Posse

Colt 45, single shot.

You had to cock it every time you shot.

It was called a peacemaker, but I haven't seen much peace that it brought.

No, you guys today have that full automatic.

Pull the trigger and spray.

History's a funny thing.

They said Columbus discovered America and the Indians were already here.

That's like me telling you that I discovered your car.

They call them evil red savages because they didn't give up the car soon enough.

One thing about time.

No matter how much or how little passes, it changes things.

People forget their past.

They forget the truth. But pictures don't lie.

Forgotten gunslingers like Nat Love,

Ison Dart, Cherokee Bill.

And troops too, like the Ninth and the Tenth.

See, people forget that almost one out of every three cowboys was black.

Cos when the slaves were freed, a lot of them headed out west.

Built their own towns.

Shit. They didn't have much choice.

In fact, over half the original settlers of Los Angeles were black.

But for some reason, we never hear their stories.

Stories like Jessie Lee and his posse.

That was the gambler, Father Time.

This here was crazy Little J.

The big man was Obobo.

He was Jessie's enforcer.

And then there was Weezie and Angel.

And then of course there was the leader.

Jessie Lee.

Yeah, man, these cats was the original posse.

I'm gonna tell you...

It all started in the Spanish-American war, on the front line.

- Can it get worse? - It's going to get worse.

I can't take too much more!

Jessie, we're almost out of ammunition. Jessie!

Goddammit, let me go!

Get them off of me, Jessie Lee! They got a fucking Gatling gun out there!

- Obobo, stay calm. - Retreat!

Look at me. I want you to stay calm.

I'm calm. All right. All right. I'm calm.

Is that Jessie? Let him through, boys.

Jessie. Still alive.

I would expect nothing less. I set my clock to you. Come in.

Jessie, they say you can tell a lot about a man by his profile.

A certain strength of character, or lack thereof.

Now, yours, it's scarred, isn't it?

It's very, very scarred.

No doubt you heard the call for retreat. Awful word, isn't it? Terrible.

Don't you think a good soldier would rather die than run? I know I would.

Yet now you come to me with the bullets flying

and you want to know where and how to run.

And the real question is ifI'm gonna let the Tenth Cavalry retreat

or if I'm gonna let them stay right here.

- Weezie! - Yes, Colonel Graham, sir.

- Go and get me that man. - What man?

- From the stockade... - Durning and Walker?

Jessie, you volunteer to stay behind.

I'm gonna have to raise you, Durning.

Raise me?

I reckon you got some good cards.

Or... you're bluffing.

I got the cards. I got the cards.

I'll call you anyway.

I got a full house. What you got?

- You damn snaggle-tooth! - Damn shame we ain't playing for money.

Private Durning, sir?

Weezie, your nose is brown enough. What do you want?

Oh, it's my pleasure to tell you the colonel wants you

and Walker to come with me.

How you like them apples? Come on, let's see them feet.

All right, now.

If the colonel says we should get going, we'll be hoppin' along.

Thank you, Weezie.

Rewards and retributions. Rewards and retributions.

Mr. Walker!

Judging by your recent desertion,

would you say you no longer desire to serve in this army?

Yes, sir.

Walker, you are discharged.

Go on. See you. Godspeed. Run!

Thank you. Turn profile, please.

Turn profile and hold it right there.

Thank you. Shoot him.

Come on, Jessie. Man's a coward, says killing's against God.

You realize I'm giving you a chance to shoot a white man?

Do it.

Do it. Do it or the Tenth stays right here.

Do it!

Rewards and retributions.

And Private Durning.

Durning, you're a gambling man.

Take your chances at 30 paces or take command of the Tenth.

Jessie no longer desires the position.

I guess I'll take command of the Tenth, sir.

Smarter than he looks.

Durning, you and your soldier report to my office at 2100 hours. Thank you.

- Retreat! - We're pulling out!

Thank you, Weezie.

Jessie, did you know this man

is the last surviving member of the Motisa tribe?

Yes, the Motisa tribe. I'll show you.

- Mo tea, sir? - I didn't hear you.

Mo tea, sir?

No, thank you. You boys come with me.

Jessie, you disappoint me. You've never let me down before.

They had a Gatling gun.

- We were outnumbered, outmanned... - And out of excuses.

What's on your mind?

There's a Spanish supply convoy tomorrow.

For delicate reasons we cannot attack it openly.

Due to my political aspirations, a scandal would be unwise.

I'd like the Tenth to slip behind enemy lines, eliminate the enemy,

take those supplies, and bring whatever you find

guns, ammunition - back to me.

Behind enemy lines? Why don't you use your golden boys?

This mission isn't suitable for their skills.

- Suppose we say no, sir? - Suppose I tell you you disappoint me?

Neither of you are in a position to decline this opportunity.

Durning, I can throw you in the stockade forever and then some.

What of your sterling career, Jessie?

Tried to desert in Manila. Assaulted an officer.

Three escape attempts here in Cuba.

That's a very poor record, isn't it?

Of course, due to sentence deferment for military service,

we end up with you here.

You were sentenced to hang but ended up with life in the army.

I can strip you of that deferment if you wish,

but that leaves you standing at the gallows.

Either we go on your mission or he gets life imprisonment and I'm dead.

If that's how you see it, so be it.

Weezie.

Civvies? I don't understand.

Let's just say for this mission uniforms would be inappropriate.

Dismissed.

Evening, Jessie.

Weezie!

Jessie Lee, what did you do in the States the colonel liked you so much?

- What the hell is this? - What is that?

Damn! Who turned out the lights?

Just a little humor.

You have to admit I'm funny, ain't I?

After serious evaluation of this situation,

I figured we should go by the book.

We will go infantry first and sharpshooters to follow.

Sharpshooters all dead except Jessie. Infantry... we it. Ain't nobody else.

- Sounds like you're questioning orders. - No, sir.

This is horseshit.

Maybe we should forget about infantry. Maybe you should just attack.

They don't even know we're here. And they got a lot of guns.

- That's bad. - It makes no sense to wake them up.

We'll go in there and use our hands,

our knives, and no guns. You got it, sir?

Sounds like a motherfucking plan to me.

Let's do it.

Yanquis! Yanquis!

Guns, ammo, anything you can find.

De oro.

I ain't no ''de oro''.

Lookie what we got here. Got a case of rifles here.

Jessie.

Jessie!

Come here, Jessie!

Look, Jessie!

- We in trouble. - Jesus, Jessie!

We found a crate of gold, you don't like it. I'm never gonna figure you, Jessie.

Pack it up. We gotta go.

Good morning, gentlemen. Lost our way home, have we?

Out of uniform and AWOL is no way to end a career, Jessie.

The record will show you all died heroes.

What about the gold?

Hm. I believe the answer to that one is ''What gold?''

Ha!

Nice shot, Jessie!

Come on!

Get 'em, Jessie!

Shit! Ain't nothing wrong with getting some free booty!

Yahoo!

Put the gold in the saddlebags.

This is amazing!

Just what we need, an admiration society, Jessie Lee.

You never know, Graham may need his little houseboy in hell.

Hold on. I'm on your side.

I saved your lives. You should be thanking me.

Save the bullet. I can get us out of here.

You'll have more company soon.

- Out ofwhere? - Here. Cuba.

I can get you out tomorrow. Leave everything to me.

Meet the boat that takes the dead bodies back to the States.

Dead bodies?

Yes. They take them back to the States.

Every fortnight - that's two weeks - I meet the boat.

You meet the boat, get on the boat and you're home. Does that sound good?

Now, I'll need a sizeable amount of that gold to make sure it all runs smoothly.

Jessie, we got to get up outta here.

Maybe not so sizeable.

One, two, three.

He got greedy but I took care of everything.

Only the purser knows you're going to be on board.

- Where's the money? - I changed the gold into cash.