Mario Van Peebles' story of ex-slave Jesse Lee who was conscripted into the Spanish American War in 1892 and who, along with his squadron of black conscripts, was ordered by Colonel Graham (Billy Zane) to ambush a supply column that happens to be laden with gold. However, Lee and his men realise that once they have stolen the gold Graham plans to kill them - so they decide to keep the booty. But Graham catches up with them in New Orleans.
The 'posse' flee to Lee's hometown, Freemanville, but even here the men cannot escape trouble as local strife rises to a head, and Graham is hot on their trail.