The plot line is derivative of
The Dirty Dozen, but set during the
American Civil War. In 1862, disgraced former US colonel Pembroke (
James Coburn) wants to recapture Fort Holman, which he had previously surrendered to the Confederate army years earlier without a shot having been fired. He has a scheme that might enable him to accomplish it with a small force. Pembroke arranges for the liberty of a number of men who are about to be executed. Eli (
Bud Spencer) was a looter. The other "volunteers" are a deserter who killed two sentries, a soldier who murdered his commanding officer and raped his wife, a horse thief, two other looters (one of whom stole medicine, which caused soldiers to die), and an Indian "bastard" who had killed a white man who sold alcohol to Apaches. The man presented as "the worst of the bunch" – a religious pacifist agitator – declines the offer of freedom and is hanged. Pembroke holds the motley group together by saying he is really after a treasure of gold that is hidden inside the fort. Eli uses a stolen uniform to gain entrance. He soon realizes that there is no gold, and later learns that the present commander of the fort, Major Ward (
Telly Savalas), had blackmailed Pembroke into giving up the fort by threatening his son's life. Ward then had the son killed anyway. Eli produces a paper that shows he is an officer sent to check the fort's security. It works, but Ward plans to execute the "security officer". Before he can do so, Eli triggers a massive explosion that lets the others in, and they attack the garrison. After an explosive battle, only Pembroke, Eli, and Ward are left standing. Pembroke kills Ward with his own sword and the two survivors leave together. ==Cast==