Posse

In 1898, convicted prisoner Buffalo Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 10th Cavalry Regiment, led by Jesse Lee (Mario Van Peebles), are conscripted to fight in the Spanish–American War in Cuba. As the segregated African-American unit is barely holding its own against constant attacks from enemy troops, Jesse runs back to the command post of the corrupt and racist Colonel Graham (Billy Zane) to request that the 10th Cavalry be allowed to pull back. Colonel Graham orders Jesse to shoot a White prisoner in exchange for allowing the 10th to retreat. Unable to kill a man in cold blood, Jesse demonstrates excellent marksmanship by shooting the man's cigar from his mouth. Colonel Graham then kills the prisoner (under the guise of desertion), and offers Jesse's command of the 10th to Little J (Stephen Baldwin), another White prisoner (the alternative would be to face the firing squad). Graham then orders the 10th to fall back in order to begin another mission, one in which they will be required to wear civilian clothing, as opposed to their Cavalry uniforms. They are ordered to rob a Spanish gold shipment, which is a setup to give the Colonel an excuse to execute the entire 10th Cavalry as deserters. As he meets them with his own cavalry force, his aide Weezie (Charles Lane) causes a distraction, allowing the 10th to shoot the Colonel and his cavalry down.