Original subtitles

I kill for the first time in my life.

Joplin Gazette Joplin Missouri, April 10, 1872

... Today, I walked through the ruins of what was once Fort Holman.

10 years ago, this civil war fortress, thought to be impregnable,

was destroyed by a wild bunch of marauders.

Eli Sampson, a survivor of that massacre,

revealed in an interview that the raid was the

result of a blood feud between two bitter men:

Colonel Pembroke, a union officer, thought to be a traitor and coward,

led the mission to recapture the fort he had once surrendered.

Major Ward, a ruthless "Mad Genius",

who joined the confederacy slely to gain command of Fort Holman,

so that he would rule the vast surrounding Santa Fe Territory after the war.

But what motivated these two men and

what caused this incredible blood bath,

was explained by Eli Sampson in the story that follows...

A REASON TO LIVE, A REASON TO DIE

We caught them two looting, sir. Get over to Buxtown.

Very well, I'm inform the Major.

Yes, sir.

Major Ballard, sir.

We caught them two looting the church over to Buxtown.

Send the one with the hat to my quarter, sergeant.

Yes, sir.

The sentence of the court martial says you handed Fort Holman

over to the Rebs without a shot being fired on either side.

Hell, man, why did you do it?

There's got to be a damn good reason.

At least give it to me.

- It's not important. - It's not important?

You knew our campaign in the southwest depended

on holding the high ground at Fort Holman?

As your best friend, I wish you rotted in that prison camp.

No one will tend to the grave of a traitor.

Well, don't let the thought of executing me ruin your appetite, Charlie.

Probably make a colonel out of you for it.

You could be right.

Good wine.

And what if I took Fort Holman back?

They'd make you a general with that.

Christ, man, what are you talking about?

If I recall, it was you that ran out.

Yes, and once I've done it, I'll disappear.

You will never see me again.

You've got my word on that. Charlie. You know me.

Yeah, I know you.

But I also know that mad devil war in command up there.

I've left more than a thousand good men

at the foot of that mountain.

Not with a frontal attack,

but from within.

We'll surprise them from within.

From the defense platform, called the pulpit.

Cross the hanging bridge,

through the tunnel, into the fort.

You're crazier than ward himself.

It's impossible to reach the pulpit.

It isn't for me.

With a few men.

Once Fort Holman has fallen, the route to the north is open.

You can get reinforcement from General Canby.

You can take Santa Fe in one day.

Sibley's in Arizona, where the main body of

his forces left the city practically defenseless.

Listen, Charlie. I know. I just escaped from there.

Say, we capture Santa Fe will Sybil be cut off from his troops...

Cut him to pieces.

Send him chasing right down to the Rio Grande.

Right through Texas, all the way to New Orleans.

The whole southwest is yours again.

Could decide the outcome of the war.

I'll need twelve men, general.

When does that take place?

Tomorrow morning.

What hell you're waiting for?

Spread the trap! Get it over with!

Shut up, private Piggot!

The Major has a announce to beg.

Now listen.

I'm offering you men a chance to get off these gallows alive.

Volunteers are needed for a mission which is as dangerous as it is important.

And if any of you are willing to volunteer for it, you'll get pardons.

That's all I can promise you.

Gentlemen. I can promise you nothing.

Except a chance to die honorably and possibly live.

In any case, freedom at the end.

Donald McIvers. mule skinner and deserter.

Killed two senturies and sold out to the Rebs.

What about, McIvers?

Hell, yes.

- Private Samuel Piggot. - Yeah, I accept.

The pig. Murdered his commanding officer at Sandy Creek and raped that officer's wife.

Ted Wendall, caught stealing horses.

- What do you say, Wendall? - You bet your ass.

In fact here, sir. We can't identify him.

Well, I know this one.

If I say no, they hang me.

It's better I come with you then. I never was any good at looting.

Will Fernandez, thief and murderer.

Stole medicine and sold it in the black market to the Rebs.

30 Union soldiers died.

What do you say?

Me? I go.

Jeremy, Cherokewa, half breed, killed a white

man for selling alcohol to the apache.

You want to come?

This is the worst of the bunch. Religious fanatic.

Arrested for urgent men not to enlist and inciting them to rebellion.

A terrible doom awaits you.

Renounce war, repent.

Are you in or out?

The Lord is my shepherd.

Vengeance is mine, said the Lord.

Saith the Lord.

That's the cross your wife always used to wear.

Yes.

And Sergeant Brent wishes to volunteer.

Yes, sir.

Corporal, free all those men, except the last one.

What do you think your life will be worth out there with that crew?

What's it worth now?

Thank you, Charlie.

- Sergeant Brent? - Sir.

Organize the men in some kind of rank.

Yes, sir.

Your authority.

Move it out.

Excuse me.

Just out of curiosity, what direction are we going?

- East. - You hear that, Piggot?

According to colonel, we're heading east.

You got anything to do back east?

Nah, I don't think so.

What about you, Will?

You know, amigos.

East, west, north, south, it's all the same to me.

What Willie don't like is getting told where to go.

My mistaken. This is the real Puerco.

You are right. This running water has named Rio Puerco.

McGard. Yeah?

What's Puerco mean?

Why don't you ask chicken shit what Puerco means?

He knows everything.

That's why he's a colonel.

He knows it means, Piggot, just won't admit it.

Don't forget, it's his mother's name.

Hey, Colonel, you should not have called him that.

He'll be offended.

He ain't no colonel no more. He ain't?

That's right. Our chicken lost his wings.

No. I can't believe that.

She's sold out.

And we'll be judged by the company we keep.

Time's running out.

Any of you buzzard bait want to keep writing with high pockets here.

- Holler out. - No.

If we leave the old boy, he'll be the lonesomest man underground.

"El viejo" is a brave one to show us such a back.

Calm down, Willie. Go right up with your amigo, Brent.

We'll show you how calm we can be.

- Two amigos, one big nugget. - Right up. Brent.

Have you got the belly for us?

If there's one thing worse than an officer.

It's someone who sucks up to an officer.

What the hell's going on?

The horses are free. We still prisoners.

You filthy army backstabber. You low down son of a bitch.

You sold out to the rebs.

We'd been better off if you left us to die quick.

Looks like you're going to walk to Santa Fe, Piggot.

He's going to carry me on his shoulders, the bastard.

We're moving over confederate territory.

We can't do that on US branded horses.

Now get your gear together. We're moving out.

- Atta boy, Piggot. - That's enough.

I said hold it!

Just nerves, why don't you guys relax.

Just a goddamn minute.

Let's find out what this chicken colonel has in mind.

We're going to Fort Holman, gentlemen, to enter and retake it.

Let's go. We got a train to catch.

What makes you think that we're going with?

It's the job you men volunteered for.

Yes, but that was with a rope around our necks.

Well, Colonel Pembroke, looks like your mission ends right here.

Hey, speak for yourself, Piggot.

I want to know why the colonel's in such

an all fired hurry to get back there.

He wants to risk our ass to save his face.

That's what you're going there for, ain't it?

No, gentlemen. For gold.

Gold?

- That's what he said. - What gold?

Captured confederate gold that I got buried near a sundial in that old Fort.

That's what we're going to get.

How much gold is there, Colonel?

Well, I'd say, roughly, there's around...

$500,000 worth of it.

- How much? - 500,000.

One. two, three, four...

- 500,000. - Come again?

You can sure save a lot of face with 500,000.

What's Ballard's cut?

No, Ballard knows nothing about the gold.

Sent me out here to clear my name, win him a promotion, doing it.

Now, I can get us in there.

It's not going to be easy, but I can do it.

And if the eight of us can work together,

We'll make Ballard a general.

And we'll be living high in a hog in good old Mexico, rich and free.

Well, then.

Gentlemen, your weapons.

I think you're lying.

There's only one way to find out.

Yeah, by telling us where the gold is buried.

Already told you that once.

You better start paying attention to me, Brent.

you pull that thing on me one more time.

You better be prepared to use it. I'm going to shove it up your throat.

Just bring the things you can carry easy.

Whoa. You won't get any more out of him if you shoot his ears off.

Well, there she is, gentlemen.

A ride through the lines.

She'll take us within a half day's march of Fort Holdman.

There's a bed with a high grade I know we can catch her at.

Let's move.

Come on here.

Colonel, you made a mistake sending that idiot MacGyver down there.

He's a mule skinner, Brancher.

The colonel's right.

How much longer are we going to wait here?

We're going down right now. Get your gear down.

Come on, Redskin.

Hey, Johnny, we got company.

Right.

Howdy, friend.

Well, stranger.

We're just on our way to army headquarters.

We thought we'd stop by and see if you had anything to eat.

We'd be glad to pay for it, of course.

Pardon the gun, Mr.

Don't mean to act unfriendly, only you can't be too careful.

Yeah, imagine you get a lot of funny people walking by here.

Yeah, they come and they go.

Now, you all come inside and make yourselves to home.

April, put some more plates on the table.

We got guests for dinner.

Who comes from afar comes from God.

Come in, friends.

A real pleasure to have you.

Come on, sit down.

Is there any Confederates headquarters here?

Up north. Fort Holman.

Fort Holman. How far is that?

About 10 miles out of San Miguel.

So you wouldn't happen to have a horse for sale, would you?

- We're packing a lot of weight. - A horse?

The soldiers took everything when they passed through.

Here's you must have walked a long way.

If you want to stay the night, I won't charge you nothing.

No thanks. We're overdue already.

I ain't said grace yet.

Dear Lord, bless this food we're about to eat. Amen.

Yeah!

The dynamite!

Piggot, get it off the stove.

We damn near blew up ourselves.

Instead a Fort...

What hell you stove hide it?

You just stay right where you are.

Brent, line them up by the fireplace.

I took you into my house. I gave you food and drink.

Sorry, old timer. You heard too much.

I didn't hear nothing.

Did you hear anything? Tell him, Brian?

No.

They ain't done nothing to us.

All we need is a few hours. We can tie them and gaggle.

It's a half million dollars and our hides against theirs.

- We got no choice. - Take what you want.

We won't say nothing to no one.

We're not to blame if you talk too much.

God knows nobody asked you.

Go look in the barn.

MacIvers!

- Why? - This is why.

To steal everything ahead.

God knows how many were murdered.

Try this on. We need a uniform.

- Who, me? - Yes, you.

Now we are only seven to share.

Well, let's see it. Turn around.

How's it fit?

How's that's.

What is that?

"Colonel William A. Morrow of the Secret Service of the State of Georgia is

authorized to travel freely in all territories

of the states occupied areas and military zones."

Come on, Brent. You and I are going to buy a horse.

- Isn't that risky? - Yeah. Here, you take my holster.

- What I do with it? - We don't do any shooting with it.

If you do, it's the end of Fort Holman.

Yeah, all that gold, too.

Yeah, and the gold too.

What's this? You make it yourself.

Thank you.

Let's see now.

Oats, sack of beans.

Lard. Coffee.

Bacon, cheese, salt, sugar.

Bread, whiskey...

You all buying up supplies like there was a war going on?

Whiskey. What else?

Coil fuse...

Coffee, bacon, cheese, whiskey.

Salt, sugar, bread.

rope, gunpowder, fuse... There's something missing.

But it's got to be it. Now, how much is it?

I'm trying to think. Don't rush me.

Meal, Whiskey...

Yeah.

Pay the man.

I knew and has what I forgot.

I forgot to put down the doggone mule.

- That's $100. - Here.

Be happy hunting down south.

- How are you, Scully? - Oh, not bad.

Heard there's strangers about.

Yeah, just bought the whole store up.

They didn't mention what they was hunting for.

But it must be big game because they bought gunpowder fuse.

And they paid for it without haggling $100 in northern currency, too.

That's so? Which way they're heading?

- Out that way. - Thanks, Scully.

They got caught. "Vamonos". Let's go.

Let's see what you got there, boys.

Why not have a look?

We won!

We won!

The war is over!

The war is over! Hurray!

Long live the Confederacy! The war is over!

Hold!

Who told you the war is over?

A trapper up in the hills.

This guy. He's just rode in from Santa Fe.

"The only sober man in town was a preacher."

And he won't be for long!

What are we waiting for? They're no better than us.

Let's get drunk.

Let's all get drunk. Yeah!

Whiskey now, it's on the house!

- What's your name? - Robinson.

You guys got any more, Brent?

Yeah, sure.

Ese cabron de mierda dese colonel pembro estas dormiendo.

Yes. But that Falcon you sleep with one eye open.

Don't give many more. They've had enough.

Brent. Give me that.

Oh, come on.

- The colonel don't want us to drink. - The hell with him.

He's a sort of bashing around.

Give me the bottle, Piggot.

Piggot. Give me that bottle.

Go to hell.

Look what you've done, you bastard.

You gotta get his kill one way or the other, Pembroke.

Colonel Pembroke.

You're going to pick up those beans one at a time.

Hurry up.

What did I tell you about that gun, sergeant?

I said pick them up.

I want to see you on your knees.

Now eat them beans.

- Beans don't agree with me. - Beans will.

I'll shoot them out of your hand and into your mouth.

That's enough. The party's over.

Always on his side, eh?

I'm on my own side.

He's the one's going to get me into Fort Holdman. That's all.

Too bad. It was real good.

Thank you, Eli.

I didn't like seeing you down on your knees picking up them beans.

Worst things have happened to me.

Why the hell did you do it?

They wouldn't have killed you.

Well, maybe not, Brent.

But if that little snakey eyed half would have started shooting, we'd have half

the confederate troops in the territory

down us. That'd be the end of Fort Holman.

Is it that important?

Yeah, it's that important.

Half a million dollars can buy a lot of tortillas down in Mexico.

Oh, shoot.

I wouldn't get out on my knees for nothing.

And neither would you.

I got a feeling there's something else behind all the this, uh?

The uniform its pretty good, doesn't it?

Listen. Picture this is the pulpit now.

And that's the bridge that leads to the tunnel connecting with a Fort.

This fort was built to command the Santa Fe trail.

It passes through a tunnel under the Fort.

There's an alarm system connecting all of this.

To see that it never goes off.

Well, Colonel?

If our little plan worked Eli is inside by now.

- The Password? - Confederacy and liberty.

- Take me to Major Ward. - Yes, sir.

Sir, Santa Fe prison camp has confirmed that Pembroke has escaped.

- When? - About ten days ago, sir.

I want you to send two platoons from B company.

I want a 24 hours patrol over a 50 miles perimeter.

Yes, sir. Such a spike.

And you?

What else do you want?

I request permission to remain overnight at the Fort, sir.

- Report back to your unit. - My butt is awful sore, sir.

Don't get smart with me, soldier!

Major, I respectfully request permission

to show the cheeks of my tail.

Show him the quarters, but make sure he's out by morning.

Come on.

I want Lieutenants Babbitt and Ryan to report this office immediately.

Yes, sir.

There's no danger. He's only one man.

- Can I make you a drink? - No, thank you.

I would prefer to be alone.

Is there a sundial anywhere around here?

- A sundial? - Yeah.

All confederate forts have a sundial.

Well, maybe where their cannon.

There never been a sundial here, that I know of.

At least not since we've been here.

I thought so.

That's the damn horse.

After one week in the saddle.

I got a pain where it counts most.

Real lucky.

Robinson and Hutton are out on patrol.

There's a couple of free bunks.

Otherwise, you'd have to ride out of here tonight.

You remind me someone.

That so?

I've never seen you before.

This is it gentlemen. Here where we wait.

Eli. Good luck.

- See you in morning. - Thanks, friend.

He's been caught.

I bet the son of a bitch talked. Let's get out of here.

I'm so tired.

I'll see you later. I'll watch on the pulpit this morning.

Hey. I'm afraid I can't sleep.

Mind if I come get a whip of fresh air?

Why not? Come on.

- Hear? - What?

Humm! Nothing.

It's almost dawn. What do we do?

We wait.

Piggot. The dynamite?

Yeah.

Hey, you got enough ammunition here to

fight off the whole Union army.

How'd you manage to bring it all in?

Oh, hell, that was all here when we came.

You gotta hand it to the Yanks.

They're real organized. Come on, boy.

Hey, I get dizzy looking out a second story window.

Come on. Just don't look down.

Lieutenant Wilkins.

Are you ready to relieve me, sergeant?

- I'll relieve you, sir. - Very well.

- It's great mountain air. - It's very bad for your health.

You get careless, it'll blow you right off this son of a bitching mountain.

- Just take a look down there, boy. - Them tents must be kind of precarious.

I have as precarious as a year with Major Ward.

- Like a cigar? - I prefer my pipe.

If you could spare a couple for the lads over there.

All right, sure.

Thank you.

Hey!

Come on, back of.

Hold.

Easy. Steady. Steady.

Say!

Pull.

Take it easy. Easy, take it down. Easy

Hes! What's matter?

I thought I was going to be sick.

You better turn in. You got a long ride tomorrow morning.

- You mean this morning? - That's right.

It will be dawn in just a few more minutes.

I know, there's something familiar about you.

I just can't put my finger on it.

Well, let me know when you figure it out.

Say, were you here when the fort was taken?

Hell yes. I'm here to tell you as a miracle if I ever saw one.

How's that?

Well, we had half of Sibleys force massed down in the valley...

With orders that take the fort at any cost.

You know what that meant?

It meant we'd all have been wiped out.

- Go on. - There. We was all set to go.

And then a miracle happened.

Pembroke hauled up the white flag and we just walked

in here and took the place without firing a shot.

All the same, these Yankees, they turn and run like a rabbit.

Not Pembroke, he's tough as nails.

The truth is Ward got his hands on Pembroke's son.

Then what happened?

They send Pembroke word to surrender the fort.

Or he would hang the boy. And Pembroke surrendered.

Smart trick. But he didn't hang the kid?

Oh no, Ward is a man of his word.

He doesn't hang him, he shoots him.

Of course, I don't know the whole story.

With Pembroke free, I sure wouldn't be in Ward shoes.

Why? What chance does one man have against a fort full of soldiers?

I wouldn't change places with Ward or anything in the world.

Being inside this fort is safer than being inside a bank vault.

You've seen the alarm system. You know what Ward did?

Connected it to that suspension bridge to blow it to hell.

Don't sell Ward short, old son. He's as smart as he is me.

He invented this alarm system his own self.

Know how it works. You can bet your ass it works.

I think Ward has mighty big plans for this place when the war ends.

Anyway, for us cross that bridge comes easy. As long as Ward needs us.

You mean if the alarm is set off,

the bridge would blow up?

It's mined.

If someone manages to attack the pulpit

and the emergency alarm goes off,

the major and only him lose a handle.

Something like that, and bam.

She'll blow sky high.

- What's so funny? - The alarm system.

I was taking the leap right beside that alarm box.

If I'd have peed on it, it never would have worked again.

Ain't that O'Brien? Just think.

Answering a call in nature could have

cost the south this whole dog on porch.

Good thing I didn't drown it out.

- You feel all right? - Sure.

- Hey, what you got there? - I don't know.

I have something in my jacket pocket.

A dice.

How much are you going to bet I can't roll a six?

How'd you do that?

Now, you try.

Hands up, boy.

What's the matter?

This is one of a pair of loaded dice that

belonged to private Robinson he took more than

$100 off me before I got wise to him that's who

he reminded me of how'd you come by his uniform?

I found it.

Lieutenant Wilkins.

- Who's that? - Sergeant, watch.

Over here, lieutenant What is it, sergeant?

Oh, boy!

Look inside the jacket. I bet that's Robinson's, too.

- This dice was in the pocket. - I swear I found it.

Mine was completely worn out.

Come on, lieutenant, I know it's against regulations give me a break.

All right, move them out, Sergeant.

March.

Listen, we've had it here. So let's beat retreat before we are spotted.

Give me the knife.

Sir.

I am Colonel Morrow, secret service of the Confederate Army.

Under direct orders of General Sibley.

You are in trouble, Ward.

- What do you mean, sir? - What do I mean?

I was sent here to check on security,

and I find that security under your command is nonexistent.

First, I was able to pass the sentry with an elementary trick.

Second, I was shown into your presence without

any check on my identity or intentions.

I could have assassinated you.

Third, I had access to the powder magazine,

and could have blown up the fort and half the mountain.

Fourth. But why go on?

In all my 20 years of service, I have never come across

more flagrant breaches of elementary security procedures.

- But Colonel Moore... - There is no excuse.

I'll report to General Sibley.

I'm tired and sore,

and I'm going to need a few hours sleep,

before I head on back to Santa Fe.

Sergeant, you see the colonel to my quarters and

you make sure that he has everything he wants.

Sir.

What are we going to do now?

- We could. - Yes.

Morrow can only damage you if he reports what he has seen.

That's right. Go on.

But if he never returns to Santa Fe,

And then he never would be able to make this report. And then?

- An accident? - Oh, no, no accidents.

Accidents are too risky. Accidents have a way of being investigated.

Now, he came here to check on our security measures,

and we showed him just how tight our security is.

That's right.

Now he claims to be Colonel Morrow of the secret Service.

Sir, I can assure you I've never seen a Colonel Morrow in Fort Holden.

He's a spy. Yankee saboteur. Right.

- And we've just found him out. - Fawcet. That's right. On the nose.

And what do we do with Yankee saboteurs, Lieutenant?

- We execute them. - We execute them? That's right.

And all they can do is commend us.

Hold you go there. Hold or I shoot!

Hold!

Emergency alarm.

- What the hell is going on? - They're attacking the pulpit.

Pembroke.

- How many are there? - I don't know, sir.

The bridge.

Break down the other end of the shaft. Piggot. Hurry.

Right!

Get some men and cover the tunnel!

You men.

We'll never get out of this trap by ourselves.

What are you looking for?

There's a ventilation shaft behind this wall.

If we can break through then we can get right to the top.

See if you can find me a pick.

Soldier. Back to your post.

Now, you leave your post. Never no time for Cort Martial.

Execution on the spot.

We're almost out of ammunition.

There's some powder over there. That's it. Give me a hand.

Right.

He is dead.

- You finished? - Just about.

- How they doing? - They're waiting.

They're blocked in the magazine.

Get all guns and keep them facing toward the mouth of the tunnel.

What can we do now, sir?

Well, Napoleon said there's a time to fight and a time do wait.

So that's what we're gonna do, sergeant. We're gonna wait.

Go get them.

Why don't you try thinking of us?

What's, Sergeant Brent?

Scared?

Go on.

- Sergeant! - Yes, sir.

You say you saw that man in the alarm box.

Yes sir, and he was acting downright suspicious.

You take two men. No, you better take four men.

Surround my quarters. He may escape.

Yes, major.

You know the prisoner, Colonel Morrow?

He's a real spy, a saboteur.

He came in here in order to make way for the others.

Down there!

Piggot, Get that gun. Come on.

Ward!

Get that gun right over there. Go after.

You too, Wendall.

Sergeant!

Place your men on the wall.

Let's go up.

Hold your fire! Hold!

Hey Brent, are you crazy?

Stop shoot. They're surrendering.

Let go fly a kite.

Yeah, brother.

- He's after Eli! - Go and get that son of the bitch.

Ward!

It's all over!

Come on out!

You're finished!

Now you're gonna tell me where the gold is hidden!

I didn't risk my hide...

just to make a hero out of you.

You got to pay off, right now!

Let me remind you, Colonel. There is a military procedure for surrender.

Congratulations!

He was innocent.

Subtitles: Kilo