"♪ 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... I can't match you gun for gun, J.C." "You better believe it." "And I said I'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, I've been thinking about that." "But now, we better get some sleep." "Buck?" " You remember what I said." " Oh, yeah." "I'll 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, I 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, I'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." "I've never seen a slave before." "Isn't 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... I 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 I'm ashamed of myself for standing by and saying nothing." "As an Alabama patriot, I 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... I'm sure the south can't help but win." "We'll remember what you said when we get to war." "It'll help us from being tired." "Yes, ma'am." "May God bless you and keep you." "Everyone." "Yes, ma'am." "Well, I'll 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 I 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." "I've got plans." " We all got plans, J.C." "You've got yours and I've 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." " I've been thinking." " The General has been thinking." "We've got nothing to worry about!" "Well, I'll 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 I'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, I'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, I'm a man and I 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." "I've 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 I'm gonna blow your belly out." "Now move!" "Maybe you think I've 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?" " I'll 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 I'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." " I'll 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, I'll tell you what... since you're busted, I'll 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." "I've 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 I 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 I'll 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!" "I've 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." " I'll 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." "I'll 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, I'll take some eating." " What are you gonna do, Buck?" " Look around." "I'll stick with you." "Ain't sure how much sin l can do with two dollars... but I'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." "I've 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." "I've 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 Indian 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... I 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, I'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 I see you, I guess." " Listen, I..." " Yes?" "Nothing." "It's the 8 o'clock east, you remember that." "I'll 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?" "I'll write when I get to where l'm going." "I'll write to you." "I'll 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." "I'll pray for you." "Goodbye." " Get up there." " I'll 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... I 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!" "Tennessee's got the wettest rain I 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." " I've 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." "I've been thinking... I ain't got a damn thing against a Yankee." "I've 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." "Isn't 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 I'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 I've hit Sherman and I'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." "I'll 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 I 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." "I've 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, I'll 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, I 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 I'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." "I've 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!" "I'll get you out of here, Miller." "I'll cover you from up here, they ain't gonna get you." "I promise." "Buck, this is the last time I'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..." "I'd run a bet that horse won't be here in the morning." " Just follow orders, sergeant." " Yes, sir." "As a matter of fact, I'd 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 ♪"