Tales of Wells Fargo (1957–1962): Season 3, Episode 21 - Fort Massacre - full transcript
Jim Hardie brings a gold shipment into an Army fort under Indian attack. The only commander left alive, a green Lieutenant, is uncertain of his command and doubted by his men. Jim believes helping him will pay off when his true character comes out.
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Hyah! Hyah!
NARRATOR: Tales of Wells Fargo.
JIM: Indian country.
Apache country.
A man's scalp
never set too easy,
not even when the tribes
were technically at peace.
Now, with a couple
of the young chiefs
jumping the traces
and out for glory,
the stage trails were
running red again.
There was an army
payroll Wells Fargo
had to get through to Laramie.
Major Thomas Nesbitt,
commandant at Fort Anderson,
was supposed to have
met us with an escort,
but we were and
hour from the Fort now
and still no sign of him.
I didn't like this at all.
My scalp was beginning to feel
less and less a part of me,
and I had a box of gold and
a passenger to think about.
Hyah! Giddy-up!
Hyah!
MAN: Hyah!
Stage coming!
Is the escort with
him? No, Sergeant.
They're alone and
burning leather.
Looks like trouble.
Stand by to open the gates.
Something the matter, Sergeant?
The stage we've been
expecting, Lieutenant,
it's coming in fast but there's
no sign of Major Nesbitt.
That doesn't seem possible.
How could they have
missed connections?
That's the way it is, sir.
JIM: Whoa.
Whoa-up!
Little something
you picked up, Jim?
A souvenir for you.
How are you, Billy? Fine.
I didn't know you were
scouting for this outfit.
I get around.
Still wearing my hair too.
Just what did
you do to the fella
that give you
this? I killed him.
Where's Major
Nesbitt and the escort?
We didn't run into them.
We did run into some
Apaches, however.
Lost our driver.
How many Indians?
Three was all I saw.
We killed two and one got away.
They were wearing war paint.
This is Mrs. Oliver,
Lieutenant. She's on her way
to Laramie to see her husband.
I'm afraid you've had
a bad time, Mrs. Oliver.
I'm terribly sorry. I'm
Lieutenant Kimball,
only officer on
the post just now.
And I'm Jim Hardie. Wells Fargo.
I brought in a
payroll for the army.
I know, that's why
it was so important
for Major Nesbitt to meet you.
You suppose they've had trouble?
Oh, we'll hope
not. But believe me,
the Major would
be able to handle it.
Sergeant Condon will
arrange quarters for you,
and I'll be honored to have you
join me later for dinner.
Well then, we're not going on?
Well that'll be left
for Major Nesbitt
to decide.
Surely, he'll be returning
as soon as he knows
he's missed contact
with the stage. I
see. Thank you.
This way, ma'am.
Take it easy with
that box, soldier.
I have a lot of trouble
getting it this far.
It'll be taken care of.
Come to my quarters, Mr. Hardie.
I'll need a full report
of this incident.
JIM: See you later,
Billy. Sure thing.
Giddy-up.
You seem to be a good
deal more concerned
than you're letting on.
I didn't wanna
alarm Mrs. Oliver.
She's married to a
lieutenant at Fort Laramie.
She's rather
anxious to get to him.
I don't think she
alarms too easy.
I'm quite sure she's
seen Indian trouble before.
I suppose you already
know that I haven't.
Why should I deny the obvious?
This is my first assignment
in hostile territory.
JIM: No, I didn't know it.
I don't envy your
job, Lieutenant.
If I could, I'd send out
a detachment to scout
for the major's column
and try to find out why
he didn't meet the stage.
But we're already
shorthanded on the post.
You see, Major Nesbitt
was not only supposed
to meet the stage,
but to bring back supplies,
ammunition, replacements.
You've seen what we have left.
I noticed it's not
overly crowded.
Whatever happens, we've
got to hold Fort Anderson,
because if it's lost, the
Apache will cut the stage route.
We'll be thrown back a
dozen years in the fight
to tame this country.
I can't spare a
man for scouting.
Not even one? What
about Billy Welch?
As far as that goes, right
now, I'm not doing anything.
You?
With a box of gold
to deliver, Lieutenant,
I'm as anxious to find
out what happened
to Major Nesbitt
as the next man.
No, Mr. Hardie, I can't
accept. You're a civilian.
Rider approaching the Fort.
It's a soldier.
MAN: Alone?
Yes, Sergeant.
I can't make him out.
There's something
wrong about him.
Open the gate, Sergeant.
It's Major Nesbitt.
Dirty, rotten butchers.
What about the rest?
Where's them that
rode out with the major?
Don't you think we
better double the guard
on the wall,
Lieutenant, just in case?
Lieutenant?
Yes.
Yes, take care of it.
Get a burial detail
for the major.
I don't think you
wanna see this,
Mrs. Oliver.
Well, this is dandy.
Major Nesbitt's dead and
his whole command with him.
We don't know that for a fact.
I think it's safe to
assume they're dead, Billy.
That's an Indian's way.
They'll ambush them
and then send us proof.
Yes, and so here we sit
with an an effective
strength of 15 men
and a green Lieutenant
who's shaking in his boots.
Is that the way you
speak of a superior officer?
Then why isn't he out
here taking command?
Why isn't he out
here getting us ready
to stand off an attack?
Because, mister,
the whole weight
of the Apache nation's
gonna hit this fort,
you can count on that.
Makes sense. We're
in the way, Hardie.
I can't argue with that.
Yes, and what are we gonna do?
What are we gonna do
about the green lieutenant?
Why don't we start by not
losing our own self-control?
A drink?
No, thank you.
Brave maker,
they call this stuff.
I wish it was true.
I wish I could get what
I need out of a bottle.
Hardie, I'm scared.
I'm really scared.
What am I doing here,
in the middle of a
roaring wilderness?
The lives of men,
safety of a fort resting
on my shoulders.
I know what they're
saying out there.
That I'm not fit for the
job, and they're right.
But it is your job,
Lieutenant. You picked it.
No, I didn't, Hardie.
I went to West Point only
because there's always
been a Kimball at West Point.
It's taken for granted.
It's just that I don't fit
the tradition, Hardie,
and I wasn't man enough
to hold out against it.
I only hoped that somehow
I'd be big enough to face it
when my turn came, but I'm not.
I think you're forgetting
one thing, Lieutenant.
You did go to West
Point and you graduated.
You're an intelligent
man. Right now,
this fort's in trouble.
Everyone here is in danger.
We're all in need
of that training
that you received.
Yes, of course.
I can't sit here.
The supplies are low.
Food, ammunition, everything.
There can be no
question of looking
for Major Nesbitt's column now.
If any of them are still alive,
they'll be coming back in.
There aren't enough of us left
to help them.
So what are you gonna do?
Give up?
No.
No.
There's only one hope.
A routine patrol is due here
from Fort Laramie in a few days.
If it comes in time,
we may be spared.
Maybe the Apache haven't
gotten to the point yet
of trying to take this fort.
Gone already.
It was only a handful
of the varmints.
It's just a nuisance raid.
Sent out to try to soften us up.
Doing pretty good, too.
It's only a matter of time.
The sergeant's right.
Sitting ducks for the
whole Apache nation.
That's us, Hardie.
That's Fort Anderson.
And the only officer we got left
is cracking to pieces.
Danged if I ain't
starting to get
that funny feeling in my scalp.
Mr. Hardie.
Yes?
Good evening, Mrs. Oliver.
Do you suppose they'll
attack again in the morning?
I don't know.
I do know one thing though,
worrying about it's
not gonna help any.
I suppose you're right.
You know, I feel kind of
sorry for the lieutenant.
I feel somehow that
he doesn't like the army.
That all this was forced on him.
His father was a
graduate of West Point,
as I understand.
Made arrangements for
him to follow in his footsteps.
Had I been born a
boy, I'm sure my father
would have had me do the same.
Instead, he arranged my marriage
to the finest young
lieutenant in the army.
Then your marriage
was your father's idea,
not yours at all?
Well, I never would have
considered disobeying my father.
Yeah. It's always been my idea
that every person
should have the right
to marry the one they want.
If that's not true in
your case, Mrs. Oliver,
I'm very sorry.
You needn't be.
John, my husband, is a
very kind and good man,
but somehow, I feel...
I wasn't his choice either.
But he never let
me know it or feel it.
And as for love,
well, you never miss
what you've never known, do you?
No, I supposed you can't.
Are you married, Mr. Hardie?
No. No, I'm not.
Have you ever been in love?
Yes, once. A long time ago.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm afraid I'm being
far too personal
and I've told you,
a perfect stranger,
the things I would never
have discussed with a friend.
Sometimes it's easier
to talk to a stranger
than it is to a friend.
Thank you, Mr. Hardie.
You've been very patient.
Somehow I feel
much better about all this now.
Good night.
Good night.
Don't you worry about anything.
It gonna be all right.
She wasn't being foolish.
I know what was
really bothering her...
Lieutenant Kimball.
The man's fear was beginning
to work into all of us,
affecting the
morale of the post.
Thank you, Billy.
A man could lose
his hair around here.
I think they got your sentry.
Take a look.
I think it's probably
just a couple of them
coming in here to
check our strength.
Sure, or else they
plumb loco on firewater.
Ordinarily, a redskin won't risk
missing his way to the
happy hunting ground
by getting killed
in a night attack.
If they knew how weak
we really were and
how few of us there were,
I rather doubt they would
have waited this long.
O'Rourke's dead, Sergeant.
All right. Take care of him.
And tell the rest of the
men to keep their eyes open.
And that lieutenant of ours,
where is he? Asleep.
Even a gunshot
couldn't wake him up,
so I'd better go and report.
JIM: If he's asleep, let him.
It's only a short
time until morning
and he's gonna need it.
He's the commanding officer
and his place is out here.
And your place is to remember
that you're a sergeant.
Danged if I ain't starting
to get that funny feeling
in my scalp.
It's only a matter of time.
Not a sound.
If they were gonna attack,
they'd do it right now.
Right at dawn,
so they could come at us
with the sun at their back.
No, I reckon it won't
be for a while yet.
I keep hoping there'd
be a few stragglers
from Major Nesbitt's
party coming,
but I think if there were
any, they'd be here by now.
What do you think?
Have we got a chance?
As long as we're alive, Billy,
I don't believe in giving up.
Look Jim, I got to stay here.
I was hired to,
but you ain't.
Why not you and the
woman get in that stagecoach
and make a run for it?
Who knows?
You might even get through.
If we left this post right now
without an escort,
it'd be a sure sign it
was undermanned.
No, I believe our best
bet is to stay right here
and wait for the
patrol from Laramie.
All right.
We'll just wait together.
Mr. Hardie, the lieutenant
would like to see you.
Come in, Hardie.
Close the door.
You sent for me, Lieutenant?
Yes.
Frankly, Hardie, I need someone
to tell me what to do.
You're right. I know
I'm supposed to know
the books and think for myself
for those men who
look to me for orders,
but my brain's locked tight.
What are the chances
of the supplies holding out
until the patrol gets here?
Not very good.
If there was just some
way to get that patrol in here
ahead of schedule, it'd help.
I wonder.
A messenger. If one
could get through,
they shouldn't
be too far distant.
That's it. We've got
the one man here
who could get through
where nobody else
possibly could. A man who knows
every inch of that
country out there.
Corporal,
ask Billy Welch to report to me.
No hard feelings, soldier boy,
if I check the job you
done on that cinch.
Sure, and that's real good.
You understand this is no order.
Don't give it a
thought, Lieutenant.
I was getting kind of
restless cooped up in here.
I'd like to stretch
my legs a mite.
I'll bring that patrol
in. Don't worry.
Hang on to your scalp, Billy.
It's on awful
tight, Jim. Let's go.
Open the gate.
Look.
Close those gates.
Hold your fire.
It's too far!
Well, that's that.
A good man sacrificed
for a fool idea.
There's nothing
wrong with the idea.
The lieutenant was right.
We've got to get
word to the patrol.
Saddle my horse, Sergeant.
They won't look
for a second try,
not after what we just saw.
Our only chance is to
send out someone else
at once.
You may be right, sir.
I'll call for a volunteer.
No volunteer, Sergeant.
I'm going myself.
You sir? Get my horse.
And you call him a coward.
He'll back out.
Do you really
expect to get through
where Billy Welch failed?
I expect to do what I can.
Don't think I'm not scared.
I'm scared to death.
What have you've done
to him? Look after him.
MAN: Your horse
is ready, Lieutenant.
What's this all about?
There's been a change
in plans, Sergeant.
The lieutenant's gonna stay here
and I'm gonna go
out over the wall.
Have you lost your mind?
Another rider wouldn't
have any more chance
than Billy Welch did,
but a man on foot might
make it without being seen.
Hardie, you can't
possibly make it
to Fort Laramie without a horse.
The Apaches have got
horses. I plan on picking up
one of theirs.
He'll be killed.
Well, it's his own choosing.
All right, you men
keep your rifles ready
so you can give him
covering fire if he needs it.
JIM: We were in
luck, and in time.
The Apache could have
taken Fort Anderson
with little trouble,
but they never knew it.
And so they lost their
chance to cut the stage road
and maybe win a major war.
I delivered my payroll to
Fort Laramie by horseback
and returned to get Mrs. Oliver.
We won't be going on to
Fort Laramie, Mrs. Oliver.
I'm afraid I've got... I know.
They buried my
husband two weeks ago.
I'll be going back
with you, Mr. Hardie.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
Hardie, thanks a lot.
All right, driver.
MAN: Giddy-up, now.
JIM: I was pleased to find
a new feeling there,
a new spirit among the troops.
And above all,
I was glad to learn
that I'd guessed right
about Lieutenant Kimball.
---
Hyah! Hyah!
NARRATOR: Tales of Wells Fargo.
JIM: Indian country.
Apache country.
A man's scalp
never set too easy,
not even when the tribes
were technically at peace.
Now, with a couple
of the young chiefs
jumping the traces
and out for glory,
the stage trails were
running red again.
There was an army
payroll Wells Fargo
had to get through to Laramie.
Major Thomas Nesbitt,
commandant at Fort Anderson,
was supposed to have
met us with an escort,
but we were and
hour from the Fort now
and still no sign of him.
I didn't like this at all.
My scalp was beginning to feel
less and less a part of me,
and I had a box of gold and
a passenger to think about.
Hyah! Giddy-up!
Hyah!
MAN: Hyah!
Stage coming!
Is the escort with
him? No, Sergeant.
They're alone and
burning leather.
Looks like trouble.
Stand by to open the gates.
Something the matter, Sergeant?
The stage we've been
expecting, Lieutenant,
it's coming in fast but there's
no sign of Major Nesbitt.
That doesn't seem possible.
How could they have
missed connections?
That's the way it is, sir.
JIM: Whoa.
Whoa-up!
Little something
you picked up, Jim?
A souvenir for you.
How are you, Billy? Fine.
I didn't know you were
scouting for this outfit.
I get around.
Still wearing my hair too.
Just what did
you do to the fella
that give you
this? I killed him.
Where's Major
Nesbitt and the escort?
We didn't run into them.
We did run into some
Apaches, however.
Lost our driver.
How many Indians?
Three was all I saw.
We killed two and one got away.
They were wearing war paint.
This is Mrs. Oliver,
Lieutenant. She's on her way
to Laramie to see her husband.
I'm afraid you've had
a bad time, Mrs. Oliver.
I'm terribly sorry. I'm
Lieutenant Kimball,
only officer on
the post just now.
And I'm Jim Hardie. Wells Fargo.
I brought in a
payroll for the army.
I know, that's why
it was so important
for Major Nesbitt to meet you.
You suppose they've had trouble?
Oh, we'll hope
not. But believe me,
the Major would
be able to handle it.
Sergeant Condon will
arrange quarters for you,
and I'll be honored to have you
join me later for dinner.
Well then, we're not going on?
Well that'll be left
for Major Nesbitt
to decide.
Surely, he'll be returning
as soon as he knows
he's missed contact
with the stage. I
see. Thank you.
This way, ma'am.
Take it easy with
that box, soldier.
I have a lot of trouble
getting it this far.
It'll be taken care of.
Come to my quarters, Mr. Hardie.
I'll need a full report
of this incident.
JIM: See you later,
Billy. Sure thing.
Giddy-up.
You seem to be a good
deal more concerned
than you're letting on.
I didn't wanna
alarm Mrs. Oliver.
She's married to a
lieutenant at Fort Laramie.
She's rather
anxious to get to him.
I don't think she
alarms too easy.
I'm quite sure she's
seen Indian trouble before.
I suppose you already
know that I haven't.
Why should I deny the obvious?
This is my first assignment
in hostile territory.
JIM: No, I didn't know it.
I don't envy your
job, Lieutenant.
If I could, I'd send out
a detachment to scout
for the major's column
and try to find out why
he didn't meet the stage.
But we're already
shorthanded on the post.
You see, Major Nesbitt
was not only supposed
to meet the stage,
but to bring back supplies,
ammunition, replacements.
You've seen what we have left.
I noticed it's not
overly crowded.
Whatever happens, we've
got to hold Fort Anderson,
because if it's lost, the
Apache will cut the stage route.
We'll be thrown back a
dozen years in the fight
to tame this country.
I can't spare a
man for scouting.
Not even one? What
about Billy Welch?
As far as that goes, right
now, I'm not doing anything.
You?
With a box of gold
to deliver, Lieutenant,
I'm as anxious to find
out what happened
to Major Nesbitt
as the next man.
No, Mr. Hardie, I can't
accept. You're a civilian.
Rider approaching the Fort.
It's a soldier.
MAN: Alone?
Yes, Sergeant.
I can't make him out.
There's something
wrong about him.
Open the gate, Sergeant.
It's Major Nesbitt.
Dirty, rotten butchers.
What about the rest?
Where's them that
rode out with the major?
Don't you think we
better double the guard
on the wall,
Lieutenant, just in case?
Lieutenant?
Yes.
Yes, take care of it.
Get a burial detail
for the major.
I don't think you
wanna see this,
Mrs. Oliver.
Well, this is dandy.
Major Nesbitt's dead and
his whole command with him.
We don't know that for a fact.
I think it's safe to
assume they're dead, Billy.
That's an Indian's way.
They'll ambush them
and then send us proof.
Yes, and so here we sit
with an an effective
strength of 15 men
and a green Lieutenant
who's shaking in his boots.
Is that the way you
speak of a superior officer?
Then why isn't he out
here taking command?
Why isn't he out
here getting us ready
to stand off an attack?
Because, mister,
the whole weight
of the Apache nation's
gonna hit this fort,
you can count on that.
Makes sense. We're
in the way, Hardie.
I can't argue with that.
Yes, and what are we gonna do?
What are we gonna do
about the green lieutenant?
Why don't we start by not
losing our own self-control?
A drink?
No, thank you.
Brave maker,
they call this stuff.
I wish it was true.
I wish I could get what
I need out of a bottle.
Hardie, I'm scared.
I'm really scared.
What am I doing here,
in the middle of a
roaring wilderness?
The lives of men,
safety of a fort resting
on my shoulders.
I know what they're
saying out there.
That I'm not fit for the
job, and they're right.
But it is your job,
Lieutenant. You picked it.
No, I didn't, Hardie.
I went to West Point only
because there's always
been a Kimball at West Point.
It's taken for granted.
It's just that I don't fit
the tradition, Hardie,
and I wasn't man enough
to hold out against it.
I only hoped that somehow
I'd be big enough to face it
when my turn came, but I'm not.
I think you're forgetting
one thing, Lieutenant.
You did go to West
Point and you graduated.
You're an intelligent
man. Right now,
this fort's in trouble.
Everyone here is in danger.
We're all in need
of that training
that you received.
Yes, of course.
I can't sit here.
The supplies are low.
Food, ammunition, everything.
There can be no
question of looking
for Major Nesbitt's column now.
If any of them are still alive,
they'll be coming back in.
There aren't enough of us left
to help them.
So what are you gonna do?
Give up?
No.
No.
There's only one hope.
A routine patrol is due here
from Fort Laramie in a few days.
If it comes in time,
we may be spared.
Maybe the Apache haven't
gotten to the point yet
of trying to take this fort.
Gone already.
It was only a handful
of the varmints.
It's just a nuisance raid.
Sent out to try to soften us up.
Doing pretty good, too.
It's only a matter of time.
The sergeant's right.
Sitting ducks for the
whole Apache nation.
That's us, Hardie.
That's Fort Anderson.
And the only officer we got left
is cracking to pieces.
Danged if I ain't
starting to get
that funny feeling in my scalp.
Mr. Hardie.
Yes?
Good evening, Mrs. Oliver.
Do you suppose they'll
attack again in the morning?
I don't know.
I do know one thing though,
worrying about it's
not gonna help any.
I suppose you're right.
You know, I feel kind of
sorry for the lieutenant.
I feel somehow that
he doesn't like the army.
That all this was forced on him.
His father was a
graduate of West Point,
as I understand.
Made arrangements for
him to follow in his footsteps.
Had I been born a
boy, I'm sure my father
would have had me do the same.
Instead, he arranged my marriage
to the finest young
lieutenant in the army.
Then your marriage
was your father's idea,
not yours at all?
Well, I never would have
considered disobeying my father.
Yeah. It's always been my idea
that every person
should have the right
to marry the one they want.
If that's not true in
your case, Mrs. Oliver,
I'm very sorry.
You needn't be.
John, my husband, is a
very kind and good man,
but somehow, I feel...
I wasn't his choice either.
But he never let
me know it or feel it.
And as for love,
well, you never miss
what you've never known, do you?
No, I supposed you can't.
Are you married, Mr. Hardie?
No. No, I'm not.
Have you ever been in love?
Yes, once. A long time ago.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm afraid I'm being
far too personal
and I've told you,
a perfect stranger,
the things I would never
have discussed with a friend.
Sometimes it's easier
to talk to a stranger
than it is to a friend.
Thank you, Mr. Hardie.
You've been very patient.
Somehow I feel
much better about all this now.
Good night.
Good night.
Don't you worry about anything.
It gonna be all right.
She wasn't being foolish.
I know what was
really bothering her...
Lieutenant Kimball.
The man's fear was beginning
to work into all of us,
affecting the
morale of the post.
Thank you, Billy.
A man could lose
his hair around here.
I think they got your sentry.
Take a look.
I think it's probably
just a couple of them
coming in here to
check our strength.
Sure, or else they
plumb loco on firewater.
Ordinarily, a redskin won't risk
missing his way to the
happy hunting ground
by getting killed
in a night attack.
If they knew how weak
we really were and
how few of us there were,
I rather doubt they would
have waited this long.
O'Rourke's dead, Sergeant.
All right. Take care of him.
And tell the rest of the
men to keep their eyes open.
And that lieutenant of ours,
where is he? Asleep.
Even a gunshot
couldn't wake him up,
so I'd better go and report.
JIM: If he's asleep, let him.
It's only a short
time until morning
and he's gonna need it.
He's the commanding officer
and his place is out here.
And your place is to remember
that you're a sergeant.
Danged if I ain't starting
to get that funny feeling
in my scalp.
It's only a matter of time.
Not a sound.
If they were gonna attack,
they'd do it right now.
Right at dawn,
so they could come at us
with the sun at their back.
No, I reckon it won't
be for a while yet.
I keep hoping there'd
be a few stragglers
from Major Nesbitt's
party coming,
but I think if there were
any, they'd be here by now.
What do you think?
Have we got a chance?
As long as we're alive, Billy,
I don't believe in giving up.
Look Jim, I got to stay here.
I was hired to,
but you ain't.
Why not you and the
woman get in that stagecoach
and make a run for it?
Who knows?
You might even get through.
If we left this post right now
without an escort,
it'd be a sure sign it
was undermanned.
No, I believe our best
bet is to stay right here
and wait for the
patrol from Laramie.
All right.
We'll just wait together.
Mr. Hardie, the lieutenant
would like to see you.
Come in, Hardie.
Close the door.
You sent for me, Lieutenant?
Yes.
Frankly, Hardie, I need someone
to tell me what to do.
You're right. I know
I'm supposed to know
the books and think for myself
for those men who
look to me for orders,
but my brain's locked tight.
What are the chances
of the supplies holding out
until the patrol gets here?
Not very good.
If there was just some
way to get that patrol in here
ahead of schedule, it'd help.
I wonder.
A messenger. If one
could get through,
they shouldn't
be too far distant.
That's it. We've got
the one man here
who could get through
where nobody else
possibly could. A man who knows
every inch of that
country out there.
Corporal,
ask Billy Welch to report to me.
No hard feelings, soldier boy,
if I check the job you
done on that cinch.
Sure, and that's real good.
You understand this is no order.
Don't give it a
thought, Lieutenant.
I was getting kind of
restless cooped up in here.
I'd like to stretch
my legs a mite.
I'll bring that patrol
in. Don't worry.
Hang on to your scalp, Billy.
It's on awful
tight, Jim. Let's go.
Open the gate.
Look.
Close those gates.
Hold your fire.
It's too far!
Well, that's that.
A good man sacrificed
for a fool idea.
There's nothing
wrong with the idea.
The lieutenant was right.
We've got to get
word to the patrol.
Saddle my horse, Sergeant.
They won't look
for a second try,
not after what we just saw.
Our only chance is to
send out someone else
at once.
You may be right, sir.
I'll call for a volunteer.
No volunteer, Sergeant.
I'm going myself.
You sir? Get my horse.
And you call him a coward.
He'll back out.
Do you really
expect to get through
where Billy Welch failed?
I expect to do what I can.
Don't think I'm not scared.
I'm scared to death.
What have you've done
to him? Look after him.
MAN: Your horse
is ready, Lieutenant.
What's this all about?
There's been a change
in plans, Sergeant.
The lieutenant's gonna stay here
and I'm gonna go
out over the wall.
Have you lost your mind?
Another rider wouldn't
have any more chance
than Billy Welch did,
but a man on foot might
make it without being seen.
Hardie, you can't
possibly make it
to Fort Laramie without a horse.
The Apaches have got
horses. I plan on picking up
one of theirs.
He'll be killed.
Well, it's his own choosing.
All right, you men
keep your rifles ready
so you can give him
covering fire if he needs it.
JIM: We were in
luck, and in time.
The Apache could have
taken Fort Anderson
with little trouble,
but they never knew it.
And so they lost their
chance to cut the stage road
and maybe win a major war.
I delivered my payroll to
Fort Laramie by horseback
and returned to get Mrs. Oliver.
We won't be going on to
Fort Laramie, Mrs. Oliver.
I'm afraid I've got... I know.
They buried my
husband two weeks ago.
I'll be going back
with you, Mr. Hardie.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
Hardie, thanks a lot.
All right, driver.
MAN: Giddy-up, now.
JIM: I was pleased to find
a new feeling there,
a new spirit among the troops.
And above all,
I was glad to learn
that I'd guessed right
about Lieutenant Kimball.