This film was the first high-budget color feature made by producers William H. Pine and William C. Thomas, who were known for their ability to produce quality low-budget films, which earned them the nickname "Dollar Bills."
Filming started October 1948. Some exterior shots were filmed in El Paso, Texas. Other scenes were shot in Gallup, Arizona, Nevada, and at ranches in the San Fernando Valley.
FOREWARD: "Charleston 1865. At the end of the war."