"_" "The Alamo's fallen!" "Santa Anna has taken the Alamo!" "Santa Anna took no prisoners." "Sam, what would your personal compunctions lead you to do?" "Let Santa Anna get drunk on an abundance of confidence, and then we attack with a vengeance." "Sergeant Knowles?" "What the hell?" "Last we heard, youse was deserting." "Now, just... easy." "General Houston wants us to track down Santa Anna." "Come here." "As long as you don't get, you and your men are gonna be overrun and die." "I've ordered Colonel Fannin to retreat from Goliad." "This is the very kind of deliberation that lost the lives of our compatriots at the Alamo!" "Mexicans, right over the hill!" "Mexicans back yonder!" " Close the gate!" " Right behind us!" "Urrea's whole army back yonder!" "Close the damned gate!" "Close the damned gate!" "General Urrea's army right over the hill!" "Whoa, our scouts said Urrea's army wasn't due for a few days, boys." "Well, I reckon you got some pretty lousy scouts, then." "Mexicans close by." "There's hundreds of 'em." "Colonel, you want that I should go ride for help?" "We're moving out." "Pack it up." "We ought to make a stand right here." "Yeah, the boy's right." "I don't want another Alamo on my hands." "Yeah, we go out there, it's gonna be a slaughter." "Not if we make it out in time." "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Prepare to march!" " Pack all the essentials!" " You ain't listening, Colonel." "They're here!" "Listen to us." " They're here." "We seen 'em." " Get on your horse!" "Let's go, boys!" "Move!" "Let's go." "Take all the essentials." "Come on, let's go." "Let's go." "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "_" "Your Excellency, pardon the intrusion." "Our sentries captured a prisoner riding from the north, but the rebel army is in Kent." "Clearly, she belongs to someone of importance." " No sign of a whip." " I ain't common or a slave." "Long ago I was contracted as an indentured servant, but I was freed." "Remove your hands from her." "What is your name, Señorita?" "Emily West... native New Orleans." "You may go with Colonel Almonte to answer his questions, or you may remain here and answer mine." "Well, I believe I'd like to get to know" "His Excellency better." "And so you will." "I'll send for you." "Of all the settlers in the Union, there ain't nobody left to fight for." "God damned Fannin." "He's a crow's egg in an eagle's nest." "Watch out!" "What's the hold up there?" "Yah, yah!" "Come on." "Push!" "God damned wagon." "Keep pushing!" "God damned Fannin." "God damned every..." "God damned patriot." "He thinks he can win this war on his own." "Deaf, what's the doc say about your condition?" "Ain't nothing changed since he gave me the long face." "Don't you never mind." "Sam?" "Hope Miss Emily's feeling better." "Sorry to hear she gone off." "That Tejano Ranger, Flores..." "He's sweeping for stragglers with Anderson." "Summon him up for me." "My suspicion is that you are running away from a man." "Now, why do you suspect that?" "I just do." "Well, I like to think I might be running to something." "General..." "I'm in the middle of lunch." "I'm sorry." "It's important, Your Excellency." "Your vigilance is commendable, but I will handle the interrogation." "Yes, Your Excellency." "My man discovered an interesting monogram on your saddle." ""S.H."" "S.H.:" "could that stand for Samuel Houston?" "Hmm?" "This is the man you are running from?" "He wasn't the man I thought he was." "And why is that?" "I saw the look of defeat on his face when he heard what happened at the Alamo." "Well, now you are here." "What do you want?" "I want a warm bath with you in it." "_" "We get past this ridge, men, and we're safe!" "On the double!" "Let's go!" "Fall back!" "Fall back!" "Move!" "Move!" "Move!" "Ah!" "Defend your positions!" "Defend your positions!" "Fire!" "Colonel's shot!" "Yance, give me a hand!" "Hang on, Colonel!" "We got you!" "Hang on!" "My leg!" "My leg!" "Wallace, send scouts to Houston!" "Houston ain't sending no one!" "He's done warned you!" "You must go!" "Defend your positions!" "Spread out!" "Spread 'em!" "Boy, come here!" "My leg!" "General Urrea..." "Tell Santa Anna we have surrounded the rebels." "His Excellency will not accept surrender." "You must finish them." "I am not a butcher." "I will deliver your message." "Come on!" "This way, Truett!" "Over here!" "How the hell did Fannin become Colonel?" "Must have married well." "What's that sound?" "The hell's that?" "They're messing with us." "Tonight, my countrymen, we not only celebrate our successes in battle, but the total victory to come." "You stand in San Durant." "Chupaldo, where are you?" "I don't see you." "I'll give you the great honor to dispatch this message on the flag of truce to General Houston." "This message says," ""There will be no refuge, no escape," ""no surrender, no mercy." ""You will be hunted down, butchered," ""and fed to my pigs!" "And then, in turn, we will feast on you in celebration."" "Compañeros!" "Vamonos!" "Tomorrow, they might take our lives, but never our spirit... the Mexican spirit!" "Musica!" "The men need that kind of thing." "Señor Presidente, General Urrea has Fannin trapped." "By morning, he will have the surrender of over 300 prisoners." "Prisoners?" "Those men are fighting under no recognized flag." "The rules of war do not apply." "Don Antonio, it's the Easter celebration." "Perhaps mercy would be the Christian thing to do." "Christian?" "They are from the devil, not Jesus, and there will be no resurrection." "Fannin should've listened to Houston." "You think we'll get out of here alive?" "I wonder what Sarah's doing right now." "Don't you be thinking about my gal." "No." "Get some sleep, boys." "Urrea won't try another attack till morning." "Got no need to hurry." "Feel like I've been ate by a wolf." "Yeah, and shit off a cliff." "You boys brothers?" "Nah, he's too ugly to be relation." "Yeah, well, he's too stupid." "I got a brother." "We call him Bigfoot on account of he once killed an Injun with big feet." "Our pap... he's a Virginia blacksmith." "He made us these matching wrist cuffs to bond us." "I hope like hell to see him again." " General?" " Come in." "If those Ranger boys don't come back with Fannin," "I'm cutting him loose." "Captains... misters Truett and Yancey, are due to report back tomorrow." "Have a seat." "Sir." "Would you like a cigar?" "Sir, thank you." "Señor Flores," "I need a volunteer to infiltrate Santa Anna's camp;" "assess the size and readiness of his troops." "What say you?" "I'd be awake, beast to hand, if I could." "Very good." "Yes, sir." "I want you to find out if Emily West is there." "If she's in trouble, I need you to get her out." "She can be high-strung, but you strike me as a man who can handle a spirited woman." "Very clever of Houston to send you to spy on me." "He tried to stop me." "I came on my own." "He tried to stop you?" "I thought he barely noticed you were gone." "Well, we had a fiery affair." "It was a blaze so scorching, it consumed itself, then he grew cold to the touch." "I am cold." "Well, then, I must make certain that you stay very, very warm." "Opium." "Romulo, bring the pipe." ""I have no fear of an army of lions" ""led by your sheep, but I do have fear of an army of sheep led by your lion."" "Alexander the Great." "Which one is he... a sheep or lion?" "Well, is it me you want or General Houston?" "I have you." "Ah!" "But do not think I am fooled." "I know that a sweet-scented yellow rose like you has sharp thorns." "Perhaps on occasion, but tonight..." "I'm the one who's gonna be pricked." "Over there!" "I see 'em!" "We'll lead the line!" "Wake up, boys." "Wake up." "Wake up." "Wake up." "We can hear 'em clicking and signaling." "It's time to get ready to fight." "Wake up." "Wake up, boys." " I hate this damned music." " That's what they want." "Yance!" "Yance, I..." "I can't see!" " Help!" " I can't see!" " Somebody, we need bandages!" " I can't see!" "Help!" "Come on, buddy." "Come on." "Am I gonna die?" "No, no, no, no, you're not gonna die." "Come on." "Come on, buddy." " Am I gonna die?" " Come on, buddy." " Am I gonna die?" " You're not gonna die!" "No." "You ain't!" "Come on!" "Help me!" "Help!" "Come on, partner." "We supposed to be heroes." "Come on, son." " It ain't over yet." " You're all right." "You've got yourself to look out for." " Come on." " I'll make it count." "Deaf and the Rangers will get us out of this." "No, you stay with me." "You'll die out there." "Rangers don't take no orders from the damn army!" "I'm going for help!" "I'm..." "I'm going for..." "It's all right." "It's all right." "It's all right." "We're going, girl." "We're going." "Come on, girl." "All right..." "We're going to get Houston!" "We're going to get General Houston!" "Pull the cannon." "Advance the cannons!" "Nice shootin'." "_" "Break camp." "Today's detail." "We sweep these valleys for any wayward homesteaders." "That means you, Gator." "What do we do with him?" "Nothing." "He's being executed." "I reckon he can wait here shackled till the firing squad come." "We ain't gonna wait." "He already run off when he weren't gonna be executed." "No, no, no, no, gentlemen, gentlemen, please." "I will wait for 'em." "I will." "I will wait like you never seen no one wait before." "Please, just carry on with your duties and chores and you can trust I ain't gonna do nothing but stay right here, on my honor." "Let's shoot him." "Whoa, it's a damned shame to kill a man for pilfering." "Man's got to eat, right?" "Are we supposed to execute him?" "Not a Ranger's job." "The army convicted him." "They shoot him." "May I just suggest..." "I suggest you shut your hole." "I'm only saying why not just take me with you?" "Take me; make me do what-some-ever you might need me to do." "I could... well..." "I could carry your saddlebag." " I could..." " That's enough." "Rangers are not executioners, you reprobate." "This man is right, if I may say so." "Making sure people's safe from Mexicans... that's a whole hell of a lot more important than shooting some no-account deserter like myself." "I ain't worth it." "I ain't nowhere near worth it." "That's for damned sure." "Hell, you ain't even worth the shot and powder." "You know what?" "You're clearly a very smart man." "That's right." "I am." "Still say we shoot him." "Well, well..." "You agree not to rabbit off... lend us a hand while we help get these settlers to safety?" "Course... innocent settler..." "that was what I was doing before." "You do not charge for your services." " Right." " No tricks." "No." "Or I will let Vern shoot you." "Yes, sir." "I swear." "I swear." "But if I may just one... make one last suggestion," "I still don't quite understand how we can do something and then not getting anywhere near paid for it." "Just saying." "You dug up the chest?" "You and the little one are gonna need money when you go to Victoria." "I'm not going anywhere without you." "Yes, you is." "Them Mexicans bastards are coming." "Deaf, I'm Mexican." "And so was I." "And now we's Texian." "Damn it." "Lupe..." "You're right." "I'm sorry." "That was very... it was a poor choice of words." "But you ain't seen what I seen." "This ain't about us." "It's about a tyrant we can't abide by." "You know that." "Lupe." "I ain't seen Half Breed." "He comes and goes; got a mind of his own." "He's a smart dog... knows when to get, which is what you got to do till we whoop Santa Anna." "And if you don't?" "Well, then, it ain't gonna matter, Lupe." "We'll all be dead." "Shrewsbury, we are the Rangers!" "We're here to help!" "By order of the Texian government, you must evacuate to safety." "Shrewsbury!" "We gonna take a gander inside?" "Let's send this hear wormy feller in." "It's high time he learned a thing or two about rangering." "Wormy... that's good." "That's good." "I see what you're doing, but the thing is, gentlemen." "I just ain't dumb, so it ain't hard for me to see there is no reason whatsoever for me to go in there." "Ain't scared, is you?" "Ho!" " You saying I's yellow?" " Yep." " Youse born yellow." " You saying I's..." "Yellow as your damned shirt." " Get on in there." " Is that a fact?" "All right, well..." "I... y'all at least gonna give me a damned pistol or something?" "We got you covered." "All right." "Ah!" ""Gone for licker."" "Who's that in there?" "Who's that in there?" "You best answer me!" "The Rangers come to help!" "Whoo-hoo!" "Whoo!" "Damned pig 'bout broke my damned leg." "Whoa." "Is there anyone home?" "You done good, Knowles." "Then again, it is starting to look a lot like bacon and ham hocks for supper." "Whoa." " We got pork for supper." " Whoo!" "We gonna be eating fine tonight." "Hoo-hoo!" "Truett and Yancey report in yet?" "They haven't." "I hadn't seen hide or hair." "We best report back to Houston." "Let's go." "Don't be too hard on 'em, Colonel." "They got their pride too." "I cannot offer you terms." "You must surrender at discretion." "If you won't grant their lives, my men will keep killing Mexicans until their last breath." "Surrender, Colonel." "I will see that your men are fed and taken back to Goliad as prisoners." "If you give me your assurance that my men will be treated under the rules of war." "I will appeal on your behalf to General Santa Anna." "I suppose that's the best I can do." "I rely on your honest effort!" "Come on, Señor Beans." "I think it's about time to cut that up there, Beans." "We all might hungry over here." "Hey, I'm so starved I could eat the south end of a northbound goat, but it ain't ready." "Get your damned hand out of there." "Why don't you just hush up?" "All of y'all hush up." "The only one that's gonna be carving that porker right there will be none other than this gentleman right here." "Why?" "'Cause who's the one who flushed him out?" "Who's the one who flushed him out?" "Now, what I remember is this little piggy flushing you out." "I can see you gentlemen are doing your damnedest to overlook the fact that I risked me my damned behind." "That pretty little Señorita that Truett and Yancey are sweet on... she must need comforting with them boys gone." "Watch yourself, Vern." "You know that's Doc Ewing's daughter." "He married a Mexican?" "Tejana." "Doc won't ever talk about it, but she's not around no more." "Poor thing; no mama." "Don't pester that girl, Vern, or her father will shoot you where it hurts." "Buenos tardes." "That's all right." "I got it." "You ought never to have to work a day in your life." "Allow me." "This is how they do in the islands, only they don't use no hands." "All right, just give me my basket." "And they dance the live long day." "Please, give me my basket now!" "Sarah!" "Get your basket, Sarah, and get on inside." "Doc." "♪ My faith looks up to thee ♪" "♪ Thou lamb of Calvary ♪" "♪ Savior divine ♪" "General Portilla, where are you taking my men?" "I should be with them!" "You couldn't keep up." "You will have to be shot like a lame horse." "General Urrea promised... promised!" "He does not speak for General Santa Anna." "He does not tolerate traitors." "If I am to be executed, I will be shot in the chest and buried like a Christian in a box with a marker." "And I request that you send this watch to my family in Marion, Georgia." "If you were a soldier... but you are a stinking wetback." "You swam across the Sabine River, and you are here illegally in my country." "Keep walking." "General Urrea's army is approaching Goliad." "We got to get 'em out." "Any news from your boys at Goliad?" "General, what are your orders?" "We must do what's prudent;" "not what emotion dictates." "Our enemy wants to catch us out in the open, where numbers count." "I can't risk us getting pincered between Santa Anna's armies." "The order stands." "We will continue to withdraw east... stretch out their supply lines... pick our ground." "Withdraw, sir?" "The men are already talking mutiny." "Let 'em talk while they retreat." "Yeah, but what about the dissidents like Baker and Sherman?" " What should I tell them?" " Tell 'em to follow orders!" "These boys have maybe..." "maybe one battle in 'em." "If it comes at the wrong time, we all die." "You men are in charge while I'm gone." "You're leaving, sir?" " Where to?" " Goliad." "I can't afford to lose those men." " But, General..." " Drill the volunteers." "Discipline 'em." "Make 'em an army." "That is all." "Rally the Rangers." "I am personally pulling Fannin's head out of his puckered West Point ass." "You heard the man." "Let's make an army." "They said they were putting us on a boat to Matamoros." "This road's to Victoria." "I don't think they're taking us to either place." "Take water." "Water!" "Drink up." "Drink up." "All right." "Orderly, men." "Orderly." "Single file line;" "we will all get our water." "We're not animals." "Come get your water." "Water, men... single file line." "What is going on?" "Fellas, kneel!" "People won't forget what you're doing here." "Aim!" "They're gonna remember this, and they're gonna remember the Alamo." "Remember the Alamo." "Remember the Alamo!" "Remember the Alamo!" "Remember the Alamo!" "Fire!" "left, right, left, right, left, right..." "Houston needs to cease wasting time with these exercises and march us to Goliad, otherwise we'll have a repetition of Alamo." "I do believe if President Burnet knew of our situation, it'd be a different story." " Mm-hmm." " Again, Sergeant." "Again." "Mosley Baker... suggestion?" "Sir!" "Private Lamar..." "I volunteered to fight for Texas, not march in a damned Easter parade." "Is that right?" "Private Lamar, report here now!" "We will not tolerate insolent behavior!" "This is Mirabeau Lamar." "He's secretly circulating a petition to remove Houston." "Sir?" "Private Lamar... please." "You may sit." "Private Lamar, we had a crisis with our gutless commander, and we understand you are of a like mind." "We need to get a urgent message to Secretary of War Rusk." "Can you do that?" "They may not know how to march, but trust me, they know how to argue." "Colonel Seguin, despite our poor marching abilities, take comfort in knowing that the men's hatred for Santa Anna binds us together." "And so does their hatred for Sam Houston." "The horses are tuckered." "There's a water hole right around that bend." "Charmaine could use a nice drink and a good graze, couldn't you, old girl?" "Captain, it seems like you love that horse more than you do your wife." "Hey, Deaf, who's a better mount:" "your wife or your horse?" "A horse." "He sure does love that horse." "I see; you're having a nice jest at the expense of my impairment." "The good thing is I don't need to hear no disparaging nonsense from the likes of you." "You have something to say that matters, you best say to my fast." "That's all right, Captain." "No sense in getting all hot and bothered." "Hey, I'm just wondering who bucks harder." " What'd he say?" " Nothing." "The Union's impositions have negative repercussions for the individuals of Texas." "Texas must be a sovereign nation." "President Jackson supports western expansion all the way to the coast." "Then why doesn't he send his troops?" "Because this way," "Jackson is free to let Texas into the Union, and lead a clear, militaristic path all the way to California." "Your blind ignorance never ceases to amaze me." "Old Hickory is bound by treaty." "He can't just invade Mexico and invite the likes of the Spaniards and the French and the crusty Brits to intervene." "This is different, gentlemen." "This is Texas." " Hey, Texas is part of Mexico." " Yeah." "What do you think we're fighting for, huh?" "Yeah, but this is where you're wrong, Colonel Seguin." "With Houston as our general, we don't do much fighting." "Robert Knowles, you're not hiding from your general, are you?" "No, no, sir, I was just..." "Yes, sir, I was trying to hide from you, General Houston, sir." "I... yes." "I have my eye on you." "You rangering now?" "He prefers it to the firing squad." "How's he doing?" "Passable." "Ain't tried to run off." "I'm with Vern." "I say we shoot him." " I tried, General." " He did." "Be happy to try again." "We let him ride with us." "We didn't know what else to do with him." "Robert, what qualities do you possess to commend you for a pardon?" "He don't got no good qualities." "Hell no." "Qualities, sir... qualities." "Well, I like this part of the country a whole lot." "I like the air around here." "I like..." "I do." "I like breathing it in, and then," "I like sleeping under the stars as well." "And, oh, I like breathing the air while I'm sleeping under..." "Knowles, can't you think of anything good to say about yourself?" "No." "Damn it, I promise you, General Houston," "I do not care about nobody but myself." "I am bull-headed, and I'm ornery as a snake." "Ornery?" "Ornery's good." "Yep." "Ornery's not bad for rangering company." " Ornery!" " Ornery." "Right?" "Let's ride out, boys." "Vern's the orneriest son of a bitch I know." "Yes, he is." "Ornery." "Whoo!" "_" "You gonna cook them taters or make a necklace out of 'em to wear with your skirt?" "I bet you dyspepsia is not unknown to you." "Can't say I know him." "Oh." "You know what, Hays?" "You remind me of my big brother Samuel." "I'm chagrined by the notion of any resemblance to myself and any pack member of the Wallace species." "Well, don't get the big head on me." "You don't look more alike than me and a mule's ass." "Well, dead ringers, then... uncanny." "Sammy's got a way about him." "Horse sense, I guess you'd call it." "I see a lot of him in you." "This can stand to stew a bit yet." "When we was growing up," "Sammy saved my sorry butt more than once." "Ward off the bullies, did he?" "Oh, hell no... made me whoop 'em." "If I hadn't, he'da whooped me worse." "I sense our kinship." "Hey, you sass me all you want with that highbrow blather, but I am paying you one hell of a compliment." "If your brother's half the man you are, we're gonna be good friends." "Taters could've used another five minutes on the coals." "Ah!" "_" "Careful with that." "Those are the president's belongings." "Hurry up." "No time to waste." "President Burnet?" "President Burnet is busy." "I need to see the president." "Santanistas just burned Bellville." "Señor, I said you can't come in." "Mr. President," "I'm here under urgent dispatch of Colonel Mosley Baker." "It is my duty to present this petition" " from your rank and file." " And you would be?" "Private Mirabeau Bonaparte Lamar..." "Fairfield, Georgia, sir." "Spit it out, boy." "We got to go before Santa Anna gets here." "Houston will not engage." "Rusk, why won't your men meet the enemy?" " 'Cause he's a damned coward." " Houston may be many things, but a coward he is not." "Then what in the name of God is that man's soul?" "I presume General Houston is picking his ground, sir." "Forgive me Mister Secretary, Mister President." "I desperately insist you come to the front." "I feel we face a mass desertion." "Look around you, son." "The Santanistas are half a day's ride from here." "We've abandoned the capitol, and I'm on the run again." "Now, if I am captured or killed, this rebellion is finished." "Francisco, we're on our way to New Orleans to set up a provisional government." "Now, Rusk, you go tell Houston that both his troops and the enemy are laughing him to scorn." "He must fight, or I'll find someone who will." "Yes, sir." " Francisco, let's go!" " Yes, sir." "Get everyone out before the Mexicans get here!" "All right, young man, I want to hear every detail." "A petition signed by each and every man under General Houston to relieve him of his command..." "Lucifer himself is risen from the bowels of Hades to tear the turgid flesh off the bones of all Mexicans... pluck their eyes and eat their livers, till their wretched screams for the angel of death deafen this godforsaken Earth!" "Who are you?" "I am the punishment, here to spite every jumping bean lubricano, man, woman, and child from the Texas plains!" "This is war, not a crusade." "Had you witnessed the abominations at the Alamo and Goliad, you'd think differently." "Goliad?" "Damned crazy bastard, speak plain." "They're all dead... murdered." "300 slain... slaughtered after surrender." "So much blood the air turned to a crimson mist." "Two of my Rangers boys were there." "One had red hair." "The other one rode a big black gelding." "What of them?" "Got ambushed." "Shot by so many bullets, shred the skin clean off their bodies... splintered their skulls beyond recognition." "All the bodies lay as they fell, left to rot for the buzzards and the maggots!" "By what right do you have to do this?" "I claim the ancient right by my own death denied and my brethren butchered!" "Your account of Goliad..." "I'll need more than a lunatic's word." "I answer to neither man nor God." "There's Chupaldo, Santa Anna's courier." "Why don't you ask him for his account?" "Best make haste... fresh dispatch from Santa Anna himself." "I am a servant to Lucifer!" "Death to all brown-skinned Mexican demons!" "_" "Don Antonio, Burnet has just escaped with his hand rush." "We were only moments too late." "The bite of the flames, the sting of the smoke... don't you feel it?" "Feel what, sir?" "Death." "Are you hot, Almonte?" "Aye." "The flesh of victory and the cries of the dying... does it not excite you?" "What an ordinary man feels as pain or revulsion a real soldier must learn to feel as pleasure." "This is war, and the truth is, we enjoy it." "Our enemies are rabble." "The public's gratitude is uncertain." "fickle at best." "A moment like this one... victory gives purpose to all our sacrifices... our suffering." "Jose." "Madam, come with me." "Come." "Come." "Come." "Come." "Come." "Come." "There is little more I can add, Mrs. Fincham, excepting that Truett and Yancey accounted for themselves in this campaign with... what's the fancy word for cojones?" "I reckon "valor" is pretty good." "With valor." "You ought to be proud of your son, as the Rangers hold them in highest regard." "Sincerely, H. Barns." "They was good boys." "Now, read that all back to me from the start." "It ought to be suitable." "Youse hungry, ain't you?" "So hungry my belly button's gnawing on my backbone." "Go ahead." "That crazy old coot." "I ain't seen nothing like him in the good lord's Christian world." "Did you see his eyes?" " His... they were dead." " Oh, yeah." "Just dead..." "like chunks of black coal." "I don't recall the bible talking about a demon of his ilk." "Lorca." " What?" " Lorca." "Lorca?" "What is that, some Injun name for Beelzebub?" "It's Cayuga legend." "In ancient times, there was an Atikapan warrior who was killed in battle without honor, and when his spirit rose, it peeled off the skin of his barbarian enemies, and the sun burned them until... their insides were crisp." "Sweet Jesus, that's what he did." "All right, just so you fellows know, we chance on his like again," "I will likely soil myself straight away." "Oh, that's more than likely in your case." "I'm not at all sure this rangering business suits me." "If'n these jackasses won't say it, I will." "That lickspittle Knowles was right." "Our cause is lost, damn it." "The onliest thing we're gonna find in Texas is our graves." "Turn and run, huh?" "Is that it, Vern?" "Hell no." "Turn, run, and fornicate." "Texas is fine country, but Texican women... they're so ugly they'd back a buzzard off a gut wagon." "I'd sooner service a sow." "I'd best get back to Paris." "Ooh, Paris, huh?" "Paris." "In Paris, the missles paint their faces like dolls, wear bodices, make their teats spill out, and the clincer is, they perfume their quim to smell just like lilac." "You are a sinner, Vern, marked by a terrible stain." " Now, your British wench..." " Mm-hmm?" "She kind of fleshy... stinks a little when she sweats, and she gonna sweat plenty when I'm riding her." "Course, your best poke, now, in my opinion, is ports of call of Spain." "Spain?" "You been to Spain too, huh?" "Don't interrupt." "All right." "Continue." "Them skinny little dark-eyed gypsy girls twirl around on your pecker like a butter churn." "Yeah, well, you come near my sisters, and I will shoot your lecherous ass graveyard-dead." "And you best not so much as glance at Rebecca, that sweet young thing we rescued at Gonzales." "I don't care one stringy bean for that 7x9 gal." "Come with me, kid." "We'll catch a schooner out of New Orleans with some of my old swabbies." "We ain't gonna do nothing here but die young." "Sir, it now seems unlikely the Texans will prevail," "_ especially since Houston's at odds with his officer corps." "Damned Texans." "Been at odds with them myself." "So Mister President, should we advise the Texans to relieve General Houston of Command?" "As long as I've lived," "I've been a keen judge of horse flesh." "What clenches it for me is just staring in the horse's eyes and letting him tell me who he is." "I first looked into Sam Houston's eyes at the Battle of Horseshoe." "He was 19 years old... first on the line, first on the assault, first to be marked for death." "I did not propose to understand him, but if there's a way to defeat Santa Anna, the only man capable of doing so is Sam Houston, except for me, of course." "All right there, Charmaine." "Good night, girl." "God knows I wanted to be wrong about Fannin." "Goldarn it." "Deaf..." "I'm hungry for counsel." "I'd welcome yours." "Well, one thing Santa Anna's done... he's let every Texian know that to surrender means death." "Don't run from him no more." "Fight him like Comanches." "You stay close... so close he can feel your breath." "You let him know you're always there and he can't touch you." "Sooner or later, he's gonna show you his tender underbelly, and when he does, you take that sword of yours and you sink it to the hilt." "You slit him through and through." "Well, that's all well and good." "What about his other generals and their armies?" "Cut the head off the snake, the body dies." "How do you know this, Francisco?" "I heard it from President Burnet's own mouth." "He's fleeing to New Orleans by way of Galveston Bay." "And Houston..." "What is his position?" "Somewhere west of the Sabine River below Gonzales." "Rumors say that he's crazy and his troops are mutinous." "Burnet ordered Houston to meet you on the field." "That's exactly where I want him." "We will divide the army into multiple divisions to pursue and destroy what's left of the rebel army." "General, if you will indulge me... our many great victories have been because we maintain an overwhelming force." "His Excellency's strategy is brilliant." "Ha." "What about President Jackson?" "How can we be certain that he will not intervene?" "Almonte, Old Hickory hides behind treaties... moves in shadows." "His stole Florida from Spain and claims Texas was part of the Louisiana Purchase." "Texas is the pathway to the Pacific." "Jackson wants it all... all the way to California." "Francisco, I reward results." "Bring me news." "Yes, Your Excellency." "Get back to your president!" "A woman with full, meaty arms." "I like that!" "Be careful, my friend." "She's the Presidente General's property." "Hey, I know you." "You are Manuel Flores." "It is me, Hector Ribaldo." "We played cards." "Remember?" "I won." "I was proud to take your money 'cause you joined the filthy rebels." "You mistake me for someone else." "No." "I am quite certain." "You are a traitorous spy." "Meet me back here tonight at the changing of the night guard." " Yes." " I have vital news." " Yes." "All right." " Go." "For Mexico!" "Presidente..." "Everybody pays Francisco." "You pay me." "You pay me." "The rebel Presidente Burnet pays me." "Even His Excellency Santa Anna himself." "Everyone pays me." "Soon, that pirate Houston will pay me too." "Whoa!" "I almost pissed myself." "Francisco." "Who's that?" "This is how Houston pays spies." "Oh!" "Come on." "Howdy." "Come on, Ruthie!" "Let's get!" "Got me a wrist cuff!" "Whoo-hoo!" "Mount up, you dang slowpoke!" "Oh... oh, shit!" "Forget the damned horse." "We got to get!" "My horse!" "They stole my horse." "It's a long walk to Goliad." "Go." "Go." "Go." "Go east to Houston's army." "God bless you." "Look out for Comanches." "Flores." " We have no time." " We go now." "I'd be better use to Texas staying here." "Hey, you're coming with me..." "General Houston's orders." "I don't answer to him." "If you want to kill Santa Anna, you will need this." "You may lose your life." "What life?" "I'm a Negro born out of punishment to my mammy, growed up to be a whore." "Tell the general Santa Anna's pursuing him personally." "It's an obsession." "Give him these." "He'll know." "Be vigilant." "Be safe." "Hurry." "Get back before Santa Anna wakes." "Sticks in my craw... them trash got off with my wrist cuff." "You're out a trinket." "I'm on foot." "All right." "That was a blooded thoroughbred those wastrels took." "Raised him from a colt, I did." "That's why you got your mind set on walking all the way to Goliad?" "Do I have a choice?" "And that was no trinket, hard case." "It was a precious family heirloom made by my pa for me and my brother." "Still damp." "She's bleeding out." "Pissant she-devil bitch..." "I hope so." "Psst!" "Psst!" "Psst!" "Come on!" "You got your wish." "She wearing my wrist cuff?" "No." "Pissant bitch." "You sure you don't want a ride?" "I told you; two grown men can't ride double." "It ain't dignified." "Oh, you want dignity or blisters?" "Come on." "Yah." "_" "Comanches!" "Comanches!" "My rifle!" "Hold your fire!" "Hold your fire." "Oh, no, no, no, no." "I'm gonna be massacred by Comanches." "Shit, they ain't gonna take me alive." "Son of a bitch, let's open up on 'em!" "You'll follow orders!" "Fire on me if we fall dead." "Anderson talks Injun?" "You just figured that out?" "I thought he was kidnapped by 'em when he was a boy." "You can smell the stinking savage on him." "Steady." "Tell him I'm a chieftain." " He's aware." " Good." "Tell him to kill me." "I don't think that's a good idea with me standing next to you and all." "Go ahead." "Kill me, if you want war the likes the Comanches have never seen." "My death brings Yankee soldiers like buffalo herds." "The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge." "Shakespeare does not translate into Comanche." "He said that the Cherokee call you the Raven, but the Comanche call you Wild Turkey because you drape yourself in foolish colors and you lose your head when the coyote come." "What the hell they saying?" "You'd prefer not knowing." "I would." "If the Mexicans don't kill you, he will." "Huh!" "He's hardly 16 and he's already got two scalps on his lance." "Friend of yours?" "His name's Yellow Knife." "He's my son." "First wagon sets that side of the line!" "Single file all the way to Nueces River!" "Make sure of your spokes." "Make sure your water barrels is full to the hilt!" "We pull out for the in an hour!" "You ain't ready, you're on your own!" "The Santanistas are killing everyone!" "Flee for your lives!" "Make that a 1/2 hour!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "They're coming!" "Yah!" "Yah!" "Everyone's skidaddling." "We're a long cry from Saint Louis." "Took everything we had to get us this far." "Whoa." "There ain't nothing for us back home." "I told you the day we left," "I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth." "Well, this just might be it." "Should we turn and head back?" "No refunds!" "Yes, sir;" "I'm a tracking impresario Buckley." "And you're tracking me." "What can I do for you?" "No refunds... as I've stated." "Yes, sir." "I'm looking to... interested in a land grant." "With everyone leaving, why are you here?" " You running from the law?" " No, sir." "I'm interested in making a fresh start, and getting some good land, and now, I understand that the Mexican army is driving all the Americans out." "Honest settlers have nothing to fear." "President Santa Anna protects all legal landowners." "It's the thieving squatters and revolutionaries that get shot." "I see." "Do you sweat allegiance to the Republic of Mexico?" "Yes, sir." "For 6¢ an acre, I surely do." "I can grant 170 acres for farming, but no whiskey brewing, gun running, tobacco smuggling, or frontier riff-raffing." "Oh, no, sir." "I mean, yes, sir." "By law, improvements must be made timely, but you've been shot in the flanks with good luck." "There's a property cleared with a sturdy cabin on it ready to farm." "I can let you have it for 7 1/2¢ an acre." "You can pay on time, cash or trade." "Course, I favor cash." "Well, I was hoping to pay a percentage of my crop yield." "That your big slave yonder?" "Yep." "Mm, that Sambo's half the down payment right here." "Oh, well, I'm gonna need Nate to help me plough the field, I mean, so's I can pay you." "But I was hoping to pay you 10% of my first year's yield, then 20% every year thereafter." "I'll make an exception." "But don't tell nobody... special circumstance, 'cause I tend to favor a family man." "But at the very least, I'll need you to put the negro up as collateral." "I can also allocate another 440 acres for ranching." "Ranching?" "Comes from the Spaniards." "Cattle roam free, proliferate, then sold on the hoof." "Mexicans been doing it for near 100 years." "No, I mean, farmland... that's what I'm after." "Name?" "Wykoff..." "James Wykoff." "Wykoff." "What's your religion?" "Well, now, my wife is a hard-shelled Baptist." "Mexico only recognizes those of Catholic faith." "Being a Catholic's not too bad;" "you know, a priest instead of a preacher." "Well, then, we'll do right by him, Mister." "Signature." " It's, uh..." " Yeah." "Yeah." "Welcome to Mexico." "Thank you." "My God, Jack." "Oh no." "Where you planning on heading now?" "With you, I reckon." "Join up with the Texian army." "I figure it's what your brother Samuel would want us to do." "I must say you're looking mighty dignified." "Yeah, well, I'd sooner ride on a burro than with an ass." "Smells a lot better too." "I will rectify the stink upon arrival to Buckley's way station." "I can only hope, but I fear that the ass will linger." "You're riding that thing pretty well." "Remember that the author of all this woe is tyrant Santa Anna, and Sam Houston does nothing." "I know your families are suffering." "I know that I brought you here not to run, but to fight... to stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Now is the time to avenge the blood of our fallen heroes!" "Remember to nerve yourselves for battle knowing that our cause is just, and that our code words will be," ""Remember the Alamo!"" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Patriots." "Patriots, listen!" "We must stand by General Houston." "General Houston needs to stand his ground and fight!" "He needs to stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "I order you men to disperse now!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Disperse!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Disperse now!" "Stand and fight!" "Now!" "Remember the next time Sam Houston orders a grave dug..." " Make way." " It will be his very own." "Cold water will cool that hot head." "Have you no shame, sir?" "You can beat us, but you cannot silence us." "Stand and fight." "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Stand and fight!" "Y'all need to cool down, 'cause we's all that's left." "Colonel Fannin and his men are gone." "God damn it to hell." "Goliad is no more." "Fannin disobeyed ordered." "His army did not survive because of it." "Should we do the same... fight each other, disobey our General?" "And you, General, will you lead your men?" "I feel your scorn, and I know I'm the reason for your dissent when our cause can least afford it." "I was broken when I came to Texas." "I failed at my marriage and turned my back on the people of Tennessee." "I took refuge among the Cherokee and failed them too." "I disappointed my family..." "tarnished their good name." "I will atone for all that when my time comes, but I am no longer that man, and the reason is Texas." "My heart beats strong again." "My head is clear." "I see a future beckoning us." "I did not ask to be your general." "I was asked by our government to lead you." "Now, I ask you to follow me east where I believe victory awaits us, for God has willed that no tyrant will ever rule." "Follow me a little longer down this twisted, bloody road, and I will prove it to you." "By God, I'll prove it." "Holy Father, please watch over Truett and Yancey." "I miss them." "Come to relieve me, Tom?" "It has been discussed." "Before we are outnumbered why don't we attack?" "Your insubordination could have cost us dearly." "Death before betrayal." "The worst we must do lies yet ahead, judge me as you will." "What do you need this for?" "Let me introduce Daphne and her equally pretty sister Penelope." "Alright then let's see how fast we can get one of them sisters ready." "There was a shooting." "And you gonna tell me you are all just innocent bystanders?" "Necessity requires your help." "Comanches." "We end it all now." "Shoot me first." "You don't think I will?" "Tomorrow we march!"