The story begins in a prisoner of war camp in Illinois during the US Civil War. Conditions in these camps were godawful...and some of these Confederate men have a chance to leave. They are being offered a chance to join the US Cavalry out west....not to fight against their own but against renegade Indian tribes. Considering the alternative is starvation and sickness in the camp, it makes sense that they'd take this offer....even if it meant possibly helping 'the enemy'.
Much of the film concerns how these former Rebels do in adjusting to life on the prairie. It also shows how their new commander (Jeff Chandler) has his own issues which exacerbate the problems with these new recruits. The acting is uniformly good, writing and action about the same. Well worth seeing and better than the average western.
By the way, I did some reading an apparently about 5600 former Southern soldiers and cavalry men DID agree to join the Union Army during the war. And, in 1863, just like in the film, President Lincoln offered Confederate prisoner of war parole if they joined the western Cavalry in patrolling the area around the Indian territories. And, if you care, they were sometimes called 'Galvanized Yankees'.
Much of the film concerns how these former Rebels do in adjusting to life on the prairie. It also shows how their new commander (Jeff Chandler) has his own issues which exacerbate the problems with these new recruits. The acting is uniformly good, writing and action about the same. Well worth seeing and better than the average western.
By the way, I did some reading an apparently about 5600 former Southern soldiers and cavalry men DID agree to join the Union Army during the war. And, in 1863, just like in the film, President Lincoln offered Confederate prisoner of war parole if they joined the western Cavalry in patrolling the area around the Indian territories. And, if you care, they were sometimes called 'Galvanized Yankees'.