In the Dakota Territory of the 1870s, outlaws-schooled in cruelty during the War Between the States-roam and prey upon anyone unfortunate enough to cross their trail. And the line between outlaw and lawman is often blurred. Some of those sworn to protect the helpless might exploit them instead. Some of those deemed hard cases might yet redeem themselves. Backed to the Wall plunges a lawman and an outlaw into a bloody battle that only one of them can survive-if the Indian raiders terrorizing the local homesteaders and cattlemen don't kill them first.