Benito Garza is from the town of Victoria and is the son of Domingo and Trinidad Garza. Since his father has died, he is responsible for seeing to the marriage of his sisters. Maria marries Zave Campbell and Josefina marries Finlay McNab. When rebellion begins in the 1830s, Benito joins the forces of Santa Anna to preserve the old order in Texas. After Mexico lost the war, Benito becomes a famous bandit and is wanted by the Texas Rangers. Just as the Mexican War of 1846 - 1848 is to begin, he meets and falls in love with Maria de la Luz Lopez, known as Lucha. He is forty at the time and her parents oppose the marriage, but they marry anyway. As soon as they are married, he goes to General Arrista's headquarters since they had word that the Americans were at the Rio Grande. He is a part of the search party that kills a group of Americans that led to the outbreak of the war. Benito wanted Mexico to recapture Texas. He does not fight in the battle for Monterrey, since he is went further south and meets Santa Anna at Vera Cruz and then remains with the army Santa Anna amassed. Lucha is with him. Garza leads the attack on the Rangers at Avilia and kills their captain. This results in a massacre in the small village. The war ends with Santa Anna going into exile in disgrace. Benito and Lucha are with him in the carriage as they leave. As the carriage is driving by, he recognizes Otto McNab but neither one acknowledges the other. Benito and Lucha remain in Mexico, both filled with hatred for the Americans. He is eventually killed by Otto McNab.