Silver River

Halt!

Major Ross? Yes?

I'm major Wilson from headquarters.

You can't take this wagon train into the village.

Why not?

Lee has engaged our entire army at Gettysburg.

The pay train is not to enter the village.

Yes, sir.

Captain McComb?

You're in charge. I'm going to reconnoiter up ahead.

You stay here with the train. Don't move.

Saunders. Bring your men, come with me.

They left us high and dry with a wagon load of money.

We could start a little poker game.

Poker? With an army payroll? Not me.

Jeb stuart's right on this flank. You better get out of here, captain.

Look!

Get those first two wagons down the road.

We'll make a run for it with the pay wagon.

Pistol, take over the wagon.

Captain, what are you doing with that money?

That's government property.

I know it.

What are you going to do with it?

Burn it.

Burn it?

Have you gone crazy? That stuff's real.

Just as real to jeb stuart if he got a hold of it.

It's getting a little warm here.

Get on that near wheel horse.

I'll pull the kingpin.

Lucky we thought of burning that money.

We won't get anything,

but major Ross will probably get a promotion.

He can have it. I'd settle for a good bath.

I suppose you have an explanation for this, captain.

Yes, sir. Enemy raiding party nearly captured us.

But we managed to destroy the payroll.

You mean you deliberately set fire to it?

Speak up, captain.

Yes, sir. There it is, or... was.

You had your orders and disobeyed them.

Our lines were broken at Gettysburg, I know that.

If the enemy had got their hands on this money,

they could have kept this war going forever.

Captain, we just learned that lee is in retreat back to virginia.

We didn't lose the battle, we won it.

I left captain McComb in charge.

Told him not to move from his position.

It seems that he took matters into his own hands

and did, against army regulations,

burn one million dollars of pay of the union armies in the field.

Gentlemen of the court, we must admit the allegations.

We have never denied the facts as presented here,

nor that they were in violation of the articles of war.

But I ask you to consider the character

and record of this officer.

Captain McComb served under me-

therefore I know whereof I speak.

I realize that he was under orders,

orders not to move from his position.

But gentlemen, an order is not a god,

it is a guide.

This is a flagrant case of direct and willful disobedience

of orders and regulations.

Captain Michael McComb is to be cashiered the service of the united states army,

forfeiting all pay and allowances now due.

The findings and sentence of the court have been approved

and will be duly executed,

by command of major general howard.

Thank you, sergeant.

The war department gantry opened your case, Mike.

I'm sorry, because I still don't think you had it coming.

Well...

it's a hard, cruel world, isn't it, major?

Well, I really wanted it to work for ya, Mike.

I even saw the adjutant general.

The adjutant general, huh? Hmm, thanks.

I can't blame you for feeling bitter.

Bitter? Ha ha, I'm not bitter.

I'm grateful...

for the lesson.

Lesson?

Yes. I didn't follow their rules, so they tossed me out.

But I'll follow them from now on in...

except they're gonna be my rules.

In other words, if there's gonna be any shoving around,

next time I'll do it.

Anyway, thanks, major.

Well, good luck, Mike. Come on, boys.

You lose.

This game is crooked. I want my money back.

What do you got, only 6s and aces under those dice?

Can't you make an 11? Where's honest harry?

I want my money back. Are you honest harry?

Wait a minute. Now somebody's gonna get hurt here.

He's my friend. What do you think you're doing?

We'll show ya.

How would you like a nice crack in the skull with this?

I wouldn't like it.

A tulip!

Now you better start kicking up the dirt

while you're still on your feet.

Rough exterior but a heart of gold.

Yeah. Hard and yellow.

Hey, pistol. Yeah?

Can you still blow a bugle?

A what? A bugle. Can you blow a bugle?

I guess I could if I had a bugle.

Go get one.

Bugler.

Sound assembly.

Can they court- martial you twice?

Blow!

Columns in fours, men.

Columns in fours.

All right, line up, line up, stretch it out.

Attention, left face!

Now then, men, listen carefully.

I have orders I want carried out immediately.

This camp is a disgrace,

and there's the cause of it over there.

Honest harry's. Gambling.

Crooked dice, bad liquor.

You boys didn't lose your money, you were robbed.

Attention. I'm gonna put a stop to this.

Go in there and give them a little of the old army boot.

All right, men. Break ranks.

Double quick. Let's go!

You wanna get hurt?

Attention!

Well done, men, I'm proud of you.

Now take these hoodlums

and ride them out of town on a fence rail.

Don't treat 'em too rough...

just barely kill 'em.

Now where is the tulip?

There he is, over there.

He's out cold as a fish.

Well, take him and throw him in the river.

This is a new one on me.

Stand aside, son. I have a way with those things.

Here.

Thank you.

All right, boys.

There it is.

There's the money those thieves stole from you.

Hey, don't break up that gambling equipment.

The provost marshall might need that for evidence.

When the provost gets through with it,

we might just buy that in.

What are you doing?

I'm getting back my mustering out pay.

Well don't use your pockets.

Here. Use a barrel.

I'll get yours, too.

Pistol? Yeah?

I have news for you.

I think you've just gone into the gambling business.

Mike, we're in trouble.

That bunch of crooked freight handlers attached our stuff.

What for?

Aw, some jacked-up charge or other, but it's serious.

Fellow named Banjo Sweeney bought the writ of attachment

and he's trying to grab our equipment.

Well, forget it.

Cards. I'm out.

Seizing properties on false attachments is no dodge.

It won't work in missouri,

but it's sure legal in kansas.

That's right, mister.

I want your bill of lading, McComb.

Oh, we were just discussing you, mr. Sweeney.

Well, there's nothing to discuss. Just give me the bill.

Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute.

After all, if you're going to grab a man's equipment,

I think the least you could do is give him the benefit of a little conversation.

I didn't come here for conversation. Quit stalling.

I'm not stalling.

Why don't you sit down and have a drink?

We can settle.

I'll get the sheriff. He'll settle your hash.

Take one more step, and I'll shoot you...

in the back.

You don't take any chances, do you?

I never take chances. It's too risky.

Hey! Hey, mr. Sweeney.

I've been looking all over for ya.

Serve the writ.

Huh? Oh, yeah.

That's McComb right there...

with the gun.

Yeah...

yeah...

well...

what's the matter, boys?

Couldn't be that we crossed the line into missouri, could it?

That's right. I'm sorry, mr. Sweeney.

You know, McComb, the way you held that gun on him, i...

I really thought you'd shoot him in the back.