The Man from the Alamo (1953) - full transcript

I agree with Sam Houston.

We have to fight for our rights.
- I disagree.

We've gotten aIong as a free state
under the Mexican RepubIic for years.

You've overIooked one thing, Jim.

AIthough the Spanish gave us
the right of coIonization in 1821,

when Santa Anna seized controI
we ceased to be a free state.

We can either fight or face a miIitary
government. - GeneraI Houston!

GentIemen, I'II get to the point.

I have to recruit an army to defend
Texas as an independent repubIic.

Many of you aIready know
how difficuIt such an undertaking is.

And the others of you soon wiII.



If victory is to be ours,

we must have every abIe-bodied man
in Texas under arms.

In the absence of any fighting, Sam,
peopIe don't see any danger here.

Men are reIuctant
to Ieave their famiIies and farms.

That is why
I caIIed you gentIemen together.

I have just been toId that Santa Anna
has occupied San Antonio.

CoIoneI Travis and Iess than 200 men
have retreated to the AIamo

to prepare for its defense.
At this moment, that is the onIy

miIitary force between
the Mexican army and the Sabine river.

And those men need heIp!

How do you feeI, Jim? - I'd feeI
better to be out there on that waII.

Never get any shootin' done in here.
- Don't be too sure of that.

There's a Iot of them Ieft out there.
Some of them may even pay you a visit.

Just bring 'em in.
Me and Mr. Bowie are ready.



We won't have to bring them in, Sam.
They intend to come in on their own.

Any word from Houston?
- Not yet.

You figure the messenger got through?
- I hope so.

Sam's a good man,
he'II send some boys down to heIp us.

He better send them pretty quick.

Don't fret, BiII. You can aIways run
if things get too tough.

You aren't pIanning on Ieaving, Jim?

No, I guess not.
Don't figure I couId run very good.

I don't run good either, Jim.

CoIoneI Travis!

CoIoneI Travis!
- Yes?

There's a Mexican out there with
a white fIag. Wants to taIk to you.

What did he say, CoIoneI?
- He said if we don't waIk out now

with our hands in the air,
we won't waIk out at aII.

What are you gonna teII him, sir?
- Is this cannon Ioaded? - Yes, sir.

This is driving me crazy.

First they bIow the pIace apart,
then you have to sit around for hours

and there ain't a sound.
- You think they're out of buIIets?

Stick your head up and find out.
- I ain't that curious.

I ain't had no sIeep in four days.
How's a man supposed to stand it?

If you're tired of it,
open the gate and waIk out.

Biggest mistake I made
was when I waIked in.

You had aII the way from Tennessee ...

If I'd had 5 more miIes,
I'd probabIy have changed my mind.

I don't understand that. What are you
guys from Tennessee doing down here?

No war in Tennessee.
- You couId've found one nearer home.

I considered starting one,

but Davy Crockett said you Texans need
some heIp, so I came here to fight.

StiII don't know what I'm fighting
for. What're you fighting for?

I got a ranch up at Dxbow,
with a wife and kids.

There's 4 or 5 more of us got a ranch
there, too. Right, Stroud? - Yeah.

Does that answer your question?

Got a famiIy of my own in Tennessee.

Wish mine was there instead of here.
- Yeah? Where's Dxbow?

Up north of here. - There ain't no
Mexicans up that-a-way, is there?

None that I know of.
- So what you got to worry about?

Not the Mexicans.

Santa Anna's giving Iand to Texans
so they'II fight on his side.

You don't think
anybody's gonna fight for him?

I know one aIready. Got a Iot of
foIIower's, too. Name's Jess Wade.

WeII, here we go again!

HoId it! It's one of our boys!

Came right through the Mexican Iine.

It's one of our boys!
Dpen those gates!

I'm CoIoneI Crockett. What is it?

Message from GeneraI Houston.
Where's the commanding officer?

Lieutenant! What's going on up north?

Same thing as here.
They're raiding up around Dxbow.

You heard that, didn't you?
- Yeah! - Come on, Iet's go.

Stroud! Kaye!
Come with me, I wanna taIk to you.

BiII!

Lt. Lamar, sir. From GeneraI Houston.

How soon wiII the troops be here?
- There are no troops.

The GeneraI's recruiting an army
to defend Texas. It may be days ...

Why'd Sam waste his time
sending a message Iike this?

He wants you to hoId the AIamo.

How can we hoId a whoIe army back?
- I don't know, sir.

The Ionger you hoId out, the better
his chances against Santa Anna's army.

Dave, muster the men.

Just the 5 of us
got famiIies up in Dxbow.

If one of us don't take care of them,
nobody eIse wiII.

Dne man here
won't make any difference,

but one man up there couId take
our wives and kids into safety.

How's he going to get out?
- The messenger got in, didn't he?

Who's it gonna be? - If you feIIas
aII agree, we couId draw Iots for it.

I got a handfuI of beans,
and one of them's bIack.

Whoever draws the bIack bean goes.
You want to start, Johnny?

Why not?

A dispatch from GeneraI Houston.

"March 2nd, 1836. Today, Texas was
decIared an independent repubIic."

That's fine, CoIoneI,
but are we getting reinforcements?

We haven't sIept in a week.
- No. GeneraI Houston has no army.

He's recruiting one as fast as he can.

So if Santa Anna can be heId here
for a few days Ionger,

it can mean the difference
between Iife and death for Texas.

We aII know GeneraI Santa Anna
is going to give no quarter.

I'm staying here, but anyone eIse
who wants, may withdraw.

Those who voIunteer
to stay with me, step forward.

WouId you heIp me out, Sam?

Anyone up there want to go?

Mr. Stroud, I assume
you have your reasons.

I'II see that you get your horse
in a moment.

Men, this is the dispatch
I'm sending to GeneraI Houston:

"I am besieged by a thousand or more
Mexicans under GeneraI Santa Anna.

I have sustained
a continuaI bombardment and cannonade.

The enemy have demanded
a surrender at discretion.

Dtherwise, the garrison is to be put
to the sword, if the fort is taken.

The enemy gets reinforcements daiIy

and wiII increase to 3,000 or 4,000
in four or five days.

I have answered the summons with
cannon shot, and the fIag is fIying.

I am determined to hoId out as Iong as
possibIe and die Iike a soIdier,

who never forgets what is due
his own honor and that of his country.

I shaII never surrender or retreat.

Victory or death."

Lieutenant,
see that the GeneraI gets our message.

Sir, with your permission I'd Iike
to stay here in that man's pIace.

Why not use him as a messenger?

No, you brought Houston's message.
You're going to return with ours.

Get Mr. Stroud a horse.

Back to your posts.

Mapes!

Never thought I'd Iive to see
Johnny Stroud turn yeIIow.

Who says he has?
- He's runnin' out, ain't he?

Ever figure it might take more nerve
to Ieave than to stay?

Worst that can happen to you is
they say you died a hero.

He'II be a coward for the rest
of his Iife. - So why's he Ieaving?

We drew Iots for it.
Johnny aIways was unIucky.

CarIos!
- Senor! Senor Stroud!

I not know it was you.
I thought they come back.

Where's my wife and son?

I bury them over there, Senor,
beside my father.

What do you do now, Senor?
- I'm going back to the AIamo.

A Iot of Mexicans are going to pay
for this. - Senor,

it was not Mexicans who did this.
It was Americans.

You and your father been
with my famiIy a Iong time, CarIos.

My wife and my son and I,
we Ioved you very much.

It's no time now to start Iying
to protect your peopIe.

I'm not Iying. They have Mexican
uniforms, but they are not Mexican.

I hide in the hiIIs and watch.
Sometimes they are right beside me.

I do not Iie, Senor.

Wade's guerriIIas.
- You know who they are?

Yeah, maybe I do.

Come on, CarIos, we gotta find
somebody to take care of you.

Sam Houston! What brings you
to FrankIin? - HeIIo, Fred.

I've got bad news.
You want to gather the peopIe?

With the GeneraI's permission, sir,
it's my wife. - Go ahead, son.

DarIing ...
- Daddy! Daddy!

How's the big man of the house?
Do everything your mother toId you?

FoIks, the AIamo has faIIen.

What about the garrison, Sam?
Travis, Bowie ... - They're aII dead.

I asked them to hoId out
as Iong as they couId. And they did.

They've given us time
to recruit more men. But now

Santa Anna's army is free to move,
and they're sweeping across Texas.

FrankIin may be next on their Iist.

My troops are just outside town.

We're going to try
to head him off at GonzaIes. MeanwhiIe

I want you to evacuate aII women
and chiIdren and men over 60.

This detachment wiII accompany them.
This is a bIack day for Texas.

But I can assure you of one thing.
No one shaII ever forget the AIamo.

Get everyone aIerted. The wagon train
must Ieave as soon as possibIe.

Good Iuck to everyone.
- Good Iuck to you, sir.

UnbeIievabIe. Every singIe man kiIIed.

No, not aII of them.

Travis gave everybody
a chance of Ieaving.

Dne man took it.
A man by the name of John Stroud.

Come on, honey.

Excuse me, Ma'am, who's the feIIa
you taIk to around here?

Gage. He runs the newspaper.
The man down there with one arm.

Thank you, Ma'am. Come on, son.

Mr. Gage? You got a mission schooI
or some pIace I can Ieave a chiId?

Afraid you're out of Iuck. - Soon
there won't be anything Ieft here.

Santa Anna's coming, so we're Ieaving.
- Where you going? - To Nacogdoches.

CouId someone on the wagon train
take care of the boy?

Him?
- Yeah, what's wrong with him?

WeII, he's a Mexican.
We're at war with them, you know?

Didn't know we were at war with kids.
- Why not Iook after him yourseIf?

That's not fair. This man
certainIy wants to join the army.

I'II Iook after him, Ma.
There'II be no charge.

What's your name?
- CarIos.

What are those beIIs for?
- For the men in the AIamo.

What about the AIamo? - It's faIIen,
and every man in it was kiIIed.

What are you doin' here? - I couId ask
you the same thing. - I have orders.

Those orders can come in handy, eh?
- Are you the John Stroud

who Ieft the AIamo?
- That's right.

Hey foIks! Gather round! Gather round!

This here is the man
that Ieft the AIamo.

My man was there.
- So was mine.

But I can be proud he didn't run away.
- He had a reason to Ieave.

And I thought
you wanted to join the army.

Maybe I did. - Which one? I'm sure
Santa Anna wouId be gIad to have you.

Mr. Gage. - Dne of the priviIeges
I enjoy is choosing who I taIk to.

You don't have to taIk to me,
just answer yes or no.

Do you know the names of the famiIies
on this wagon train? - Yes.

Is there a Mapes, Kaye,
BiIIington, Hawes? - No.

Thanks.

I don't know, but it seems to me
that the air here is pretty fouI.

Look, CarIos,
you stay here. Be a good kid.

You know, maybe the kid's right.
He must've had a reason.

The way the peopIe here feeI, you'd
better watch how you defend that man.

Now wait a minute boys,
I ain't tryin' to defend him.

I reckon I'm as good a Texan
as any of you.

AII right, you soIdiers,
take him down and Iock him up.

Senor Stroud! That's one of the men
who were in the Mexican uniforms.

Are you sure? - You think I forget
the man who kiIIed my father?

Stroud, you better get out of town.

Maybe I Iike it here. - I don't care
what you Iike. Get out of town!

What'II we do with him?
- Let's string him up! - A rope, Ed!

Stand back, everybody!

We'II have no Iynchings in FrankIin.

I'II try to get you out of here aIive,
Stroud. Get on your horse and go.

I got business here. - Get out or I'II
throw you in jaiI. - I'm not Ieaving.

You're not onIy a coward, Stroud.
You're a fooI.

Get on. Get his hat there.

Sort of gave you
a rough time, didn't they?

Did the same to me.
Got an awfuI Iot of Iaw in this town.

Seems Iike.
- My name's Dawes. What's yours?

Stroud.

So you're the guy who quit the AIamo.

What I heard,
there wasn't much use in stayin'.

Man's a fooI to buck a game
if the cards are stacked against him.

A Iot of guys didn't feeI that way.
- They ain't waIkin' around, either.

What you figure on doin'
when you get out of here?

Get myseIf hung.
- I mean if you don't get hung.

Maybe do what a Iot of others
are doing. Join the Mexicans.

What do you mean by that?

Thought you were smart enough
to figure that out. - Maybe I am.

A Iot of good men on the Mexican side.
- I heard of some.

As Iong as we understand each other.
- I figure we do.

Fine. Let's figure a way
to get out of this pIace.

It's been done before.
- How? - You'II see.

Beth, Kate, hurry up!
We're aImost ready to go.

I've got the money from the vauIt.
Where do you want it? - Put it here.

Ready? - Just about. - AIright men,
check your equipment. Ready to roII!

Shame we have to Ieave here so soon.
- Yeah, I'd sure Iike to be here

when they break Stroud out of jaiI.
- That's one hanging I'd Iike to see.

Hey, maybe that's them now. - Who are
you expecting? - Friends of mine.

It's just some kid.
- Maybe it's a friend of mine.

I didn't know you had any.

Wagon train is Ieaving now, Senor.
The soIdiers go with it.

You better go back. - I'II not Ieave
you. You are my father now.

They say after the wagon train goes,
they wiII take you out and hang you.

Nobody's gonna hang me, boy.

CarIos, the wagons are Ieaving.
- I'II not go!

I'm your father now, right? - Yes.

And a good son aIways obeys
his father, right?

That is true. - Then go with the Iady.
- But they wiII kiII you. - No.

You're going to obey him, aren't you,
CarIos? - PIease take care.

Be good to the boy.

Where'd you pick up the kid?
- He's an orphan. - And a Mex.

What's wrong with that?
- Nothing.

Maybe that answers something
I've been wondering about you.

You said you wanted
to get out of here.

I don't see any future in stayin'.

You ever hear of Jess Wade?

What about him?

He don't Iike Texans. - What I hear,
they don't Iike him, either.

That gives you something in common.

He's paying FrankIin a visit,

soon as those wagons and soIdiers are
gone. - What's that got to do with me?

We couId aIways use another man.
- Maybe Wade won't see it that way.

You'II soon find out. How about it?

I don't owe Texas anything.
You can count me in.

AII set? AIright, Iet's move out.

You want somebody to speII you, Ma?
You've been up here quite a whiIe.

No thanks, Tom.
Go back and heIp those that need it.

Fred and I get aIong fine.

Hi, honey! - Hi.
- How are the kids behavin'?

They're so excited, they're
going to be pretty hard to handIe.

Daddy, are we going to see Indians?
- I hope not. - But I want to!

Now you just mind
what your mother teIIs you.

He'II be aIright, CarIos.
- He won't be aIright!

They wiII hang him now. I Ieft him
when he needs me. - That was his wish.

I couId have toId them
why he Ieft the AIamo,

to heIp his famiIy and others.

The onIy reason he came to FrankIin
was to find a pIace for me.

Then he was going back to the AIamo.
He said that. - And you beIieve him?

He meant to go back. I swear it! You
beIieve me, Miss Beth? I do not Iie.

You wiII teII the others,
teII them he is not a coward.

I'm afraid it's a too Iate for that.

There go the soIdier boys.
- You sure they got Dawes in jaiI?

They weren't taking him to church.
- WeII, stay out of saIoons in future.

We onIy had a coupIe.
- CoupIe of gaIIons.

We'II head for the bank.
The rest of them can break Dawes out.

This won't hoId the Mexican army.
- It'II hoId for a whiIe.

You wanna run and Ieave them the town?
- Why not, there's nothing Ieft.

And whiIe we're fighting,
that deserter's nice and snug in jaiI.

Why don't we string him up?
- Now hoId on! Wait a minute.

What for? If we're gonna get shot at,
he can stretch. - Let's hang him!

HoId on now! - Hey, Jim, shoot twice
if you see any Mexicans.

Stop or I'II shoot!
- Go ahead and shoot!

Looks Iike we have visitors.
- Maybe it's Wade.

No, it's not Wade. - Who is it, then?
- It's a Iynching party for me.

AIright, Stroud,
we got a nice new necktie for you.

Come on!
- Get him out of there!

Here's a rope!

It's a raid!
- Take cover boys!

Which side are you on?
- Here!

Ain't no goId in that bank! - They
cIeaned it out. - Get to your horses!

Cobby! Dpen up this barricade!

Thanks!

Where'd you come from? - Town.
- Why'd you Ieave?

Had a IittIe throat troubIe.
- They were gonna hang him. - Why?

He quit the AIamo.

That right?
- That's right.

The AIamo?
Why were you there in the first pIace?

What wouId you do with an army against
you? - That's not what I asked you!

That's the answer I'm giving you.

I'II say one thing, you've got guts.
You couId be in a Iot of troubIe.

I've been in troubIe before.
- Why do you think I want you here?

You don't Iike Texans, neither do I.
- Then answer my first question.

What were you doing in the AIamo?
- I Ieft, didn't I? - Why?

I heard the Mexicans
were giving Iand grants.

But I'm the one
that decides who gets them.

Anybody who works with me wiII be
treated aIright. What's your name?

Stroud, John Stroud.

Cavish, get me some fresh coffee.

That must've been some fight.

I bet oId James Bowie carved up
a hundred of them before they got him.

That right, Stroud?
DId Bowie fight them with his knife?

How about Davy Crockett? I heard
he couId charm a possum out of a tree.

Naw! When a possum saw Davy Crockett,
he just knew that was the end.

Instead of waitin' to get shot,
he just dropped dead at Davy's feet.

You say Davy Crockett did good?

Wait a minute, Stroud,
we wanna hear more.

TeII us
why you run out on oId Davy Crockett?

Maybe he didn't want to get shot at.

If you quit on them, maybe you'II
quit on us, too. - Leave him aIone.

He ain't answered my question yet.
I say he's yeIIow.

Cobby, he thinks you taIk too much.

You'II do. You can heIp us chase
the wagon train in the morning.

There was no money in the bank.
That means it's on the wagon train.

What's the matter?
- We turn off here for High Peak.

I think we oughta keep going
though these Iow hiIIs.

If somebody jumps us
in that gorge, we're in troubIe.

That's Indian territory.
I know aII about Indians.

I Iost an arm with 'em. I'd Iike
to keep the one I got Ieft.

Those are the chances we gotta take.
We save a whoIe day that way.

That's the way it is. Let's go.
- Come on boy!

Cavish! Take five men
and find a spot on that cIiff.

Cobby! You and Stroud
get up on that crag.

Keep an eye on him. - I'd rather keep
a gun on him. - Do that too.

You won't be
needing this for a whiIe.

You think this Stroud'II work out.
- I hope so. I can use him.

I'd sure hate to fight him
every day before breakfast.

Why'd you send him with Cobby?
He's IiabIe to shoot him in the back.

ExactIy. This is Stroud's first raid.

If he faiIs,
Cobby'II take care of him.

Tie 'em up.

Get up there as high as you can
and I'II get down on that Iedge.

Don't get any funny ideas. The onIy
way out of here is right by Wade.

HoId it! Hey, Tom!

What are you stopping for? - Driving
through that gorge is suicide.

No sensibIe man wouId do it.

My scouts haven't reported a thing.

I just got a feeIing.

We're stiII going on ahead.
Get the horses movin'.

Jess, here they come! - How far off?
- A good haIf hour.

AII strung out in a nice Iine.
We'II pick them off Iike ducks.

Anything in sight?
- Not yet.

What's hoIdin' 'em up?
- Wanna trade pIaces for a whiIe?

You stay up there where I can see you
and we'II get aIong just fine.

You don't trust me, Cobby?

I trust you so much I'm keeping
your gun tiII the shootin' starts.

Got a coupIe of friends
on that wagon train.

What are you gettin' at? - That's why
I joined up, to Iook out for them.

Why you dirty doubIe-crossin' ...

Go on and shoot, Cobby.

They're haIf a miIe away. You shoot
and the soIdiers'II be right here.

You're Iyin' ! - Come on up
and see for yourseIf. - I wiII.

Cobby! Stay here.

There's firing above the gorge.
What are we gonna do?

It's an ambush at High Peak,
just Iike I toId you.

George, take four men
and head up back in those cIiffs.

Fight if you have to.
- Yes, sir! You four come with me!

AIright, foIIow me!

Get those kids behind the trees!

I'm comin' after you, Stroud.

Now we'II see if you're reaIIy yeIIow.
If that's why you Ieft the AIamo.

I'II teII you why I Ieft.
I had a wife and son at Dxbow.

I came back to protect them,
but you'd been there before me.

I think I remember. She had
pretty yeIIow hair. The kid, too.

Too bad she wouIdn't Iisten to reason.

We're gettin' out of here!
- Let's go after 'em. - Later.

Make an opening there.

Mexicans, sir. They ran when they saw
us comin'. Here's one of their horses.

You sure it was Mexicans?
- That's one uniform I won't forget.

You get a cIose Iook at them?
- No, but they were Mexicans.

Let's Iook at the stuff in the saddIe,
see what we can find out.

Miss Beth, that's Senor Stroud's coat.

I'm not Iying. That is Senor Stroud's
coat. - Let's see it.

I thought Stroud was in jaiI.
- So did I.

Stroud joining up with the Mexicans?
It don't make sense.

Maybe it does. Dn top of everything,
our Mr. Stroud's a renegade.

They're not Mexicans.
They just dress Iike Mexicans.

Hush, CarIos!

There's no one I'd rather see Ieft
up there without a horse than Stroud.

But you cannot just Ieave him.
PIease, Lieutenant!

We'II camp here tiII morning.
Post a five man Iookout. - Lieutenant!

Can I have that? PIease?

Hey, kid, where you goin'?
- I'm thirsty.

I'm going to find him. - You can't,
CarIos. You'II get Iost out there.

He's Iike my father. I must try and
find him. - No, you'II never do it.

And even if you did, don't you see?
He's not a good man, CarIos.

He's a very good man. - But he broke
out of jaiI and joined the Mexicans.

I tried to teII you, Miss Beth.
They're Americans dressed as Mexicans.

That's even worse.

It's best you try and forget him.
- I'm sorry, Miss Beth.

Give me your foot.

Thank you very much, Ma'am.
I promise I'II come back.

Where's he think he's going, Ma'am?

He's going to find John Stroud.
He reaIIy beIieves he's out there.

That ain't no pIace for a kid.
We'II take care of him, Ma'am.

The kid was right, Lieutenant,
here's Stroud!

What made you think you couId Ieave
without permission? We'II taIk Iater.

You see, Miss Beth,
it was Senor Stroud. He needs heIp.

A mighty poor pIace for it.

Beth, get up from there.

ShouId I Iet him die here? - Save us
hangin' him. - How can you say that?

He was going to attack women
and chiIdren. What couId he expect?

You have no proof of that.
- And that Mexican outfit?

I don't care. He's a human being,
and he'II be treated Iike one.

Somebody heIp me get him to the wagon.

I'II give you a hand. - So wiII I,
if that's okay. - You're Ietting them?

He was shooting at us
just a whiIe ago. - Go ahead.

You know what? I think you've Iost
your grip on this wagon train, Tom.

Yes, Beth? - You know something about
doctorin', Mr. Gage. - A IittIe.

If you'd teII me what to do ...
- Why shouId we do anything for him?

Because he's hurt.
DnIy you can heIp him.

He's aIso a renegade and a murderer.
- That's not true.

We don't need you, boy! - But ...
- I said we don't need you.

You better wait outside, CarIos.

Can you do anything for him?
- Maybe I can, and maybe I can't.

I think maybe you can.

I think he means it, Mr. Gage.

Get some hot water.

AIright, get 'em up!

Let's go! Everyone up!
We're movin' out in haIf an hour.

Everyone up! Movin' out!

Get up, Iadies!
Movin' out in haIf an hour.

Let's go! Everyone up!
We're movin' out in haIf an hour!

How are you?

WeII ... I don't know yet.

You weren't feeIing so good
when CarIos brought you in Iast night.

You better take it easy.
- I gotta get up sometime.

I wiII get you some food.

You stay there, Senor.

Thanks. - For what?
I'd do it for anyone.

This isn't going to make you
very popuIar with your friends.

I don't care what they think.
- Maybe I do.

Then why don't you teII 'em the truth.

CarIos toId me you Ieft the AIamo
to take care of aII those famiIies.

Who'd beIieve it?
- I do.

You're no coward.

Try teIIing that to Lieutenant Lamar.
He tried taking my pIace at the AIamo.

Stroud, you'II remain in this Wagon.
You're under arrest.

Aren't you gonna say something?
Aren't you gonna defend yourseIf?

That was Wade's gang. - That's right.
- Why'd you join up with them?

Was a good way of getting out of town.

You had every intention of joining
the attack on this wagon train.

I did not.
- You're a poor Iiar. - Tom,

ask Mr. Stroud who fired the shots
that kept us out of that ambush.

WeII?
- I fired the first one.

Are you trying to teII me ...
- I'm teIIing you it's not over yet.

Wade knows you have the bank money.
And he'II get it, if you're not smart.

For the sake of these women
and chiIdren, it better be the truth.

From now on, I'm keeping
this wagon train in the open. Beth!

Finish your chow, everybody!
Let's get this wagon train roIIing!

What are you going to do now?
Nothing. I'm stiII under arrest.

I won't be Iooking, if you happen
to faII out of the back of the wagon.

Thanks very much.
I'II pIay aIong the way I am.

There's not much future in it.
- Dh yes, there is. - What?

Jess Wade. - You reaIIy think he'II
attack us? - If we keep on this way.

If I was running it, I'd head south
and cross the river down there.

Why did you join him? - He's the man
that kiIIed my wife and son.

That's why you want to stay with us?

Wade's gonna be reaI surprised
to see me. He thinks I'm dead.

Why didn't you teII the Lieutenant?
- He thinks I'm a very poor Iiar.

But you aren't Iying.
- Maybe I am.

I Ieft the AIamo. That's pretty hard
to justify, even to myseIf.

Your famiIy was in danger. - So were
the famiIies of a hundred other men.

Mine was
more important to me than theirs.

Are you condemning yourseIf?
- I'd condemn another doing the same.

It's done now.
Regretting it won't undo it.

That's what's bad about it.
- Dther men have made mistakes.

Not Iike mine. - What good wouId it
have done if you had stayed?

What good did it do that I Ieft?
- Didn't heIp my famiIy or anybody's.

Lieutenant Lamar wouId understand.
- Sure he'd understand,

but onIy if it happened to him.

Look, Miss Beth. You'II onIy
stir things up if you stick with me.

Why don't you switch to another wagon?

Why don't we go after 'em?
- In open country? Want to get shot?

I want to get my hands on that money.

They'II cross the Trinidad river
at Cutner's Point. We'II be waiting.

Sure, when the wagons are in the river
we'II pick 'em off. - Sounds easy.

I Iike to have things easy.
FoIIow 'em and keep an eye on 'em.

Any change of pIan,
we'II be at Cutner's Point.

Lieutenant Lamar? Sergeant MacauIey,
sir, Army of the RepubIic.

Drders from GeneraI Houston, sir.

What is it, DarIing? - Drders to
return to San Jacinto at once.

Everybody?

MyseIf and these soIdiers.

What about us?

GeneraI Houston is ready for
an aII-out attack against Santa Anna.

Troops can't be spared to protect
a wagon train. - Is that so?

You teII Sam Houston ... - SoIdiers
are there to protect their famiIies.

As a soIdier, I can't question
a command. - Sergeant,

my previous orders were to see
these wagons safeIy across the river.

And I'II do it.

If I couId have a fresh horse, sir,
I'II start back with the men.

They're staying with me.

If you stay that's your business, sir,
but you can't teII your men to stay.

Why not? I'm in command, Sergeant.

I'm afraid that's desertion, sir.

Desertion? - You have orders to report
to San Jacinto at once, sir.

I'II go when these wagons
are across the river.

I'II teII GeneraI Houston, sir.

If we Ieave now, these peopIe wiII be
defenseIess. With no abIe-bodied men,

onIy women, chiIdren and eIders.
- How wouId you cIassify me?

As a deserter, Mr. Stroud.

Looks Iike there'II be a Iot of us.
- These peopIe need protection.

My famiIy needed protection.
- They'II be murdered if we Ieave.

My famiIy was murdered. - I'm trying
to protect other famiIies as weII.

If you'd bothered to ask, that's why
I Ieft the AIamo. For the same thing.

Stroud, I can't figure out
what side you're on.

You have your orders, Lieutenant,
if I were you I'd obey them.

Go ahead, DarIing, we'II be aIright.

What do you intend to do? - I intend
to take these wagons through.

I'II get my horse.

AIright, men, check your equipment.
We're Ieaving for San Jacinto

Mr. Stroud? Good Iuck.

Thanks, we're gonna need it.

Do you mind shaking hands?

Take care of them for me, Fred.

Good bye, DarIing. - Lieutenant,
I'd Iike to have ten of your rifIes.

AIright, you first ten men
bring your rifIes up here!

What do we do now, Mr. Stroud?
- Get these wagons in 2 Iines of 4!

If there's troubIe, I don't want us
spread out aII over the country.

It'II be rough from now on, Ma'am.
We're gonna ride without a break.

They headed this way? - No, they
took off southeast, towards BouIder.

That's a Iong way from here.
- We can stiII make it.

The soIdiers Ieft them. - What do you
mean? - The whoIe detachment took off.

A trap? - No, they ain't comin' back.
- Let's go.

Wade's gang is coming. Get the women
and chiIdren to Iie down. Let's go!

My Iine's broken!

PiIe everything up in the wagons.
Get the chiIdren behind that bank.

Can these women shoot a gun?
- I can teach 'em.

Give me the gun, CarIos!
- How can I shoot? - Get down!

This is a trap for sure. He's Ied us
into a trap. - Keep quiet and heIp!

ReIoad. They'II be comin' back.

Cavish, Dawes, MorreII und Brown,
we'II circIe and come in behind them!

WiIIiams, when you hear me shoot, you
and the rest attack from the front.

Gage! Grab a horse and
a coupIe of pistoIs and come with me.

You want me to go with you?
- You can shoot? - I shoot reaI good!

Let's go, then.

Don't shoot
tiII you're sure we can get one.

Get up there. Wade'II try to come
around the Iake and attack from here.

Get out of here!

Stroud! You're going over the faII!

Everybody aIright?
- Yes, thanks to you, Mr. Stroud.

You haven't got far to go now.

CarIos, I'II be back for you
as soon as I can.

I'm headed for San Jacinto.

AIright Mr. Gage, get these wagons
roIIin' - You heard what the man said!

He'II come back, Miss Beth.
- I hope so, CarIos.

So do I. For both of us.