Centennial (1978–1979): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Massacre - full transcript

By 1861, war had spread
like a dirty fog

across the American landscape.

While Northerners
fought Southerners

in the East and in Texas,

in the Rockies, white men
pushed into a frontier

that had been occupied by
red men for generations.

It was a complex and
disorganized campaign,

this Western conflict.

There were traders
like Levi Zendt,

and soldiers like Maxwell Mercy

who would do their best
to stop the carnage.



There were renegades like the
half-breed Pasquinel brothers,

who welcomed it.

There were men in it who
had no time for fighting.

Prospectors like the Volga
Deutchman, Hans Brumbaugh,

who had walked from St.
Louis to find gold.

But no matter what their
background, or what their aim,

the winds of violence

would touch all of
them sooner or later.

Twist all of them,
change all of them.

Well, Larkin, I found the gold.

Where've you been?

You thief.

You dirty, filthy, rotten thief.

Here. What are you
talking about?



I'm talking' about my claim.
My claim.

You ain't got no right to it.

You wouldn't even
knowed about it

if it wasn't for that Zendt woman.
I seen ya.

I seen ya talking to her.

And then you tried to slip
out of post ahead of me.

She told me nothing.
And I didn't slip.

She told ya.

She knowed, I got it right here.

Miss Lucinda McKeag, etcetera,

heiress to Chief Lame Beaver,

Arapaho hero who discovered
a gold mine in the Rockies.

She knowed!

Quit yelling, man,
you're sick in the head.

I showed you this, didn't I?
Didn't I?

Stake out your own
ten feet of bank,

what's the difference?

And let you have
the mother lode?

This is where the vein is.

Then take this one.

No.

No, it's mine, the
whole valley's mine.

You know what they do to claim
jumpers here, Brumbaugh, huh?

Near the 1860s, another
kind of man came West.

A victim of a changing times

who knew that the tragedy
and terror he had survived

were visited upon
him for a reason.

A man who possessed
a clear vision

of how the West was to be

and his determination to
shape it to that definition.

He came from Minnesota.

His name was Frank Skimmerhorn.

Column halt!

Set them down. Dismount!

Halt. State your
name and business.

Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn.

I'm here to see General Asher.

Colonel in what army?

The Colorado
Territorial Militia.

If one more tribe in this territory
is cheated out of its rights,

there'll be an insurrection...

I don't make the
treaties, Major.

I can't help what
Washington does.

But you can help what
the settlers do.

You can condemn
these atrocities.

Now, what is it, Tanner?

Beg your pardon, General.

Colonel Skimmerhorn is here.

Skimmerhorn, he's
Volunteer Militia.

I think you ought to
see him, General.

I don't have time
for play actors.

I understand General Pope in St. Louis
has the greatest respect for him, sir.

Pope? Yes, sir.

The command in Leavenworth,

he feels he saved the gold
mines from the Rebels.

All right. Send him in.

Colonel?

Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn, First
Colorado Volunteers, sir.

No need for the formalities, Mr.
Skimmerhorn. Have a seat.

I beg your pardon, sir,

but my command was raised by
the people of this Territory

to put an end to the Indian
menace once and for all.

We're ready to fight
and I believe

that our efforts should be
coordinated with yours.

Did you say, fight?

I don't believe
I've had the honor.

Oh, forgive me. This is
Major Maxwell Mercy.

Indian Affairs.

Oh, yes, yes. I've
heard of you, Major.

That is I've heard the
calumny that's going around.

Major Mercy.

They say that he's the officer with
the white skin and the Indian heart.

Calumny?

I don't find that
slanderous in the least.

As a matter of fact, I
take it as a compliment.

Indeed.

I'd be revolted.

Ahem, well, Mr. Skimmerhorn.

Colonel.

Oh, yes, Colonel.

If this is a courtesy call,
we appreciate your time.

No, sir, it is not a courtesy.
It is a necessity.

The situation in this territory
is completely out of hand.

Not that anyone blames
the Regular Army, sir.

What can you do when St. Louis diverts
more and more troops from the West

to fight the confederacy? I
understand your problem,

and I sympathize.

I also have the solution for it.

What solution is that, sir?

Stop the parleys.

Stop all the pussyfooting.

Eliminate the Indians entirely.

Beginning with the
Pasquinel brothers.

Eliminate? You mean slaughter.

They are God's
outlaws, Lamanites,

remnants of the lost
tribes of Israel.

They knew God, and
they rejected Him,

and He put a curse upon them

and darkened their faces, and
turned all men against them.

And gentlemen, as Christians, it is our
duty to hunt them down and slay them.

Read your Bible.

I trust you have one.

Or has your love for the heathens
usurped its place in your thinking?

General. All right, Max.

This man, this kind of thinking

can destroy everything we've
been trying to accomplish.

The only thing that needs
to be accomplished

is the establishment of an area for
settlement for those who follow the Lord.

I've been commissioned by Him and His
followers to succeed where you have failed.

You are insane.

No, sir.

I am right.

General, I am officially requesting
additional troops for my campaign.

I appreciate your concern for the
safety of our citizens, Colonel.

But at the present
time, I'm sorry.

I would need orders
from Leavenworth.

That, sir, is being arranged.

Gentlemen.

That's all, Tanner.

Yes, sir.

Oh, don't worry, Max. I'm
not going to help him.

Do you think he can get those
orders from Leavenworth?

Well, I don't know.

If he really has General
Pope's ear and confidence.

How long would it take to
get a courier to St. Louis?

Max.

You will stop him.

If I can.

Lf?

General, you've met with the chiefs of
the Sioux, the Arapaho and the Cheyenne.

You know they're making
peace among themselves.

Something they've
never done before.

You also know that they realize our
army is engaged in a civil war.

If we let this madman blow the top off
the powder keg we're sitting on...

Max!

I appreciate your passion.
But I don't share it.

Not that I side with a
fanatic like Skimmerhorn,

but I will not be dictated
to by either of you.

No. You'll just sit on the fence until
they blow it out from under you.

Sir, I've gotta
help these people.

Ah.

But which people, Max?

The white people,
or the red people?

Indians are human beings, too.

Yes, but they're different.

And the rest of the
country sees that,

even if you're too close to
them to see it for yourself.

Isn't that what our
job is all about,

to demonstrate that we
can exist together?

You can't stop progress, Max.

This country has made up its
mind to expand westward.

We can stop the killing.

We can assimilate their culture.

We can learn from them.
We can grow with them.

Max, when has that
ever happened?

When a nation extends its borders
into another nation's land,

people die.

But they haven't done anything

to demand a military
action against them.

No.

They haven't done
anything wrong at all.

Except be here.

Clemma, come help Grandma.

Mr. Brumbaugh?

Well, you weren't out very long.

Did you have any luck?

No. No luck.

Good luck to you.

Hello.

If you're looking for your
friend, Larkin, he left.

I'm not looking for Larkin.
I know where he's at.

You know, he about drove my wife
crazy with that clipping of his.

But she couldn't tell him any more
than she tells everybody else.

"Try Blue Valley," she said.

Maybe he's uncovered
the vein by now.

Maybe.

You ought to be with
him if he does.

I'm not interested.

In gold?

It's a dirty business, Zendt.

I found I wasn't fit for it.

An expensive lesson to learn.

It's a long walk from St. Louis.

Well, shoe leather's cheap.

Not around here.

Well, there's trapping.

I'm not a trapper.

Papa, man wants to know how
much the small nails are.

Penny apiece, Martin.

You have to eat, Mr. Brumbaugh.

The ravens won't feed you.

You don't mine, you don't trap,

but you're fed.

I'm a middleman. I
create a market.

Well, there can't be a middle without
a beginning and an end, huh?

I am a grower.

Grower?

Yeah.

I took a look at this
land on the way in today.

Some of it looks good.

Where there's water.

How do I take title?

Title, huh? Well, there might
be a problem about titles.

Why? I thought you own land.

My wife's mother sold it to me.

Eight hundred acres
along the river.

Eight hund...

I thought you owned thousands.

Thousands at Rattlesnake Cliffs.

But you couldn't
grow weeds up there.

It's dry as a bone.

That river land that you own.

Will you sell some to me?

Ten dollars an acre.

Sixty acre's all I can handle.

Done. And there's $200 more.

Would you forward that to the bank in St.
Louis and have them

send it to my wife in Illinois?

I want her to join me.

Your wife?

Yeah, and kids.

A girl four and a son.
He'll be six in August.

It's no place for a family, Mr.
Brumbaugh.

Hans.

Hans.

You'll be out there alone.

Settlers around here have
been attacked, massacred...

I know it's a gamble, but
every day is a gamble.

Being born's a gamble,
I'll risk it.

It's real good.

You will make it bloom.

Yeah. I will make it bloom, Mr.
Zendt.

Levi.

You want potatoes, Levi?

I'll grow you potatoes.

I'll grow you potatoes like
you've never seen before.

Like no one's ever seen before.

This is my land, huh?

Mine.

And I'll grow potatoes.

And I'll be king of potatoes.

Potatoes Brumbaugh. That's me!

That's good, huh?
Potatoes Brumbaugh.

I've got to talk to Jake and Mike.
Where are they?

Well, I don't know.

Lucinda,

there's a man
called Skimmerhorn.

He thinks he's God's
own right hand.

If he finds them, he'll
kill them on sight.

Skimmerhorn. That
fellow from Minnesota?

He's a crackbrain.

He's a crackbrain with
an army and a mission.

Can you imagine anything
more dangerous than that?

Lucinda, if he finds your
brothers, there'll be a battle.

Men'll die on both sides.

There'll be a
full-scale rebellion.

The Pasquinels have got
to leave the territory.

Go to them yourself if
you can't trust me.

Explain it to them.

But, Max, I can't tell you where
they are because I don't know.

Nobody knows.

I know.

Where?

The Army calls my
sons renegades.

The Army wants to
put them on trial.

I know where your heart is, Max.

But you still wear your uniform.

Because I won't surrender.

If I take off this uniform,

somebody else will put it on.

Maybe someone like Skimmerhorn.

He's right, mother.

Right or wrong, it
could get him killed.

I'll go with him. Levi.

They have no reason to hurt me.

Clay Basket?

Aspen Creek.

Well, Major Mercy.

Imagine finding you here.

I was just leaving, Colonel.

Were you?

Get off your horse.
You're under arrest.

I'm what?

Corporal?

You question my command, Major,

but I assure you he doesn't.

Ready.

Aim.

What are the grounds
for this arrest?

Consorting with known traitors.

You are Levi Zendt?

I am.

Sergeant.

"By order of the People of
the Territory of Colorado,

"Levi Zendt, his squaw, Lucinda,

"and the squaw Clay Basket are
declared guilty of providing aid

"and comfort to the enemies
of the above named People,

"and are placed under military
arrest until further notice.

"The buildings and grounds commonly
known as Zendt's trading post

"are declared closed and all
weapons will be confiscated.

"Signed, F. Skimmerhorn, Colonel,
First Colorado Volunteers."

This is absurd. What's
your authority?

You heard the proclamation.

I'm acting under powers given
me by the People of Colorado.

This trading post is now
officially a military jail.

Guards have already been posted.

Anyone attempting to enter or leave
without my permission will be shot dead.

I do hope that's clear.

Sergeant.

Here. Go get it.

Good dog. Come on.

Come here, boy. Yeah,
that's a good dog.

Guard, anybody want
a drink out there?

Open it.

Sergeant, if I'm out
of line, you tell me.

But you boys have been on duty
for almost seven hours now,

and there's a chill in the air.

Well, we thought maybe you
could all use a drink.

The Colonel don't like us
taking' bribes from traitors.

It's not a bribe.

Forget it.

Okay.

Couldn't you shut up that
yapping dog, at least?

Why? He ain't
bothering' you none.

My wife's sick. She
needs her rest.

Well, tell her to
plug up her ears.

Be still, animal.

Come back here, squaw!

Clay Basket.

Stop!

Stop, stop! You! Squaw!

Mama.

Clay Basket!

Clay Basket!

My sons.

What'd she say?

Didn't catch it.

Jake.

Mercy.

No, Jake. I come alone.

Can I put my hands down now?

I would not.

I've never known, Mercy.
Are you so brave?

Or are you such a fool?

Jake. Mike.

Clay Basket... Clay
Basket is dead.

How?

She sacrificed herself so I could
warn you of a great danger.

Eh? What danger, eh?

A man named Skimmerhorn.

We do not know man, Skimmer...

He knows you.

He's sworn to kill both of you.

Mercy, you know, many
men swear that, eh?

He's different. He's driven.

He believes the Great
Spirit has chosen him

to kill you and all your people.

She died,

so that you could tell us this?

She saw him.

Saw his anger, saw his madness,

saw his power.

You let her die.

It was her choice.

As it is mine to be here now.
Before you.

Unafraid.

You have good reason
to fear me now, Mercy.

I have reason to love you, Jake.

As I loved your mother.

And as I love your sisters.

Hey, Mercy.

What is it you would
have us do, eh?

Go north to the Black Hills.

So the soldiers can take
our land without fighting?

No.

So the Army will have
time to stop Skimmerhorn.

You may fear this man,
Skimmerhorn, Mercy,

but I don't. We don't.

We don't fear no white man.

Go north, Jake.
Just for a while.

Just until... You
listen to me, Mercy!

You come here and you
tell me you married a...

A woman who was a sister
who I never seen.

And you tell me you
are my family.

You're not my family.

You come here to tell
me how to live my life?

You come here and tell me what to
do with the land that is mine?

Mine! Not yours, not
any white man's!

I was born here! I
will live here!

I will fight here!
And I will die here!

Because this is my
home, not yours!

Now you tell me, Mercy.

Do you love it so much that
you will die for it, too?

Because if you do not
disappear very quickly,

I'll kill you myself.

Where are your guards?

The Army has taken
away our guns.

What use are guards
without guns?

Your horses?

Gone. Eaten.

Horses. Dogs.

Everything. Gone.

Sir, I have something
very hard to ask of you.

Is it harder than starving?

For warriors, perhaps.

There's a man.

A white man called Skimmerhorn.

Skimmerhorn?

Yes.

If he comes to your
camp, don't oppose him.

If he wants to search
for weapons, let him.

Do you understand?

I understand the words.

Not the reasons.

He wants to create an incident.

He wants to begin a war.

I was wrong.

I do know him.

Those men are all alike.

If this one wants to kill,

he'll kill.

There's nothing
that can stop him.

I'm going to Denver.

If I have to, St. Louis.
Even Washington.

Just get us guns, Mercy. No.

We have no guns.

That's what he wants. That's
what he's hoping for.

He'll come with guns.

He can't use them
if you don't fight.

Why not?

Lost Eagle, you know
better than any one else.

War is not the answer.

Must I beg you, Mercy?

I can't bring you guns.

How quickly we become beggars.

I betrayed our people.

No.

I should have let them
follow the Pasquinels.

You led your people well, Lost Eagle.
You always have.

All we need's more time.

Time?

And what do I say to the
father of the child

that starves to death

on the day before the time comes

when we will have
food again and hope

and pride?

I only know one
thing, Lost Eagle.

The man who comes this time

will look for any
reason to attack.

You must not give it to him.

You must not raise a gun against him.
Or a hand.

Even an empty one.

Your worry is for
nothing, Mercy.

What you ask will not be hard.

Not for the man that
has no other choice.

Corporal of the
guard, on the double!

Major, sir?

Major Mercy.

You'll come with me, sir.

You're under arrest.

Everything is in order, General.

Sorry about the disturbance.

I'll escort the prisoner to
the guardhouse personally.

In a minute.

General, I have... Are
your deaf, Captain?

No, sir.

Come in, Max.

Sit down, Max.

Cigar? Thank you, no.

You're packing?

At midnight last night,

Colonel Skimmerhorn temporarily
replaced me as Commander.

Damn.

He has friends in high office.

Where are they sending you?

I have been summoned

to Fort Leavenworth to explain
why I was unable to quell

the Indian uprisings
in Colorado.

Then it's finished.

Well, not everything, Max.
Just me.

And you.

Where did you go when
you left Zendt's?

On a fool's mission.

How do you intend to answer
Skimmerhorn's charges?

Damn his charges.

I never considered his order
legal in the first place,

and I still don't.

Well,

you'd better realize
what you're facing.

Quote.

"Consorting with the
enemy in time of war.

"Disobeying a direct order
of a superior officer.

"Fleeing to the enemy with
national secrets." Unquote.

Sir, I've got to get to St.
Louis.

I'm sorry, Max.

I am no longer in command.

I'm sorry, too, General.

Because unfortunately
you never were.

Guard.

Sir, canons loaded and
ready for firing.

Good. Let me see.

Perfect.

Perfect.

Are your orders clear to you?

Yes, sir. I'm to cease firing

after three rounds
from all five guns.

And make sure they're
unison rounds.

I don't want some laggard
lobbing a ball into my cavalry.

I'll be careful, sir.

Ready on the left, sir.

Oh, Tanner. I've decided
to make a few changes.

I'll lead the center myself.

Oh, an excellent idea, sir.

You'll stand in reserve

until after I've completed
the saber charge.

Then, you'll ride in
as hard as you can,

and shoot anyone who tries
to escape in that direction.

Yes, sir.

Your Captain McIntosh will
lead the right flank.

McIntosh?

Yes, sir.

You don't approve?

He struck me as a
very steady soldier.

Sir, he is.

It's just that,

I don't think he's as concerned

about the Indian
problem as we are.

Oh?

Colonel.

Captain.

Everything in order here?

Ready and waiting, sir.

I trust you grasp the
importance of your position?

You're not to let one single
redskin slip through these lines.

I understand, sir.

Will they be heavily armed?

Armed?

They're Indians.
Shoot them down.

Of course, sir.

What I meant to say was

will they be mounting an
attack in my direction?

Captain McIntosh, listen to me.

When those cannons fire,

there's gonna be a great
deal of confusion.

I intend to compound
that in the center.

In all that confusion,
many of those Indians

are going to attempt to run
off in your direction.

And it's your duty
to gun them down.

All of them.

I do hope you understand.

Yes, sir.

We can't let them live
to fight another day.

I know these dogs. I've
dealt with them before.

The Arapaho, Colonel?

No, the Sioux. They're
all the same.

I was a farmer in Minnesota.

One night they swept down on us.

They burned my farm.

They murdered my
mother and my father

and my wife and my little girl.

And they left me and
my son for dead.

But we survived.

Somehow we survived.

For this.

Colonel? Are you all right, sir?

It'll be sunrise soon.

Gentlemen, we are engaged
in a great venture.

We have it in our power

to make this glorious
nation safe forever

from these predators.

God is on our side.

Remember that always.

Fire!

Fire!

Forward!

Stop. Stop.

We have no guns!

They're slipping
away on the right.

Where's McIntosh?

Where the hell is McIntosh?

Colonel's compliments, sir,

and why hasn't the right
flank engaged yet?

Because the right flank

refuses to slaughter
unarmed civilians.

I'm to remind the Captain that
he's under direct orders.

Fine. The Captain's
been reminded.

But, sir...

What are you doing with them?

Captured prisoners, sir.

Nits grow into lice.

Kill them.

More orders, Private?

No, sir.

I was wondering if I could
be attached to your command

for the rest of the battle, sir.

Sure, lad.

Thank you, sir.

Are you all right? You
look a little pale.

I'm trying not to be sick, sir.

We should all be sick this day.

Thank you,

but our victory over the Indians

was God's work.

I am merely his
humble right arm.

I'm Colonel Skimmerhorn.

Yes, sir.

I'm here to escort General
Wade to Camp Wells.

Has he arrived yet?

Yes, sir, he has.
He's over there.

General, Colonel Frank
Skimmerhorn, sir.

Yes, I heard the shouting.

You're a very popular
man, Colonel.

You'll be running for
President before we know it.

Oh, not an unlettered old
reprobate like me, sir.

Of course, Mr. Lincoln
is not exactly

a Harvard graduate
himself, is he?

Not exactly.

I hope you found your
suite acceptable, sir.

I thought you'd be more comfortable
here than at the camp.

Very acceptable, thank you.

I must tell you

how personally honored
I felt when I heard

that Washington was sending
an officer of your stature

to preside over these
two court-martials.

Washington considers them
both very important, Colonel.

So does the Colorado
Territory, sir.

In my opinion, there
hasn't been a traitor

to compare to McIntosh or Mercy

since Benedict Arnold.

Yes, I've been reading
your charges, Colonel.

"Consorting with the enemy.

"Refusal to obey a direct order.

"Cowardice?"

Strong meat.

Mclntosh's actions were most
reprehensible, I think.

That's why I've recommended that
the court deal with him first.

He placed our entire
operation in jeopardy.

If it hadn't been for the bravery
of men like Captain Abel Tanner,

Lost Eagle's warriors might
have overwhelmed us in the end.

I see the name "Zendt" here.
Civilian?

Yeah, another of Mercy's
Indian-loving cohorts.

I've placed his trading post out
of bounds to all Army personnel.

However, I couldn't stop civilians
from dealing with the man.

But I don't think he'll do us any damage
now that Lost Eagle's been defeated.

Good. I'm ready.

Shall we push on?

After you, sir.

Ditch.

That's all I need.

A great big ditch.

Great big ditch.

That's what I need.

The whole valley? Why not?

It just doesn't seem possible.

Nothing's possible
till you try it.

I'm just asking for
a chance, Levi.

And I'm paying you good money.
Darn good money.

Too good, Hans.

That dry land has never
produced anything but agony.

Ah! She'll produce like
any other stretch of land

if we get the water to it.

I don't know.

You don't have to know. I know.

I can harness that river just
like a team of plow horses.

I got up in a cottonwood
and I saw for myself.

That land drops back and I can cut a
channel that'll flow right through her.

I'll use what I need and put the
rest right back into the Platte.

See, that's pretty smart. Ha!

I wonder why nobody ever
thought of that before.

Probably because
they didn't have to.

I got no place else
to start again, Levi.

My family's coming. This
is gonna be our home.

And it's gotta work.
And I'll make it work.

That dry land that
you hold title to.

Will you sell it to me?

I'll sell you my half.

But you'll have to ask Lucinda
about the other half.

Sorry.

It's all right. I'm
all right now.

Hans, have you met my sister?

This is Major Mercy's
wife, Lisette.

How do you do. Hans Brumbaugh.

Excuse us, ladies.

Lucinda, when you
get a minute...

So then what did you say to him?

I told him that I
thought he was wrong.

I said, "Captain McIntosh,

"you must fight for
this thing with Max!

"If you let the Army
throw you out now,

"they'll call you a traitor,

"a coward for as
long as you live."

What about the new general
they've brought in?

Well, Max says that

he'll be as good a
judge as he can be.

It's just two junior officers'
words against a Colonel's.

You know who they'll believe.

McIntosh can't find anyone
to speak up for him.

Yeah, well, young Clark
would burn their ears.

Young who?

Oh, I'm sorry, I beg
your pardon, ma'am.

I was thinking out loud.

Well, what did you mean?

Come on, Hans, it
may be important.

Well, I don't know how
important it will be,

but I did come
across a young fella

who was in the battle,

and he said that this
Captain McIntosh

was the only sane man there.

Yeah, go on.

Well, that... That's all.

I came across this young boy.

He was alone and he was
down by the river and

he was crying. So I came over
and I asked him if he was sick

and he said, yes, he was,

and he didn't think he'd ever get well
again after the things he'd seen.

What was his name again?

Clark.

James Arthur Clark,
sir, Private.

First Colorado Volunteers.

There's nothing to be nervous
about, Private Clark.

Just you take your time.

Now, during the so-called
Battle of Rattlesnake Cliffs,

what exactly was your duty?

Courier, sir.

And in your capacity as Courier,

did you have occasion to visit
Captain McIntosh's position?

I... Yes, sir.

Tell us about it.

Well, Colonel Skimmerhorn
seen some Indians

skedaddling through
a gap on the right

and he sent me over to
see why Captain McIntosh

hadn't engaged yet.

You talked to Captain McIntosh?

Oh, yes, sir.

I informed him of the
Colonel's orders

to block up the gap but
he said he wouldn't.

Major O'Neil,

is this man a witness for the
defense or the prosecution?

For the defense, sir.
Bear with me, please.

Very well, continue.

Private Clark,

did Captain McIntosh
offer any excuse

for refusing to
block up the gap?

Yes, sir. He...

He said he refused to
slaughter unarmed civilians.

But these Indians were
warriors, weren't they?

No, sir.

They were women and
little kids, old men.

Of course they were armed?

No, sir.

I never seen so much as a
bow and arrow in that camp.

Couple of rocks, that's all.

Private Clark,

I want to remind you
that you're under oath.

You have sworn before God
to tell the truth here.

Are you telling the truth?

Yes, sir.

You saw unarmed Indians
killed in this raid?

Yes, sir.

Killed with their hands
raised, some of them scalped.

Scalped while they
was still alive.

Women?

Children?

Yes, sir.

Captain Tanner's men got a
hold of these two little kids

and they told Colonel Skimmerhorn
they were prisoners.

But the Colonel said,
"Nits grow into lice."

And Captain Tanner
said, "Kill them."

And they shot them
both in the head.

Oh, God!

Major 'O Neil,

I presume you're going to offer
corroborating witnesses?

If I can find men brave
enough to testify, General,

yes.

But if the Court
is asking for me,

it must be obvious
McIntosh's trial is over.

Yes, sir.

Captain, can't you at least
tell me what the verdict was?

I wasn't authorized
to do that, sir.

General just said to come
over to the guardhouse

and bring you back
on the double.

Unfortunately, Colonel,
this court has no authority

to punish a member of the
Territorial Militia.

All it can do is to dismiss
utterly the ridiculous charges

that you have brought against
two distinguished officers

and to revoke the ill-advised
orders that placed you

in temporary command here

and to pray that the
people of Colorado

will have the good sense to
dismiss you from your position

before you can do
any further harm.

Court's adjourned!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Thank you for coming.

What does the Army
say this time?

They've authorized me
to agree to any terms

I believe necessary to bring
these raids to an end.

This war.

This war, yes.

Any terms?

Money within reason.

Land. Guarantees.

Skimmerhorn's head.

That's not a term.

That's justice.

Mercy, you're a fair man.

Who do you blame for
what has happened?

Skimmerhorn.

You believe he
should be punished?

Yes.

Has the Army punished him?

No.

They have removed
him from command.

Did they remove the other
soldiers or the cannon?

No.

That's the one term we have.

Skimmerhorn's head.

That's the one term
I cannot grant.

You know that.

Then the war goes on.

Jake.

It can't go on. It
must not go on.

Because you can't win.

We're winning.

We didn't call this talk.

You're winning now. Maybe.

But time's against
you, Broken Thumb.

More and more settlers
are moving in.

More and more soldiers will
be sent to man the forts

when the Confederacy's defeated.

Don't make the white man
kill all your people.

You don't have to kill
all our people, Mercy.

Just us.

If you can.

Mike.

Mercy,

you tell old Levi the day
we spoke of has come.

No one can stop the river.

And this will be a
river of blood.

Run for it.

He's done for.

Make sure!

I can't get down to him!

Well, give him
another slug anyway!

The Colonel wants him dead.

Get him?

Of course.

He's dead! He ain't breathing.

Let's get back to headquarters.

Oh, no. Max!

Oh!

It was Injuns. I was
tracing color out there.

Bunch of them chased
him and the other men.

Killed the other two.

I got to him as soon
as I could, ma'am.

Please, could somebody
get a doctor, please?

Well, I'm not going to wait
till they murder me in my bed!

I say we bring the
Colonel back here, now!

Do something.

Lisette, not Indians.

White men dressed like Indians.

White men?

Not Indians.

Skimmerhorn! Skimmerhorn!

Skimmerhorn! Skimmerhorn!

Thank you! Thank you,
good People of Colorado!

You have all heard the
vicious lies told about me.

You have seen the Army itself
attempt to blacken my name.

Many of you were present
when a young soldier

perjured himself against me.

Some of you may even believe
that vicious calumny.

No!

Now! Now I understand
that I have been charged

with dressing up in
paint and feathers

and shooting Major
Maxwell Mercy!

No, lies!

I can tell you this.

I tell you good friends,

that I sympathize
with the Major.

I can imagine how
terrible it must be

to trust the redskin
all of one's life,

only to have that trust
betrayed in the end.

And I can only pray

that the good Major has
finally learned his lesson.

However,

I doubt that you
came all this way

to hear me pray for
the good Major.

Now, despite these calumnies

you have asked me once again

to lead your militia
against the savages!

Yeah! Yes!

You're all waiting
for my answer.

You know what my answer is.

The answer is, yes!

But now, I pledge my
sacred honor to you

that I will track down and
destroy these miscreants

if the path leads to the
door of hell itself!

Colonel,

there's someone here to see you.

He says he's your son.

My son?

Where?

John! Ah!

How are you, Son?
You look wonderful.

Yes, so do you, Pa.

You didn't tell me you
were due for a leave.

Well, I was just... Well,
it doesn't matter.

Never mind. All that matters
is you're here with us now.

Come on, I want you
to meet my staff.

Yes, what's all this I
hear about a private army?

Volunteers. Indian fighters.

Splendid men, all of them.

You see, we had to do something
about the Indian raids

since the Federals
couldn't handle it.

No offense, Lieutenant.

None taken.

Even if the address
still applied.

What address?

Lieutenant.

I left the Army, Pa. I
wrote you a letter.

I guess it got
held up someplace.

I just decided I wasn't
cut out to be a soldier.

That's fine.

Fine! Then you can join us.
Come.

Join? Gentlemen,

I'd like you to
meet my son, John.

Hi.

Your new Chief of Staff. No.

Now wait a minute. I
don't think I'd...

You don't have to think.

It's all been decided,

John, I don't blame you for
resigning your commission.

That was a terrible war.

But this isn't Shiloh.

No, this is...

This is different.
This is better.

Better!

Like shooting rats in
a barn, Lieutenant.

Rats?

Rats, Indians, they're
all the same.

Let me show you this.

You know the name
Jake Pasquinel?

Yeah. I think so.
Half-breed, renegade?

The devil. Satan's own son.

Well, we caught
up with him today

and we damn near annihilated
his whole tribe. Didn't we?

I got me enough scalps
to make a coat.

You take scalps?

Well, if there's one thing
an Indian fears most,

it's losing his hair.

Anyway, Jake and his brother
somehow managed to escape.

We think we have them holed
up here now in Fox Canyon.

We're going after them tonight.
And you're coming along.

Wait a minute, Pa...

Oh, I can't tell you what it
means to have you with us.

I need you.

This is a holy Crusade.

A crusade?

God is leading me, John.

I mean that literally.
He talks to me.

He comes to me in my
tent when I'm alone

and He talks to me.

We're doing God's work.

So let's get to it!

Jacques,

it's finished, isn't it?

We must go north,

we join the Sioux.

You go down to Zendt

and you tell him give
us horses and food.

It'll be little for him to pay
for all our mother's land.

Levi is our brother.

He won't refuse us.

Here. You take the rifle.

Oh, no. It will
only slow me down,

I'll go down mountain. Take it.

Well, good evening, Mr.
Pasquinel.

Beautiful night, isn't it?

Ah, you've had a
fine long run, Jake.

Right now you look
a little tired.

Are you ready to go to sleep?

I suppose you heard about the
trial we had back in town, huh?

Your brother-in-law, Mercy

and some of his misguided
friends rig that.

But not this.

Nobody is going to stand in the way of
justice being carried out this time.

Pa.

John, I'm glad you're here, Son.

Don't do it, Pa. Don't do it.

Of all people, you
know why I have to.

Pa, listen to me.

Listen to a coward?

If you haven't got the stomach
for soldiering, all right.

But don't go squeamish on
me in front of these men.

Pull him up!

Mr. Zendt?

Yes? I'm John Skimmerhorn.

My father and his men hanged
Jake Pasquinel last night.

A cabin in the mountains, a
place called Fox Canyon.

They told me at the hotel

Pasquinel was your
wife's brother.

I thought she ought to
know what happened.

Levi! Here.

Lucinda sent me. Someone set
fire to the trading post.

She's all right! Lisette
has the children.

Everyone's safe.

Who did it?

Who sent you up here?

The son.

Got you away from the
place, didn't he?

No, I can't believe that.

When he told me what
his father did here,

he looked as guilty as
if he'd done it himself.

Maybe he's a good
one, maybe not.

He still has a lot to live down.

Levi.

Mike.

Mike, are you crazy?

You shouldn't have come here.

Who burned you out?

Skimmerhorn.

His men paid us a little visit

after they tracked down Jake.

Jacques's dead, eh?

I buried him.

By McKeag's old cabin
in Fox Canyon.

I leave him there
alone to come here.

We had no...

We had no horses.

We had nothing.

Everything's over, Mike.

No, no, no. It's not.

I need a rifle to go
on fighting, Levi.

I won't give you one, Mike.

Levi, I need rifle
to go on fighting.

I can't fight without a rifle.

The fighting's over, Mike.

You're gonna turn yourself in.

Not to Skimmerhorn.

To the Army.

Levi,

they kill me just the
way they kill Jacques.

Maybe. Maybe, maybe not.

At least you'll
have a real trial.

You've got no chance
at all this way.

No.

Mike, I just can't
stand anymore.

It's over.

Why can't you see that?

We won't even have to
go to the Fort, Mike.

There's a Brigadier and his
staff in the hotel in Denver.

Mike, please.

Please!

Well, Colonel, modesty in a
hero is an admirable trait,

but I'm afraid my readers
are going to want to know

exactly how you brought a murdering
beast like Jake Pasquinel to bay.

You're embarrassing me, sir.

I assure you it was just
a routine maneuver.

No, now we're not going to
let you off that easily.

We had to do something about
the murders and the raids.

The federals couldn't handle it.

Anyway, Jake and his
brother somehow managed...

Who's that with Mr. Zendt?

Lord God, it's the
other Pasquinel.

Mike!

Mike.

Why?

Why?

There's your second murdering
beast, Mr. Editor.

But he was trying to surrender.

Didn't you see the white flag?

He deserved no quarter,
sir, and he received none.

What's wrong with the man?

That's Mike Pasquinel.

Don't you realize
what I've done?

Yes.

Skimmerhorn!

Where's your army?

Well, Coloradans don't
much care for a man

who shoots another in the back.

God should have warned
you about that.

Don't blaspheme.

I recognized your Indians.

I didn't worry about that.

Your choice, Colonel.

Sabers or pistols?

A duel?

Well, if you have the courage to
face a man with an even chance, yes.

In your condition?

At your service, Major.

Max.

Stop it!

Stop it.

Are you all right?

He tried to kill me.

He challenged me.

Dueling's illegal
in this Territory.

I want that man arrested.

You're leaving Colorado.

You're not wanted here
any longer by anybody.

You can't be serious.

We'll give you two minutes.

And if you aren't gone by then,

I expect Mr. Zendt will have
to release his friend there.

As long as I am in charge of
the Colorado Territory...

You were dismissed this morning!

I would have expected disloyalty

from anyone on earth but you.

At least Judas wasn't
the son of Jesus.

You held your mother's scalped
head in your lap when she died.

You saw what the Sioux
did to your sister,

to your grandparents.

And I've heard you
brag of doing worse.

You're not my son.

I don't know you.

You're a stranger.

One minute.

I'm going.

I'm going. The
Pasquinels are dead.

My work is done here.

It must be done.

He wouldn't talk to me.

I prayed to Him this morning,

but He wouldn't talk to me.

Goodbye, Johnny.

Goodbye, Pa.

I came to kill him.

Weren't for you, I would have.

It wasn't by chance, Max.

We were sent to find you.

By who?

They got word at the Fort

that Lost Eagle brought his
people back to the cliffs,

or, what's left of his people.

They want you to go
parley with them.

I'd like to go with you, Major.

Of course, John. You're welcome.

And you, Levi,

you'll come?

Sure.

Is that all that survived?

That's all.

Sir, the United
States of America

requests a treaty of peace
with the Arapaho nation.

Requests?

We're your prisoners.

No, sir.

Skimmerhorn is driven
out of Colorado.

Out of power.

And he'll never be back.

We have no food.

Supply wagons are on
their way from Denver.

They should be here by sundown.

With food, medicine, guns.

All the wars are finished.

All the wars?

Even the great war in the South?

Yes.

Your President Lincoln
must be glad.

President Lincoln is dead.

He gave me this flag.

How strange.

So many men of peace die in war.

Your request is granted.

All the wars are finished.

Papa, is that ours?

Just about as far
as you can see.

You built it yourself, Papa?

Every stick.

And you dug the ditch
yourself, too?

Inch by inch.

It's so big. All of it.

Come on my princess.

Come on.

You worked very hard.

Well, we always
have, haven't we?

This time we'll have
something to show for it.

Kurt.

Yes, Papa?

Come here, Son.

This is your land,
too, you know.

And it's a mighty thing
what this land is to us

and what we are to this land.

It's never gonna be easy here.

The building, the digging,

the plowing, the planting,
the harvesting.

But it's a mighty thing.

A noble thing.

Maybe the most noble
thing there is,

after what you and I
are to each other.

And it can be the best thing
in your life, this land.

But it's gotta be won.

And it's got to be honored.

And it's got to be defended.

Now, I know I don't expect you

to understand all that just now.

But you think about it.

Don't you ever forget I said it.

And you think about it as
you grow bigger, all right?

Yes, Papa.

"Yes, Papa."

Yeah, I think you were smart

not to try to rebuild
the old place, huh?

- Oh, we couldn't, Hans.
- Not with all those memories.

No. We wanted
everything to be new.

Why not?

It's a whole new town now.

Lucinda,

is that who I think it is?

Oliver Seccombe?

Oliver Seccombe.

Oliver!

Where have you come from?
Where have you been?

Oh, Oregon. England. Everywhere.

Levi.

Hello, Oliver.

Hans Brumbaugh, this
is Oliver Seccombe.

How do you do.

How do you do.

He came West with
Elly and me in '45.

And danced with me at Fort John.

Mmm-hmm. By the way, I heard
about Elly, Levi. I'm sorry.

And about you two.

Yes, I'm Mrs. Zendt now.
We have two children.

Good, I'm glad. Tell
us about yourself.

What brings you
back to Colorado?

Gold, I suppose.
It's always gold.

No, not this time.

But I believe there's been a
big strike up at Blue Valley.

The lost mother
lode, do you think?

I wonder.

Maybe your friend Larkin
finally struck it rich, Hans.

Maybe.

Who found it?

A black at a place
called Dead-Man's Creek.

There was a skeleton lying
right across the main vein.

They know who it was?

No.

No. Not even how he died.

Well, if it's not gold you're
after, what is the attraction?

You're not still writing
that book, I hope.

No.

A million acres of grass.

Grass?

Mmm-hmm. There's a very important
man in Bristol and London

called Lord Venneford who's
looking for new investments.

He's already made millions
of pounds out of the Empire,

India and Australia.

Well, I remembered the
plains we crossed

and the grass

and the buffalo.

You want to market buffalo?

Cattle.

There's no cows here.

No, sir. But they're thick as
fleas on the plains of Texas.

And they sell for less
than a dollar a head.

I propose to purchase
the cattle in Texas

drive them north, breed
them fatten them up,

and sell them to the Army for
five, six dollars apiece.

A cattle ranch?

Mmm-hmm.

And this Lord Venneford,
he's backing you on it?

Provided I can get hold of
the land cheap enough, yes.

But, Oliver, cheaply? It
would take so much land.

And even at 50 cents an acre...

But I don't intend to spend
50 cents an acre, Lucinda.

I don't have to spend anything at all.
Look...

There's a marvelous new piece of
legislation called the Homestead Act.

If I file a claim,

the government will give me
160 acres absolutely free.

But that's not much
for a cattle ranch.

You can't feed more than one or two
cows on 50 acres of that land.

No, but the trick is to file in
the right places. Now look...

These red circles represent
sources of water.

Now if I file here, for example,

the 100,000 acres north of mine
will be absolutely worthless.

So your cows will have a 100,000
more acres to stuff themselves with.

Precisely.

Now, Levi, will you help me?

You want me to lay a claim
on one of those red circles?

Mmm-hmm. In return for shares
in the Venneford Ranch.

I admire your courage, Oliver.

All right. Count me in.

Good! I've lined up some
other shareholders.

We'll start filing tomorrow.

Lucky I bought my river
land when I did.

Would you consider
selling it, sir?

No sir, I wouldn't.

I'd give you a large portion
of shares in the ranch.

I've tried other trades.
I'm a farmer.

Well, if you should
change your mind.

I won't.

Well, now, Levi, I would just like
to ask you one more favor, if I may.

What's that?

I need someone to go to Texas
to bring back the cattle.

Me? I don't know anything
about herding cows.

You don't have to. I mean hire an experienced
man. Let him organize the drive.

You'd be there to
protect our investment.

No. No, not me.

Can you recommend someone?

Well, I don't know.

Levi, how about
John Skimmerhorn?

Skimmerhorn? Isn't he the man

that butchered all the Indians?

His son.

You trust him?

Yeah. As much as any
man I've ever met.

Good. All right.
That's settled then.

Lucinda, you are looking
as ravishing as ever.

Come in and see what we've done.

Thank you.

I think you're as daft as
Skimmerhorn's old man.

What? To recommend him?

Or to try to bring
cattle into Colorado?

Both.

Well...

I tell you, Hans, it's...

It's a gamble.

But

that's why we're all
out here, isn't it?

We're all gambling.

My store, your farm,
Oliver's ranch,

this whole new town.

It's like a very wise
man once said to me,

"Being born's a gamble."

Every day is a gamble.

I think it'll be worth the risk.