In the spring of 1865 in Nevada, a small band of Confederate States Army soldiers disguised as civilians intercept a shipment of gold escorted by Union Army cavalry troops. Following a heated battle, Confederate Major Matt Stewart (Randolph Scott) learns from a dying Union officer that the war ended a month earlier. Matt and his men transport the gold as planned to the scheduled rendezvous with Captain Petersen (Glenn Langan) who has been scouting the area disguised as a travelling peddler. When Petersen confirms that he knew the war was over, but made no attempt to tell the men, hot-headed Rolph Bainter (Lee Marvin) shoots him dead. The men briefly debate what to do with the gold. As ranking officer, Matt decides they will take the gold back to the South to help finance their country's Reconstruction Era of the United States.