Texas Rangers

EXPLOSION

BATTLE RAGES

During the Civil War, the only lawmen in southern Texas -

the Texas Rangers - disbanded to fight for the Confederacy.

Ranger Captain Leander McNelly was also the local preacher.

He left his family and ministry to fight alongside his men.

After the war, McNelly returned to a defeated Texas,

and found his wife and three sons gone -

taken by bandits.

In the ten years since the war's end,

bandits have overrun southern Texas.

Now the Governor is looking for McNelly.

They say he wants to recommission the Texas Rangers.

HORSE WHINNIES

Leander.

You know, that's a right pretty spot for a resting place.

Who's the grave for?

The grave's for me.

Wait too long, the ground will be froze.

Leander, come spend the winter at my ranch.

We rode down. We have a place for you.

Be like old times.

I don't reckon I'll last winter.

Governor said he sent some of his men,

you wouldn't show at the door, said maybe you'd answer for me.

The Governor just wants to talk with you.

You don't gotta say yes or no or "It's a cold September."

All you gotta do is see him, Leander.

And never underestimate the importance

of the name that you choose for a product.

The Dunnison and Sons Automatic Drawer

for the Tabulation of Financial Transactions.

That just about tells the story, doesn't it?

Every shopkeeper in the country will want one

before they even see it.

That's good, because the prototype doesn't work.

It's a prototype, son. It's not supposed to work.

That's why they call it a prototype.

Look at this.

I've already come up with a solution to the prob...

It's for your mother.

Why didn't you mail it while we were in Austin?

You'll see.

CATTLE BELLOW

Past four, Marshall.

We should get started before these buyers get more nervous.

I got a bad feeling.

You just got to border country today. You get used to it.

Comin' down.

There you go.

Lincoln!

Mother? Jake?

Lincoln! Oh!

Look how tall you've gotten!

-Nice hat.

-Little brother.

-You gonna be a lawyer?

-I just might.

How beautiful!

You still quick?

C'mon, boy.

I'd like to thank all of you for coming here today

for the first of what we hope will be many cattle auctions

here in Los...

King Fisher.

What's your business here, Fisher?

I come for my beeves.

This here's an auction.

You're welcome to bid when the time comes.

I bid 50.

50 what?

50 of them.

HOOVES THUNDER

HORSES WHINNY

Marshall, I don't think you understand.

Round here, I'm the law.

Now, I'm taking my beeves home.

I can't let you take these cattle.

CROWD SCREAMS

CONFUSED SHOUTING AND SCREAMING

WOMAN SCREAMS

-MAN:

-All right. All of you, fan out!

Come on, let's get out of here.

SOBS

MAN GROANS

Is anyone here?

Don't move and I'll shoot!

"Don't move AND you'll shoot?"

What does that mean? If I don't move, you're gonna shoot me?

Who are you? What are you doing here?

My name is Lincoln Rogers Dunnison.

You understand I'm not one of the men who did this.

So I'll be on my way.

I can't lift it free.

I can help you.

Put down the gun.

I'm from Missouri.

We was on a cattle drive.

We stopped for supplies and we got ambushed.

They stole all the cattle and killed everybody.

They didn't kill you.

I was trapped. They didn't see me.

I'm damn lucky that was the case,

otherwise I'd be dead too.

So where are you headed?

Brownsville.

Brownsville? What's there?

The Texas Rangers are recruiting.

Texas Rangers?

I'm going with you.

We'll get them bandits.

It's a long way to Brownsville.

I got a horse.

Name's George Durham.

COYOTE HOWLS

Not so used to sleeping under the stars, are you?

Well...

There's nothing to it, really.

Just dig yourself a little hip hole,

and you fill a bandanna full of sawgrass.

Stick that underneath your head.

It's the Lord's country, Lincoln.

Lord's country.

Land this beautiful...

ain't no wonder everybody's killing over her.

She's been here a long time before us.

She'll be here a long time to come.

You are a philosopher, George Durham.

HORSE WHINNIES

Brownsville.

If we're gonna protect you people,

the least you can do is contribute supplies.

You want a starving army?

Who's gonna keep the crops safe then?

You fellas there. Grab all the grub you can carry.

Get your irons and fall in.

We're ridin' set to kill bandits.

Afternoon, Rangers.

What's your business here?

By order of the community

I've got a vigilantes committee formed.

Nary a Yankee, nigger or Mexican among us.

Unless you have the authority of the state,

disband and disarm these men.

They won't have it.

We aim to protect our land.

Men who want to protect their land,

they can apply to hire from me.

The Governor's commissioned the Rangers

to do the protecting, mister.

Now you disband these men.

You from San Antonio?

Cos you sure as hell remind me of this preacher there.

Some years ago.

Some preacher man.

I don't recall no time in San Antonio.

I suppose you don't.

Men, you can keep your guns to guard your homes.

But that means go home.

I'll give you one minute to take a vote.

THEY CHATTER

Hey, preacher, vote's in.

Preacher...

..say me last rites, preacher, before he takes me.

I ain't no preacher.

Company's making camp, two nights in Brownsville.

Any of you men interested in taking on the star,

west of the town's where you'll find us.

You look for me - Leander McNelly,

or my associates Sergeant John Armstrong or Frank Bones.

GROWLS

CATTLE-DRIVING CALLS

Whoa. Whoa.

Habla Ingles? Americano?

The big villas are north, yes?

You askin' or tellin'?

That is what we want.

TIGER GROWLS

..With many peoples with iron trains. That is what we want.

These beeves don't speak Ingles.

They speak Espanol.

-What do you want for her?

-The tiger is not for sale.

What about her?

-She is my wife, senor.

-What's she do?

-What's she do?!

-She acrobats, senor.

She spins and balances and juggles.

If she can juggle three balls without dropping one,

you can keep your tomcat.

Perdita, andale.

SPEAKS SPANISH

PERDITA SCREAMS

Catch it!

GASPS

SCREAMS

MAN FIRES GUN

-Name?

-Lincoln Rogers Dunnison.

Where are you from, Mr Dunnison?

Philadelphia, sir, as a boy.

Spent the last three years travelling with my father,

a salesman and inventor.

-Where is he?

-Dead, sir.

He was shot down by bandits.

Ain't no revenge ride, Mr Dunnison.

Yes, sir.

Saddle up.

When Frank here says draw, you draw.

If it takes longer than half a second, it means you're dead.

That Ranger badge is your target.

Sarsaparilla!

Most boys draw on sarsaparilla.

Draw, dammit!

The gun doesn't seem to be loaded.

You might want to cock the hammer.

-How did he do?

-Nine seconds.

Seen worse.

Gentlemen, you've been gracious to grant me your time.

I wish you the best in your endeavours.

Give my best to Philadelphia.

Just so there are no hard feelings either way,

I didn't come here for a month's pay,

or to execute some bandits like they did my family.

I came because you sent out for men

who wanted to protect their land.

I have no land but the patch I stand on

but I'd want that land to be lawful, sir.

You put that down in writing, Mr Dunnison?

-Sir?

-That high-minded talk.

You write like that too?

In English, French or Latin.

Well, shit, Mr Dunnison,

I only know Spanish, Cherokee and Comanche.

40 a month in state scrip and found.

You'll get your pay from Sergeant Armstrong

and your orders from me.

We'll sell you boots, a gun and a steed.

But I'll run you 40, Mr Dunnison,

so you'd better last a month...

..cos you're in debt to me already.

-Here you are.

-Thanks.

Wear it proud, son.

Sergeant.

The name's S-S-Sam from S-S-San Antonio.

I've never been to S-S-San Antonio.

Randolph Douglas Scipio from round Texarkana way.

My Dad staked some land out there.

Found himself a copper mine.

So they killed my daddy.

You shouldn't be able to just shoot a man and claim his land.

-Yeah.

-I aim to change that.

So, Sergeant say he'd rather use you

as a rifleman or a scout?

A rifleman or a scout?

Every white boy I met yet says Sergeant made him a rifleman.

If they're coloured, like me, Sergeant made a scout.

Every war I heard of, scouts get killed before the shooters

cos they're the stupid sons of bitches sent out front.

If I don't meet some white boy scouts soon,

President Grant's going to be hearing from me.

Sure. A strongly-worded letter's always best.

They say I'm a scout.

You see this star here?

I'm going to show them I'm a shooter.

Dunnison.

-What do you think, huh?

-HORSE NEIGHS

George.

Lincoln. Lincoln. Lincoln!

We're Rangers! We made it!

We're not sleeping under the stars. We've got a tent.

Oh, it's nice too. You've got to see it.

I've got my bed. I'm on the left.

Fisher's been splitting his men into several bands.

They've been raiding ranches along this trail

on the way to Mexico.

Captain, Mr Dunnison's reporting, sir.

Send him in.

Captain, Sergeant said you wanted to see me.

Thanks, Frank.

Take a seat, Mr Dunnison.

Notebook and pen are yours.

Every word I say, you write it down.

Something slips by, slow me down.

Understood, sir.

October 26.

Company now fully outfitted with 30 men,

orphans mostly, young as 15.

We'll leave tomorrow and train on the trail.

Fisher's split his men into smaller raiding parties.

Lord hope that we're not attacked directly.

COUGHS

Scant trail experience.

Weakness with weapons.

Expect desertions along the way.

Expect...expect most of these boys will not survive.

-COUGHS

-Sir.

I'm capable of writing

my reports to the government, Mr Dunnison,

but there'll come a time when I'm not.

I'd rather have you in the habit.

COUGHS

The Lord is coming for me, Mr Dunnison.

Sir, then why ride?

I figure it's better I walk to meet him...

..than sit and wait.

Hey.

What did the captain want?

He's dying.

Our captain is dying.

MCNELLY: Rangers, our mission

is to stop the outlaw John King Fisher.

Fisher and his men have been burning ranches,

thieving cattle and driving them into Mexico

where he sells them to the Mexican army.

More than a million beeves stolen.

More than 400 men murdered.

We'll be patrolling border country to find these animals,

bring them to justice.

US Cavalry's got a mandate to settle Indian matters.

Leaves us to protect the Texan way.

It's our home, Rangers, and we got right on our side.

Ain't no outlaw stands a fighting chance!

FIRES GUN ALL CHEER

Buck up, recruit! This ain't no goddamn pony ride.

Who are you calling recruit?

You're a Brownsville sign-up.

I've been a Ranger since Franklin - a week and two days.

I know about life on the trail.

Another week, you'll be eligible for retirement.

Watch it, recruit, I'll shoot that lip off at 40 paces.

Name's Berry. Berry Smith.

-Berry? Like Blueberry?

-Like Elderberry to you.

Sergeant sent me to fill out the dab.

Dabs are usually three or four Rangers.

We eat together, scout together.

It's us three and Sandoval.

He's dab leader.

It means we care for his horse, and weapons.

Whoo-hoo!

That boy rides a horse like he's riding his sister.

He knows he's doing something wrong.

Ten cents says he's saddle sore.

20 cents says he's dead by Sunday.

I ain't taking that bet.

Anybody see the way this scout killed those bandits?

Anybody see the way this scout killed those bandits?

Damn!

Sam, I bet you I can draw

faster than you can say peppercorn.

Peppercorn. Just say it.

P-p-p...

-FIRES GUN RAPIDLY:

-P-p-p...

Fast! I'm fast, I'm fast, I'm fast!

So fast you're six feet under.

Missed that target every time, Mr Durham.

Gun's no good unless you're a smart shooter.

Yes, sir, Captain.

Frank, from now on Mr Durham pays for his ammunition.

-A penny a miss.

-Yes, sir, Captain.

Peppercorn.

MAN: I'm telling you, General Cortinas,

the Republic of Texas is there for the taking.

What you're suggesting is full-scale war.

Union army's up north fighting the Injuns.

Hell, there ain't no law south of Austin.

McNelly's been commissioned to start up the Rangers.

McNelly's got 30 men, General, 30. We'd have an army.

For the next shipment, senor...

..we will meet you.

Shit!

Damn, Dunnison. Ain't there anything you're good at?

I'd love to show you, Scipio,

but we won't be meeting any women.

Dunnison, you rope yourself a woman,

I'll drink the Rio Grande.

SCIPIO LAUGHS Yeah.

You want something, Sam?

When you were, er...writing for the captain in his tent,

did you see any m-m-maps in there?

Maps?

I seen them. Maps he studies with the sergeant.

They're pretty b-b-b...

Bad, Sam?

Mm-hm.

My p-papa taught me how to blaze t-t-trails

and k-keep maps.

Might be w-worthwhile having somebody

to m-m-make maps of the t-territory while we ride.

-DUNNISON:

-Captain, Mr Walters was speaking to me

about the maps you were working with.

He wanted to present you with

what we think is a preferable scenario.

Sam.

W-w-well, Captain,

I w-wanted to see...

..I w-wanted to s-s-see...

..if you're the kind of man

who'd beg for his life like a dog

or swallow the bullet like a sorry soldier.

Aargh! Aargh...

Say it! Say it, son of a bitch.

Well, Captain "Cutthroat" McNelly,

the man the whole Union Army couldn't kill.

Shot down by Sam Walters of San Antonio.

Fisher knows you're ridin' the Rangers, Captain.

He's put a real sweet price on your sad hide.

-DUNNISON:

-Aargh!

Suck my spurs, secretary! I brought a bullet for you too.

Turn around, McNelly.

And stop your shiftin' or I'll shoot.

Brave Sam Walters.

Shot McNelly in the back.

Aargh...

How's that for a storybook?

Turn around, McNelly.

Right in the back Sam shot him. Right in the back.

I said turn around!

GASPS

You riding somewhere, Mr Dunnison?

Riding out of Ranger Company, sir.

Company's captain was nearly killed due to my conduct.

I don't presume myself welcome to wear this anymore.

Were you set to ride off with that horse, Mr Dunnison?

That's a Ranger's horse.

I was hoping I wouldn't be sent away without a horse.

But hoping to be sent away.

You were nearly killed.

And I was the reason.

I hired Sam Walters on, Mr Dunnison.

He stood my scrutiny.

He could've taken his shot at me at any time.

He had 30 Rangers on, not just you.

Ranger's horse, Mr Dunnison.

You ride out, that horse is stolen.

My men will hunt you down.

Ranger's boots, Ranger's clothes,

Ranger's weapons.

You walk out makes them stolen too.

So it seems to me the only way you escape a warrant

is to remain a Ranger.

Fisher keeps an outpost around this Mesa.

Freshwater spring on the other side.

Water for the horses when they raid.

But do we know how many?

Shouldn't we know how many?

Around that Mesa, they'll spot us well too soon.

We need to send a patrol.

Berry, Durham, Dunnison, ride with Sandoval and me.

Taking a scout, Captain?

Get yourself shot.

Scipio, go get yourself shot.

And don't get shot second. Get shot first, Scipio.

In fact, shoot yourself, Scipio.

Get it over with.

It's the Ranger's way.

DISTANT VOICES

Five men. Fisher's men, sir. Armed.

And they got a supply wagon.

-Sandoval.

-Yes, sir.

Our mission is to capture these men at all costs.

But I want the cost to be on their side.

When the shootin' starts, they'll be shootin' back.

Not like practice, men.

Anyone surrenders, we question them

and send them to Austin for trial.

Remember, you hesitate, you're dead.

HORSE NEIGHS

HORSE NEIGHS

Where are you wandering off to, huh? Cheval, huh?

My woman lost hold of you, huh?

Drop your guns! Stay down. Texas Rangers.

-Aargh!

-Aargh!

Say your prayers, sons of bitches!

Ambush!

YELLS

HORSE NEIGHS

Ah!

HORSE NEIGHS

Someone throw me a cartridge. I'm out!

Someone throw me a cartridge!

GUNSHOTS CONTINUE

GUNSHOT MAN GASPS

Found one.

STAMMERS

No!

Oh, Jesus...

MEN GROAN

COCKS GUN

GUNFIRE MCNELLY: Get down!

RAPID GUNFIRE CONTINUES

Jesus!

RAPID GUNFIRE

You said there were five men. Five!

I ain't no scout. You hear me, I ain't no scout!

I'm a damn blasted shooter.

Give me.

RAPID GUNFIRE CONTINUES

FIRES GUN

-MAN:

-I...surrender.

We surrender.

SCIPIO SIGHS

So, ladies. Where to next?

MCNELLY: Say your names.

Anton Marsele from New Orleans.

Barlo Marsele. Son frere.

Marsele brothers...

horse thievery and livestock,

extortion of merchant and widows,

kidnapping, destruction of property.

You boys should've stayed in New Orleans.

Why'd you give us some more to write in here?

MARSELE BROTHERS PLEAD

We rode for King Fisher.

SPEAKS FRENCH

With cattle - 400 dead.

Ten ranch hands died at the Sutton ranch.

We kill no-one. Fisher did.

-We work for you now. For you.

-Oui.

You work for the Rangers as a spy?

-Oui. For the Rangers.

-Oui.

SPEAKS FRENCH

-Mr Dunnison.

-Sir.

What did they say?

He said, "This will work.

"They don't know about the others.

"It wasn't in the warrants."

-Uh...no...

-Sandoval.

HORSES NEIGH BOTH YELL

These bandits went down shooting.

Surrender never crossed their minds.

Their rules, not mine.

But I'll play by 'em.

We're Rangers, men.

We've got right on our side.

Scipio.

Treat her fine...

..rifleman.

You said we'd take those men prisoner, take them to Austin,

take them to trial.

We did the trial.

That was no trial.

A trial can run a long time, Mr Dunnison.

Some can run up to a year.

A year is something I do not have.

In the state of Texas, killers hang.

If they're not killers but we think they're killers,

and we don't even check the warrants,

how long will the war go on...

..preacher?

Until the wicked are dead.

And the meek shall inherit the earth.

Are we the meek?

The meek will inherit the earth, Mr Dunnison.

Someone's gotta go and get it ready for 'em.

There are bodies to be buried.

Bury them.

GRUNTS

COUGHS

VOMITS

Some kind of work, ain't it? We done killed six men dead.

We ain't even got our 40 yet.

SANDOVAL: Cattle came through here.

100, maybe 200.

Rangers got the Marsele brothers.

What about the gun?

McNelly destroyed it.

Damn.

30 men and horses.

About 100 beeves.

You know that's marshland and prairie, captain.

Might want to track them to a better terrain.

No better terrain for 20 miles.

And better for us means better for them.

-Might be better to wait.

-Wait till what?

They reach reinforcements? Sandoval?

30 of them. 30 of us.

If we wait, they may have 300.

MCNELLY: We'll ride at full gallop.

They'll see us in the prairie and take defensive positions.

Shoot at the target ahead

and you keep shooting till you taste that outlaw's blood!

No prisoners, Rangers!

CONFUSED SHOUTING

MCNELLY: Fire!

Aargh!

Get the others out of hiding.

Let's go, boys!

HUBBUB

GUNFIRE

Jesus Christ.

We don't have the men, Captain. They set us up. We're trapped.

Aargh!

Aargh!

God help me...

SPEAKS SPANISH

Sandoval!

Don't move!

Don't die. Get up!

SHOUTS ENCOURAGEMENT

Sarge... I'm getting you out of here.

Help me... I surrender... help me!

I surrender!

Help me!

I surr...

Retreat, Rangers!

Retreat!

-GEORGE:

-Lincoln! We're retreatin'!

Come on! We're retreatin'!

We're retreatin'! Get up! Let's go!

Next time you train your Rangers, train 'em how to run!

Go with God, McNelly.

If the son of a bitch will have you.

Ride!

Thank you very much.

Fisher will have ridden on by dusk.

We'll return to Palo Alto.

Get our men.

We'll resupply and get new recruits

at the ranch of my old friend, Richard Dukes.

What did they do with our men?

Cap.

Cut my men down.

Cut 'em down.

Jesus.

Captain!

Por favor...kill me.

Captain!

Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow and easy, comprende?

Nice and easy, little lady.

Your war's over.

Slow and easy.

-MAN:

-Riders comin' in!

Beggin' your pardon, Mrs Dukes. There's riders, Captain.

Are those the Rangers, Daddy?

Caroline, take your sisters inside.

Come on. There'll be a lot of dirty cowboys around.

Got 12 men to bury.

You wanna say some words, Leander?

GENERAL CHATTER

No, no!

BURPS

Wouldn't be so bad to be a ranch hand around here, would it?

They don't get shot at much.

I wouldn't even mind, as long as it were her doing the shooting.

Up there, she was studying me like an encyclopaedia.

I hate to disappoint you, George, but she was eyeing me.

The hell she was!

She was studying me like a bible.

You study an encyclopaedia a lot harder than you study a bible.

You got that buckshot outta your ass yet?

Ten more minutes.

That's how long you've got to live unless you give that bath

to the man who could've killed you.

You couldn't kill a scowl on a Mexican.

SHOUTS UNINTELLIGIBLY

Get the hell outta here!

Have a seat, sonny. Just stay on your side!

Oh, you had to see that. She was eyeing me!

KNOCK AT DOOR

Come in.

Mr Dunnison.

November 17th.

Men fought bravely, but I believe it was my mistake

to lead them into battle in such arduous terrain.

With no natural defencements, they were unprepared

to withstand such a pitched encounter.

I had believed that the numbers were in our favour.

I had believed that the raiders would not be

as well disciplined as they were.

It was a disastrous decision.

Would you agree with that, Mr Dunnison?

Awfully kind of you, miss,

to be taking care of such wrecks like us.

Awfully kind.

Well, it must've been hard.

Were many young like you?

Rest assured, miss, we didn't go down without a fight.

Killed two raiders myself at close range.

I may have killed a couple more in the charge.

-What were their names?

-Pardon?

You had warrants for them, I trust?

The raiders opened fire on us, miss.

There wasn't time to consult the warrants.

That's just as well.

Knowing a man's name makes it harder to kill him, doesn't it?

They're outlaws, miss. We're Rangers.

When you kill a man for stealing some cattle,

you're saying his life is worth as much as that steer.

Your whole state thinks that way and treats other men the same.

We ride to protect the State of Texas.

You ride to balance the blood on the scales.

But some of you - like your friend -

I look into his eyes and I can see it clear.

He's no killer.

George? You looked in HIS eyes?

George?

Miss. Ladies.

Hey. You talking to her?

Got nowhere, George.

Gunslingers. She likes gunslingers.

Sergeant, what's going on?

Trainin' exercises, it looks like.

Who organised this?

Philadelphia did.

About damn time.

Peppercorn.

The State will pay you 40 a month.

Four men to a dab. Seven dabs to a company.

You get your pay from Sergeant Armstrong...

..you get your orders from me.

Fire!

Senorita...

Si?

The Senora wanted you to have these.

They're yours to keep.

You're safe now.

You're with the Rangers.

Those devils can't hurt you anymore.

Who say they cannot hurt me no more?

John Armstrong says.

Senor is...very kind.

Who were those men?

Name to me the devils that hurt you.

We're after those men.

I heard them say they were going to Amargosa

to do a raid at the Logan ranch.

Thank you.

MCNELLY: All recruits, let's get ready to move out!

-MAN:

-Come on! Pack it up.

Saying goodbye?

Yeah.

Shot five bandits over at Palo Alto.

Well, I mean...

..I killed 'em, Judy didn't.

..but I was riding Judy.

They was dead before they even saw me draw. Blam! Blam!

George! Sell it in the dime stores.

She'd...make a good ranch horse.

I think you'd make a good ranch hand.

Miss Dukes, hope he hasn't tired you with his stories.

All the bad men he's killed, the hangings, shoot-outs...

..it's hard to keep track.

Actually, we were speaking of a horse.

He killed a horse?

Miss Dukes.

MCNELLY: Amargosa is a 40-mile ride.

We'll make it by nightfall. Send a man into Shepparton.

Telegram Victor Logan, tell him to get his family out of there,

and the Rangers are coming.

Made the lady a promise, Captain.

We're taking her to Camargo.

Another hour and it's sun up.

Any sign over there?

Dust, Captain.

Dust and sky.

Night.

Why wouldn't they ride at night?

She wasn't dead.

I don't follow.

The rest were dead.

She wasn't.

So why did they leave her behind?

Hey, Cap!

Cap, wait up!

They let you live. Why? To say what? What?!

Stop. You're scaring her.

SPEAKS SPANISH Amargosa?!

She told you what she heard them say.

What they wanted her to hear!

What they wanted her to say!

MCNELLY: Rangers!

SOBS

Men, we're riding back to Dukes.

Dunnison, Durham, Scipio,

stay behind with Sergeant Armstrong.

Take Perdita as a prisoner.

-What if they still raid?

-We're not at the raid!

The raid can only be at the Dukes Ranch.

GUNSHOTS AND SHOUTING

GUNSHOTS

Perdita...

..you didn't know.

You couldn't have.

Please forgive me.

Aargh!

Aargh!

Hya! Hya!

SPEAKS SPANISH

Aargh!

Sergeant!

Scipio!

DUNNISON: Hya!

SHOUTS IN SPANISH

SPEAKS SPANISH

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

No! You want to kill me, kill me.

Or do you want to have me first?

I don't want to kill or hurt you. I want to know why.

They know I'm from Camargo. They're riding to Las Cuevas.

If I don't say Amargosa, they kill my family.

They ride tonight? SPEAKS SPANISH

Where are they? Does she know?

They're riding from Mexico, crossing at Las Cuevas.

Tell George to tell the company. We're taking to the trail.

-Who is?

-You and I. Mexico.

Richard!

MCNELLY: Richard!

GUNS COCK

Where's Richard?

Rangers!

GUNSHOTS

Drive the herd!

These are Mexican beeves now!

And the man is a Mexican man!

Captain Leander McNelly!

I've been waiting for you.

The young soldier has been talking my ear off since dawn

trying to work himself a trade.

One Mexican juggler for one Texas clown.

You send Captain Dukes across that river,

we'll send your girl.

You have my word.

Could use a man like you, Captain.

Man who can shoot,

man of his word,

man who can live like a king in Mexico.

If I was your wife and boys,

Mexico's where I would've hightailed it by now,

instead of waiting for a killer like you.

Maybe they're here now, McNelly!

Living like kings in Mexico!

Captain Dukes for the girl.

He means nothing to you.

But he means something to you.

Richard!

Now we send her.

-DUNNISON:

-No!

-Stand down, Mr Dunnison.

What she did was to save her family.

She's a victim, not an outlaw.

Stand down.

Or be shot.

This is not what Rangers do.

Captain, show them the difference between them and us.

Stand down, Dunnison.

The State of Texas commands you

to leave its lands now and forever.

You will be prosecuted and imprisoned

should you ever return.

May God have mercy on your soul.

I did what you say.

-MAN:

-And you'll do what I say tonight and tomorrow.

Maybe one day, we'll charge admission.

SPANISH GUITAR MUSIC

I don't know which I wanna do worse -

kill the son of a bitch up there

or go teach him how to play.

MCNELLY: Take up your pen, Mr Dunnison.

-My notebook, sir?

-Take up your pen.

November 19th.

I, Leander McNelly, being of sound mind...

..do hereby bequeath my land and property

to the Texas Rangers...

..to do as they see fit.

The following items excepted -

my Navy Colt field glasses,

and books on military strategy...

..to Lincoln Rogers Dunnison...

..a soldier fit to lead.

My bible I would like to be buried with.

That is all.

Sir...

In that fort,

there'd be far more than 30 men.

They'll never expect us to cross into Mexico.

They'll be well armed,

well provisioned.

They've been riding for weeks, sir.

It's their first night back - the women, the liquor.

They'll crave sleep.

COUGHING

COUGHS

Bones, start your men at the front gates.

Baker, take your men high to the ridge.

Come on.

Aargh!

Armstrong, Durham, take your men low to the back gates.

Dunnison and I will take the front.

Now let's wake them up.

GUNSHOTS

RANGERS SHOUT

GUNSHOTS

The tunnels! Come on. Let's get in the tunnels. Move!

Charge!

-Move in, Rangers!

-GUNSHOTS

Oh, shit!

We're surrounded!

SCIPIO: What the hell?!

We're surrounded at the back!

YELLS

GROANS

GLASS SHATTERS

RAPID GUNFIRE

SCREAMS

I'm out of cartridges! Someone throw me a cartridge!

GROANS

SPEAKS SPANISH

Heard you were fast.

GROANS

Faster than that.

COCKS GUN

-This'll only hurt for a second.

-DUNNISON: Maybe two.

Kill him, Mr Dunnison.

Kill him.

You kill me, I kill him.

RAPID GUNFIRE

MEN SCREAM

Go!

Captain, Captain, they want to surrender.

They want to surrender.

No surrender, right, Captain? No prisoners, right?

We take back our cattle.

We take them as prisoners.

We take them to trial.

-But, Captain...

-Those are the terms.

He wants to see you boys.

LEANDER COUGHS

When they remember us Rangers...

..let them remember us not as men of vengeance...

COUGHS

..but as men of law...

..and justice.

Can't help but think that they're watching.

Yeah, I bet they're up there,

rather like the old days.

Hi, Caroline!

Rounding up cattle. We'll see you tonight.

He'll make a good rancher.

And whatever else you've got in mind,

he might be all right at that too.

He's a good man, Mr Dunnison.

Ride safe, Mr Dunnison.

Rangers!

Ride out!