I got the time line down...

[Groggy]

Forgive me if my memory is a bit fuzzy, but wasn't the California Column a Union outfit commanded by James Carleton? 

Otherwise, great job.  I've long been interested in this forgotten theater of the Civil War and it's really neat that it's prominently featured (if obliquely) in one of my favorite films. 

[cigar joe]

It could be, you are probably right,  I was going by what the map labled the column that split off from Sibley's brigade, but mow it may be the line of march to Ft. Thorn from Tuscon. Anyway here's a link:

http://www.militarymuseum.org/CaliforniaColumn.html

[il brutto]

A real great great job!
I have one questions to ask:
When did Jackson hide the gold in the unknown grave?

We know he saw Arch Stanton’s grave because he told Blondie about it. Now, Stanton died on Feb. 3rd 1862 if I remember well, and the inquiry took place on the second week of February.
I guess he did the job during this two facts, that means between Feb 3-4th and 12-13th.
What do you think?

Another question: where did he hide the unknown body?

[dave jenkins]

Maybe there never was an unknown body. Say Jackson was part of the burial detail after his unit was ambushed; he waits for an auspicious moment, then creates a grave to hide the cashbox loot in. At this point, before the battle of Pea Ridge (thanks CJ!), the graveyard was still relatively small (am I right in thinking Tuco finds Arch Stanton's grave somewhat close to the center of the graveyard?).

[marmota-b]

(am I right in thinking Tuco finds Arch Stanton's grave somewhat close to the center of the graveyard?).

Yes, you're right.

[iceman]

A real great great job!
I have one questions to ask:
When did Jackson hide the gold in the unknown grave?

We know he saw Arch Stanton’s grave because he told Blondie about it. Now, Stanton died on Feb. 3rd 1862 if I remember well, and the inquiry took place on the second week of February.
I guess he did the job during this two facts, that means between Feb 3-4th and 12-13th.
What do you think?

Another question: where did he hide the unknown body?

Maybe he dug the grave next to Stantons and took a "unknown" cross from another grave and just stuck it in the Empty hole he just Dug.

One thing that puzzles me a little
Stanton died Feb 62,.... the shoot out took place in July 62

Stantons skeleton and clothes look like they have been there for years. Would his Flesh and clothes have disintegrated so much in just 4/5 months

ICE


 

[The Peacemaker]

Stantons skeleton and clothes look like they have been there for years. Would his Flesh and clothes have disintegrated so much in just 4/5 months

ICE


 

Movies don't have to make sense, if they did do you think those cheesy action flicks of the 80's and 90's could've been made? Though, I like many of those cheesy action flicks. 

[cigar joe]

Very shallow grave, & carpet beatles can pick a body pretty clean in short order. my guess.

When did Jackson hide the gold in the unknown grave?

It would be shortly after the attack on the paymasters detail I would guess..

[The Peacemaker]

Very shallow grave, & carpet beatles can pick a body pretty clean in short order. my guess.

Yeah, plus the coffins made during the time of war would probably be cheap. Makes it easy for those carpet beatles to get in. 

[Spaghetti Bob]

I have to admit that this has been an amazing thread, what with all of the semi-revisionist historical fantasy that has taken place here.

The maps are astounding. A lot of work went into them, factually and 'cinematically.'

My confession: GBU inspired me to investigate the events of the Civil War in the Trans-Mississippi West, in my junior year in college (US history class, to 1877). Until then, I thought that Civil War battles in the New Mexico - Arizona territory, were pure movie fantasy. Not so! I ended up writing a term paper on the Sibley Campaign as a chosen topic. All thanks to a movie I saw while in high school. And made by an Italian director, no less!

Anywhere else but on this board, would I be embarassed to admit that Italian Westerns inspired me to higher levels of educational endeavors! 

[il brutto]

Maybe there never was an unknown body. Say Jackson was part of the burial detail after his unit was ambushed; he waits for an auspicious moment, then creates a grave to hide the cashbox loot in. At this point, before the battle of Pea Ridge (thanks CJ!), the graveyard was still relatively small (am I right in thinking Tuco finds Arch Stanton's grave somewhat close to the center of the graveyard?).

I agree with you that probably there were not many graves yet when Jackson hid the gold, this could explane why he chose a grave in the first row, right close to the arena. In a big cemetery as we know it, I would have hidden the gold in another grave, more central and more difficult to find.
Anyway, do you think that Sergio considered this detail in positioning the grave? I am not so sure, to me it is close to the arena just because it had to be functional to the action.
Can you imagine GB&U running from the centre of the cemetery to the arena and get ready for the shootout?

[il brutto]

Maybe he dug the grave next to Stantons and took a "unknown" cross from another grave and just stuck it in the Empty hole he just Dug.

One thing that puzzles me a little
Stanton died Feb 62,.... the shoot out took place in July 62

Stantons skeleton and clothes look like they have been there for years. Would his Flesh and clothes have disintegrated so much in just 4/5 months

ICE


 

Yes, it makes sense…you are also right about Stanton’s skeleton: maybe it was not considered so nice to show a deteriorated body in the 60’s. A skeleton seems more neutral I guess. Anyway, I believe that due to modern coffins, bodies today are much better protected and deteriorate slower, but I am not a pathologist and most of all I don’t want to be gruesome.

[dave jenkins]

The question of when everyone meets for the first time should be addressed again. AE and Tuco evidently met sometime before 1861, but Blondie and Tuco meet for the first time in GBU in their first scene together. When does Blondie meet AE? He points AE out to Tuco at Betterville, so he knows him by sight......

[marmota-b]

When does Blondie meet AE? He points AE out to Tuco at Betterville, so he knows him by sight......

It's Tuco who points him out; but Blondie definitelly knows AE too.

[cigar joe]

I still need an explanation of why Jackson/Carson went to Stevens and told him his new identity. I can only surmise that he went to Stevens to make Baker think that Stevens was in on the job and knew about the gold, and this would buy some time and get Baker off his trail.

But why did he tell Stevens his new identity?  Again I can only surmise that Jackson/Carson was probably planning on switching identity again to throw Baker off, but got seriously wounded before he could do so.