MovieChat Forums > Major Dundee (1965) Discussion > Historical Basis for this movie

Historical Basis for this movie

posted 20 years ago by enthusiast
9 replies | jump to latest

Like most movies set in this time period (Old West and Civil War) this movie actually has an historical basis. By late 1862 some Texas Confederates were POWs and interned in Minnesota. Due to the Civil War most of the U.S. Army troops had been taken out of Minnesota and sent southward towards the battle zones. This left the frontier in Minnesota open to attacks by Indians (as the native North Americans were called then), and, in fact, quite a few attacks occurred on settlers in that area. The United States needed manpower to fight off these attacks but from where could they get the soldiers?

The Army realized the Texas POWs probably had some experience in that sort of warfare so they offered them the opportunity to serve in the U.S. Army with the understanding they would only fight the Indians and never be deployed anywhere near where they might have to fight any Confederates. Quite a few took up the offer and served, quite well, on the Northern frontier. After the war they were released and made their way back to Texas. There was not near the acromony in real like that the movie showed, and the soldiers were successful. Also, unlike the movie, this took place in the Northern frontier; not the Southern one so Mexico was not involved.

Interestingly enough, some years after the Civil War ended the various states offered pensions to their veterans. The Texas soldiers obtained a pension form Texas, of course, but what is VERY interesting is that these soldiers also qualified for, and received, pensions from Minnesota- a Union State! They were probably the only Confederates who received Union pensions. It would have been interesting to see these soldiers at Civil War reunions (such as occurred at Gettysburg in 1938) and see which side they were on at the reunion! Hmmm...perhaps they wore their Confederate uniforms on Monday, their Union uniforms on Tuesday, back to the Confederate uniform on Wednesday.....Anyway, it does uphold the old saying about Texas producting some of the best soldiers....no matter which side they serve on!!!!!! ;)

[–] g3b 20 years ago

The term for these Confederate soldiers who defended the frontiers was "Galvanized" Yankees. Interesting book of the same title by western author Dee Brown. Looking forward to the restored version of the movie!

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] marktayloruk 16 years ago

Mentioned in book "Gone With the Wind."Any factual book about it?

[–] The24thFoot 16 years ago

Actually, Confederate and Union troops teamed up to fight the Apaches in New Mexico and Arizona along the Mexican border on several occasions ... not just in the Minnesota Dakota War of 1862.

I recall reading a blurb about this in one of my military history magazines (Civil War magazine I believe) and being fascinated by the article.

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 16 years ago

There are a lot of books about the Sibley Campaign. I read one about a year ago but for the life of me I cannot remember the title or author.

We can't have Arab desperadoes running around kidnapping American citizens!

[–] Sid-Blitzen 16 years ago

"the Confederates, ... had a company of lancers charge across the Rio Grande against Union infantry".

Interesting. I had heard of Rush's Lancers in the Union army, but never their Southern equivalent.

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 15 years ago

Because that wasn't the story he wanted to tell.

There was a decent amount of fighting in Texas throughout the war, just not major battles of the Gettysburg-Antietam scale. The Union had an incentive in keeping an eye on the French in Mexico and were able to capture a few coastal cities and border towns, along with failed attempts at capturing Galveston and Sabine Pass. Plus Juan Cortina (bandit-turned-Mexican General) launched several raids into Texas at the urging of the Union government.

"Shoot straight, you bastards! Don't make a mess of it!

[–] Sid-Blitzen 16 years ago

"Hmmm...perhaps they wore their Confederate uniforms on Monday, their Union uniforms on Tuesday, back to the Confederate uniform on Wednesday....."

Or like comedian Red Skelton, who in one movie marched between the warring armies wearing a blue coat draped over one side, a grey one over the other, and the respective flags held in either hand. All went well, until the wind changed and blew the flags the other way round!

[–] rcocean3 15 years ago

For Dramatic reasons Peckinpah overplays up the Rebs vs. union soldiers. Many Confederate soldiers not only served on the Frontier, but joined the Union army and fought against the South, or early in the war took the Oath of Allegiance and went west to live.

After April 1862 the Confederacy had a draft, and a lot of reluctant men got swept into the army. IRC, something like 10,000 deserted to the Sherman's army during the Atlanta Campaign.