Dream West (1986): Season 1, Episode 1 - Dream West - full transcript
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We've to find a way
to open up the great West.
Couldn't find the trail.
[men yelling]
What you see here,
gentlemen, is ambition.
Now, I want you to know
that I reject your implication.
Charles is gonna make
a mark in our time.
You'll stay away from her,
defy me and I will break you.
Don't threaten me, senator.
- I'll kill you!
- Father, we're married.
My name is Carson Christopher,
folks call me Kit.
You must contact Charles,
at once. He's being recalled.
Pack it up!
We're movin out!
[male #1]
'They swear they're going
to kill whites
'for what the trappers'
have done.'
Any man goes past Laramie,
don't live that long.
You're trouble. You've got fear
and caution all mixed up.
[dramatic music]
[soft music]
[birds chirping]
[music continues]
[music continues]
Ma'am.
[woman groaning]
Ma'am.
Ma'am.
Ma'am, uh..
[male #2]
'Louie..'
...bring me the canteen,
will you?
Ma'am, can you tell me
what happened?
The trail...couldn't
find the trail.
What trail, ma'am?
Couldn't find nothing.
We ran out of food..
...about a week ago,
then we..
Don't-don't talk anymore,
h-h-have a sip of this.
We'll take you to our camp.
We'll get you something
to eat, some medicine..
- Tom. Tom.
- Huh?
Please mister..
...don't let the wolves
get us, please.
We lost.
We lost.
Look here, Charlie.
People who want to go West would
try anything to get there.
Yeah, but where did they..
What does that mean? Based on
explorations of Louis and Clark?
Must've got it
from some no-good who told them
it would get them to Oregon.
These people have no idea.
Louis and Clark never made a map
that for anyone else to follow.
That's the trail they were
looking for. The Oregon trail.
That's trappers' route.
It's not a trail at all.
Never to find.
Well, Louie..
...let's make sure
the wolves don't get 'em.
[melancholic music]
[dramatic music]
[male #3]
'Come on, girl!'
[whistling]
[horse neighing]
[indistinct chatter]
Lieutenant, you feel that air?
- Quite nippy, wouldn't you say?
- Time's running.
We should have been
out here of two weeks ago.
Tell you, the boys
don't like it.
Well, put a little tobacco
in their pipes
they'll feel a lot better.
Ain't no more tobacco.
Anyways, tobacco
won't help them
if we get caught
out here in the winter.
We got no furs, no snow shoes
and not enough blankets.
We'll be long gone before
the first snow.
We better be.
What's wrong
with Papa Joe, anyway?
He should already be headed back
to Fort Snelling.
Steady as is.
Running up and down this river
three or four times.
More like a dozen times,
if you ask me.
[Charlie]
Well, Marty, you know
map like this
is never really finished.
Aw,is that right, Charlie?
Looks to Marty and me like it
was finished weeks ago, Charlie.
Maybe Papa Joe likes eating
nothing but fresh-killed meat
lieutenant, but we sure don't.
Runs through a man
like a sieve, lieutenant.
- 'No flour for 10 days.'
- 'Sugar too, Charlie.'
Ain't got a damn thing
to cook with.
[male #4]
'We're all looking like
scarecrows, lieutenant.'
'And Papa Joe's playing sick.'
Don't he know that,
coughing all day, spitting.
Get your hand off of me.
[grunting]
[horse neighing]
Hey, break it up!
Alright, that's enough.
- Get outta my way, soldier boy.
- Put down the knife.
I'll put it up your..
[men]
Yeah, yeah!
Maynard, put it away.
Get up! You're in a lot
of trouble, mister.
As military commander
of this expedition--
You know what you're gonna do
with your expedition.
[male #5]
'What's happening here?'
What's happening here is
men are as mean as
the sourest vinegar.
- It's your own fault.
- Just a second, Provost.
Lieutenant, if you don't
tell him, I will.
Tell me what?
Papa Joe.
We've been
out here too long.
Not too long to finish
what we came for.
Winter is almost here. We've
done everything we came to do.
[Provost]
'Ten times over.'
We'll be finished
in a week or two.
We don't have a week or two.
We get snow
and the rivers lock up.
There is no danger of that.
[coughing]
Papa Joe, you're ill.
I can't risk it.
- Risk? Risk is failure.
- The risk is getting frozen in.
The rest of us can get out
no matter what the weather does.
You're the one who's not
gonna make it, you're the one.
We'll have to bury you,
I'll not let that happen.
You're talking like a fool,
like a fool.
Are you ready
to jeopardize success?
We're gonna break camp.
If we push, we can
make Snelling by nightfall.
We'll spend the day there
and start downriver
as soon as the boats are ready.
Charles, I beg of you,
don't do this to me.
Y-you will still have
another chance, but I-I--
I'm doing it for you,
Papa Joe.
Alright, let's move it.
[indistinct chatter]
Look at all of this.
This is what I call..
- Ain't it a joy, Charlie?
- Ah, sure is.
They've got lot of women
in this town, Charlie.
They say you ain't had a women
until you'd St. Louis women.
They love to dance
and they love to drink.
My, oh, my,
do they love to love.
Come on, Charlie, let's get us
a shave and a bath.
Some sweet little lady
tell us how pretty we are.
Why don't you and I get in that
other tub there, sweetheart?
- Oh, using sex if you like.
- You bet I do.
But first we must take off
this hardened beard, mister.
Much rather you
took off that dress.
[both chuckling]
Nicole, where's the scissor?
Find them yourself,
I am busy now.
- What's the matter, monsieur?
- Hm?
You look as though
you do not like Nicole.
No, no, honey,
I like you fine.
Nicole, where did you
put the damn scissor?
[speaking foreign language]
- Charlie.
- Hm.
- You alright?
- Oh, sure, sure, I was..
I was just thinking
about that family.
A thing like that
should've never happened.
If people wanna go west
there should be a way
to get 'em there.
Well, maybe it's up for you to
do that. If that's how you feel.
You know something Louie?
You might be absolutely right.
- So, you are ready now?
- Oh, you bet he is.
[shouting]
There you go, Charlie.
- My, my, my.
- Oh!
Monsieur..
...but you are happy now.
[all laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
- Well, well, well.
- Woo.
The dinner party tonight
is being given by Sen. Benton.
Chairman of
the Military Affairs Committee.
You see now why
he is so important to us.
Not entirely, sir.
Thomas Hart Benton has his
finger on the army budget.
When he approves
an expedition that assures it.
He's a great enthusiast
of western exploration.
Essential to us, my boy.
Essential.
Wouldn't hurt to have an
important friend in the senate?
- Would it?
- But is he a friend?
We've to make him one, if we
can. But do be careful with him.
Oh, he is firmly convinced he
knows everything and sometimes
you cannot even be sure
that he's listening to you.
But he is a great man.
And we need him.
[coughing]
[instrumental music]
Gentleman, know my position,
hard money, gold based coinage
the crash of 37 never
wouldn't have happened.
It's been harder than
Mississippi Valley, senator
I can tell you that.
We're drying up like
a back water pond.
It looks to me like we're
gonna let a whole empire
slip away from us.
Oh, never, never,
that would be a crime.
[Sen. Thomas]
'Plus the American Fur Company
to the British in 1812.'
[applause]
[indistinct chatter]
[soft music]
[music continues]
Senator's over here, Charles.
[music continues]
Then there's still
Laramie and Bridger.
Trading coach.
They're fading fast with
beaver trade gone.
Oh, the problem, gentlemen,
is that until now
this country's advance
has been made by individuals.
Mountain men, pioneers, settlers
men willing to clear 80 acres
and plant a stand of corn.
But no individual can press all
alone into grassland.
Everything is different
out there.
[Senator]
'Without trees for building
without abundant rainfall.'
'How can he possibly make
his 80 acres succeed?'
'It was those pioneers
who carried us on their backs'
'for two hundred years now.'
We must find new ways
to explore this empire.
Learn how to use it.
That's exactly, senator.
We've to find the way
to open up the great west.
We cannot remain
a people for whom
destiny is defined
by geography.
[Sen. Thomas]
'I foresee the empire that
stretches to the pacific.'
Yes, and reaches beyond
that mighty ocean, to China.
How can you talk about China
when a man can't even
get to Oregon?
Senator, I regret very much,
my assistant..
Your assistant, is most
precipitate young man.
Well, go on. You have something
more to offer, do you?
Sir, I've seen a family killed
by the Oregon myth.
But there doesn't have
to be any mystery
about the western territory.
There's a ready answer
at hand, sir.
Oh, what may that be?
We've just come from an
extensive examination
of uncharted country, sir.
I'm not unfamiliar with
MonsieurNicolette's work.
Then you should know, sir,
that the map we produced
from that work, will open
the territory we explored.
What do you know about
the far west, Lieutenant..
Fremont, sir.
John Charles Fremont.
What do you know about
the sweep to the Rocky Mountains
under the Pacific,
Lt. Fremont?
Well, not much, sir.
But science unravels
all mysteries and--
Don't preach to me, sir!
You're confident to a fault.
Confidence of arrogance
one should doubt.
The fact is there hasn't
been an exploration
of the American west
worthy of a word.
Now you say you have solutions?
Explain them to us, sir.
Sir, anyone at all can follow
the map we're making.
Because it shows
exactly what's there.
If it says, a certain stream
enters 30 miles above another.
That's exactly what
you'll find on the ground.
How can any map be that precise?
[Fremont]
'Ours will be, sir.'
You see it's based on
star sightings
compass readings, longitude,
latitude, terrain sketches.
Worth it indeed.
Oh, excuse me, gentlemen.
You have, uh...an ardent
supporter here, is he correct?
Yes, sir. We will be months
in preparation
but when we are finished.
Our map will be precisely
as he says.
You'll be doing
this in St. Louis?
No, sir, Washington.
We leave in a few days.
Well, I very much like to see
this epic as it takes shape.
Perhaps, a visit to your work
room would not be amiss.
It would be our honor.
[Nicollet]
'You've a lot to learn,
Charles.'
[Charles]
'I'm sure I do, sir.'
[Nicollet]
'Do not talk to a powerful man
like Benton, you simply do not.'
I thought he rather liked me.
I liked him too,
as a matter of fact.
One does not like or dislike
Senator Benton, one courts him.
And one does not
cast eyes at his daughter.
Is that who she is?
Lord, what a beauty.
So you caught me at it,
did you Papa Joe?
It's a wonder
the entire room did not.
Charles, I advise you to put
Jessie out of your mind.
Jessie, is that her name?
Jessie.
The apple of his eye
and his closest confident.
Ever since his wife died
it is Jessie who precedes
at every dinner
in the Benton House.
Charles, I hope you do not
jeopardize our work by--
I intend to marry her.
But, Edward, Nelson was
two whole years ago.
You needn't remind me.
And really I had no knowledge
of his intentions.
The audacity of the man.
You are 14 years old
asking for your
hand in marriage.
I'd have refused him any case
since I hardly knew him.
The point I'm trying
to make, papa--
Yes, darling, I quite
understand the point.
The point is that my banishment.
- Banishment..
- Yes, banishment, papa.
ToMonsieur Ignatius'school
in Georgetown.
Now girls, we're here to learn
propriety and circumspection.
Really, papa, how much of
proprietary and circumspection
am I supposed to absorb?
It's been almost two years now.
Two years of exile
in a hog house.
And I'm not hog house flower.
But you're a very
pretty one though.
Papa, I care about
the real things in the world.
Things you deal
with all the time.
Going back to George Town
is like moving
from the real world
to the artificial.
There's no reality in
ten minutes in this study
than in an entire
month at school.
And admit it, papa.
You do miss me, don't you?
I miss you, yes.
And I'll miss your help.
Then let me come
home papa, please.
- Well--
- I need to feel useful again.
Ah, maybe, maybe,
when the next term ends.
Term is ending now, papa.
Now don't rush me, Jessie.
I have to think about it a bit.
A bit? Does that mean yes?
It means..
[chuckles]
You're so good.
And so easily twisted
around your little finger.
- Oh, you poor, poor--
- Now you stop that.
Manipulated papa.
Can we get on to more
important matters do you think?
Yes, sir! At your service, sir.
You are perhaps the silliest
creature I ever..
Alright now, listen.
- Dinner party that we're--
- Yes, sir, the dinner party.
Now, it's for British visitor
Sir. Roger Dunston.
He's a guest of Joel Point.
I maybe doing this
as a gesture to Joel.
Now there is no Lady Dunston,
at least not with him.
So put Ms. Poinsette on my right
and Joel on your left.
Yes, sir. Consider it done, sir.
'Will you please be serious.'
Now our-our Crittenden's
are gonna be there.
And I've invited, Sen. Lynn
and Henry Dodge.
'Finally Nicolette
and a man named Provost'
who guided the expedition.
And of course the bright young
assistant of his Lt. Fremont.
Have you been to the map room?
Yes, it's vast.
'Much of it is well over
my head believe me'
'but this young fellow Fremont
makes all seem so clear.'
'I'd say he's the one
who that brings'
'Nicolette's abilities
into focus.'
'Certainly..'
'I must admit,
I like it.'
[knock on door]
- Good evening, Lieutenant.
- Good evening.
[Fremont]
'Thank you.'
Lieutenant..
...you're early.
I know, about 15 minutes.
I couldn't wait
to see you again.
You look lovely...exciting.
Lieutenant..
...really we've...never even
been formally introduced.
Lt. John Charles Fremont.
'It's the same dress
you were wearing in St. Louis.'
Yes.
Did you wear it for me tonight?
- I hardly think that's prop--
- Did you?
Yes, I did.
Do you know
what I felt that night?
'Do you know
what I said to Mr. Nicolette?'
I told him, I'd finally met
the women I've been searching
for all my life.
You were shocked.
Do I shock you?
'I put you on notice,
mademoiselle.'
I am very serious about you.
[knock on door]
I take notice..
...My Lieutenant.
Good evening,
Mr. and Mrs. Crittenden.
- Good evening.
- Mari.
'How lovely you look.'
Jessie, my dear.
- John, how nice to see you.
- Jessie.
Come in, please.
Do you know Lt. Fremont?
- Lt. Fremont.
- Yes.
- Lieutenant.
- How do you do, sir?
Only last year President Van
Buren ordered the work day
on federal projects
reduced to 10 hours.
For all you know, this
seems to be following suit.
That's another world,
Sir Roger.
It's a new world
we've entered.
Senator Lynn, more wine?
Oh, why, thank you dear.
Your father always has the--
She is charming,
isn't she?
Ma'am?
Yes, ma'am. She is.
And tell me, senator, now how
many hours do your slaves work?
Sir. Roger, I don't enjoy
talking about slavery
but I will say that
this is not a slave household.
Dodson here is a free man
in my employ
I hold no slaves,
though perfectly legal
to do so here in Washington,
I abhor the institution.
'Moreover...no one should
take this question lightly.'
That the vision
of north and south
in their ever
more adamant groups
represents the greatest
of all threats...to this union.
Papa.
Slavery makes bad table talk.
Indeed it does.
Lieutenant Fremont,
would you say Mr. Provost here
is an experienced trail guide?
- One of the best.
- Indeed he is.
Mr. Provost,
supposin' I were plannin'
a...a little journey, west.
West? Where? There's a lotta
west out there, sir.
Across Kansas, north of the
Platte river, Fort Laramie.
- It's a long way west, Tom.
- And beyond that.
'To the head of the sweet water,
at South Pass.'
I can just see you
on a mule, Tom. In buckskins.
[all laughing]
How long would
such a trip take, Mr. Provost?
Doin' exactly what, sir?
Wanderin' around
or lookin' at Indians?
- Of what?
- Mapping the route?
[Mr. Provost]
'Five or six months.'
Dependin' on what
you might run into.
And why would you
wish such a map, senator?
For the sake of...
convenience, shall we say?
The convenience
of an adventure further west
to California, for example,
or...Oregon?
Has anybody heard
me mention Oregon?
May I remind you, sir, that
Oregon is British territory.
No. No. It is not
British territory.
'It is jointly held,
under treaty'
by the United States
and Great Britain.
Equal rights, sir
by force of discovery.
Oh yes. Yes, I know the treaty.
Only too well, in fact.
But as a practical matter
Britain holds Oregon,
by occupying it, sir.
- Only for the moment, sir.
- And, what does that mean?
It means that
America sees it's destiny
in an empire that sweeps
across its own continent.
Until it encounters
British territory
and there it must stop.
Our manifest destiny lies
in westward expansion, sir.
Let me assure you one day
Puget Sound will be ours.
That is an outrageous statement.
Oh, my dear.
I-I-I'm so terribly sorry.
Please don't fret over it,
Sir Roger.
Look upon it...
as an omen of good.
May we never spill
anything but wine, over Oregon.
Well said...Miss Benton.
[applause]
The cook has made
the most...sinful dessert.
So, Dodson,
would you clear, please?
This isn't the most orthodox way
of offering a man a commission
but, what about it? Can you
give me a map to South Pass?
Muy bien,sir, I assure you.
We will give you a map
that anyone can follow.
[Nicollet coughing]
What do you think, Henry?
We'd do it through
the Topo Engineers, of course.
Would thirty thousand,
cover the cost?
Give or take a penny or two.
Oh. That would
be more than enough.
John, would the wigs
in Congress go that far for me?
Well, I-I don't
see any difficulties, Tom.
How soon do you think you
can mount such an expedition?
Well, I'm not sure
that we could..
[coughing]
Are you well enough to lead
such an arduous expedition?
Oh yes, certainly.
I've a small cold just now.
More than a cold, Papa Joe.
You've had
that cough for months.
'Ever since
we were up on that--'
Well, a bronchial irritation.
But nothing--
You were about to say,
Mr. Provost?
Senator.
Ever since those
last few days on the Minnesota
the rivers were freezing over.
Winter was comin' on fast.
The horses,
the men, ready to drop.
Well, Mr. Nicollet here..
Well. There ain't
any other way to put it.
His health just,
plain broke down.
That is nonsense.
Lt. Fremont here had to assume
command and lead us out.
'Absurd.'
Nothing of this sort
happened. I assure you.
Charles. Tell them
will you, please.
Papa Joe. You were
very sick last year.
You still haven't recovered.
That is a vicious lie.
Vicious and untrue.
You were impatient to return.
- I humored you.
- Papa Joe, please.
If you lead this
new expedition.
We'll be burying you
along the way.
Ambition..
What you see
here, gentlemen, is ambition.
Yes. He wants to lead
the expedition himself.
Gentlemen.
I have no such intention.
What we have here
is a hungry young man. Huh?
[coughing]
[coughing]
Please. Will you
give me a moment?
Lieutenant?
Will you lead the expedition?
Papa Joe.
I'll fetch you a hack.
I require...no further
assistance. Thank you.
Nothing ever changes, does it?
French denied
me at the academy.
And now you, deny me this.
Papa Joe. I wish with all
my heart that you were well--
Men do not change.
Hungry men. Huh?
Do not change.
Miss Benton.
I must see you again.
- Yes. But--
- As soon as possible.
They've asked me
to lead this expedition.
That means
I'll be leaving soon.
Leaving?
May I ask for your father's
permission to call on you?
Yes. Ask him.
Provided it doesn't snow.
Jessie. Come say goodnight
to our guests.
Of course, father. Tonight.
Ask it with words.
Senator. May I speak to you?
Your attentions to my daughter
are to cease at once.
Sir?
You are quite obvious, sir.
And I won't have it.
- Senator, I assure you--
- You will assure me of nothin'.
She is sixteen years old. And I
will not have you seein' her.
Do you understand?
You are not to see her.
Senator, you...my intentions
are entirely--
You have no intentions.
You will stay away from her.
Defy me, and I will break you!
- Don't threaten me, senator.
- I do threaten you.
I give you fair warnin'.
Goodnight, Lieutenant.
I suppose if a kiss gets stolen
here in the gazebo
I won't know
anything about it.
But I want
your solemn promise
that nothing more
than that will transpire.
- Oh, Maria.
- Hush, dear.
You're a grown woman.
Do I have your
word of honor, Lieutenant?
- You have, ma'am.
- Very well.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have some errands to run.
I was so frightened.
- So was I.
- Not of your father. Of you.
Of me?
I was afraid you
might never see me again.
I'd rather die first.
[soft music]
Charles. What are we to do?
- Jessie?
- I know he likes you.
It's us together
he doesn't like.
I'll speak to him.
Tomorrow. It's the only way.
No. You mustn't.
- He'll be furious.
- Jessie.
I love you.
I love you.
Well then, I'll speak to him.
No, Charles.
- You mustn't. Not yet. Please.
- Why?
I understand my father
the way no one else does.
You must promise me.
We can keep seeing each
other here. Maria will let us.
Charles?
Please give it a little
more time. Won't you?
[soft music]
[indistinct chattering]
[chattering continues]
Look where you're goin'.
That guy will be horsewhipped.
Senator. Ms. Benton.
May I be of assistance?
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Situation is well in hand.
What luck have you had,
finding the guide, Lieutenant?
- Ah. Still looking, sir.
- Well, there's time yet.
Yes, sir. There's...still time.
Good day.
[people chattering]
My mother was married
to a Major Pryor.
Revolutionary war veteran.
Sour, peevish old man.
They tell me.
It was an unhappy marriage.
Then my father came along.
They fell in love.
My mother told Pryor about it.
Honestly. Begged him
to release her but..
He flew into a rage, on and on.
Even threatened her physically.
So they...ran away together.
I was born..
Before they were married.
Out of wedlock.
As-as they say.
Why didn't you
tell me this sooner?
Good lord.
I've never told anybody.
I'm not anybody, Charles.
It doesn't matter to me.
Well, it matters to me.
You don't know how people
treated us in Charleston.
What my mother and I suffered.
Side long glances. Silences.
Amused contempt.
But it was just
a matter of timin'. An accident.
Accidents decide our lives.
'I'm not gonna let an accident
decide our future, Jessie.'
I leave tomorrow for St. Louis,
to talk to Colonel Kearney
about the weapons I ordered.
When I get back... I plan
to talk to your father.
No.
Jessie. I can't go on
stealing kisses like this.
- I'm not a child.
- Do you think I am?
Well no. But we've
been behaving like children.
Stop it, Charles.
Don't you see my father is only
lookin' out for my interests.
Your interests?
That's outrageous.
What's this? Politics?
- What are you talkin' about?
- Look at what your doin'.
I can't talk to him
and now talk to you either.
Jessie.
All you both care about
is your stupid pride.
Jessie.
- I love you.
- I love you.
We just survived our...
first quarrel. Do you know that?
Charles. I-I can't
stop kissing you.
Let me speak to him.
No...that's not the answer.
[soft music]
[Jesse]
'I love him so much, Maria.'
Are you sure?
Positive.
Then there's
no reason for tears.
Come now.
Dry your eyes.
He's everything
I've ever wanted.
Dreamed I've wanted.
He cares about things
the way I do.
And he's gonna do things.
Great things. I know that.
Charles is gonna
make a mark on our time.
And I want to be
with him when he does.
To help him.
To share with him.
To love him.
You must tell your father.
How can I?
After all these weeks
of meeting Charles
when I was...specifically
forbidden to see him.
I feel like a cheat.
I've always been able
to talk to papa.
And now when I want to share
the most important thing
that's ever happened
to me, I can't.
Because I've been
deceiving him.
It's a betrayal, Maria.
Nonsense. Tell him, Jessie.
I'm only seventeen.
A grown woman. Tell him.
Maria. He could send
me back to school again.
Or to Boston or to China.
He has complete
control over my life.
He's my father.
Oh Maria, what are we gonna do?
What can we possibly do?
Well, there is...another way.
I know.
Perhaps, that's our
only choice now.
[Col. Kearney]
Hm, you seem to need quite
a bit of hardware, don't you?
[Charles]
Yes, sir. We'll be gone
at least five months, sir.
- Why a cannon?
- Well, sir.
My orders are to connect
my survey to South Pass
with the coastal survey
made by Commander Wills.
I know. Why, a cannon?
We'll be passing through a good
deal of hazardous country, sir.
I'd like to be as
well prepared as possible.
Lieutenant, don't you
know it takes a skilled
artillery man to handle
a piece like that?
Your expedition
is composed solely of civilians.
Well yes, sir. But one of my men
Zindel was an artillery
member of the
Prussian army, sir.
He knows how to handle
a cannon of this size, sir.
Cannon won't do you a damn
bit of good against Indians.
They maneuver
like...like infantry.
Yes, sir. But Ashley
took one out in twenty six, sir
and found it effective.
Louis and Clark had a gun.
- A one pounder.
- Yes, sir.
But, he used it effectively too.
[indistinct chattering]
The gun would be useful to me,
sir. If only as a morale factor.
Lieutenant, what class are you?
Thirty seven? Thirty eight?
I haven't the honor to be
a graduate of West Point, sir.
Well.
That would explain your obvious
ignorance of correct
army procedure.
This requisition should
have been made weeks ago
onto your own superiors
in Washington.
Yes, sir.
But I knew only recently
that I'd have a gunner along.
Prudence would dictate that if
such a gun were truly necessary
a gunner would have been
sought, initially.
And the chance
present to the gunner now
doesn't make the gun any more
necessary than it was earlier.
Sir, I've been
working for months
putting this
expedition together.
- There's still a--
- 'This expedition..'
Was commissioned by
Senator Thomas Benton, was it?
Yes, sir. It was.
I noticed that
you saw fit to mention
that fact
on the requisition form.
Well, yes, sir.
To indicate the importance
Congress attaches
to this mission.
Very well, Lieutenant.
I'll authorize the house.
On the grounds that a..
commander in the field
should be allowed
to choose his own weapons
within reason.
And the artilleries
just barely within reason.
But I want you to know
that I resent your implication.
My implication?
I've known, and I've admired..
Thomas Benton
for a good many years.
But I do not look to him
for military direction
and I don't believe that
he intimated you that I should.
Sir, no one ever suggested that
Senator Benton ever intimated--
You'll get your weapons
Lieutenant, when you need them.
Including the cannon.
I hope you use it well.
Whoa!
Whoa! That's just fine.
[indistinct chattering]
[male#]
There you go.
We got two more.
- Fremont, coach to Washington.
- Alright, Mr. Fremont.
Aye, there, sir.
My name's Carson Christopher.
Folks call me Kit.
Fremont John Charles.
Folks call me Charles.
Yes sir, I know.
Captain Lambert says you're
looking for a guide
to the western country.
Me and him was
in the mountains there.
- Is that so?
- Yes sir.
I know the country pretty good.
I believe I can take you
anywhere you got a mind to go.
- You know South Pass?
- Indeed I do sir.
- Been through it many times.
- Where else you been?
Well, let me see sir.
I'd come down to Santa Fey Trail
as a runaway.
Spent a couple
of lean years in Taos.
I went out to California
with Yuan Yung in 1830.
Trapped beavers a while
with Jim Bridger.
- You worked with Bridger?
- Oh game, I sure have.
I've been half my life
out in that old country.
I've run the Rockies
north to south, east to west.
Ain't no part of them
I don't know.
You'll have to excuse all
my questions, Mr. Carson.
- But you see--
- Just call me Kit.
You see, I can't afford
to choose a wrong man.
- There's too much at stake.
- I appreciate that, sir.
- I'll be frank, Mr. Carson.
- Call me Kit.
I wanted Provost
for this expedition.
But he is not available.
So, right now I am looking for
somebody like Bridger.
- Or it's Patrick.
- Both of them good men.
I advise you get
either one of them, sir.
Well, they're
not available either.
Tell me something. If you are
so skilled in the mountains..
Why haven't I heard about you?
Well, sir, likely or not,
if you've never heard about
Kit Carson, then you ain't
spent much time
around the mountains
your own self.
'You ain't been to Ben's Fort
or Fort Laramie
you'd never ask that question.
I bet you don't even know
you've got the choice
of three jumping off places.
Jumping off?
Jumping off into
the wilderness, sir.
Jumping clear off the edge
of the earth it feels sometimes.
'You got St. Jones,
you got Independence'
'you got Westport,
here all of 'em in Missouri.'
You ever been west to Missouri?
Matter of fact, I have.
- Ha ha.
- You've got yourself a job.
- 'Yes sir'.
- Kit. Ha ha ha.
Excuse me, senator,
but...Miss Jessie here--
Thank you, Dodson.
We'll announce ourselves.
- 'Papa'.
- What are you doing here?
Senator Benton, we thought
you should know.
I thought you were
on your way west.
- Not quite, sir.
- Well, what is it you wish?
I've done nothing
to discourage your leadership
of this expedition.
But if you've taken my courtesy
as a sign that your attentions
to my daughter are now welcome,
then you are making a serious--
We're married, senator.
- What?
- We were married yesterday.
- God, kill you.
- Father, we are married.
Legally, for ever.
- How old are you?
- Twenty eight, sir.
What kind of a man are you?
Preying on children.
Jessie is not a child.
I think you know
I didn't marry a child, sir.
You seduced a child.
There's been no seduction, sir.
I love Jessie and she loves me.
You are not worthy
to say her name.
You're a contemptible coward.
Afraid to ask for
so you stole her.
That's not true sir.
I didn't speak to you because
that was Jessie's wish.
I love her. And I promise
to take care of her for ever.
Oh, spare me your
cheap sentiments.
You have violated my family.
You've taken advantage
of my daughter.
Your daughter deserves
better than that, sir.
She's not easily
taken advantage of.
Do you know that this man
is illegitimate?
Pop?
The bastard son
of Charles Fremont
a vagabond that wandered
from town to town
taking frescos of poster
and furniture
teaching French, seducing women!
- Papa, that's enough.
- Enough indeed.
I'll have this whole sordid
business annulled at once.
If you do that...you'll never
see me again.
Then go now.
Go on, get out of my house.
Take your fine husband with ya.
[melancholic music]
[music continues]
- Charles.
- Hm?
- I made this for you.
- What?
For you to take with you.
- To keep you safe.
- Well, well, well.
The peace part means you
make friends with the Indians.
And the eagle?
- For you to soar on his back.
- Ha ha ha.
- Over the highest mountains.
- My!
I'll be worried about you,
here all alone in Washington.
I'll be alright.
I've plenty of friends here.
Besides, I know my father will
make amends before long.
How can he not?
Once he realizes I've married
a wonderful, honorable, brave..
...passionate, ha ha ha.
And I dunno if I'd
discuss that with him.
[both laughing]
God, how I'll miss you.
- Sunrise you said.
- Sunrise.
Then we'll have all the time
in the world..
[romantic music]
[indistinct chattering]
[chattering continues]
Excuse me.
Jessie? Jessie...oh, thank
the Lord, I found you.
I've been looking
for you every where.
What is it, Maria?
You must contact Charles
at once. He's being recalled.
Recalled? He's still
in Missouri.
A messenger has already
been dispatched.
- To Westport?
- By the packet boat?
Why? What has happened?
A Colonel, Jefferson Barracks
has apparently been
stewing over a cannon that
the Saint Lewis army issued
to your husband.
[Maria]
Now he's contacted Washington.
[Jessie]
Why? What difference does
one cannon make?
[Maria]
Col. Kearney believes
that it has no place
on a peaceable scientific
expedition.
And Washington agrees with him.
Peaceable. There are wild
Indians out there, Maria.
Did you for one minute imagine
that the army's primary concern
is for your husband's safety?
He's not West Point, darling.
Now that's the long
and the short of it.
They regard Charles as
a maverick, and they would love
to replace him with
one of their own.
Jessie, he's being recalled.
Do you understand?
But this is his dream, Maria.
Fightin' in the West.
Making it safe for people to--
'There are no dreamers
in the army, Jessie.'
There are only fools, whose sole
concern is for authority.
The chain of command.
The bowing and scraping
and saluting that indicates
a junior officer
knows his place. Charles--
Charles is a captain now.
- He was promoted.
- A junior officer.
Who ordered a cannon
without going through the proper
channels here in Washington.
You said, recall order
went by packet boat?
Yesterday.
The river loops and winds.
A man riding over land
could get there before
the boat does, couldn't he?
I must write to him.
I must warn him at once.
Oh, thank you, Maria.
Come, Sally.
[indistinct chattering]
Mighty fine piece, captain.
Might come in handy.
Don't you think?
If I was an Indian and I saw
that thing I'd run for the hill.
- Does he know how to fire that?
- As well as you know to cook.
Just make sure you point it
in the right direction, Zindel.
Got you map maker here.
He don't like horses, captain.
I was once bitten by a horse.
They are stupid beasts.
Well, why don't you
ride a mule then?
They even more stupid.
You can always walk
to South Pass..
I will ride in one of the carts.
- Excuse me, captain.
- Yeah.
I need some oil cloth
for my sketch books.
Wouldn't wanna risk what I draw
gettin washed out or blown away.
No, no. Zindel, where's that
oil cloth I ordered?
Over here, sir.
Sketch books? For What?
For me to draw about everything
that we see on the way.
I was commissioned
by the captain in Philadelphia.
This your first trip to Western?
Yes, sir. Yours too?
- Hardly. The name's Zindel.
- Kern. Ned Kern.
I'm an artillery man.
Ever seen one of those before?
No sir. Spent the last few years
in a class room, teaching.
- This is all pretty new to me.
- Welcome to you, Ned.
This promises to be a most
interesting trip.
[horse galloping]
- Captain Fremont?
- Right here.
Got a message from Mrs. Fremont.
- Is she alright?
- She's fine, sir.
But she wants
you to read that fast.
[Jessie] Darling husband, there are very important reasons for you.
to leave Westport at once. I beg you, leave within the hour.
Trust me and go.
I love you. Jessie.
Alright men, pack it up.
We're moving out.
- You mean now?
- I mean right now.
Move these branches
out of the way.
Come on.
[indistinct chatter]
What did you find, Kit?
A good camp down
on the river, captain.
Over there. Good grass,
good water. Keep moving boys.
Whoa!
[buffaloes grunting]
[Kit]
'You ever see so many buffaloes
in all your life, captain?'
I've never seen
any buffalo before.
There got to be at least
2000 of them out there.
'The idea is to pick yourself
a cow and you hold to her.'
You got to run your horse
like he's running on your
'own two legs, never mind
them breaks or draws'
'or prairie dog holes.'
You think you can cut
yourself loose like that?
I'm ready.
- Yee-haw!
- Yeah, yeah.
[upbeat music]
[music continues]
[gunshot]
[music continues]
[gunshot]
Ah!
[grunting]
Oh.
Oh.
You enjoy sitting in that
buffalo pack, yep?
Yeah. Life's little blessings.
I guess it broke my fall.
How's your horse?
Didn't break nothing, did he?
- No, he looks alright.
- Did you get off a shot?
Well, I might as well
thrown a stone.
She took the slug
and never slowed down.
- 'I couldn't believe it.'
- Grazed off her ribs, I expect.
Gotta hit 'em behind the ear
or you won't get 'em
with vital spots that small.
You aiming that little spot
like I told ya?
Aim? I was lucky
to get off a shot at all.
I've never known a man get
a buffalo at first try.
I've run seven cows myself
before I got one down.
Well, this ought to keep us
some meat for a while.
You ever taste fresh
buffalo blood, captain?
Not lately, Kit.
Give her a try. Make you
a true son of the plains.
Go ahead, can't hurt you none.
Tastes just like warm milk,
don't it?
- Oh, exactly, Kit.
- You're gonna be alright.
You ain't just
a stargazer, captain.
You're gonna make a first rate
buffalo man.
Mmm.
[male #1]
'I don't know.
Something's are..
[male #2]
'I need some more
wood over here.'
Ain't nothing in this world
can beat buffalo meat.
- Yeah, it sure spoils for meat
- Angry women.
Don't care
for the taste of it.
It'll grow on you, Preuss.
I doubt it.
[male #3]
'Indians know
how to eat, alright.'
[male #4]
'Indians know.'
'A whole lot more than good
eating, I can tell you that.'
That's for sure.
You see 'em bring down
a buffalo with nothing
but a bow and arrow.
[male #5]
'Ha, hell, plenty of them
Indians do.'
Use lances
most of the time.
Huntin' buffalo I mean.
Well, I know that.
They do it with an arrow too.
- Nearly anything.
- Anything.
I never knew what a weapon
an arrow could be until
that night one come out of the
dark and hit Jules Garmits
right in the back.
'Him and me was
hunting buffalo.'
He was standing around a fire
warming his hands, you know
and they come, Blackfoot.
Knocked him out in the fire.
He fell into it on his face.
Old Jules, "Hey", started
screaming and rolled over
on his back.
And that broke off
the damn shaft, you know.
Worst thing that
could've happened.
I just wanted anything what
I can do for him after that.
Blackfoots.
Oh, there ain't no Indian
tougher than Blackfoot.
Nor meaner.
Like torture 'em. They keep
'em alive for hours.
Kicking and screaming
every minute.
Their women love it.
They love all that screaming.
Blackfoot are bad.
Lucky we're in Sioux country.
Sioux ain't no pussycats
neither, Charlie.
They're great warriors.
Lucky we got the cannon, eh?
Cannon won't do you
no good against the Indians.
The Indians wouldn't give
you nothing to bombard.
That's right, general.
They don't fight that way.
Yeah, speed and surprise.
One minute, you're sitting
around the fire
the next minute..
...you got an arrow
in your back.
I do not much care
for Indians.
Preuss, you and I
better get started.
Good clear night.
Best if you get some sleep.
Big day tomorrow.
Louis, you wanna...
first guard?
Yes, Sir Charlie.
You alright, Ned?
Yes, sir.
Get some sleep then.
Yes, sir.
Not much like
Philadelphia, is it?
No, sir.
There weren't any
Indians back home.
Haven't seen any
around here yet, either.
Except around
this fire tonight.
It makes a man feel better
to talk about it.
I guess, maybe it does.
Well, get some sleep.
There's a good guard posted.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
[owl hooting]
- 'Here it is.'
- 'Just leave it open.'
[Charles]
'Mark. Eighty-seven degrees.'
Mark.
Fifty-five degrees.
Captain.
I've been thinking
that I have not
thanked you properly.
For what, Karl?
For your tolerance.
When I first came
to your house
I was so badly spoken.
So nervous..
...that I stutter.
You saw beyond that
and gave me work.
'Work that I needed.'
Karl, you don't have to say
anything about that.
Oh, yes. I do, captain.
I know the others think
I'm a foolish and a rigid man.
Perhaps I am.
But I am not
an ungrateful one.
'And the work I do for you'
'will vindicate your
trust in me.'
I thank you, captain.
Karl, I couldn't do
this work without you.
You're more than welcome.
Mark.
Sixty-seven degrees.
'Mark.'
'Ninety-one degrees.'
Hey, be careful
out here.
The Indians might catch you
and cook you. Ha ha ha.
[laughing]
Captain
there's something moving
across the river in the trees.
You see right there at the edge
of the black timber?
- Is it the Indians?
- I don't know.
White men.
They trappers?
[horses galloping]
[male #6]
'There they are.'
Hey!
Kit Carson!
Hey! Sooki!
[screaming]
[male #7]
'Come on, let's go.'
[screaming and whistling]
- How you been?
- It's been a long time.
This here
is Jim Bridger.
- A pleasure, Mr. Bridger.
- Thanks, sir.
You got 'em all, Gabe.
He is the best trail guide
in the world.
- How about some coffee?
- Yes, thank you.
What you fellas
doing down here?
We're heading
for South Pass.
I wouldn't do that
if I was you.
Why not?
What with all Sioux's running
wild in Sweetwater Valley
and they'll kill anything
that moves beyond Laramie.
You remember
Henry Frabe, Kit?
Yeah. Old trapper leader.
Got himself killed last year,
down on little snake peak.
Had thirty men with him. Sioux
war party come down on him.
Frabe and..
...three other got killed
but he took
ten Indians with him.
Sioux's been brooding
over their dead all winter.
And now they're
gonna raise a little hell
and take some scalps.
Where'd you get this
information, Mr. Bridger?
You know, we just come
from South Pass.
[Charles]
'Did you lose any of your party
on the way through?
Of course not.
We went a hundred miles
out of our way to avoid 'em.
Then you didn't actually see
any of these Indians. Right?
Whole point was not
to see 'em, captain.
How do you know
any of this is true?
Sioux chief I know, told me.
- Remember ol' great Bailey?
- Oh, yeah.
He told me, the young men
had bad hearts this winter.
That they're
makin' medicine.
Said they had the biggest
sun dance he ever saw.
And they swear they're gonna
kill themselves some whites
for what the trappers
have done.
So you think this
is really serious?
Well, uh
it depends on how ever serious
you count your own life really.
'I can tell you this.'
Any man goes past Laramie,
ain't gonna live very long.
Not with fifteen hundred
Sioux out there.
- Fifteen hundred?
- Mother of God.
That's the kind of numbers
would make a man cautious.
Well, before we all
start running scared
maybe we ought to ride out
there and see for ourselves.
[laughing]
You got yourself a real
brave one here, Kit.
Yes, sir.
Well, I guess
I better be going.
- Nice meeting you, captain.
- Mr. Bridger.
No, no, no, no.
On the contrary.
To die is a terrible thing.
Die amidst this rubble
is a tragedy.
Old Karly here
wants to die
among the Persian Princess
and Dukes and such.
[scoffs]
[Louie]
'Charlie.'
I'm sorry to break
in on you.
Just giving some thought
to what's ahead.
So you plannin'
on moving, then.
Thinking about it.
There ain't many of us that
think it's such a good idea.
Matter of fact,
Kit just made out his will.
- His what?
- His will, sir.
Told us chapter and verse
who's to get all his
property if he croaks.
Now, thing is, Charlie,
Kit knows his country.
- Those Indians too.
- Thanks, Louie.
But, Charlie,
if Kit thinks..
Kit!
Oh, aye.
- 'Talk to you a minute?'
- Oh, sure, captain.
Yes, captain.
What is this about
you making a will?
- That's right, sir.
- Why?
Well, you seem bent on moving
out, when it makes no sense.
I figured, I better
put my affairs in order.
Why couldn't you
write it out?
Why'd you have
to tell everybody?
Well, talkin' out your will
is the custom here.
A scrap of paper
might get lost
so you talk out your intentions
in front of men you trust and
the word gets around.
Why, some of the young
fellas get into a panic?
Of course, they did.
You're supposed to be guiding
this expedition.
If you're scared to death,
what'll they feel?
Captain, I don't take kindly
to someone question my courage.
I respectfully ask you.
Sir, don't do that again.
How do you expect me
to interpret this?
You're troubled, captain. You
got fear and caution mixed up.
I'm cautious as hell,
that's true.
I don't take risks
I don't have to.
That's why, I'm not dead
to go on years going.
Right now, I don't see
no reason to move out.
Not for an old darned map.
No, sir.
The same ground's going to be
out there two weeks from now.
For that matter,
200 years from now.
You're wrong.
They want that trail map now.
We're commissioned to do it now.
Not 200 years from now.
Not two weeks from now.
But now.
Well, sir. You try telling
that to the Sioux.
That's exactly
what I plan to do.
Well, alright!
I'm ready whenever you are.
Woo! Ben.
Let's strike the tents.
We're moving out.
'You heard captain.
Let's load 'em up.'
'Go ahead, lead wagon.'
[men shouting]
[whistling]
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chattering]
[dogs barking]
[speaking in native language]
I still don't
like it, captain.
I don't either.
[Charles]
'But it's gotta be done.'
[intense music]
[music continues]
[speaking in native language]
He wants to know
what we're doing here.
[Charles]
'Tell him we're
mapping the terrain.'
Yes, captain.
[speaking in native language]
- Does he understand maps?
- He ain't a dummy, captain.
Tell him we're using
the stars to make this map.
Darned if I can explain that
in daylight but I'm gonna try.
[Kit speaking
in native language]
Maybe you better bring out
your telescope, captain.
Ned, show him
your sketchbook.
'Go on, it might help.'
[speaking in native language]
He asked if we're trappers.
I assured him we're not.
[speaking in native language]
[Kit]
'I said we put our hearts
on the ground in apology'
for what the trappers
done to the whole lala.
Now we'll see.
He says, we're a small
bunch of men.
With these odds we'd be
crazy to start any trouble.
[Kit]
'Captain, he's inviting
us to this Fandango.'
[tribal music]
[music continues]
- 'What they doing now?'
- 'What kind of dance was that?'
[indistinct chattering]
Captain, they're gonna put on
a little show for us.
[crowd cheering]
[cheering continues]
Ain't no white man alive
who can ride like that.
[cheering and applauding]
[speaking in native language]
Sit down!
Let's give 'em
a show of our own.
- What's he up to, Louis?
- Oh, who knows, Charlie.
But I do believe that squaw
with the claw necklace
has her eye on you.
[indistinct chattering]
[all screaming]
[speaking in native language]
What is it?
Don't know, but ain't good,
that's for sure.
Looks like one of us,
don't it?
I think I got it figured out.
We show them power they're
gonna show us skill.
[speaking in native language]
Whoa!
Ha ha. Ah, that's kids stuff.
Ha ha, how'd you
like that, chief?
- What'd I do?
- You've insulted them.
Put down the gun, Marty.
Put it down!
It's alright.
It's alright.
It was all a mistake.
It's alright,
we're sorry.
Uh, Ned.
Get one of those skin,
draw a big circle on it
and put it on the chest.
Uh, Louie, give me
your pistol, will ya?
- What the hell's he doing?
- Don't know but it better work.
[gun cocking]
[gun firing]
[speaking in native language]
He says you're
a Sioux bloodbrother
under that ugly white face.
[speaking in native language]
[drumbeats]
Uh, ma'am, uh, I'm sorry
but my heart is elsewhere.
Kit.
I'll try to explain
it to her, captain.
Well, Charlie, looks likewe're
headed for South Pass after all.
[female #1]
'And some of that please,
thank you so much.'
The British, of course,
would much prefer
Texas remain independent.
They see no advantage in the
ever expanding United States.
They think we are far
too big already.
Mexico on the other hand
would hate it.
'They want Texas back
at any cost.'
Even to the point
of repudiating our treaty.
Which of course may lead to war.
'And I am sure the British
have considered the possibility'
'that Mexico would invite
her into California.'
'Should Texas choose
to join the Union..'
Excuse me.
'...so you see the matter has
international significance.'
- Jessie, I'm so glad.
- Is he here?
Yes, come with me.
Maria, I know
this is a mistake.
Nonsense.
There are other guests.
And your father is too proud
to make a scene.
'Missourians went there
as colonist in the twenties'
and staged a legitimate
revolution in the thirties.
Though it's hard to believe
that anybo..
Excuse me.
I miss you.
You betrayed me.
Papa, I love him.
He's a good man.
A man you'd be proud of
if only you knew him.
I wish to hear
no more about him.
Papa..
I'm pregnant.
Would you deny your
grandchild the club?
You made your own bed.
Beautiful up here, quiet.
Couple more days,
we'll be in South Pass.
Thanks to you, captain.
You were right about going past
Laramie, I was wrong.
But not because we haven't
been attacked, yet.
[Kit]
'Why then?'
Because we had work to do.
Important work.
You never let danger keep
you from trapping, did you?
Well, captain,
beavers won't wait.
You go after 'em
when the pelter's good
or you don't go after 'em.
The truth is..
...all your star gazings
and your scribblings
I-I didn't think it was
worth the gamble.
It is, though.
Kit, do you know what
Greenwich Mean Time is?
- Yes, I do.
- Oh, sit back and explain it.
We measure solar time
at the meridian in Greenwich.
- Oh, you lost me already.
- It's a little town in England.
All over the world
we measure time
against the time
in Greenwich.
Now you've, you've traveled
by the stars, haven't you?
Oh, sure.
Then you know that
stars don't lie.
What Preuss and I are doing..
'...we take dozens of readings
on each separate star.'
'All of them.'
We measure the angle of distance
between them over and over again
till we get a precise
longitude and latitude.
We're measuring time
and distanceagainst
Greenwich, England, Kit
clear on the other side
of the world.
You don't say.
You can't imagine what it feels
like to link human precision
to those tiny little
dancing lights up there.
Millions of miles away.
To use them and time, to create
a map that anyone can follow.
Right back here to this
exact spot on the Sweetwater.
You can't imagine what
pleasure that gives me, Kit.
I can see it does, captain.
Our works almost finished here.
But the job is only half done.
Next time it'll be
all the way west.
I wanna open up
this whole continent.
I wanna give Americans
the kind of freedom
that they've only dreamt about.
Freedom to go wherever
and whenever they want.
Just open a map and go wherever
their dreams will take 'em.
I can imagine the time
when hundreds of wagon trains
will be crossing America.
When Oregon will be as full
of our people as Missouri.
And rail roads, Kit,
that's the real dream.
Rail roads linking America
from coast to coast
cutting down the distance--
That's gonna ruin
this country.
No, Kit, it'll unite
the country.
It'll make us one people.
Inhabiting a..
...an empire that stretches from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
That's my dream.
That's why we're here.
That's why we couldn't
waste time going to Laramie.
Captain sir, I'd like
to say something.
When you go out again
I'd be mighty proud
to ride with you.
I count on that, Kit.
Somethin' up ahead, captain.
Lilly.
You see that man
with tall black hat?
He's your grandfather.
Are you in fact,
ordering me to California?
You know somethin', Kit?
War with Mexico could start
here in the next ten minutes.
[gunshots]
---
We've to find a way
to open up the great West.
Couldn't find the trail.
[men yelling]
What you see here,
gentlemen, is ambition.
Now, I want you to know
that I reject your implication.
Charles is gonna make
a mark in our time.
You'll stay away from her,
defy me and I will break you.
Don't threaten me, senator.
- I'll kill you!
- Father, we're married.
My name is Carson Christopher,
folks call me Kit.
You must contact Charles,
at once. He's being recalled.
Pack it up!
We're movin out!
[male #1]
'They swear they're going
to kill whites
'for what the trappers'
have done.'
Any man goes past Laramie,
don't live that long.
You're trouble. You've got fear
and caution all mixed up.
[dramatic music]
[soft music]
[birds chirping]
[music continues]
[music continues]
Ma'am.
[woman groaning]
Ma'am.
Ma'am.
Ma'am, uh..
[male #2]
'Louie..'
...bring me the canteen,
will you?
Ma'am, can you tell me
what happened?
The trail...couldn't
find the trail.
What trail, ma'am?
Couldn't find nothing.
We ran out of food..
...about a week ago,
then we..
Don't-don't talk anymore,
h-h-have a sip of this.
We'll take you to our camp.
We'll get you something
to eat, some medicine..
- Tom. Tom.
- Huh?
Please mister..
...don't let the wolves
get us, please.
We lost.
We lost.
Look here, Charlie.
People who want to go West would
try anything to get there.
Yeah, but where did they..
What does that mean? Based on
explorations of Louis and Clark?
Must've got it
from some no-good who told them
it would get them to Oregon.
These people have no idea.
Louis and Clark never made a map
that for anyone else to follow.
That's the trail they were
looking for. The Oregon trail.
That's trappers' route.
It's not a trail at all.
Never to find.
Well, Louie..
...let's make sure
the wolves don't get 'em.
[melancholic music]
[dramatic music]
[male #3]
'Come on, girl!'
[whistling]
[horse neighing]
[indistinct chatter]
Lieutenant, you feel that air?
- Quite nippy, wouldn't you say?
- Time's running.
We should have been
out here of two weeks ago.
Tell you, the boys
don't like it.
Well, put a little tobacco
in their pipes
they'll feel a lot better.
Ain't no more tobacco.
Anyways, tobacco
won't help them
if we get caught
out here in the winter.
We got no furs, no snow shoes
and not enough blankets.
We'll be long gone before
the first snow.
We better be.
What's wrong
with Papa Joe, anyway?
He should already be headed back
to Fort Snelling.
Steady as is.
Running up and down this river
three or four times.
More like a dozen times,
if you ask me.
[Charlie]
Well, Marty, you know
map like this
is never really finished.
Aw,is that right, Charlie?
Looks to Marty and me like it
was finished weeks ago, Charlie.
Maybe Papa Joe likes eating
nothing but fresh-killed meat
lieutenant, but we sure don't.
Runs through a man
like a sieve, lieutenant.
- 'No flour for 10 days.'
- 'Sugar too, Charlie.'
Ain't got a damn thing
to cook with.
[male #4]
'We're all looking like
scarecrows, lieutenant.'
'And Papa Joe's playing sick.'
Don't he know that,
coughing all day, spitting.
Get your hand off of me.
[grunting]
[horse neighing]
Hey, break it up!
Alright, that's enough.
- Get outta my way, soldier boy.
- Put down the knife.
I'll put it up your..
[men]
Yeah, yeah!
Maynard, put it away.
Get up! You're in a lot
of trouble, mister.
As military commander
of this expedition--
You know what you're gonna do
with your expedition.
[male #5]
'What's happening here?'
What's happening here is
men are as mean as
the sourest vinegar.
- It's your own fault.
- Just a second, Provost.
Lieutenant, if you don't
tell him, I will.
Tell me what?
Papa Joe.
We've been
out here too long.
Not too long to finish
what we came for.
Winter is almost here. We've
done everything we came to do.
[Provost]
'Ten times over.'
We'll be finished
in a week or two.
We don't have a week or two.
We get snow
and the rivers lock up.
There is no danger of that.
[coughing]
Papa Joe, you're ill.
I can't risk it.
- Risk? Risk is failure.
- The risk is getting frozen in.
The rest of us can get out
no matter what the weather does.
You're the one who's not
gonna make it, you're the one.
We'll have to bury you,
I'll not let that happen.
You're talking like a fool,
like a fool.
Are you ready
to jeopardize success?
We're gonna break camp.
If we push, we can
make Snelling by nightfall.
We'll spend the day there
and start downriver
as soon as the boats are ready.
Charles, I beg of you,
don't do this to me.
Y-you will still have
another chance, but I-I--
I'm doing it for you,
Papa Joe.
Alright, let's move it.
[indistinct chatter]
Look at all of this.
This is what I call..
- Ain't it a joy, Charlie?
- Ah, sure is.
They've got lot of women
in this town, Charlie.
They say you ain't had a women
until you'd St. Louis women.
They love to dance
and they love to drink.
My, oh, my,
do they love to love.
Come on, Charlie, let's get us
a shave and a bath.
Some sweet little lady
tell us how pretty we are.
Why don't you and I get in that
other tub there, sweetheart?
- Oh, using sex if you like.
- You bet I do.
But first we must take off
this hardened beard, mister.
Much rather you
took off that dress.
[both chuckling]
Nicole, where's the scissor?
Find them yourself,
I am busy now.
- What's the matter, monsieur?
- Hm?
You look as though
you do not like Nicole.
No, no, honey,
I like you fine.
Nicole, where did you
put the damn scissor?
[speaking foreign language]
- Charlie.
- Hm.
- You alright?
- Oh, sure, sure, I was..
I was just thinking
about that family.
A thing like that
should've never happened.
If people wanna go west
there should be a way
to get 'em there.
Well, maybe it's up for you to
do that. If that's how you feel.
You know something Louie?
You might be absolutely right.
- So, you are ready now?
- Oh, you bet he is.
[shouting]
There you go, Charlie.
- My, my, my.
- Oh!
Monsieur..
...but you are happy now.
[all laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
- Well, well, well.
- Woo.
The dinner party tonight
is being given by Sen. Benton.
Chairman of
the Military Affairs Committee.
You see now why
he is so important to us.
Not entirely, sir.
Thomas Hart Benton has his
finger on the army budget.
When he approves
an expedition that assures it.
He's a great enthusiast
of western exploration.
Essential to us, my boy.
Essential.
Wouldn't hurt to have an
important friend in the senate?
- Would it?
- But is he a friend?
We've to make him one, if we
can. But do be careful with him.
Oh, he is firmly convinced he
knows everything and sometimes
you cannot even be sure
that he's listening to you.
But he is a great man.
And we need him.
[coughing]
[instrumental music]
Gentleman, know my position,
hard money, gold based coinage
the crash of 37 never
wouldn't have happened.
It's been harder than
Mississippi Valley, senator
I can tell you that.
We're drying up like
a back water pond.
It looks to me like we're
gonna let a whole empire
slip away from us.
Oh, never, never,
that would be a crime.
[Sen. Thomas]
'Plus the American Fur Company
to the British in 1812.'
[applause]
[indistinct chatter]
[soft music]
[music continues]
Senator's over here, Charles.
[music continues]
Then there's still
Laramie and Bridger.
Trading coach.
They're fading fast with
beaver trade gone.
Oh, the problem, gentlemen,
is that until now
this country's advance
has been made by individuals.
Mountain men, pioneers, settlers
men willing to clear 80 acres
and plant a stand of corn.
But no individual can press all
alone into grassland.
Everything is different
out there.
[Senator]
'Without trees for building
without abundant rainfall.'
'How can he possibly make
his 80 acres succeed?'
'It was those pioneers
who carried us on their backs'
'for two hundred years now.'
We must find new ways
to explore this empire.
Learn how to use it.
That's exactly, senator.
We've to find the way
to open up the great west.
We cannot remain
a people for whom
destiny is defined
by geography.
[Sen. Thomas]
'I foresee the empire that
stretches to the pacific.'
Yes, and reaches beyond
that mighty ocean, to China.
How can you talk about China
when a man can't even
get to Oregon?
Senator, I regret very much,
my assistant..
Your assistant, is most
precipitate young man.
Well, go on. You have something
more to offer, do you?
Sir, I've seen a family killed
by the Oregon myth.
But there doesn't have
to be any mystery
about the western territory.
There's a ready answer
at hand, sir.
Oh, what may that be?
We've just come from an
extensive examination
of uncharted country, sir.
I'm not unfamiliar with
MonsieurNicolette's work.
Then you should know, sir,
that the map we produced
from that work, will open
the territory we explored.
What do you know about
the far west, Lieutenant..
Fremont, sir.
John Charles Fremont.
What do you know about
the sweep to the Rocky Mountains
under the Pacific,
Lt. Fremont?
Well, not much, sir.
But science unravels
all mysteries and--
Don't preach to me, sir!
You're confident to a fault.
Confidence of arrogance
one should doubt.
The fact is there hasn't
been an exploration
of the American west
worthy of a word.
Now you say you have solutions?
Explain them to us, sir.
Sir, anyone at all can follow
the map we're making.
Because it shows
exactly what's there.
If it says, a certain stream
enters 30 miles above another.
That's exactly what
you'll find on the ground.
How can any map be that precise?
[Fremont]
'Ours will be, sir.'
You see it's based on
star sightings
compass readings, longitude,
latitude, terrain sketches.
Worth it indeed.
Oh, excuse me, gentlemen.
You have, uh...an ardent
supporter here, is he correct?
Yes, sir. We will be months
in preparation
but when we are finished.
Our map will be precisely
as he says.
You'll be doing
this in St. Louis?
No, sir, Washington.
We leave in a few days.
Well, I very much like to see
this epic as it takes shape.
Perhaps, a visit to your work
room would not be amiss.
It would be our honor.
[Nicollet]
'You've a lot to learn,
Charles.'
[Charles]
'I'm sure I do, sir.'
[Nicollet]
'Do not talk to a powerful man
like Benton, you simply do not.'
I thought he rather liked me.
I liked him too,
as a matter of fact.
One does not like or dislike
Senator Benton, one courts him.
And one does not
cast eyes at his daughter.
Is that who she is?
Lord, what a beauty.
So you caught me at it,
did you Papa Joe?
It's a wonder
the entire room did not.
Charles, I advise you to put
Jessie out of your mind.
Jessie, is that her name?
Jessie.
The apple of his eye
and his closest confident.
Ever since his wife died
it is Jessie who precedes
at every dinner
in the Benton House.
Charles, I hope you do not
jeopardize our work by--
I intend to marry her.
But, Edward, Nelson was
two whole years ago.
You needn't remind me.
And really I had no knowledge
of his intentions.
The audacity of the man.
You are 14 years old
asking for your
hand in marriage.
I'd have refused him any case
since I hardly knew him.
The point I'm trying
to make, papa--
Yes, darling, I quite
understand the point.
The point is that my banishment.
- Banishment..
- Yes, banishment, papa.
ToMonsieur Ignatius'school
in Georgetown.
Now girls, we're here to learn
propriety and circumspection.
Really, papa, how much of
proprietary and circumspection
am I supposed to absorb?
It's been almost two years now.
Two years of exile
in a hog house.
And I'm not hog house flower.
But you're a very
pretty one though.
Papa, I care about
the real things in the world.
Things you deal
with all the time.
Going back to George Town
is like moving
from the real world
to the artificial.
There's no reality in
ten minutes in this study
than in an entire
month at school.
And admit it, papa.
You do miss me, don't you?
I miss you, yes.
And I'll miss your help.
Then let me come
home papa, please.
- Well--
- I need to feel useful again.
Ah, maybe, maybe,
when the next term ends.
Term is ending now, papa.
Now don't rush me, Jessie.
I have to think about it a bit.
A bit? Does that mean yes?
It means..
[chuckles]
You're so good.
And so easily twisted
around your little finger.
- Oh, you poor, poor--
- Now you stop that.
Manipulated papa.
Can we get on to more
important matters do you think?
Yes, sir! At your service, sir.
You are perhaps the silliest
creature I ever..
Alright now, listen.
- Dinner party that we're--
- Yes, sir, the dinner party.
Now, it's for British visitor
Sir. Roger Dunston.
He's a guest of Joel Point.
I maybe doing this
as a gesture to Joel.
Now there is no Lady Dunston,
at least not with him.
So put Ms. Poinsette on my right
and Joel on your left.
Yes, sir. Consider it done, sir.
'Will you please be serious.'
Now our-our Crittenden's
are gonna be there.
And I've invited, Sen. Lynn
and Henry Dodge.
'Finally Nicolette
and a man named Provost'
who guided the expedition.
And of course the bright young
assistant of his Lt. Fremont.
Have you been to the map room?
Yes, it's vast.
'Much of it is well over
my head believe me'
'but this young fellow Fremont
makes all seem so clear.'
'I'd say he's the one
who that brings'
'Nicolette's abilities
into focus.'
'Certainly..'
'I must admit,
I like it.'
[knock on door]
- Good evening, Lieutenant.
- Good evening.
[Fremont]
'Thank you.'
Lieutenant..
...you're early.
I know, about 15 minutes.
I couldn't wait
to see you again.
You look lovely...exciting.
Lieutenant..
...really we've...never even
been formally introduced.
Lt. John Charles Fremont.
'It's the same dress
you were wearing in St. Louis.'
Yes.
Did you wear it for me tonight?
- I hardly think that's prop--
- Did you?
Yes, I did.
Do you know
what I felt that night?
'Do you know
what I said to Mr. Nicolette?'
I told him, I'd finally met
the women I've been searching
for all my life.
You were shocked.
Do I shock you?
'I put you on notice,
mademoiselle.'
I am very serious about you.
[knock on door]
I take notice..
...My Lieutenant.
Good evening,
Mr. and Mrs. Crittenden.
- Good evening.
- Mari.
'How lovely you look.'
Jessie, my dear.
- John, how nice to see you.
- Jessie.
Come in, please.
Do you know Lt. Fremont?
- Lt. Fremont.
- Yes.
- Lieutenant.
- How do you do, sir?
Only last year President Van
Buren ordered the work day
on federal projects
reduced to 10 hours.
For all you know, this
seems to be following suit.
That's another world,
Sir Roger.
It's a new world
we've entered.
Senator Lynn, more wine?
Oh, why, thank you dear.
Your father always has the--
She is charming,
isn't she?
Ma'am?
Yes, ma'am. She is.
And tell me, senator, now how
many hours do your slaves work?
Sir. Roger, I don't enjoy
talking about slavery
but I will say that
this is not a slave household.
Dodson here is a free man
in my employ
I hold no slaves,
though perfectly legal
to do so here in Washington,
I abhor the institution.
'Moreover...no one should
take this question lightly.'
That the vision
of north and south
in their ever
more adamant groups
represents the greatest
of all threats...to this union.
Papa.
Slavery makes bad table talk.
Indeed it does.
Lieutenant Fremont,
would you say Mr. Provost here
is an experienced trail guide?
- One of the best.
- Indeed he is.
Mr. Provost,
supposin' I were plannin'
a...a little journey, west.
West? Where? There's a lotta
west out there, sir.
Across Kansas, north of the
Platte river, Fort Laramie.
- It's a long way west, Tom.
- And beyond that.
'To the head of the sweet water,
at South Pass.'
I can just see you
on a mule, Tom. In buckskins.
[all laughing]
How long would
such a trip take, Mr. Provost?
Doin' exactly what, sir?
Wanderin' around
or lookin' at Indians?
- Of what?
- Mapping the route?
[Mr. Provost]
'Five or six months.'
Dependin' on what
you might run into.
And why would you
wish such a map, senator?
For the sake of...
convenience, shall we say?
The convenience
of an adventure further west
to California, for example,
or...Oregon?
Has anybody heard
me mention Oregon?
May I remind you, sir, that
Oregon is British territory.
No. No. It is not
British territory.
'It is jointly held,
under treaty'
by the United States
and Great Britain.
Equal rights, sir
by force of discovery.
Oh yes. Yes, I know the treaty.
Only too well, in fact.
But as a practical matter
Britain holds Oregon,
by occupying it, sir.
- Only for the moment, sir.
- And, what does that mean?
It means that
America sees it's destiny
in an empire that sweeps
across its own continent.
Until it encounters
British territory
and there it must stop.
Our manifest destiny lies
in westward expansion, sir.
Let me assure you one day
Puget Sound will be ours.
That is an outrageous statement.
Oh, my dear.
I-I-I'm so terribly sorry.
Please don't fret over it,
Sir Roger.
Look upon it...
as an omen of good.
May we never spill
anything but wine, over Oregon.
Well said...Miss Benton.
[applause]
The cook has made
the most...sinful dessert.
So, Dodson,
would you clear, please?
This isn't the most orthodox way
of offering a man a commission
but, what about it? Can you
give me a map to South Pass?
Muy bien,sir, I assure you.
We will give you a map
that anyone can follow.
[Nicollet coughing]
What do you think, Henry?
We'd do it through
the Topo Engineers, of course.
Would thirty thousand,
cover the cost?
Give or take a penny or two.
Oh. That would
be more than enough.
John, would the wigs
in Congress go that far for me?
Well, I-I don't
see any difficulties, Tom.
How soon do you think you
can mount such an expedition?
Well, I'm not sure
that we could..
[coughing]
Are you well enough to lead
such an arduous expedition?
Oh yes, certainly.
I've a small cold just now.
More than a cold, Papa Joe.
You've had
that cough for months.
'Ever since
we were up on that--'
Well, a bronchial irritation.
But nothing--
You were about to say,
Mr. Provost?
Senator.
Ever since those
last few days on the Minnesota
the rivers were freezing over.
Winter was comin' on fast.
The horses,
the men, ready to drop.
Well, Mr. Nicollet here..
Well. There ain't
any other way to put it.
His health just,
plain broke down.
That is nonsense.
Lt. Fremont here had to assume
command and lead us out.
'Absurd.'
Nothing of this sort
happened. I assure you.
Charles. Tell them
will you, please.
Papa Joe. You were
very sick last year.
You still haven't recovered.
That is a vicious lie.
Vicious and untrue.
You were impatient to return.
- I humored you.
- Papa Joe, please.
If you lead this
new expedition.
We'll be burying you
along the way.
Ambition..
What you see
here, gentlemen, is ambition.
Yes. He wants to lead
the expedition himself.
Gentlemen.
I have no such intention.
What we have here
is a hungry young man. Huh?
[coughing]
[coughing]
Please. Will you
give me a moment?
Lieutenant?
Will you lead the expedition?
Papa Joe.
I'll fetch you a hack.
I require...no further
assistance. Thank you.
Nothing ever changes, does it?
French denied
me at the academy.
And now you, deny me this.
Papa Joe. I wish with all
my heart that you were well--
Men do not change.
Hungry men. Huh?
Do not change.
Miss Benton.
I must see you again.
- Yes. But--
- As soon as possible.
They've asked me
to lead this expedition.
That means
I'll be leaving soon.
Leaving?
May I ask for your father's
permission to call on you?
Yes. Ask him.
Provided it doesn't snow.
Jessie. Come say goodnight
to our guests.
Of course, father. Tonight.
Ask it with words.
Senator. May I speak to you?
Your attentions to my daughter
are to cease at once.
Sir?
You are quite obvious, sir.
And I won't have it.
- Senator, I assure you--
- You will assure me of nothin'.
She is sixteen years old. And I
will not have you seein' her.
Do you understand?
You are not to see her.
Senator, you...my intentions
are entirely--
You have no intentions.
You will stay away from her.
Defy me, and I will break you!
- Don't threaten me, senator.
- I do threaten you.
I give you fair warnin'.
Goodnight, Lieutenant.
I suppose if a kiss gets stolen
here in the gazebo
I won't know
anything about it.
But I want
your solemn promise
that nothing more
than that will transpire.
- Oh, Maria.
- Hush, dear.
You're a grown woman.
Do I have your
word of honor, Lieutenant?
- You have, ma'am.
- Very well.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have some errands to run.
I was so frightened.
- So was I.
- Not of your father. Of you.
Of me?
I was afraid you
might never see me again.
I'd rather die first.
[soft music]
Charles. What are we to do?
- Jessie?
- I know he likes you.
It's us together
he doesn't like.
I'll speak to him.
Tomorrow. It's the only way.
No. You mustn't.
- He'll be furious.
- Jessie.
I love you.
I love you.
Well then, I'll speak to him.
No, Charles.
- You mustn't. Not yet. Please.
- Why?
I understand my father
the way no one else does.
You must promise me.
We can keep seeing each
other here. Maria will let us.
Charles?
Please give it a little
more time. Won't you?
[soft music]
[indistinct chattering]
[chattering continues]
Look where you're goin'.
That guy will be horsewhipped.
Senator. Ms. Benton.
May I be of assistance?
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Situation is well in hand.
What luck have you had,
finding the guide, Lieutenant?
- Ah. Still looking, sir.
- Well, there's time yet.
Yes, sir. There's...still time.
Good day.
[people chattering]
My mother was married
to a Major Pryor.
Revolutionary war veteran.
Sour, peevish old man.
They tell me.
It was an unhappy marriage.
Then my father came along.
They fell in love.
My mother told Pryor about it.
Honestly. Begged him
to release her but..
He flew into a rage, on and on.
Even threatened her physically.
So they...ran away together.
I was born..
Before they were married.
Out of wedlock.
As-as they say.
Why didn't you
tell me this sooner?
Good lord.
I've never told anybody.
I'm not anybody, Charles.
It doesn't matter to me.
Well, it matters to me.
You don't know how people
treated us in Charleston.
What my mother and I suffered.
Side long glances. Silences.
Amused contempt.
But it was just
a matter of timin'. An accident.
Accidents decide our lives.
'I'm not gonna let an accident
decide our future, Jessie.'
I leave tomorrow for St. Louis,
to talk to Colonel Kearney
about the weapons I ordered.
When I get back... I plan
to talk to your father.
No.
Jessie. I can't go on
stealing kisses like this.
- I'm not a child.
- Do you think I am?
Well no. But we've
been behaving like children.
Stop it, Charles.
Don't you see my father is only
lookin' out for my interests.
Your interests?
That's outrageous.
What's this? Politics?
- What are you talkin' about?
- Look at what your doin'.
I can't talk to him
and now talk to you either.
Jessie.
All you both care about
is your stupid pride.
Jessie.
- I love you.
- I love you.
We just survived our...
first quarrel. Do you know that?
Charles. I-I can't
stop kissing you.
Let me speak to him.
No...that's not the answer.
[soft music]
[Jesse]
'I love him so much, Maria.'
Are you sure?
Positive.
Then there's
no reason for tears.
Come now.
Dry your eyes.
He's everything
I've ever wanted.
Dreamed I've wanted.
He cares about things
the way I do.
And he's gonna do things.
Great things. I know that.
Charles is gonna
make a mark on our time.
And I want to be
with him when he does.
To help him.
To share with him.
To love him.
You must tell your father.
How can I?
After all these weeks
of meeting Charles
when I was...specifically
forbidden to see him.
I feel like a cheat.
I've always been able
to talk to papa.
And now when I want to share
the most important thing
that's ever happened
to me, I can't.
Because I've been
deceiving him.
It's a betrayal, Maria.
Nonsense. Tell him, Jessie.
I'm only seventeen.
A grown woman. Tell him.
Maria. He could send
me back to school again.
Or to Boston or to China.
He has complete
control over my life.
He's my father.
Oh Maria, what are we gonna do?
What can we possibly do?
Well, there is...another way.
I know.
Perhaps, that's our
only choice now.
[Col. Kearney]
Hm, you seem to need quite
a bit of hardware, don't you?
[Charles]
Yes, sir. We'll be gone
at least five months, sir.
- Why a cannon?
- Well, sir.
My orders are to connect
my survey to South Pass
with the coastal survey
made by Commander Wills.
I know. Why, a cannon?
We'll be passing through a good
deal of hazardous country, sir.
I'd like to be as
well prepared as possible.
Lieutenant, don't you
know it takes a skilled
artillery man to handle
a piece like that?
Your expedition
is composed solely of civilians.
Well yes, sir. But one of my men
Zindel was an artillery
member of the
Prussian army, sir.
He knows how to handle
a cannon of this size, sir.
Cannon won't do you a damn
bit of good against Indians.
They maneuver
like...like infantry.
Yes, sir. But Ashley
took one out in twenty six, sir
and found it effective.
Louis and Clark had a gun.
- A one pounder.
- Yes, sir.
But, he used it effectively too.
[indistinct chattering]
The gun would be useful to me,
sir. If only as a morale factor.
Lieutenant, what class are you?
Thirty seven? Thirty eight?
I haven't the honor to be
a graduate of West Point, sir.
Well.
That would explain your obvious
ignorance of correct
army procedure.
This requisition should
have been made weeks ago
onto your own superiors
in Washington.
Yes, sir.
But I knew only recently
that I'd have a gunner along.
Prudence would dictate that if
such a gun were truly necessary
a gunner would have been
sought, initially.
And the chance
present to the gunner now
doesn't make the gun any more
necessary than it was earlier.
Sir, I've been
working for months
putting this
expedition together.
- There's still a--
- 'This expedition..'
Was commissioned by
Senator Thomas Benton, was it?
Yes, sir. It was.
I noticed that
you saw fit to mention
that fact
on the requisition form.
Well, yes, sir.
To indicate the importance
Congress attaches
to this mission.
Very well, Lieutenant.
I'll authorize the house.
On the grounds that a..
commander in the field
should be allowed
to choose his own weapons
within reason.
And the artilleries
just barely within reason.
But I want you to know
that I resent your implication.
My implication?
I've known, and I've admired..
Thomas Benton
for a good many years.
But I do not look to him
for military direction
and I don't believe that
he intimated you that I should.
Sir, no one ever suggested that
Senator Benton ever intimated--
You'll get your weapons
Lieutenant, when you need them.
Including the cannon.
I hope you use it well.
Whoa!
Whoa! That's just fine.
[indistinct chattering]
[male#]
There you go.
We got two more.
- Fremont, coach to Washington.
- Alright, Mr. Fremont.
Aye, there, sir.
My name's Carson Christopher.
Folks call me Kit.
Fremont John Charles.
Folks call me Charles.
Yes sir, I know.
Captain Lambert says you're
looking for a guide
to the western country.
Me and him was
in the mountains there.
- Is that so?
- Yes sir.
I know the country pretty good.
I believe I can take you
anywhere you got a mind to go.
- You know South Pass?
- Indeed I do sir.
- Been through it many times.
- Where else you been?
Well, let me see sir.
I'd come down to Santa Fey Trail
as a runaway.
Spent a couple
of lean years in Taos.
I went out to California
with Yuan Yung in 1830.
Trapped beavers a while
with Jim Bridger.
- You worked with Bridger?
- Oh game, I sure have.
I've been half my life
out in that old country.
I've run the Rockies
north to south, east to west.
Ain't no part of them
I don't know.
You'll have to excuse all
my questions, Mr. Carson.
- But you see--
- Just call me Kit.
You see, I can't afford
to choose a wrong man.
- There's too much at stake.
- I appreciate that, sir.
- I'll be frank, Mr. Carson.
- Call me Kit.
I wanted Provost
for this expedition.
But he is not available.
So, right now I am looking for
somebody like Bridger.
- Or it's Patrick.
- Both of them good men.
I advise you get
either one of them, sir.
Well, they're
not available either.
Tell me something. If you are
so skilled in the mountains..
Why haven't I heard about you?
Well, sir, likely or not,
if you've never heard about
Kit Carson, then you ain't
spent much time
around the mountains
your own self.
'You ain't been to Ben's Fort
or Fort Laramie
you'd never ask that question.
I bet you don't even know
you've got the choice
of three jumping off places.
Jumping off?
Jumping off into
the wilderness, sir.
Jumping clear off the edge
of the earth it feels sometimes.
'You got St. Jones,
you got Independence'
'you got Westport,
here all of 'em in Missouri.'
You ever been west to Missouri?
Matter of fact, I have.
- Ha ha.
- You've got yourself a job.
- 'Yes sir'.
- Kit. Ha ha ha.
Excuse me, senator,
but...Miss Jessie here--
Thank you, Dodson.
We'll announce ourselves.
- 'Papa'.
- What are you doing here?
Senator Benton, we thought
you should know.
I thought you were
on your way west.
- Not quite, sir.
- Well, what is it you wish?
I've done nothing
to discourage your leadership
of this expedition.
But if you've taken my courtesy
as a sign that your attentions
to my daughter are now welcome,
then you are making a serious--
We're married, senator.
- What?
- We were married yesterday.
- God, kill you.
- Father, we are married.
Legally, for ever.
- How old are you?
- Twenty eight, sir.
What kind of a man are you?
Preying on children.
Jessie is not a child.
I think you know
I didn't marry a child, sir.
You seduced a child.
There's been no seduction, sir.
I love Jessie and she loves me.
You are not worthy
to say her name.
You're a contemptible coward.
Afraid to ask for
so you stole her.
That's not true sir.
I didn't speak to you because
that was Jessie's wish.
I love her. And I promise
to take care of her for ever.
Oh, spare me your
cheap sentiments.
You have violated my family.
You've taken advantage
of my daughter.
Your daughter deserves
better than that, sir.
She's not easily
taken advantage of.
Do you know that this man
is illegitimate?
Pop?
The bastard son
of Charles Fremont
a vagabond that wandered
from town to town
taking frescos of poster
and furniture
teaching French, seducing women!
- Papa, that's enough.
- Enough indeed.
I'll have this whole sordid
business annulled at once.
If you do that...you'll never
see me again.
Then go now.
Go on, get out of my house.
Take your fine husband with ya.
[melancholic music]
[music continues]
- Charles.
- Hm?
- I made this for you.
- What?
For you to take with you.
- To keep you safe.
- Well, well, well.
The peace part means you
make friends with the Indians.
And the eagle?
- For you to soar on his back.
- Ha ha ha.
- Over the highest mountains.
- My!
I'll be worried about you,
here all alone in Washington.
I'll be alright.
I've plenty of friends here.
Besides, I know my father will
make amends before long.
How can he not?
Once he realizes I've married
a wonderful, honorable, brave..
...passionate, ha ha ha.
And I dunno if I'd
discuss that with him.
[both laughing]
God, how I'll miss you.
- Sunrise you said.
- Sunrise.
Then we'll have all the time
in the world..
[romantic music]
[indistinct chattering]
[chattering continues]
Excuse me.
Jessie? Jessie...oh, thank
the Lord, I found you.
I've been looking
for you every where.
What is it, Maria?
You must contact Charles
at once. He's being recalled.
Recalled? He's still
in Missouri.
A messenger has already
been dispatched.
- To Westport?
- By the packet boat?
Why? What has happened?
A Colonel, Jefferson Barracks
has apparently been
stewing over a cannon that
the Saint Lewis army issued
to your husband.
[Maria]
Now he's contacted Washington.
[Jessie]
Why? What difference does
one cannon make?
[Maria]
Col. Kearney believes
that it has no place
on a peaceable scientific
expedition.
And Washington agrees with him.
Peaceable. There are wild
Indians out there, Maria.
Did you for one minute imagine
that the army's primary concern
is for your husband's safety?
He's not West Point, darling.
Now that's the long
and the short of it.
They regard Charles as
a maverick, and they would love
to replace him with
one of their own.
Jessie, he's being recalled.
Do you understand?
But this is his dream, Maria.
Fightin' in the West.
Making it safe for people to--
'There are no dreamers
in the army, Jessie.'
There are only fools, whose sole
concern is for authority.
The chain of command.
The bowing and scraping
and saluting that indicates
a junior officer
knows his place. Charles--
Charles is a captain now.
- He was promoted.
- A junior officer.
Who ordered a cannon
without going through the proper
channels here in Washington.
You said, recall order
went by packet boat?
Yesterday.
The river loops and winds.
A man riding over land
could get there before
the boat does, couldn't he?
I must write to him.
I must warn him at once.
Oh, thank you, Maria.
Come, Sally.
[indistinct chattering]
Mighty fine piece, captain.
Might come in handy.
Don't you think?
If I was an Indian and I saw
that thing I'd run for the hill.
- Does he know how to fire that?
- As well as you know to cook.
Just make sure you point it
in the right direction, Zindel.
Got you map maker here.
He don't like horses, captain.
I was once bitten by a horse.
They are stupid beasts.
Well, why don't you
ride a mule then?
They even more stupid.
You can always walk
to South Pass..
I will ride in one of the carts.
- Excuse me, captain.
- Yeah.
I need some oil cloth
for my sketch books.
Wouldn't wanna risk what I draw
gettin washed out or blown away.
No, no. Zindel, where's that
oil cloth I ordered?
Over here, sir.
Sketch books? For What?
For me to draw about everything
that we see on the way.
I was commissioned
by the captain in Philadelphia.
This your first trip to Western?
Yes, sir. Yours too?
- Hardly. The name's Zindel.
- Kern. Ned Kern.
I'm an artillery man.
Ever seen one of those before?
No sir. Spent the last few years
in a class room, teaching.
- This is all pretty new to me.
- Welcome to you, Ned.
This promises to be a most
interesting trip.
[horse galloping]
- Captain Fremont?
- Right here.
Got a message from Mrs. Fremont.
- Is she alright?
- She's fine, sir.
But she wants
you to read that fast.
[Jessie] Darling husband, there are very important reasons for you.
to leave Westport at once. I beg you, leave within the hour.
Trust me and go.
I love you. Jessie.
Alright men, pack it up.
We're moving out.
- You mean now?
- I mean right now.
Move these branches
out of the way.
Come on.
[indistinct chatter]
What did you find, Kit?
A good camp down
on the river, captain.
Over there. Good grass,
good water. Keep moving boys.
Whoa!
[buffaloes grunting]
[Kit]
'You ever see so many buffaloes
in all your life, captain?'
I've never seen
any buffalo before.
There got to be at least
2000 of them out there.
'The idea is to pick yourself
a cow and you hold to her.'
You got to run your horse
like he's running on your
'own two legs, never mind
them breaks or draws'
'or prairie dog holes.'
You think you can cut
yourself loose like that?
I'm ready.
- Yee-haw!
- Yeah, yeah.
[upbeat music]
[music continues]
[gunshot]
[music continues]
[gunshot]
Ah!
[grunting]
Oh.
Oh.
You enjoy sitting in that
buffalo pack, yep?
Yeah. Life's little blessings.
I guess it broke my fall.
How's your horse?
Didn't break nothing, did he?
- No, he looks alright.
- Did you get off a shot?
Well, I might as well
thrown a stone.
She took the slug
and never slowed down.
- 'I couldn't believe it.'
- Grazed off her ribs, I expect.
Gotta hit 'em behind the ear
or you won't get 'em
with vital spots that small.
You aiming that little spot
like I told ya?
Aim? I was lucky
to get off a shot at all.
I've never known a man get
a buffalo at first try.
I've run seven cows myself
before I got one down.
Well, this ought to keep us
some meat for a while.
You ever taste fresh
buffalo blood, captain?
Not lately, Kit.
Give her a try. Make you
a true son of the plains.
Go ahead, can't hurt you none.
Tastes just like warm milk,
don't it?
- Oh, exactly, Kit.
- You're gonna be alright.
You ain't just
a stargazer, captain.
You're gonna make a first rate
buffalo man.
Mmm.
[male #1]
'I don't know.
Something's are..
[male #2]
'I need some more
wood over here.'
Ain't nothing in this world
can beat buffalo meat.
- Yeah, it sure spoils for meat
- Angry women.
Don't care
for the taste of it.
It'll grow on you, Preuss.
I doubt it.
[male #3]
'Indians know
how to eat, alright.'
[male #4]
'Indians know.'
'A whole lot more than good
eating, I can tell you that.'
That's for sure.
You see 'em bring down
a buffalo with nothing
but a bow and arrow.
[male #5]
'Ha, hell, plenty of them
Indians do.'
Use lances
most of the time.
Huntin' buffalo I mean.
Well, I know that.
They do it with an arrow too.
- Nearly anything.
- Anything.
I never knew what a weapon
an arrow could be until
that night one come out of the
dark and hit Jules Garmits
right in the back.
'Him and me was
hunting buffalo.'
He was standing around a fire
warming his hands, you know
and they come, Blackfoot.
Knocked him out in the fire.
He fell into it on his face.
Old Jules, "Hey", started
screaming and rolled over
on his back.
And that broke off
the damn shaft, you know.
Worst thing that
could've happened.
I just wanted anything what
I can do for him after that.
Blackfoots.
Oh, there ain't no Indian
tougher than Blackfoot.
Nor meaner.
Like torture 'em. They keep
'em alive for hours.
Kicking and screaming
every minute.
Their women love it.
They love all that screaming.
Blackfoot are bad.
Lucky we're in Sioux country.
Sioux ain't no pussycats
neither, Charlie.
They're great warriors.
Lucky we got the cannon, eh?
Cannon won't do you
no good against the Indians.
The Indians wouldn't give
you nothing to bombard.
That's right, general.
They don't fight that way.
Yeah, speed and surprise.
One minute, you're sitting
around the fire
the next minute..
...you got an arrow
in your back.
I do not much care
for Indians.
Preuss, you and I
better get started.
Good clear night.
Best if you get some sleep.
Big day tomorrow.
Louis, you wanna...
first guard?
Yes, Sir Charlie.
You alright, Ned?
Yes, sir.
Get some sleep then.
Yes, sir.
Not much like
Philadelphia, is it?
No, sir.
There weren't any
Indians back home.
Haven't seen any
around here yet, either.
Except around
this fire tonight.
It makes a man feel better
to talk about it.
I guess, maybe it does.
Well, get some sleep.
There's a good guard posted.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
[owl hooting]
- 'Here it is.'
- 'Just leave it open.'
[Charles]
'Mark. Eighty-seven degrees.'
Mark.
Fifty-five degrees.
Captain.
I've been thinking
that I have not
thanked you properly.
For what, Karl?
For your tolerance.
When I first came
to your house
I was so badly spoken.
So nervous..
...that I stutter.
You saw beyond that
and gave me work.
'Work that I needed.'
Karl, you don't have to say
anything about that.
Oh, yes. I do, captain.
I know the others think
I'm a foolish and a rigid man.
Perhaps I am.
But I am not
an ungrateful one.
'And the work I do for you'
'will vindicate your
trust in me.'
I thank you, captain.
Karl, I couldn't do
this work without you.
You're more than welcome.
Mark.
Sixty-seven degrees.
'Mark.'
'Ninety-one degrees.'
Hey, be careful
out here.
The Indians might catch you
and cook you. Ha ha ha.
[laughing]
Captain
there's something moving
across the river in the trees.
You see right there at the edge
of the black timber?
- Is it the Indians?
- I don't know.
White men.
They trappers?
[horses galloping]
[male #6]
'There they are.'
Hey!
Kit Carson!
Hey! Sooki!
[screaming]
[male #7]
'Come on, let's go.'
[screaming and whistling]
- How you been?
- It's been a long time.
This here
is Jim Bridger.
- A pleasure, Mr. Bridger.
- Thanks, sir.
You got 'em all, Gabe.
He is the best trail guide
in the world.
- How about some coffee?
- Yes, thank you.
What you fellas
doing down here?
We're heading
for South Pass.
I wouldn't do that
if I was you.
Why not?
What with all Sioux's running
wild in Sweetwater Valley
and they'll kill anything
that moves beyond Laramie.
You remember
Henry Frabe, Kit?
Yeah. Old trapper leader.
Got himself killed last year,
down on little snake peak.
Had thirty men with him. Sioux
war party come down on him.
Frabe and..
...three other got killed
but he took
ten Indians with him.
Sioux's been brooding
over their dead all winter.
And now they're
gonna raise a little hell
and take some scalps.
Where'd you get this
information, Mr. Bridger?
You know, we just come
from South Pass.
[Charles]
'Did you lose any of your party
on the way through?
Of course not.
We went a hundred miles
out of our way to avoid 'em.
Then you didn't actually see
any of these Indians. Right?
Whole point was not
to see 'em, captain.
How do you know
any of this is true?
Sioux chief I know, told me.
- Remember ol' great Bailey?
- Oh, yeah.
He told me, the young men
had bad hearts this winter.
That they're
makin' medicine.
Said they had the biggest
sun dance he ever saw.
And they swear they're gonna
kill themselves some whites
for what the trappers
have done.
So you think this
is really serious?
Well, uh
it depends on how ever serious
you count your own life really.
'I can tell you this.'
Any man goes past Laramie,
ain't gonna live very long.
Not with fifteen hundred
Sioux out there.
- Fifteen hundred?
- Mother of God.
That's the kind of numbers
would make a man cautious.
Well, before we all
start running scared
maybe we ought to ride out
there and see for ourselves.
[laughing]
You got yourself a real
brave one here, Kit.
Yes, sir.
Well, I guess
I better be going.
- Nice meeting you, captain.
- Mr. Bridger.
No, no, no, no.
On the contrary.
To die is a terrible thing.
Die amidst this rubble
is a tragedy.
Old Karly here
wants to die
among the Persian Princess
and Dukes and such.
[scoffs]
[Louie]
'Charlie.'
I'm sorry to break
in on you.
Just giving some thought
to what's ahead.
So you plannin'
on moving, then.
Thinking about it.
There ain't many of us that
think it's such a good idea.
Matter of fact,
Kit just made out his will.
- His what?
- His will, sir.
Told us chapter and verse
who's to get all his
property if he croaks.
Now, thing is, Charlie,
Kit knows his country.
- Those Indians too.
- Thanks, Louie.
But, Charlie,
if Kit thinks..
Kit!
Oh, aye.
- 'Talk to you a minute?'
- Oh, sure, captain.
Yes, captain.
What is this about
you making a will?
- That's right, sir.
- Why?
Well, you seem bent on moving
out, when it makes no sense.
I figured, I better
put my affairs in order.
Why couldn't you
write it out?
Why'd you have
to tell everybody?
Well, talkin' out your will
is the custom here.
A scrap of paper
might get lost
so you talk out your intentions
in front of men you trust and
the word gets around.
Why, some of the young
fellas get into a panic?
Of course, they did.
You're supposed to be guiding
this expedition.
If you're scared to death,
what'll they feel?
Captain, I don't take kindly
to someone question my courage.
I respectfully ask you.
Sir, don't do that again.
How do you expect me
to interpret this?
You're troubled, captain. You
got fear and caution mixed up.
I'm cautious as hell,
that's true.
I don't take risks
I don't have to.
That's why, I'm not dead
to go on years going.
Right now, I don't see
no reason to move out.
Not for an old darned map.
No, sir.
The same ground's going to be
out there two weeks from now.
For that matter,
200 years from now.
You're wrong.
They want that trail map now.
We're commissioned to do it now.
Not 200 years from now.
Not two weeks from now.
But now.
Well, sir. You try telling
that to the Sioux.
That's exactly
what I plan to do.
Well, alright!
I'm ready whenever you are.
Woo! Ben.
Let's strike the tents.
We're moving out.
'You heard captain.
Let's load 'em up.'
'Go ahead, lead wagon.'
[men shouting]
[whistling]
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chattering]
[dogs barking]
[speaking in native language]
I still don't
like it, captain.
I don't either.
[Charles]
'But it's gotta be done.'
[intense music]
[music continues]
[speaking in native language]
He wants to know
what we're doing here.
[Charles]
'Tell him we're
mapping the terrain.'
Yes, captain.
[speaking in native language]
- Does he understand maps?
- He ain't a dummy, captain.
Tell him we're using
the stars to make this map.
Darned if I can explain that
in daylight but I'm gonna try.
[Kit speaking
in native language]
Maybe you better bring out
your telescope, captain.
Ned, show him
your sketchbook.
'Go on, it might help.'
[speaking in native language]
He asked if we're trappers.
I assured him we're not.
[speaking in native language]
[Kit]
'I said we put our hearts
on the ground in apology'
for what the trappers
done to the whole lala.
Now we'll see.
He says, we're a small
bunch of men.
With these odds we'd be
crazy to start any trouble.
[Kit]
'Captain, he's inviting
us to this Fandango.'
[tribal music]
[music continues]
- 'What they doing now?'
- 'What kind of dance was that?'
[indistinct chattering]
Captain, they're gonna put on
a little show for us.
[crowd cheering]
[cheering continues]
Ain't no white man alive
who can ride like that.
[cheering and applauding]
[speaking in native language]
Sit down!
Let's give 'em
a show of our own.
- What's he up to, Louis?
- Oh, who knows, Charlie.
But I do believe that squaw
with the claw necklace
has her eye on you.
[indistinct chattering]
[all screaming]
[speaking in native language]
What is it?
Don't know, but ain't good,
that's for sure.
Looks like one of us,
don't it?
I think I got it figured out.
We show them power they're
gonna show us skill.
[speaking in native language]
Whoa!
Ha ha. Ah, that's kids stuff.
Ha ha, how'd you
like that, chief?
- What'd I do?
- You've insulted them.
Put down the gun, Marty.
Put it down!
It's alright.
It's alright.
It was all a mistake.
It's alright,
we're sorry.
Uh, Ned.
Get one of those skin,
draw a big circle on it
and put it on the chest.
Uh, Louie, give me
your pistol, will ya?
- What the hell's he doing?
- Don't know but it better work.
[gun cocking]
[gun firing]
[speaking in native language]
He says you're
a Sioux bloodbrother
under that ugly white face.
[speaking in native language]
[drumbeats]
Uh, ma'am, uh, I'm sorry
but my heart is elsewhere.
Kit.
I'll try to explain
it to her, captain.
Well, Charlie, looks likewe're
headed for South Pass after all.
[female #1]
'And some of that please,
thank you so much.'
The British, of course,
would much prefer
Texas remain independent.
They see no advantage in the
ever expanding United States.
They think we are far
too big already.
Mexico on the other hand
would hate it.
'They want Texas back
at any cost.'
Even to the point
of repudiating our treaty.
Which of course may lead to war.
'And I am sure the British
have considered the possibility'
'that Mexico would invite
her into California.'
'Should Texas choose
to join the Union..'
Excuse me.
'...so you see the matter has
international significance.'
- Jessie, I'm so glad.
- Is he here?
Yes, come with me.
Maria, I know
this is a mistake.
Nonsense.
There are other guests.
And your father is too proud
to make a scene.
'Missourians went there
as colonist in the twenties'
and staged a legitimate
revolution in the thirties.
Though it's hard to believe
that anybo..
Excuse me.
I miss you.
You betrayed me.
Papa, I love him.
He's a good man.
A man you'd be proud of
if only you knew him.
I wish to hear
no more about him.
Papa..
I'm pregnant.
Would you deny your
grandchild the club?
You made your own bed.
Beautiful up here, quiet.
Couple more days,
we'll be in South Pass.
Thanks to you, captain.
You were right about going past
Laramie, I was wrong.
But not because we haven't
been attacked, yet.
[Kit]
'Why then?'
Because we had work to do.
Important work.
You never let danger keep
you from trapping, did you?
Well, captain,
beavers won't wait.
You go after 'em
when the pelter's good
or you don't go after 'em.
The truth is..
...all your star gazings
and your scribblings
I-I didn't think it was
worth the gamble.
It is, though.
Kit, do you know what
Greenwich Mean Time is?
- Yes, I do.
- Oh, sit back and explain it.
We measure solar time
at the meridian in Greenwich.
- Oh, you lost me already.
- It's a little town in England.
All over the world
we measure time
against the time
in Greenwich.
Now you've, you've traveled
by the stars, haven't you?
Oh, sure.
Then you know that
stars don't lie.
What Preuss and I are doing..
'...we take dozens of readings
on each separate star.'
'All of them.'
We measure the angle of distance
between them over and over again
till we get a precise
longitude and latitude.
We're measuring time
and distanceagainst
Greenwich, England, Kit
clear on the other side
of the world.
You don't say.
You can't imagine what it feels
like to link human precision
to those tiny little
dancing lights up there.
Millions of miles away.
To use them and time, to create
a map that anyone can follow.
Right back here to this
exact spot on the Sweetwater.
You can't imagine what
pleasure that gives me, Kit.
I can see it does, captain.
Our works almost finished here.
But the job is only half done.
Next time it'll be
all the way west.
I wanna open up
this whole continent.
I wanna give Americans
the kind of freedom
that they've only dreamt about.
Freedom to go wherever
and whenever they want.
Just open a map and go wherever
their dreams will take 'em.
I can imagine the time
when hundreds of wagon trains
will be crossing America.
When Oregon will be as full
of our people as Missouri.
And rail roads, Kit,
that's the real dream.
Rail roads linking America
from coast to coast
cutting down the distance--
That's gonna ruin
this country.
No, Kit, it'll unite
the country.
It'll make us one people.
Inhabiting a..
...an empire that stretches from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
That's my dream.
That's why we're here.
That's why we couldn't
waste time going to Laramie.
Captain sir, I'd like
to say something.
When you go out again
I'd be mighty proud
to ride with you.
I count on that, Kit.
Somethin' up ahead, captain.
Lilly.
You see that man
with tall black hat?
He's your grandfather.
Are you in fact,
ordering me to California?
You know somethin', Kit?
War with Mexico could start
here in the next ten minutes.
[gunshots]