"_" "1836 Republic of Texas" "The Mexican territory is home to thousands of U.S. settlers." "Tensions rise as Comanche and Karankawa fight to keep their lands." "Outlaws roam free, and slaves are caught in the crossfire." "Mexican General Santa Anna battles to reclaim the land." "U.S. President Andrew Jackson is hesitant to intervene, and Texas has no choice but to declare itself an independent nation." "Outnumbered, General Sam Houston's" "Texas Republic Army and Steve Austin's Ranging Company are all that stand between Santa Anna's tyranny and independence." "Texas in flames; the Alamo in ashes." "Pioneers, Mexicans, Tejanos," "Indians, soldiers, have no choice... fight or die." "Viva Santa Anna!" " Viva!" " Viva mi General!" " Viva Mexico!" " Viva!" "Viva mi General!" "Vamos!" "Vamos!" "Sister..." "_" "_" "They are not soldiers." "These men are pirates." "Prepárate!" "Fuego!" "A la derecha!" "Portilla!" "Your Excellency, we find those women hiding in the crypt." "Shall I take care of them also?" "Brother Almonte, your opinion?" "Let them tell their drunken General Houston the stories of our triumph." "Excellent." "Ride to General Urrea's battalion, and order him to attack Fort Goliad without delay." "Oh!" "Got to get your rest, Sam." "You're so peaked;" "you look like death eating a cracker." "General." "Any word from the rangers?" "No, sir." "I have an army of untrained, undisciplined, ill-equipped men and not enough of 'em." "That's why I can't sleep." "You got this wound 20-some odd years ago, and it still festers?" "Damn it." "Huh?" "Yes." "1814..." "Battle of Horseshoe Bend." "Musket ball." "Caught a red stick arrow in the groin there too." "Thanks to the Great Spirit, my manhood remained intact." "Little chips of splintered bone still working their way out." "I sent Bowie to Travis with an order to blow up the Alamo, abandon it." "I can't imagine what a trial it must be to live with this." "Sir, Baker and Sherman are still waiting to see you." "Much obliged." ""Here to be seen seeing me" is more like it." "Delegation's arrived to say, "Attack the Mexicans."" "Huh, delegation!" "Well, by God, come in this instant, if not sooner." "There's Juan Seguín too, sir." "With due regard to the urgency of your call, gentlemen," "I hope you don't mind me answering a call of my own." "General, we mean no ill regard." "We're just curious to what your plan is." "I sent Deaf Smith and his rangering company to report on the Alamo situation." "Until I hear back, it'd be damn stupid to fix on any plan." "There's only one plan." "Attack the Alamo." "Mosley, I think you know me better than to address me like I'm some dumb son of a bitch." "I cannot imagine your intention is to abandon those men, sir." "It's what Davy Crockett's promising to keep their spirits hopeful." "Juan, how many men are we?" "374... by this morning's count." "What are our supplies?" "Two days of beans, no meat, and we're certainly short of muskets, powder, and shot." "Let me understand this." "You think we ought to attack 5,000 well-armed, well-fed Mexican veterans supported by artillery." "We do have the element of surprise, sir." "Huh!" "It does not matter how many there are." "They are only Mexicans." "Juan!" "You're a fool, Mosley." "I should let Seguín here cut your tongue out." "General, what of Colonel Fannin's relief column?" "George, tell them the status on Colonel Fannin." "Our courageous colonel was on his way to the Alamo when two wagons broke down betwixt and between." "So he decided to change course and return to Goliad." "That is all the more reason we need to reinforce Travis and Jim Bowie." "Sam, what would your personal compunctions lead you to do?" "I will tell you what I'm not gonna do." "I'm not gonna sacrifice what little army I have by charging pell-mell into Mexican lances." "I will not fight Santa Anna the way he wants us to fight, nor the way you think I should." "Gentlemen," "Texas is struggling to break free from an oppressive regime." "No." "We must fight for our independence like George Washington and our forefathers fought for theirs..." "with speed and mobility." "Fall back." "Live to fight another day." "Deaf Smith and his rangers have the right idea." "As your commander," "I will decide when the day is right to do more." "Now that you've been elucidated, get the hell out!" "General." " Juan." " General." "If it means anything, your amigos at the Alamo call out to me in my dreams." "Whoo!" " Whoo-hoo!" " Whoo!" "You still get a buck and two bits a day working for the army?" "Rangers don't work for the army, Truett." "We're working with the army." "That's right." "They don't give us orders." "They offer us recommendations and suggestions." "Son, I give you a suggestion, by God, you best know it's a damn order." "Sir." "Hey, don't expect to get paid anytime soon, boys." "Texas ain't got no money." "Least not till we run the bean-eaters out." "No offense, Flores." "You's a good bean-eater." "I like you." "What the hell did you say?" "Ask him." "Deaf?" "Deaf?" "What?" "Well, after General Houston quit being governor of Tennessee, is it true that he lit out for the territory, took up with a Cherokee squaw, and stayed drunk for five years?" "I don't know he was drunk every day." "Ask about his Tennessee bride." "What about his tender young wife?" "Why'd he leave her and quit being governor?" "Those your words, Henry?" ""Tender young wife"?" "Ooh!" "That's a whole heap nicer than I would've called her." "I guess she rejected him." "He felt compelled to leave her... by honor, Henry." "Mm-hmm." "What I heard is, he attacked her unnaturally." "Now, I heard she had the organs of a man under the... oh, yeah, yeah." "That's a good one." "Y'all know I can't hear nothing, and I certainly can't read your lips." "You're sitting all back there." "Now, nobody knows what happened between the two of them, but I do know that Sam Houston's never spoken a word against her, nor has he allowed one spoken in his presence." "What does that tell you?" "Reckon the same thing it tells you..." "That you have a grasp of things the way we can't sometimes, Erastus." "Let's move out." "Rest time's over, boys." "Saddle up." "General Sam Houston is a better man than his detractors." "Then why in the hell ain't he leading his army to help Bowie and Crockett at the Alamo?" "When you're half the general he is, Elwood, maybe then I'll listen to you." "It's called military tactics, Vern." "That's why we're on a scout." "Smoke!" "I seen smoke!" "Whoa." "Over there, about 20 miles away." "That's the Alamo." "Deaf!" "That's the Alamo, boys." "We lost it." "Son of a bitch." "God help us." "Deaf." "They ain't Comanches, is they?" "No." "Karankawa." "I don't know what they're doing so far inland." "Thought they was all killed off." "Hell, Injuns killing Mexicans is fine by me." "So long as they ain't Comanches, right?" "Beans, head back." "Inform General Houston of the fate of the Alamo." "Now, don't dawdle." "Don't get yourself killed." "Future of Texas is at stake." " Come on." " Yes, sir." " Ride on, Beans." " Ride on, boy." "Come on." "Come on." "Hee-yah!" "Hee-yah!" "Those are women in the wagon." "That cuts it." "Ahh!" "Yah!" "No!" "Mama!" "They got the little girl!" "Let's get him, Truett!" "Come on!" "We coming for you, darling!" "Get on that wagon, Kit!" "Zacharias, help the lady." "I got her." "I got him!" "Stay on him, Truett." "Stay up there." "I'm gaining." "Stay up there." "Whoo!" "Whoa, whoa." "Whoa, whoa, whoa." "Shoot him, Truett." "I'm loading, damn it." "All right." "Take your shot." "Come on." "I am." "Why don't you shoot him?" "Well, I'm trying." "Oh, Yance, I got him!" "I got him!" " You got him!" " Whoo!" "I got him!" " You got him." " Whoo!" " Damn, nice shot." " Hoo-hoo!" "Whoo!" "I thought we was goners, boy." "I can't believe I got him." "Well, I would've got him if you hadn't." "Take the scalp." "Well, come on, Truett." "It's your first kill." "You earned it." "I don't need no stinky Indian pelt to prove what I done here." "Hush up." " Mama!" " It ain't for you." "It's for the young 'UN." "Mama!" "When she grows up, it'll be a reminder that justice was done on the savage that killed her mama." "Go." "Mama!" "Whoo-hoo!" "I don't know what I like better... killing redskins or killing Mexicans." "Damn it, Vern, quit your yammering." "Mister?" "Zacharias." "Did we save them?" "Yes." "Whoa." "Karnes!" "Zacharias took a hit." " Oh, no." " Damn." "And you forgot to duck." "I did duck." "This pigsticker would've stuck me in my chest." "Yeah." "What's your name, darling?" "Susanna." "Susanna what?" "Dickinson." "He was doing his duty." "He died helping me." "So long, Zach." "Captain, the woman with the baby, that's Almaron Dickinson's wife." "Lieutenant at the Alamo." "They're the only survivors." "All right, everybody." "We got to move out." "Leave the wagons and them Indian horses behind." "What for?" "Comanches." "Oh, shit." "Take the little one." "Don't let her lay eyes on her mama." "Take the women and the children." "I'll bury Zacharias and this lady." "Save me some poon in hell, big fellow." "Henry, I'm gonna ride on ahead." "See you down the road." "All right." "Adios, amigo." "Let's go, boys." "We're moving on." "Rest in peace, Zacharias." "We'll miss you, sir." "Let's go, boy." "Santa Anna's taken the Alamo!" "The Alamo is lost!" "Lordy, Lordy..." "Santa Anna's taken the Alamo!" "We've lost the Alamo!" "We've lost the Alamo!" "Santa Anna's taken the Alamo!" "The Alamo has fallen!" "Santa Anna's taken the Alamo!" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "Gracias." "Deaf?" "Siéntete." "Oh..." "Guadalupe, I ain't back." "Not yet, I ain't back." "I just come to get the wagon on account of some women and young 'uns that they were gonna slaughter at the Alamo." "They need medical doctoring." "I raced ahead." "They're a few miles back." "Let them stay here." "I'll nurse them and you." "You're too sick to fight." "Come." "No, no," "Lupe, por favor, sit." "I got to get everybody back to camp." "Fighting is the only way we got to win this war, and fighting's all I know." "Houston's counting on us." "I promise you" "I will be back before you know it." "Cuídamelo." "What a sweet girl." "You done good." "Get some rest." "This young mare done me proud today, but she's tuckered." "You mind giving her a good water and a feeding?" "Sí." "I got plenty of linens." "You mind hanging on to that for me?" "I'll be back." "Yah." "About 20 years ago, my first campaign was in Texas, serving with General Arredondo, who put down a rebellion much like this one." "I call this bird Arredondo." "He's never known defeat." "Look at his eyes." "Almonte, they are mad." "I remember once, Arredondo slaughtered over 1,000 of American pirates and wayward Tejanos, then left their corpses to rot in the field, unburied, for all to see and smell." "We left all of Texas covered in tears and ashes as a warning to whoever again might raise their hand against Mexico." "At the time, some of us young officers thought the general too ruthless, you know, too unnecessarily cruel." "But we know now we were wrong." "Arredondo was not harsh enough, and this is why we're fighting today... because he was not harsh enough." "I will win this battle." "I will win it for you." "So 20 years from now, you will not have to lead your sons north to fight this war again, because Santa Anna, like Arredondo before him, was not man enough to win it once and for all." "I don't fight for Texas." "I don't care about politics." "Then why do you fight?" "It's in my blood, like this bird." "Does the blood make him stronger?" "We'll see." "Only a select few can become champions." "Take this one." "He loves tequila but rejects my blood." "I call him General Houston." "Fitting." "Get the blood." "See?" "No matter how you train it or dress it up, it's a chicken." "And chickens lose their heads." "They're coming in from the Alamo!" "The survivors!" " It's a baby." " Hang on." "Whoa." "Everyone just stand back." "Get through." "You, fetch Doc Ewing." "We got a sickly woman here." " No, no, no, no, no!" " Don't worry." "It's all right." "It's all right." "Please." "Hey, what do I do with this shit bugger?" "Give her to the doc?" "Make up a bedroom in my tent." "We'll see come morning." "Now I'm a damn nursemaid." "Everybody, stand back." "Get out of the way." "Give me the baby." "Let me help." "Please, just let me help." "It's gonna be all right." "Ma'am?" "Ma'am, it's all right." "It's all right, ma'am." "Give me your hand." "Please, ma'am, come with me." "Captain." "Thank you." "You all right?" "What happened?" "Where's Zachariah and Anderson?" "Anderson stayed back to bury Zacharias." "Zachariah..." "You sure?" "Yeah." "Had to be Comanches." "I knew it was Comanches." "Fellows, were it Comanches?" "Nah, Karankawa." " Deaf, we going to Alamo?" " Mind your business!" "Deaf, ain't you gonna go to the aid of our patriots?" "That's up to Sam Houston, son." " Who's she?" " Out of the way!" "Deaf, what's going on, Deaf?" " What about Travis?" " Crockett?" "Bowie?" "Dead." "All dead, boys." "General." "General Houston, this here's Emily West." "Herself and Captain Dickinson's wife were among the few Alamo survivors." "Ma'am." "Ms. West." "Water." "Santa Anna took no prisoners." "We were spared to carry his message." "He'll show no mercy..." "Killing all who oppose him." "Plans to poison the wells and fields so that people never return." "Burn every ranch, every settlement, every building." "Santa Anna has ordered General Urrea to attack Goliad for his next slaughter." "Mexicans attacking Goliad..." "He mocks you to his men." "He named a chicken after you." "It's not wrong you survived." "Chris, I just heard." "Santa Anna will show no mercy." "Tom, I got news." "Santa Anna is moving 500 men on Goliad... 500 men." "He's attacking Fannin at Goliad." "I heard he named a damn chicken after our general." "Goliad's next." "Slitherin' snake son of a bitch means to wipe us out." "This is all messed up." "Ma'am, we're gonna get you to the medical tent and get some food in your belly." "You should know they held out 12 days, waiting for you." "Last thing I heard Colonel Travis yell was, "No surrender."" "Yeah, yeah." "All right." "God damn it!" "Was I not appointed to lead all Texian forces as commander in chief?" " Was I?" " Yes, sir." "Then why didn't they obey my order to abandon the Alamo?" "I should have gone in myself." "We can't let this sacrifice be in vain." "Their precious blood bought us precious time." "Let us not squander it." "Deaf, as a loyal Texian citizen and foremost authority on this land," "I'd value your opinion about now." "Deaf, do you understand me?" "I'm deaf, not dumb." "San Antone is too close to Mexico proper to reinforce, too far from American settlements to defend." "We ought to move north of Victoria, marshal our forces." "Let Santa Anna get drunk on an abundance of confidence." "And then, General, we attack with a vengeance." "If only I had 300 more rangers like you," "I'd win this war in a day." "I want you to ride to Goliad and, one more time, instruct Colonel Fannin to abandon his position there posthaste and rendezvous with us at Victoria." "Make sure he understands he'll be all by his lonesome with enemy troops up his ass within the week." "Tell him this time, I said please." "Yes, sir." "I'll tell him." "Ready the men." "Tomorrow at first light, we march to Victoria." "Prepare to retreat." "Pass the word." "We retreat." "Pass the word." "What the hell we waitin' for?" "Sarah." "Mama taught me to ease a woman's burden every chance I got." "Yeah, well, she should've taught you not to be such a horse's ass." "Oh, pardon my crass friend's language, ma'am." "Thank you, Truett." "Thank you, Yancey." "But unless you're injured, you're not allowed inside the medical tent." "Well, I got a serious cut on my elbow someplace, and I'm pretty sure it needs some liniment." "Yeah, well, I have a badly bruised heart." "Stop horsing around like nothing happened today." "We... we didn't want to scare you, Sarah." "It's tragic sad about Zacharias." "Don't fret about us." "Truett here got his first scalp." "Should've told her right away instead of trying to curry favor." "It was your "bruised heart" manure that set her off." "She was gonna treat my elbow." "Treat your goddamn elbow..." " She was." " Ah, quit your bellyaching." " She would have." " Quiet down, boys." " We got sick people here." " Don't push me." "You got me in trouble." "Don't you stand out on that ridge." "They'll see you for a mile, son." "Knowles." "Hell you going, Private?" "Don't rightly know." "You deserting?" "The army needs you, soldier." "It's all balls-up." "Don't worry about it." "Lookit there." "That's a wolf." "Mm, more like a wolf dog." "Come here, boy." "Come over here." "Say howdy." "You've been following us." " He ain't coming." " Yep." "Hey, that's my personal rabbit." "It's requisitioned." " This a damn jackrabbit?" " Yeah." "Smells like three-day-old possum." "Pilfers a rabbit and complains." "I seasoned that rabbit just right." "Come on, boy." "Look what I got for you." "Lookie here." "Come on." "That mongrel's gonna bite your arm clean off." "Come on." "Now I know why they call you Beans... 'cause that's the only thing you can cook." "Ha!" "He don't like your cookings, Beans." "I saw that dog lick its own ass." "He don't know." "Ventured up, Captain... over on the right." "Captain?" "Uh, Captain?" "Captain?" "Young Truett here is grievously worried about his ma and requests a short leave of absence." "Yeah, it's my mother and my sisters, sir." "And, well, since I lost my daddy to typhoid three years ago, you know," "I'm the only man of the house." "Yeah, and with that cutthroat Santa Anna marching north, well, the Fincham family ranch is right in his path." "Yeah, I just want to make sure they moved out." "You know, shouldn't take me more than a day or two just to get them someplace safe." "And I request to go with him, Captain." "Make sure he comes back." "The boy can hardly wipe himself without my counsel." "Oh, shut up." "He just want to run into some more Indians so he can get a scalp like mine, sir." "That all of it, then?" "One day." "I'll give you all one day." "Then you meet us in Goliad." " Get." " Sir." "Sir." "If we leave in the morning, we can get there by noon." "Hunker down." "It's ready." "And that's looking good, fellows." "Look at you." "You a part of Stephen Austin's rangering company?" "Glad you're back, Billy." "Who's asking?" "Name's Beauregard." "I hear tell you might need an extra hand." "Looks like you could use one too, Red." "My mama'd throw that in the pot with the cayenne pepper and call it gumbo." "You from Louisiana?" "Crawled up from the bayou." "Call me Gator..." "Gator Davis." "Thought you was Beauregard." "Gator Davis Beauregard," "Esquire." "I'm of a mind to join your outfit." "You want to help Texas, go join the army." "Oh, no." "My flat feet ain't suited for marching." "I want to ranger around with y'all, help citizens directly." "You got to furnish your own horse and gun." "Pays $1.25 a day, payable whenever Austin raises the funds." "Best see what he's made of first." "Okeydokey by me." "Introduce yourself to the fellers." "That's all." "Private, hold." "I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Dickinson." "Can you tell me, how many carriers did Santa Anna bring?" "How many soldiers?" "Kill them." "Kill them all." "Sarah." "General Houston wants us to scout on ahead and track down Santa Anna." "You've risked your lives enough." "Why can't he send somebody older, more experienced?" "I reckon 'cause... we's the best he got." "Being heroes is our cross to bear." "Now, my dear granny Lulu, she..." "She..." "She pressed this flower in the family Bible on her wedding day." "I want you to hold on to that until I come back." " Thank you, Truett." " Yeah." "Uh, ma'am, you don't have to give this back." "It's a part of me that you are to keep long as the rivers run." ""Long as the rivers run."" "Shut it." "Come here." "I'll be madder than a wet hen if anything happens to either of you." "So doggone it, you better take care of each other." "Yes, ma'am." "Yes, ma'am." " Ooh, she likes me." " She hugged me tighter." " Did not." " Did too." " Did not." " Did so." "Boy..." "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "For who?" "You can ride with the rangers, kill Mexicans for them." "But if you think you'll ever be one of them, you're a fool." "Fighting for the revolution." "We're losing, Manuel, and I don't trust the Anglos any more than the Santanistas." "What becomes of us?" "We'll be free." "Santa Anna promises the same if we fight for him." "Who do you trust more, for your family's sake," "Santa Anna or Houston?" " Working on it." " Yep." "If you stop saying..." "Reckon it ain't my cooking the dog don't like," "Henry." "Got a pint in my saddlebag." "You need a slug to ease the pain?" "I'm fine, but before we go to Goliad," "I got to take the buckboard back... pay respects to the missus." "See you at sunup." "Pack those up front." "You should be going first." "Seems like your tune is distressing the youngster, señor." "Let me see that guitar." "You gonna take that from a greenhorn, Flores?" "I'm gonna lighten the mood for you, little lady." "Well, now all we needs is a jug and a sweet little gal to poke." "She wants you, Deaf." "What do you think, Captain?" "It's growing on me." " I got to go." " Go away from here." "You stink like a she goat at mating time." "We don't want to smell your shit all night." "Hey, hey, hey!" "Hey, vamos!" "Hey, hey, hey!" "8 pesos, Presidente." "I did not bet that bird, chuparlo." "Yes, you did, mi General." "8 pesos." "How is it you have 8 pesos to bet with?" "As a fact, I do, Excellency." "You have not been paid." "If you have 8 pesos..." "You robbed them from the women refugees." "And if you robbed them, you raped them also." "No, no, no, mi General." "I know this." "Do you know what "magnanimous" is?" "No, sir." "Then, though you did not win, raped grandmothers, and lied to your General," "I pay you." "I pay you because we are victorious and to show you what "magnanimous" is." "Do not try such a trick again." "Enough rest and celebration." "Almonte, assume command." "Yes, General." "_" "_" "_" "_" "Buenas noches, Juan." "As you were." "Emily?" "It's Sam." "I brought you some fresh clothes and something to eat..." "You're as blustery as ever, Sam." "And you are..." "I'm alive." "A long way from the French Quarter." "You still have that scarf I gave you." "Don't own much of nothing else." "Emily, I don't flatter myself that you came all this way to see me." "I came seeking my brother, Jupiter, to purchase his freedom." "Texas is slave free." "If'n you say so." "I located him at the Alamo Mission, and I told him he was free, but he stayed to fight, ended up one of the last survivors, and I watched as Santa Anna had him executed." "Jupiter liked to fight." "A family trait." "At least he died a free man." "I want you to spend a few days recuperating, and then I'm gonna get you safe passage back to New Orleans." "No." "I'm of a mind to stay in Texas, join the cause." "I could use a horse." "Well, let's discuss that in the morning, shall we?" "It's good to rest my eyes on you again." "Sam..." "Jupiter was all I had in this world." "At least he died a hero." "He was more a Texian than any of us." "Get some rest." "You are and always will be my sweet desert rose." "Deaf!" "Come, come." "Close your eyes." "All right." "All right." "Don't move." "Papa Deaf..." "This poor little soul lost her mama." "Far as I know, there's no way to look after her." "What's her name?" "Elena, just like your own ma." "And this mangy orphan here..." "Call him Half Breed." "About how much further to San Antone?" "Three or four days at least." "How do, ma'am?" "I'll have a glass of that whiskey, please." "Well..." "Looks like we got ourselves a greenhorn come across the river." "Settle down, Luther." "Leave him be." "Yeah, you." "I'm talking about you." "I can smell you like a fat sow." "Lila, get." "You remind me of everything" "I come out West to get away from." "Then I reckon your quarrel is with your past, not me." "Now, that was ill-mannered." "You'll need to replace my drink or face consequences." "This some sort of halfwit idiot, or is he just plain stupid?" "You're drunk, Luther." "Neither." "Must just be you." "Go on." "Don't let nothing but fear stop you." "Leave it be!" "Ah, settle down, boys." "Don't you even try it." "That was a fair fight, and we all saw it." "A polite gesture, sir, but I can manage." "Now, can someone please go fetch whomsoever it is around here that administers justice?" "We need to report this." "Well, ain't you all gussied up?" "Lupe's big on the pampering." "Oh." "You got clean clothes, and you got a new young 'un and a wolf-dog pet." "Well, Lupe must be as happy as a bumblebee in a flower patch." "Yeah, may as well hang up my spurs, move to town, work at the general feed." "Well, you are getting awful old, my friend." "Henry, it's 20 miles to go yet." "Try to keep up." "Yah!" "Thing?" "I hear tell you're gonna go fight for Texas, Hard Case." "Mister, you making light of me?" "Well, after seeing you handle a gun, that'd be a pretty dumb idea." "Name's William Wallace." "Folks call me Bigfoot." "On account of you're big?" "That, but mostly 'cause I once killed a Cherokee with big feet." "Bigfoot Wallace, John Coffee Hays." "Named after Colonel John Coffee, protégé of President Andrew Jackson." "Call me Jack." "Jack." "Are... are you some kind of genuine blue blood or something?" "Something." "You see, I'm on my way to the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, to Bexar, to enlist." "Well, I'm afraid you're a mite late, son." "Colonel Travis was killed by the Mexicans, along with everybody else at the Alamo." "Crockett?" "He was gonna be U.S. president someday." "Yes, sir." "They got the whole damn lot of them." "I'm on my way to fight alongside my brother at Fort Defiance in Goliad." "Colonel Fannin's command?" "Reckon then I'll enlist there." "Better ride with me, then, Hard Case." "I don't need you waylaid in any more gunfights." "You coming or what?" "Come on, now." "We bring you orders from General Houston." "No doubt ordering me to withdraw." "I know we're in a general retreat." "But the Mexican army is weeks away." "Colonel, if you don't get, you and your men are gonna be overrun and die." "I'll do what my conscience tells me to do, boy." "God damn your conscience." "Do what Houston tells you." "You follow orders." "We're with you, Colonel." "Dismissed." "Dismissed, gentlemen." "We delivered the message." "Houston..." "Our good wagon and our old mare ain't here." "Ma and the girls... they must've left already." "So who's that stallion belong to, then?" "Yah." "Come on." "Private Knowles?" "What the hell?" "Last we heard, youse was deserting'." "Now you profiteering?" "Well, hold up, now." "I done my duty, is what I done." "Alls I did is," "I warned the old lady about the Mexicans." "Can't help it if she's running off all scared and leaving shit." "That old lady is my mother, you despicable poltroon." "You... you loot my home?" "Your mother?" "He done bamboozled your family, Truett." "What are you gonna do about it?" "Now, just... easy, gentlemen." "Well, it seems you forgot my daddy's prized bullwhip, Knowles." "So I'ma give it to you." "Now, now, hold on... ahh!" "You damn deserter, get!" " Oh, what the hell?" " Yee-haw!" "You hoodwink anybody else, we tie you down..." "Gentlemen..." "We pour molasses on you." "We let the critters eat their fill." "Now get on your horse and get." "I'm going." "I'm going." "I showed him." "Gol'darn thieving deserter, you better get!" "That's good enough." "Climb out and cover them up." "Not sure I agree with your methods, General." "Worked for Washington and Jackson." "All right, men, stand beside me bearing arms." "I promised you men an answer." "I'm now prepared to deliver it." "I've ordered Colonel Fannin to retreat from Goliad." "Our armies will move east and join forces with his, picking up volunteers along the way." "This is the very kind of deliberation that lost the lives of our compatriots at the Alamo!" "Sir, we lost great men in Travis and Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie himself." "General," "I feel it is our Christian duty to march to Goliad to fight." "To defeat Santa Anna, to take our vengeance, and stand our ground with Fannin is the proper, tactically, thing to do, sir." "He's right!" "We should fight!" "Yeah!" "Men..." "Colonel Fannin has his orders." "You men have yours." "You may question my military strategy but not my heart, and if any one of you question my command, there's a grave reserved for you." "I will give you your battle." "I will give you your blood." "Your brothers and friends shall be avenged, and it will be when and where your general orders it." "Now let me hear you say aye." "Aye." "I'm not asking a question." "Answer so that God and Santa Anna can hear it." "Let me hear you say aye!" "Aye!" "Good." "You are dismissed." "General." "Captain Baker, tearing off on some half-assed reprisal is exactly what Santa Anna wants." "You insubordinate me again in front of my troops," "I'll have you shot." " Come on!" "Come on!" " Come on!" "Spurs are not that hard!" " Whoo-hoo-hoo!" " I beat you, boy." " You didn't beat me." " I beat you." "You couldn't beat a blind dog, boy." "Third time this week." "Yee, boy, I done beat you!" "No, I beat you." "I'm faster than a ring-tailed bobcat." " You seen me." " Hell you are." "I was a full nose ahead, ain't that right, Captain?" " Where you off to?" " Back to camp." "Fannin's a stubborn bastard." "Won't obey orders." "Well, you want us to linger and spy on him?" "What do you reckon, Deaf?" "They're wearin' their own boots." "Can walk where they want to." "If Fannin hasn't moved by day after next, ride due east and meet us there, in Victoria." "And keep your eyes and ears open." "And don't you tarry." "You feeling poorly, Captain?" "I'm fine, damn it." "Well, we... we just wanted to say that, well, we feel that it's the..." "What my jibber-jabbering friend means to say is that we hold the two of you in equal high regard as our own daddies." "And we proud to be Texan rangers, sirs." "You two may become real rangers yet." " Real rangers." " Oh, yeah." " Help!" "Help us!" " Ahh, help!" "Help!" "My ankle!" "I can't get it off her." "Keep her head above the water." "Come to the back!" "Help lift!" "Flores, get in there." "Get in there." "She's stuck." "Don't lift till I say." "One, two..." "lift!" "Agh!" "Take a look at her." " Thank you." " You all right, darling?" "Shit." "Name's Rebecca Pitt." "That's my brother, Colby." "All right." "Awful pretty name..." "Rebecca." "Name's Kit Acklin." "Me and Vern there are ridin' with the rangering company." "Well, good luck, Rebecca." "All right." "Let's go, boy." "Come on." "No, no, no." "Y'all done made a hustle out..." "But you said two, not three." "What is this?" "Huh?" "Whoa." "Now, you... do you understand what this is?" "Now, I told you..." "What's that commotion over there?" "Looks like that bastard's demanding compensation from the widow woman for helping her to ford the river." " Just gonna give you two..." " Hey, easy, easy, now." "That's the private that deserted Gonzalez three days ago." "Let me just see." "Let me just see." "Here we go." "What's that?" "We need to make an example." "He'll do." "Arrest him." "We try him next halt." "Hear ye!" "Hear ye!" "This military tribunal is now in session." "Prisoner that stands before this court is charged with desertion at the time of war." "Private Ephraim Knowles, without orders or furlough, absented himself from Camp Gonzalez, which is a direct violation of his sworn military oath." "No, no different from about 500 others." "Private, do you have a friend or member of this company who you'd like to speak on your behalf?" "Well, let's see, Your Honor." "I'd have to say the best man to speak for me would be none other than, uh, oh, me." "I'll tell you why." "'Cause my company ain't nothing but a bunch of sniveling bastard weasels." "Order." "Very well." " Sergeant Anderson..." " Sir." "I appoint you to speak on behalf of the accused." "I don't know this man, sir." "That may be to his advantage." "Yes, sir." "Private, do you stipulate to the facts that..." "If I am to speak for this man," "I will make the stipulations, sir." "Fine." "Sergeant, you are denying that he deserted?" "No." "I'm the one that arrested him." "Sergeant, do you have anything to say on this man's behalf before he is sentenced?" "No, but I do have a few questions." "Carry on." " Private Knowles..." " Yes, sir." "What were you doing before I arrested you?" "What was I doing?" "I was only just..." "I was arguing a teensy bit with some old widow woman." "That was the same woman that you helped across the river, with the children..." "That's right." "And their pitiful few possessions." "That's right." "That's right." "Alls I done is, I carried this fat old lady all the way across that damn river, and as soon as she was safe on the other side..." "Where did you say you were from again?" " Is it east Georgia?" " Milledgeville, Georgia." "Get to the point, Sergeant." "I heard a story about a man there who takes his pecker out in the store, wears no pants, walks around in the rain, stares at the sun all afternoon..." "That would be Obadiah Claymore." "What of him?" "It's just that it's an area that's known for people marrying direct blood relations, so no more than 1 in 20 are born normal." "Señor Anderson, are you saying that Private Knowles is not responsible for his actions because he has..." "Yes, what I am saying is, is that there's a 1 in 20 chance that he's not right in the head." "Laugh it up." "Laugh it up, and damn you all to hell." "I am, too, right in the head." "I am righter than right in my head." "But I'll tell you what ain't right." "I'll tell you what's goddamn insane, it's so far from right." "It would be the idea of any one of us staying in this... this joke of an army to fight and fight and lose life after life..." "Private, that's enough!" "For a goddamn lost cause." "That's enough, Private." "A goddamn lost cause..." "I'm done defending." "What was the prisoner's name again?" " Ephraim Knowles, sir." " Ephraim?" "Yes, sir." "Ephraim Knowles, for your cowardly desertion from this army in wartime, in accordance with military practice and precedent, this court hereby sentences you to death." "Youse..." "You of all people... you call me a coward." "You are the coward!" "You let the Alamo die, and now Fannin needs you." "Ain't that the pot calling the kettle blacker than black." " Oh!" " That'll do." "Make your farewells and prepare your soul for eternity." "At first light, you will be taken before the army firing squad, blindfolded, and shot." "May God have mercy on you." "Court's adjourned." "Remove the prisoner." "Now that the message has been sent, if he were to escape by morning," "I wouldn't view it as a calamity." "Yes, sir." "Get up." "No." "Eliza, no." "Don't say that." "Oh..." "No, no..." "No!" "I don't drink when I'm at war." "It's medicinal." "It helps me sleep." "How long you been sitting there?" "Long enough." "You gonna give me a stallion, or do I have to steal one?" "Emily, Emily, Emily, now, how can I, in good conscience, allow you to put yourself in harm's way again?" "Why do you think I'd do such a thing?" "'Cause you want revenge for your brother." "What you care what I want?" "Are you still havin' that same nightmare?" "This isn't Basin Street." "Persuasions received there are not welcome here." "Persuasions?" "As I recall, what we did tween the sheets wasn't called "persuasions."" "The dream haunts me still." "When we were together in New Orleans," "I only had the nightmare one time." "You ain't taking care of that wound." "Doctors tell me it's unlikely it'll ever heal." "I'm not talking about the hole in your shoulder." ""Marriage has spoiled Daddy's Southern belle."" "Those hateful words were meant to torment you." "She done more harm to you than all your battles combined." "She was terrified, just a child, afraid of a man who needed a grown woman." "Look at me, Sam." "Your baby bride was scared." "I'm not scared." "You scared?" "You need medication 'cause you're alone with me?" "Put your arms around me, Sam." "Touch me." "The hell?" "I told you." "There's no time to dillydally, sleepyhead." "Got to report back to Captain Deaf." "They're waiting on us." "Hey, want to race?" " Nah, will you..." " Keep up, boy!" "Oh, come on!" "Whoo-hoo!" "Think you can beat me, huh?" "With both hands tied behind my back!" " Why you so slow?" " Hoo-hoo-hoo!" "Whoo!" "Ah-hey!" "How does it smell back there?" " Whoo!" "Whoo-hoo-hoo!" " Whoo!" " Yes!" " Oh, you son of a..." "Get out of my way." " Yee-haw!" " Whoo!" "You like the look of that tail, boy?" "Come on." "Yah." "You're the one smelling my horse's ass." " Whoo-hoo-hoo!" " Whoo!" " Come on!" " Slowpoke!" "All right!" " Whoa." " Oh, my God." "That's General Urrea." "I thought he was days away." "Holy shit." "We got to warn Fannin." "Come on!" "Cease fire!" "Let them go!" "They will warn the rebels." "Fear makes men foolish and rash." "Ready the troops for attack." "Prepare tus armas!"