Yellowneck

Four Confederate deserters—Sergeant Todd, Plunkett, Cockney, and the Kid—hide out in the Florida Everglades. A mysterious Colonel appears with a note from an Indian promising safe passage to the coast so he can be taken to Cuba. The four men reluctantly join him, hoping to reach the ocean and ride out the war together.

The Colonel carries a note from an Indian who promises safe passage to the coast for him and his group. They agree to travel with him toward the coast, despite lingering suspicions about loyalty and motive. The treacherous wetlands and hostile forces test their fragile alliance from the start.

The Indian guide is found killed by Seminoles, abruptly shifting the group's plans. They decide to press on with the Colonel, wary but committed to reaching the coast. The renewed danger around them makes trust more precious and more brittle.

Plunkett reveals he has stolen a large amount of gold from the Confederate army, which Cockney immediately wants for himself. Tensions flare as greed collides with fear and survival needs. The group becomes bogged down in suspicion as they trek deeper into the Everglades.

Cockney confesses his fear of snakes, and even the touch of a serpent sends him into a paralyzed panic. His vulnerability compounds the group's peril as the environment seems to close in on them. They must decide how to protect him while staying alive.

The Colonel explains that he deserted after giving drunk orders during the Battle of Murfreesboro, a revelation that stains his authority. The confession reshapes the others' view of leadership and loyalty. The group continues, carrying the weight of his secret.

A drought tightens supplies, and the group discovers two dead deserters who were killed by Seminoles. The Colonel wants to bury them, but the others fear it could draw danger from nearby Seminoles. The Kid changes their minds, insisting on respect for the fallen.

The Colonel falls ill with fever and begins to hallucinate, chipping away at his grip on reality. Smoke seems to signal looming danger, and the Sergeant ventures out to investigate. The disintegrating leadership accelerates the group's peril.

The Sergeant is attacked by a panther while investigating the source of the smoke, adding to the chaos. They encounter a seemingly abandoned Seminole settlement, and in his deranged state the Colonel charges into the camp and is shot by an arrow. The party escapes the assault, but the Colonel dies that evening.

With the Colonel dead, the group fractures further and each man fights to survive on his own terms. The sense of camaraderie dissolves as trust erodes and the path to the coast becomes a brutal test of endurance. The remaining members brace for a harsher journey ahead.

Cockney is killed when the group stumbles into a nest of rattlesnakes, toppling into them. The loss compounds the strain on Plunkett and the remaining member as fear and fatigue mount. The wilderness exacts its cruel toll as the trio dwindles to two.

The trio must cross a river filled with alligators, a grueling passage that tests their grit. Plunkett offers the gold he had to the Sergeant, but on reaching the far bank, the satchel holds only rocks. He suspects Cockney stole it and dives back into the river to search, where he is eaten by alligators.

Only the Kid and the Sergeant remain as they press toward the ocean. They share a heartfelt talk about running away from their problems, a fleeting attempt at reconciliation. The Sergeant steps into quicksand and is consumed, despite the Kid's futile efforts to save him. The Kid is left haunted by the voices of his dead comrades.

In the final sequence, the Kid finally reaches the ocean, surviving the brutal journey that claimed his comrades. The horizon marks a hard-won escape and a future that remains uncertain beyond the war. The film closes on a note of endurance and quiet resolve.