
That's at the other side of Pecos.
There's still Indians out there.
None that we left alive, there is.
We're the Concho County Comanche's.
We're on our way to Richmond, Virginia.
We're gonna join the
General Hood Texas' Brigade.
- ls that right?
- This here is Buck Burnett...
he's our Capitain.
Boy, l'm proud to know you, captain.
I'm Carter Claiborne.
- This is my brother, Custis.
- Glad to know you.
- You're really going to Virginia?
- That's right.
We heard ourselves that General Hood
needs himself some good horse soldiers.
Yeah, we reckon
we're the best there's.
We're just afraid they're gonna ran
out of Yankees before we get there.
Boy, all the way to Richmond.
- Gee, wish I could do that.
- Why don't you come along with us?
We got plenty of room.
- You mean it?
- Sure!
We got room, ain't we, Buck?
We ain't talking about
recruiting anybody, but...
- You got guns?
- Of course we got guns.
- Know how to use them too.
- What would your folks say?
- We'll talk to them tonight.
- Yeah.
Captain Burnett.
You wanna come to a party?
- What kind of party?
- It's what they call a cotillion.
At our place.
And our cousin Airybelle,
she's from Alabama.
There'll be dancing, bourbon punch,
food and everything.
You gotta come.
Maybe be there when
we talk to our folks.
This cousin Airybelle of yours,
is she pretty?
She's the prettiest thing
you ever saw.
- Well now!
- I don't know, fellas. I mean...
Sounds kind of fancy for us.
Come on, general.
We've been invited to a party.
We're camping here
tonight anyway.
- Ain't no harm in going.
- He's right, Buck.
Come on, Buck. There ain't
no harm on looking at a pretty girl.
We'd be glad to have you.
Sure! With you going
to war and everything.
Pop will probably make you
the honor guest.
Come on, Buck.
It would do us good.
Oh, yeah.
Well, I guess we can scrabble up
in that cranky younger.
- No reason we can't go.
- Now you're talking, Buck.
Now listen, you tell them to stand by,
'cause the Concho County Comanche's...
are gonna show them how
to threw a party, right, Miller?
Get you boys!
Help! Help!
My goodness!
If you, young gentlemen,
ain't a sight?
- ls there something wrong?
- Nothing.
We've never seen
one of you before.
Well, there's a wisp
of us around.
- Not where we come from.
- Where is that, gentlemen?
Concho County, well western here.
My, my.
You're a long way from home.
We're going to be longer.
We're headed for Virginia.
Ain't that nice?
You know, where the war is.
We're going to fight Yankees.
I hear tell the Yankees
is fighting us.
I hear tell they're mighty mean!
Oh, I reckon we'll whip them, though.
- We?
- Yes, sir. Us Southerners.
- You live here?
- Yes, sir.
I run the cottage for Colonel Claiborne.
Buck?
Their house must be a mile.
Ive never seen a slave before.
Isnt that something?
We're just folks, sir.
The only difference is that
we belong to Colonel Claiborne.
He's a magnify gentleman.
- Claiborne house is down this way?
- Yes, sir.
Right on that road, you might.
You're all going to the party?
Yeah, we sure are.
Well, I hope you have a real good time.
And good luck with them Yankees.
Yeah, thank you.
Let's go.
So long.
- Never seen anything like this.
- Hear what he said "us Southerners"?
What do you suppose he meant by that?
Well, he lives here, don't he?
Sure ain't Northerner.
- Buck, something don't make sense.
- Yeah, I aim to found out what it is.
Look at that!
Are we suppose to get in there?
- Maybe this ain't the place, huh, Buck?
- It's the place alright.
- Are we going in?
- We've invited, ain't we?
J.C. is right.
We've been invited,
it wouldn't be fitted if we didn't go.
- I rather take a walk.
- Oh, come on!
We're as good as they are!
Besides, I wanna give myself
a good look at cousin Airybelle.
Come on, Buck. Let's go.
Yeah.
- Yes, gentlemen?
- It's all right, Benjamin.
- These are my friends.
- Very well, Mr. Carter.
Come on!
They'll take your horses.
- All these darks are yours?
- We own a couple hundred of them.
- They don't give you any trouble?
- Why would they give us any trouble?
- Just figures.
- No. This is their home.
- Don't you have any nigers?
- All we got is Indians.
They surely aren't the same.
When the Yankees talk about slaves...
you think we keep them in chains
and beat them twice a day.
It isn't like that.
- Well, we've got a lot to learn.
- Come on, it's already starting.
Well, Carter, I don't know.
You see the people go in there...
they're dressed with shirts and all.
Look at us.
But you're soldiers! You're not
suppose to look like civilians.
You know, he's got
a point there, Buck.
We've come this far. It would be
a shame not to go the rest of the way.
Well...
l thought a captain
was suppose to lead.
All right, let's go.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Captain Buck Burnett.
And the Concho County Comanche's.
Somebody get them out of here!
Pop, they're soldiers.
They're going to the war.
Get them out of here, Edward!
Outside, gentlemen.
Quickly now, outside.
- Outside.
- Pa, I invited them. They're soldiers.
They're savages!
They don't belong here.
- I invited them.
- I'm throwing them out.
Now you get upstairs,
fall of how old you are...
and take a staff to you!
These gentlemen are not to be
allowed in the house again.
- That ain't no way to treat soldiers.
- To think we're going to fight for them.
- There's a war going on, ain't there?
- Come on, let's get out of here.
Gentlemen, please.
Don't go.
Please, Captain Burnett.
Don't go.
If anyone belongs here, you do.
The folks here in Texas
just don't feel the world...
the way we do in Alabama.
Their behavior towards you
is inexcusable.
Well, ma'am, I guess
you can't much blame them.
We're not really dressed for a party.
But you soldiers are the Confederacy.
You're going after to fight their war.
I'm ashamed of them.
And l'm ashamed of myself
for standing by and saying nothing.
As an Alabama patriot,
l implore you, go back inside.
I don't think we'll do that, ma'am.
A man can get bit once
by a rattler by accident...
if he gets bit twice, well,
that's just being stupid.
Then please accept my apology...
and my gratitude for the brave
and noble thing you're doing.
I mean that from
the bottom of my heart.
Ma'am, we don't know much
about this here war, but...
as long as there are ladies like you
supporting it the way you do...
l'm sure the south
can't help but win.
We'll remember what you said
when we get to war.
Itll help us from being tired.
Yes, ma'am.
May God bless you
and keep you. Everyone.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, Ill tell you boys. I'm in love.
My heart is plumbed on.
Airybelle. Airybelle.
- What do you think, Buck?
- About what?
Them Claiborne boys. Do you reckon
they're going to join up with us?
I wouldn't bet my money on it, Miller.
Seen that house? What they got?
I figure if you're rich enough...
maybe you don't feel so much
like fighting the war.
Some people may find it tough to...
give up everything they've got
for beans and jerky.
They're Southerners, ain't they?
Maybe that ain't enough.
Just been Southerners.
All right, let's go.
Let's shake this dust.
We'll get someplace where
they feel more kind about the war.
All right, head them out.
Well, good as the finest house
l ever did see.
- At least we're in Louisiana, huh?
- Near as out of Texas.
I'm getting six feet ahead
and sleeping for a week.
- Not me. Ive got plans.
- We all got plans, J.C.
You've got yours and Ive got mine.
Well, boys, we've got us a problem.
The stock is pretty sad.
Little Bit, the bushes came out,
your horse's is feel with pastern.
It wouldn't be riding a saddle
for a whole week.
If we're gonna get to Richmond
while there's still a war on...
we'll have to do something.
- Ive been thinking.
- The General has been thinking.
We've got nothing to worry about!
Well, Ill go to Shreveport
first thing in the morning...
find us a dealer.
Sell them all our stock and gear...
buy us a ticket to
the next stage to Vicksburg.
We've got a couple of hours to spare,
we're gonna have to take a vote on it.
Ain't nobody selling my horse.
- He goes with me.
- What do you mean he goes with you?
I mean l'm moving on.
I'm tired of you toy soldiers.
You can't do that, J.C.
You took an oath.
Yeah, to the Concho
County Comanche's.
Well, l'm from Miner County.
And I don't like the way
things have worked out.
You treat us like we're
a bunch of school kids!
Well, l'm a man and
l do things my way.
- I ain't gonna let you go.
- You think you can stop me?
Any of you?
- Come on and try.
- Now you settled down.
I'm settling out.
Ive come along to fight
and as far as I concern...
the fighting can start right now.
That way, huh?
Now get your hands out
of those ponchos.
All of you. Come on.
I wanna see them.
Willie Bill!
You better drop that knife.
You're all pretty sneaky, aren't you?
From now on, I write the rules.
Now come on, hands up. All of you.
-J.C...
-You shut up...
or l'm gonna blow your belly out.
Now move!
Maybe you think
Ive forgotten, Buck?
Way you cold-cocked me
when I wasn't looking.
But I ain't!
Little Bit, flap him over
and give me out 50 dollars.
I can't do that, J.C.
We took an oath.
Give me that money!
Just fifty. I'm only taking
what I think my share is.
Any of you, chickens,
got any objections?
Adios, soldados.
Them Miner County boys
sure are a crazy bunch.
He took a good one.
- You all right, Buck?
- I'm all right.
J.C. said he would get me.
He sure did.
- What are you gonna do now, Buck?
- Ill go get him.
He was boilin', Buck.
He'll be trouble.
That's desertion.
- Can't allow it.
- Let him be, Buck.
He only took the fifty dollars
that was his.
- We're better off without him.
- Nope.
He's a lot touchy, but think what
a good soldier he would make...
- for General Hood.
- Miller.
You're the captain while l'm gone.
Take the horses and gear into town...
and get the best price.
- Sure thing, Buck.
- Wait for me at the stage depo.
He's might previous with that
gun of his, Buck. You watch him.
Yeah, I know it.
If it should happen l'm not there
in time, you leave without me.
That's an order.
- Remind what I said, Miller.
- Ill do it, Buck.
- Good luck with J.C.
- Yeah.
Give me two.
Two.
Show or bet.
The bet is twenty.
That's a sucker bet, J.C.
Maybe I didn't hit you
hard enough.
How do you figure
that's a sucker bet, Texas?
You're bucking too many hands.
I guess.
Blow away, general.
Your bet.
Is too rich for me.
Well, Ill tell you what...
since you're busted,
Ill take it easy on you.
You do that.
I call you, friend.
I call.
I would say is a rig.
No, thank you, ma'am.
Did you say something, cowboy?
Well, my friend is
dried that bottle and...
- I don't think he should be playing.
- That's his problem, not yours.
All right, friend. I called.
Queens. Four.
No good.
Ive got a straight flush.
In Diamonds.
How many tens diamonds
there is in this game?
All right.
On the table.
Buck! Buck.
It hurts.
I know he came
with fifty dollars in here.
Sal.
Wait.
- Now take thirty coins for yourself.
- For me? Why?
Look it up in the Bible, lady.
Thirty pieces of silver,
that's what the job pays.
Well, go ahead.
Anybody who wanna follow me outside
and take back what they think is his...
- is welcome.
- It's all right, cowboy.
You're going out clean.
Just keep going.
What's going on here?
A bunch of thieves
robbed my friend...
and killed him
when he didn't like it.
Sonny, we don't like Texas
coming into our town...
and making loose charges.
Now you give me that gun.
That way, huh?
All right.
Here's fifty dollars.
That oughta be enough
to bury my friend.
You take care of that, sheriff.
I don't expect you would
have that decency.
- You give me that gun, boy.
- You come any closer, you'll get this gun.
Now back off.
Everybody stay in pack.
- Buck!
- Buck!
- How are you, Buck?
- Thank goodness, Buck!
Get back or you'll lose
the schedule.
- How did you got out, Buck?
- Shot was faster than they shot.
Where are your horse and gear?
- Let in some farm.
- Hurry up.
Way to go.
Colonel, this is Buck Burnett.
He's our captain.
Colonel Cooney, Buck Burnett.
- Howdy.
- Nice to know you, Colonel.
- You a real Colonel?
- That's a honorary title, son.
Purely honorary.
I reckon you all will meet up
with the real one soon enough.
Buck, we heard about J.C.
- Hell of a note!
- Yeah.
I guess he was born
to die that way.
So, you're all gonna join
the heroic forces of the stars and bars?
The South needs every man
she can get.
If only I were twenty years younger...
Ten years!
- I reckon you would...
- It's a noble thing.
I only wish that more people
felt about it the way you do.
- Now you take Shreveport.
- A den of iniquity, son.
A den of iniquity.
And I can assure you that it's
not representative of the Confederacy.
We're a united nation engaged
in a holly crusade.
- Howdy, Case.
- Howdy, Colonel.
How many you
running down today, Case?
Just one big buck
took out this morning.
Case Pettibone here is a oversee
of old General Cannes Furton.
No niger is gonna run away
from old Case.
- Runaway, huh?
- Well, not for long, son.
- You got the dogs out, Case?
- Yep.
Ben Swayze expects too likely
you'll hear them open up...
- before you get to Munroe.
- That would be something to hear!
If you see that buck, general,
fire off a couple of shots.
- That should do it.
- We'll do it, Case.
We'll do it.
Get out of here!
Why you suppose he ran away?
You run into a bad one
every now and then.
Tries to get across the river
into Texas, but...
but they don't stand a chance
with old Case after them.
That Pettibone looks awful mean.
You don't run a hundred field
for been friendly, sonny.
That's Ben Sawyze's Redbone
running full bell on a hot track.
Stop! Please!
Please, stop!
Please, help me, mister!
Help me!
There he is!
- Please, help me!
- Get out of there!
Help me! Help me!
That man is scared for his life.
Why ain't the driver stopping?
No call to.
The runaway is dog beef for sure!
He'll have him before
he gets timber again.
- You watch close now.
- You watch close.
Please, mister!
I'm damned. They have hounds.
Hold that before
l blow you in two.
Come on, get in here.
Go ahead, get in there.
- Now whip him up!
- Get out there!
Whoa! That Buck is a runaway!
Why don't you try get us with your dogs?
You're losing your chicken gutters?
Driving a stage with a niger!
I understand they don't
bite off, Colonel.
What are we gonna do with him, Buck?
I don't know, but we ain't
giving him back to the dogs.
Now look here, boys.
We're going to Munroe station.
Just happens that the sheriff
there is a friend of mine.
Why don't you let me turn him
over to the sheriff?
No, don't do that.
I ran away twice before.
- The sheriff will sure hell kill me.
- The law don't do things like that.
Don't worry, boys.
My friend Will take care of everything.
Just calm down, you don't have
a thing to be afraid of.
My God, mister.
You don't understand.
- The sheriff is gonna kill me.
- Is that right, Colonel?
He's just scared we'll
whip his guts. That's all.
Of course the sheriff will
make an example out of him...
get him a lick or two, he got to.
Otherwise, they'll all run away.
But the sheriff will see
he gets back to his rightful owner.
That's the law, boys.
This bucky here is worth
over a thousand dollars.
You didn't think we
would let anything happen...
to that amount of money, did you?
Now don't you worry.
You just turn him over to me...
and Ill see he gets back
to where he belongs.
- That's mighty legible, Colonel.
- I'm glad to do it. Glad to do it.
The police station is just
at the other side of Munroe.
Let me go, mister.
I'm rested now.
That dogs ain't too close.
- Maybe I can make it.
- Won't let you do that, boy.
We've got to turn you to the sheriff,
just like the Colonel said.
Gotta, boy!
Ive never seen anything likes.
I rather men than dogs.
Father Vengeance
Let the poor me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Used to sing that song back home.
Let the water...
Munroe station sure ain't much.
Buck, I sure hope that runaway
comes out all right.
He'll be all right.
The Colonel gave us his word, didn't he?
- He sure was scared.
- He's got nothing to be scared now.
Come on.
Get on now!
What kind of town do you reckon
Vicksburg is going to be, Buck?
A lot better when we get there.
God all mighty, Buck! Look there!
It's him.
That runaway slave.
He said they would do it
and they did.
- Buck, you said...
- I know what I said.
- Ill tell the boys.
- No.
They won't understand this.
- We killed him, Buck.
- No, we didn't.
We've done the right thing,
according to the law.
- So don't tell them.
- But they oughta know.
Just shut up, Miller.
So this is Vicksburg?
Man! It's really something, isn't it?
Well, we've got until morning.
No reason we can't look around.
Ill give you two dollars each, huh?
I hear there's a street down there
by the river that really lives.
- l'm in for that.
- Me too.
- They'll eat you up, Little Bit.
- I'm a Texan, Ill take some eating.
- What are you gonna do, Buck?
- Look around.
Ill stick with you.
Ain't sure how much sin
l can do with two dollars...
but l'm willing to find out.
Let's go.
The stage leaves at eight
in the morning. You be there.
Well, where do we start, Buck?
Well, what happened to you?
We met this fellow said
he could get us some girls...
- took our two dollars.
- Would you shut up?
- Never came back, huh?
- No.
We should have known better.
You fellows don't look too happy either.
Well, let me tell you something...
when I fellow put one pea
under three shells...
and bet you can't tell which one is
under, you better believe you can't.
Let's find a friendly place.
Yes, saw a lot of people going to
this place across the street.
- Look at all these soldiers!
- That's us, Little Bit...
when we get ourselves
fancy uniforms.
Hey! I bet those buckskins
were hard to get, boy!
You reckon at the Confederacy these
folks will wear that to fight, huh?
- Isn't that something, Buck?
- It's something, all right.
- I don't been made sport of.
- He's just funny, Miller.
These boys sure have to scrap
the meat off of their skins...
before they put them on.
- You smell all over the place.
- Is that right?
We don't want no trouble
with soldiers, Todo.
- You tell him, long hair.
- I reckon I just did.
What can I get for you, boys?
Honey, you ain't got no milk in here
for them young.
- You job is to serve men.
- Let me go, please.
You heard the lady.
Let her go.
Lady? In here?
She may be a female,
but she sure ain't no lady.
- She came to take our order.
- You can't buy sugar tits in here, boy.
- Come here, honey.
- Let me out.
You heard the lady, mister.
Let her be.
Well now...
this old long hair,
"let her be" he says.
Out, buckskin.
Fight!
You're finally awake.
Feelling any better?
- How did I get in here?
- I brought you.
I just figure it would be better
than the Provos getting you.
The way they did to your friends.
- Provos?
- Yeah, that's our military police.
- What about my friends?
- They caught them, locked them up.
- Yeah, I better get them out of there.
- No.
You just stay right there.
They'll be let out in the morning.
In time to get your stage
to Richmond.
You sure learned a lot.
- I do know how to ask questions.
- How come you brought me here?
You stuck up for me, I could
hardly leave you just lying there.
Besides, you called me lady,
that was very nice.
Ive got some soup here.
Do you want some?
- Where are you from?
- New Orleans.
Your folks there?
Step daddy. But I forget him
as fast as I can.
Your friends tell me
you're from West Texas?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Is your family there?
Well, the Indians got them
when I was little.
Ive been on my own ever since.
We're kind of alike then,
aren't we?
I mean, we're both alone, sort of...
Yeah, I guess.
Well, I sure wanna thank you
for everything you've done...
- but I gotta be going.
- You don't have to go.
Yes, I do.
You gotta a place to sleep?
Well, I sure can't stay here.
Why not?
Well, I mean...
no place.
My name is Gabrielle.
Gabrielle DuPrey.
- Buck Burnett.
- Yes, I know.
- You did say I was nice, didn't you?
- Yes, you were nice to me.
Then let me go on
being nice to you, Buck.
Please.
- But you don't really know me.
- I know everything I need to know.
You're decent and gentle...
You don't know how long has been
since I met anybody like that.
I want you to stay.
I want you to stay so very much.
So much better than
alone in the dark.
- What are you doing down there?
- Well, you...
you were sleeping
all calm and all.
Come on up here.
Come on.
- This was scratchy.
- Yeah?
Is that better?
- A best girl gave this to you?
- No.
You do have a best girl,
though, don't you?
No.
Us Texans ain't much on girls.
We gotta save our strength
and burn up.
And it's not much beauty.
Nothing like you.
And all those lndian squad...
Aren't some of them pretty?
They're so valuable.
You sure knocked yourself a lot.
- You do know noble, right?
- No.
I was just born natural.
Probably when you find your best girl
you give this to her.
I ain't thought much about it.
You gotta go to this awful war, huh??
Sure, but I tell you...
l ain't so anxious now to get there
as I was yesterday.
Don't. No, no.
Don't start that blooding.
I better get dress,
l'm out before for ring tales.
And waste my time crying
over some wild man from Texas?
- Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?
- That's me.
Buck, would you mind if I came down
to the station to see you off?
All right, would take you kindly.
Figure...
that will be the last time
l see you, I guess.
- Listen, I...
- Yes?
Nothing. It's the 8 o'clock east,
you remember that.
Ill remember, Buck.
I'm very good at remembering...
if I want to.
We took by the tail
that Yankee army.
You don't look so surprise, Buck.
I don't know.
He looks pretty good, considering...
Considering what...?
Considering that pretty little doll
that dragged you off somewhere.
- Where have you been all night, Buck?
- Not that we have to ask.
I bet they weren't doing
no square dancing.
Never mind.
Maybe that wasn't no ordinary lady.
- Stage is gonna leave on time?
- Yeah. Right on time.
Well, let's load her up.
Come on, move.
Buck.
- I was afraid I was gonna miss you.
- Pretty near did.
I brought a going away present.
What is this?
- Oranges, all the way from Florida.
- Is the firs I ever seen.
That's a guarder. Something maybe
a best girl would give you.
Ain't that something?
Ill write when I get
to where l'm going.
Ill write to you.
Ill be coming back and...
if nothing happens,
you may wait.
Come on, Texas, if you're coming.
You mean then you won't mind...
if I pretend I really am
your best girl, will you?
You reckon you can't do that
all alone.
Come, Buck.
You're holding us up.
Ill pray for you.
Goodbye.
- Get up there.
- Ill be back.
Them West Texas boys
will rally them all.
What are they trying to do?
Scare them to death?
No!
No, that ain't the way!
What do you think you're doing?
You ain't hurting chickens out there...
you're hurting the horses that way!
You dumb blue bunch
of damn Yankees riggers, you!
Do these greybacks know nothing
about horses at all?
If they keep that they'll chase them
to the next county.
That's it.
Well, we've come to help
and sure look like they need it.
Come on, Miller.
That's the way!
All right, you clowns with
the two left feet!
Get out of there and let them
Concho boys saddle the horses.
Hello, boys.
- We sure are obliged to you all.
- Nothing to it.
Just like back home.
I'm Mercer Barnes...
first sergeant with these
Pensacola Light Blues.
- This is Tellis Yeager, he's a corporal.
- How you doing? Please to meet you.
We're the Concho County Comanche's.
We're on our way to Richmond to join up
General Hood Texas' Brigade.
Richmond, in Virginia.
We might be able to
make it a little bit easier for you.
Come on over to the tent.
The Colonel wants to see you.
- A real Colonel?
- Double register and stamped.
- We're gonna meet a Colonel.
- Come on.
- Sou you're meaning to sign up?
- Yes, sir.
- As soon as we get to Richmond.
- Maybe I can help you out.
How would you like
to sign up here and now?
Kind of return you
the favor you did us.
Sir, that would be fine!
You mean we would be
on army pay from right now, sir?
- That's what I mean.
- That would be fine, Colonel.
- We appreciate it.
- I'm glad to do it, boys.
Face the flag and raise
your right hands.
All you say "l do"
after this oath.
Do each of you solemnly swear to
protect the allegiance and the honor...
of the Confederate States of America...
now and days forward with
life and limbs so help you God?
I do.
You're now members
of the army of the Confederacy.
- Congratulations. Sergeant?
- Sir?
Right, hike!
That means turn to your right.
That's the way, boys.
Forward, hike!
Well, sergeant.
There's the stage, so...
You best be waving goodbye to it,
because you're in the army now.
The Pensacola Light Blues.
Out. Out.
Wait a minute...
- But we're going to Richmond.
- Virginia.
No, you ain't.
First you all will go to Mississippi.
Then you're going to Tennessee
and on up to Shiloh...
with twenty thousand infantry...
because we're fixing the shove
after General Bragg...
and the blue belly soldiers of his
pluming to lake Erie.
We're not infantry,
we're cavalry.
The only cavalry you're gonna see
is the end of the north horses.
Because Colonel Boykin needs someone
to handle General Bragg's remount...
and you're it.
- Who is this General Bragg?
- General Bragg?
He's your commander officer.
And he's the meanest,
the nastiest...
the shortest temper human being
that you'll ever going to meet up with.
In front, move 'er.
Okay, you goddamn boys.
Let's get the horses line down.
- Sargent Barnes!
- Sir.
- Get those men over here.
- Yes, sir General Bragg.
Alright, you, long hairs. Fall over
here by the general, come on.
Coronal.
Why aren't those men in uniform?
Hasn't anybody told them
anything about military discipline?
Well, sir, they've been so busy
taking care of your...
l don't want your excuses, I want
them to look and act like soldiers.
- ls that clear?
- Yes, sir.
Well...
which one of you
is the best hand with a horse?
Hell bells, general.
We're all a half horse.
You're gonna be half skin if you
don't start talking like a soldier.
Learn to say "yes, sir" and "no, sir"'
when addressed by an officer.
Is that clear?
Clear as a pimple...
- Yes, sir.
- Alright.
Which man is the best
hand with a horse?
That would be our captain, sir,
Buck Burnett.
- Burnett, step out.
- Nice to meet you, general.
Are you people deliberately
trying to antagonize me?
- No, sir.
- Alright, Burnett, you stay with me.
Coronal, take these man down.
See if they get an outfit.
- Yes, sir.
- Wait a minute.
- You ain't busting us up, are you?
- What did you say?
What I mean, general, is if we
could just hunker down and chatter...
maybe we could
figure this whole thing out.
- Do you, by any chance, mean "talk"?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- What he's trying to say, sir...
- Alright.
Never let it be said
that Braxton Bragg...
didn't listen
to the voices of his men.
Go ahead, soldier. Talk.
Well, sir, as seen as how Eubie
and me and the rest of the boys....
come all the way
from Pecos, Concho...
it sure don't seem right
to split us up right about...
- when there's some fight to be done.
- Hell no, general.
You just think about it: us,
Concho County Comanche's...
are damn just a bunch of
Yankee killers you ever did seen.
I bet there ain't a whole troop in the
Confederate Army better than us.
And you can tie that hard and fast,
general. We come here to fight.
Coronal, put this man under arrest.
You, pick up the best pony...
and bring him up to my tent.
Smith!
Wait a minute. Why does he
wanna go and arrest me for?
I don't reckon he went
through the proper channels.
No harm done, boys.
We'll get you looking like soldiers
and you'll feel better.
- Come along.
- Follow the colonel, will you?
Come on.
Buck! Buck Burnett!
Over here!
Tennessees got the wettest rain
l ever did see.
- Buck.
- Hi, boys.
- How are you, Little Bit?
- What have you been doing?
- Shoveling. How about you?
- We've been drilling...
in right face in a bob face
until we're flat fed up with it.
- You don't sound too good, Little Bit.
- Ive got the chill. Can't shake them.
- He's got a fever too.
- What are you doing in this rain?
- We had to come and see you.
- Come on, in there.
Come on.
Buck, this whole thing ain't
working up the way we figured.
Yeah, we're horse soldiers
and they got us scratching gravel.
- I reckon the army knows best.
- I think we oughta get out of here...
and head to Virginia,
like we started.
We can't do that.
That would be desertion.
Anyways, we're moving up the line
tomorrow, we'll get to see a fight.
Ive been thinking...
l ain't got a damn thing against
a Yankee. Ive never seen one.
Well, this is war.
We're Southerners; we gotta fight.
- lt's a matter of freedom.
- Whose freedom?
Like that slave we took in, Buck?
Look what happened to him!
- What happened to him?
- Never mind, Eubie.
No, I want to know
what happened to him.
They hung him!
We took him to the sheriff
and the sheriff hung him.
- ls that true, Buck?
- Yeah, I guess it is.
- The colonel lied.
- That don't make no sense.
- Why would they go and do that?
- I don't know.
He run away to be free.
Isnt that why we're here for?
To be free?
A lot of things just don't make
no more sense.
The way them folks throw us
out the cotillion back in Mendota.
J.C. getting killed.
Us, busted up.
And now getting ready to go to a battle
we don't know anything about...
not even why.
Well, I can tell you
it's gonna be a battle.
I overheard General Bragg
and General Beauregard...
arguing about how we're suppose
to move up against the Yankees.
You know, Bragg lost.
He comes over and said to me:
"Boy, you know any prayers?".
I said: "Yes, sir."
He said:
"Say them, boy. Say them".
Man, that's dismo.
Hey.
I bet you five
that you don't make it.
Make it ten, Buck.
You'll make some money.
Hey, I just talked to
that Sergeant Barnes...
he said you're just pretending so you
don't have to fight Yankees tomorrow.
You ain't got to say nothing, Buck.
Just stay here.
Hey, man, you be quiet.
Todo seem right, Buck.
We've come all this way...
- l'm dying...
- Nobody is dying.
You know what l'm doing?
I'm taking care of one
broken down plug.
You know the old lady general rides?
Ain't that a laugh?
All I got to do is keep him settled up
and ready to stamp.
- Ain't that a way to fight a war?
- Slack off, Buck.
You're fooling me.
Just sit there, alright?
Easy, boy.
Buck? Buck?
The candle's out.
Now, gentlemen.
Mark well the hour.
Now, you listen to that.
Sir.
You tell General Johnson
word for word...
that Ive hit Sherman and
l'm driving back toward the river.
But there's an opening in my
right flank and I want it closed.
- Do you got that?
- Yes, sir.
Howdy, Buck.
Todo, what you're going to do?
Hell of a mess, ain't it, Buck?
Everything just came apart.
Well...
better not talk.
- Got some water, Buck?
- Yeah.
Ill get it, Todo.
Miller!
Miller!
Buck!
Well, Texas!
You made it this far.
I thought he was a runner.
Where's your horse?
It was killed back there.
I gotta get through to General Johnson.
You ain't heard?
Johnson's dead.
He called a Yankee "miniball".
That's a fact.
I heard Beauregard
has taken over command.
Well, as soon as I get a horse
l better tell back to Bragg.
I don't hardly reckon you
to do that either.
Sherman was busted too
on the left.
There's a couple Yankees
between us and Bragg.
Why don't you
come along with us, Buck?
I might as well.
Where are you going?
Well, if we go down this road
and through the trees...
there's Yankees on the other side.
Miller...
Todo is dead.
I saw him get it.
Hoped he would make it through.
There you go, Texas. Everything
you need for squirrel shoot.
Alright, let's move out.
Come on.
- How about the rest of them?
- We ain't done so good, Buck.
This war ain't working out
the way I thought.
Willie Bill, he got a miniball
right between the eyes.
Eubie?
Well, the Yankees were
shouting something awful.
One of them mortars in a big gun
blow up right on us.
And Eubie just wasn't there no more.
Damn.
Sure ain't nothing
like I thought it would be.
Listen, there's Yankees on
the other side of this ridge...
and we're going to get them.
Now you best fasten on
your pick stickers.
I figured them Yankees would
take one look at us and run.
They ain't about to.
They don't give up easy.
Well, I don't understand it.
We're fighting for the South.
They invaded us...
what they've got to fight about?
- Whatever it is, they're still on it.
- Alright.
Let's go!
Hey, Texas!
Texas!
It's me, Texas. Mercer Barnes.
What happened?
They covered and got shot up
all over the place.
Ive been trying to round up
what's left of them.
- How long you all been in here?
- I don't know.
I was running
and everything blew up.
Miller?
Miller, is that you?
That ain't Miller.
We got a Yank in here?
Now, Texas, there's
an old saying among soldiers:
"When the miniballs is flying and
the artillery is hotter than hell...
there ain't no such thing
as an enemy".
Besides he was here in first.
It doesn't seem neighborly
to throw him out now.
- Hi there.
- Hello.
He's feeling kind of poorly.
Caught one in the belly.
It's a hell of a war.
Hey, Mercy.
You think is going to rain?
Yeah, more than likely.
We oughta take that Yankee
out of the weather.
It's bad enough he's bleeding to death,
no sense he gotta get pneumonia too.
I surely wouldn't know
where we could go.
- Well, there must be someplace.
- There's an old church up the road.
If you fellows give me a hand,
Ill guide you there.
- What do you think?
- Well, it will be drowning, I reckon.
Yeah, come on. Let's go.
Give me your hand, Yank.
Come on.
Come on, Texas.
We ain't alone.
I got a gun here that says
you better put that light out.
And shut that door.
We have no light because
old Bragg got his damn Provos...
out there hunting down
straight way from the fighting.
I guess he figures too many of us
is getting lost deliberately.
This ain't good.
We don't wanna get caught
with these here stragglers.
Bragg would shoot us first
and then ask the questions.
- He would shoot me, sure.
- Now that you are here, I better get back.
- I reckon he figures you're dead.
- I ain't a deserter.
Buck!
You made it.
I thought for sure
you had stop with that mini ball.
- Found me whole.
- I got a friend here that's going fast.
He could use some scripture reading.
Anybody know any?
There's me.
My father is a preacher up in Boston.
Boys, we've got
a blue belly in with us.
I don't know what color his belly is,
but is bleeding red now.
- He got shot.
- Let the Yankee read.
- I reckon is the same Bible.
- Come on, boy.
Somebody... make a light.
- I barely can look at his face.
- Bragg's Provo will see the light.
The hell with Bragg's Provo.
My friend is dying.
Somebody light up.
"He opened his mouth
and taught them, saying:"
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the peacemakers...
for they shall be called
children of God.
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you;
do good to them that hate you...
and pray for them
which despitefully use you...
and persecute you.
The Lord is my shepherd,
l shall not want.
Maketh me to lie down
in green pastures...
He leadeth me beside
still waters.
"He restoreth my soul..."
Buck, someone is out there.
Come on.
Everybody raise your hands.
You're all under arrest.
All right, boys.
Move out. Come on. Get out.
Come on.
You all right?
Come on,
we gotta get out of here.
All right, move out.
Come on!
I'm sorry, Texas.
- I gotta help them.
- You gotta help yourself.
- And Miller?
- Ain't nothing you can do.
Anyway, them Provos would kill you
before you got any place close to him.
You can hardly move
with that arm of yours.
Now listen to me. Old Bragg is
too busy with troubles of his own...
to have him shot right away.
Maybe we can do something later on.
All right, Mercer.
All right.
I ain't letting Bragg
or God all mighty shoot my friend.
You hear that, Mercer?
Mr. Burnett.
What do you think you're doing?
I sure wanna thank you
for everything you've done.
Being so nice and all...
- I just gotta be getting out of here.
- But the doctor didn't say you could go.
I reckon he's got more
important things on his mind.
And hell I know more about
how good I feel than he does.
Ma'am, is the General Bragg's Provos
officers here in town?
At the railroad station.
But you shouldn't go.
Well, I reckon if I don't get word
with General Bragg that l'm all right...
he won't sleep at night.
Anyway, I gotta see
about a friend of my.
I guess I can't stop you.
When you see Gabrielle,
give her my regards.
- How come you know about her?
- After they took your arm off...
when you were delirious,
she's all you talked about.
- ls she a nice girl?
- Yes, ma'am.
Very nice.
Thank you.
Buck!
Texas! I knew you would be
one of the lucky ones!
- That's our boy.
- What are you doing on Provos' duty?
The Light Blues got so busted up...
there wasn't enough of us left
to even stand roll.
They sent old Telli and me
down here.
- How you've been.
- Well, good as pie.
Sure won't win,
but I can manage.
I figure that night at the church
you weren't likely to lose.
I'm sorry.
- l'm still here.
- It's kind of a shame, though...
the only time you were wounded
had to be by a Southern bullet.
Kind of a friendly wound,
wouldn't you say?
Since you're in Provos' duty, maybe you
can tell me what's happened to Miller.
I got me a detachment to take care of.
You tell him, Tellis.
Tell me what?
Buck, I rather be in our shape
than Miller's.
He escaped.
Had him chained up
on a working party.
Don't know exactly what happened...
but he swung that chain lay down
his guard and took off.
The only thing is he split
that guard's head wide open.
He killed him, Buck.
No.
Now General Bragg put down
special orders on him.
Get him dead or alive,
just assumed dead.
Never thought Miller would run
like a jack rabbit.
Well, not no more, he don't.
A cracker named Junger says
a tough fellow like Miller...
tried to hide in his barn.
Says he put a bullet into him.
Appears he's still in the barn.
Mercer is fixing to go get him now.
The man would do a thing like that?
Shoot him?
A lot known they all crackers.
They're making a business
turning the boys over to Provos.
- Where did you say his place is at?
- Junger Virginhood.
It's ten miles out.
We'll get him.
Yeah, right.
That's a very nice horse.
- That's yours, Tellis?
- No, is Mercer's.
And it stays there,
in case you got any ideas.
- l'm a friend of yours.
- Yeah, but you Texas is a wild bunch.
I don't know.
Ain't that Colonel Boykin?
- I thought he was dead.
- Where?
Hey, you! Hey there, Buck!
Come back here, Buck!
Come back here!
- He got your horse, Mercer.
- There's a lot more horses.
Damn, damn, damn it all.
Now there's two I might get.
Miller?
Buck?
Buck?
You...
hit bad?
Pretty bad.
In the belly?
That's where it came out.
I was kind of hoping
that you would come.
We're getting out of here
and we're going to Texas.
I can't move, Buck.
I'm all frozen up
and dried out inside.
I would like you to kill me first now,
it don't hardly hurt at all.
- We'll make it.
- You'll make it.
It's only two days to big river.
You go on back to Texas.
No.
You ain't a captain no more.
You gotta go.
You go back to Vicksburg
and pick up that girl.
Buck?
I hit that guard pretty hard.
- Did I hurt him bad?
- You killed him, Miller.
- I didn't mean to.
- I know, Miller.
They said they were gonna shoot me.
What did I do to get shot for?
I don't know.
I know nothing about
this damn war.
Todo, Eubie...
Little Bit, Willie Bill, J.C.,
they're all dead.
We didn't make of a splash, did we?
That pretty girl in Mendota...
she said we were Southern patriots.
- Remember when we kissed her hand?
- Yeah. I remember.
Wasn't that something?
We sure done some living,
ain't we, Buck?
We're gonna do a lot more.
Somebody is outside.
Provos is after me.
No, there ain't nobody.
You better get going now, Buck.
I ain't gonna be here for long now.
Miller?
- Do you wanna pray?
- No.
Ive already done my praying.
I'm glad you are with me.
Buck, Miller, get out of there
with your hands up!
We got this place surrounded.
We need to get out of here.
Please. Please God, Buck.
Don't move me.
Miller...
Buck!
This is your last chance!
Ill get you out of here, Miller.
Ill cover you from up here,
they ain't gonna get you. I promise.
Buck, this is the last time
l'm gonna ask you!
- Sargent Barnes?
- Sir.
What are you doing here?
There's a couple of deserters
in the barn there, sir.
- Drag them out and shoot them.
- Yes, sir.
One of them is one of them Texas boys,
with your horse orderly.
- That Buck Burnett, sir.
- He's in there? A deserter?
Yes, sir.
He was in the hospital, sir...
Well, I reckon you gotta call him
a deserter, he stole a horse...
and came out here looking for
his friend, Corporal Nalls.
The one that killed the guard.
Let's get him out of there.
Barnes?
It's Nalls, general.
He's dead.
- Where's the other one?
- He's gotta be in here someplace.
That's my horse he stole
tied up outside.
With the general's permission, sir...
the way I heard it,
seven of them come down here...
all the way from West Texas
to join up.
Nobody named them.
Just boys they were.
- So?
- Well...
This Burnett is the last
one of them left alive...
seems kind of a shame
to hunt down the last one.
- One of them oughta get back to Texas.
- He stole a horse...
and deserted in my army.
We shoot men for that.
Yeah, I known, it just seems a shame.
I know all them boys.
There's no room for
sentiment in the army.
- No, I reckon there ain't.
- Discipline is discipline.
A soldiers obeys orders
or suffers for it.
- ls that clear?
- That's clear, general.
Sergeant!
Where the hell are you going?
- l'm going up there and dig him out.
- A man would be a fool to hide up there.
That boy is halfway to Texas by now.
- But my horse is still tied up outside.
- Are you arguing with me, sergeant?
- No, sir. No.
- All right.
Get that body in the wagon
and let's get out of here.
We've got too much to do
to waste time...
- running after one Texas straggler.
- Yes, sir general.
Sergeant?
Are you trying to argue me?
What are you doing?
I was just fixing to take
my horse along, sir.
You leave that horse here.
You ride the wagon.
Sent someone to pick that horse
in the morning.
Yes, sir. Of course,
with all these stragglers around...
Id run a bet that horse
won't be here in the morning.
- Just follow orders, sergeant.
- Yes, sir.
As a matter of fact, Id be
willing to say that horse is gone...
before we run one mile
on the road.
Move your men out.
Here!
There were seven boys from Texas
Rode off to fight a war
They rode as far as Shiloh
And never saw no more
Miller Nalls died a bleeding
From a bounty hunters gun
And Todo went to glory
Beneath a blood red sun
Eubie's laughter
nevermore is heard
A mortar killed him dead
And Willie fell a running
A bullet in his head
Little Bit he coughed his life out
For him, the war was done
And J.C. Suttons fastest gun
Had met a faster one
Just one rode back to Texas
To tell the story there
Across the big wide river
To the girl with silken hair