At the gallop, ho!
Fort Laramie
Fort Laramie, starring Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince.
Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier.
The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire.
And the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
The story of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier.
Dismount, nuns saddle, pin grazing water.
You there, Boatwright, you unbit that mount before you graze him this time.
Sure, Sergeant, I just going to.
Well, do it then.
Dismount, nuns saddle, pin grazing water.
We could make camp here, Boatwright. There's water.
Yeah, we could go hunting and fishing too, Vickers. Maybe bake some bread.
If you don't like the army, why didn't you stay in Louisville?
I was starving there too. At least in Louisville I didn't have no Indians after my scalp.
You afraid of Indians, Boatwright?
Afraid? Man, I'm going to tell you something.
What?
I'm going to get me an Indian.
What you talking about, Boatwright?
I'm going to get me an Indian, I said. I got to get me one.
Why?
Then I won't be scared no more.
All right, you go get the Indian. Me, I'd rather stay scared.
Give me a chaw of your tobacco.
Here, but bite easy on it. It's all there is to payday.
Payday? The army's got two-thirds of my pay for the next three years.
Well, at 50 cents a day, that don't amount to such a whole lot boat, right?
You sure think funny, Vickers.
At least you ain't in the stockade. You ought to be grateful for that.
I should, huh? The reason I ain't in the stockade is because Captain Quince needs me out here.
B Company's supposed to have 83 privates, full strength. I swear we're down to 60.
We are.
That's what I'm saying. So Captain Quince needs me worse than I need him.
Where'd he go anyway?
You make a fine scout. You don't even see where your own company commander rode off to.
Ain't none of my business where he goes.
You know what you are? You're a dumb trooper.
Somebody says, sit down. You sit down. Somebody says, stand up. You stand up.
Somebody says, here's your home. You start taking off your shoes.
You're getting riled again, Boatwright.
Captain Quince rode up to that knoll over there looking for Lieutenant Sabat's patrol.
I don't see him.
He come back five minutes ago. He's walking down the line behind you right now.
Oh.
Looks tired, doesn't he?
Commanding a company that's got stockade soldiers like you'd make anybody tired, Boatwright.
Now you watch your mouth.
Oh, can't you take a ribbon?
Hello, Captain.
How do you like the open air, Boatwright?
Fine, Captain. I need a good ride.
No complaints then?
No, no, no, sir. None at all. I like it fine out here.
You better like it.
Yes, sir. Sure beats sitting around the stockade.
When you're in the stockade, you just sit around, Boatwright?
No, sir. But at least I didn't ride no horse out after a wild Indians with an understrength troop.
You don't fool me, Boatwright. You'll never make a garrison soldier.
That's why I'm proud to be with you, Captain.
When we return to Fort Laramie, you go back into the stockade, you know that.
I always said I liked the army, Captain.
Lieutenant Cybets reporting, sir.
What did you find, Mr. Cybets?
Well, sir, we rode over there where the smoke was.
And?
There was a homestead, Captain, fired by the Sioux.
Did they leave anybody there, Mr. Cybets?
Man's still alive, sir. Corporal Mercer's with him.
But the woman and the little girl, they're dead.
I see. What does the man say?
Nothing, sir. He's got no tongue.
Take charge of the troop, Mr. Cybets. Sergeant Gorse and I'll ride over there.
Yes, sir. And, Captain, take a look at this.
That's a Henry rifle, Mr. Cybets, latest model.
If the Indians had gotten their hands on guns like that, why, we're in bad trouble.
How is he, Corporal?
Bad, sir. They burned him some, too, but he's still conscious.
Sure is a slow way to die.
It's a hundred miles to Fort Laramie, Captain.
You never lived that long, Sergeant. Give me your revolver.
You and Corporal Mercer start back. I'll catch up with you.
Yes, sir. We'll move out, Mercer.
Think we'll go after them, Sue Gorse?
I'm a First Sergeant, not a Captain.
Well, I know, but you and Quince run this company.
He's Captain Quince to you, Mercer.
Oh, sure.
And he runs this company.
Well, sure.
Well, I'm going to go with you.
I'll go with you.
You and Quince run this company.
Well, sure.
Everything all right, Captain?
Everything's all right, Sergeant.
Hey, what was that?
Can I come in?
Sure.
Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
When we get back, call in a burial party.
Yes, sir.
And see that those graves are canned.
Yes, sir.
And one other thing, Sergeant.
Don't forget to pick up your revolver.
That homesteader doesn't need it anymore.
Captain Quinn's reporting me, Jim.
Sit down, Captain.
I know you're mad because I ordered you back from chasing those Sioux last week, Lee, but...
You didn't see what they did to that homestead family.
I've seen their work before.
There'll be more of it if we don't stop them.
Ten miles from this post, there's a reservation of 4,000 Sioux.
An uprising there'd be far more serious than your little band that's marauding under Yellow
Knife.
You have enough troops to patrol the reservation and still secure Fort Laramie here.
Give me just half of B Company and I'll run down Yellow Knife and his renegades.
My orders are to keep a constant watch on the reservation to secure Fort Laramie with
all remaining troops.
Yellow Knife has been supplied with rifles, Henry 44s.
I know that.
Those are repeating rifles, Major.
I've reported that to Washington, Captain.
Whoever's smuggling those rifles has got to be stopped or every brave in the reservation
will join Yellow Knife in spite of your patrols.
I've received no change of orders, Captain.
We can't afford to wait, sir.
Give me Sergeant Gorse and three men and I'll find that gun runner.
We'll leave tonight, Major.
You'll not leave.
Not a direct order.
It is.
Then, with the Major's permission.
Mr. Sybertz.
Yes, Captain?
I'm leaving the post at six o'clock this evening.
I'm taking Sergeant Gorse with me.
Until I return, you'll act in command of B Company.
Any questions?
None that would be proper, sir.
You're learning, Mr. Sybertz.
I'll tell you where I'm going.
There's a chief out in the reservation, an old friend of mine, Wild Dog.
He's about 80 and he's pretty smart.
You're going to have a talk with him?
That's right.
If you'll excuse me, sir, well, isn't it pretty dangerous walking right in among all those
Sioux?
We'll try to reach Wild Dog before anything happens.
But, Captain...
That's all, Mr. Sybertz.
Yes, sir.
Drop your gun belt across your saddle, Sergeant.
You mean that, Captain?
A revolver wouldn't do you much good if these Sioux decide they want us where we're safer
unarmed.
All right, sir.
All right, let's move out.
I sure wish I had me at least a bowie knife, Captain.
I don't trust any of these devils.
It's late.
Most of them are asleep.
There's 4,000 Sioux in this camp.
They ain't all asleep.
Oh, they're being watched all right.
Some young buck could get his first coup feather by spearing us.
You wouldn't want to stand in the way of a man becoming a brave, would you, Sergeant?
Captain, we're being stopped.
I see him.
Keep walking.
There's only one brave.
We can handle him.
Leave him to me, Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Let's move, Sergeant, but keep an eye on him.
Still standing there, sir.
I told him I'm a friend of Wild Dog's.
Luckily, he's from the same clan, White Fox.
There it is.
See that medicine bowl over there?
With a white skin on it?
It's Wild Dog's Lodge.
Wait out here, Sergeant.
Oh, oh, oh, Laiazia.
Nice, Lizzo.
Come in, my son.
Sit down.
It's been a long time since we talked, Wild Dog.
A long time.
And now you come because of Yellowknife.
Yellowknife is leading your young men into war with my people.
There are many clans among the Sioux.
I am chief only of White Fox.
What clan is Yellowknife?
Yellowknife is of Two Moon clan.
But there are White Fox Braves with him.
Yes, I cannot stop them.
I remember what it was like when I was young.
It was different when you were young, Wild Dog.
You had a chance then, but now they have no chance.
They have many rifles.
They have a few, Wild Dog, but the white man, the cavalry, has thousands of rifles.
In the end, the Sioux cannot win.
You are a wise man.
You know this is true.
Yes, you are right.
Yellowknife and his Braves will be caught and punished.
Some of them will die.
But if I don't stop his supplier, rifles, many more of your people will die.
You want to know where rifles come from.
Tell me where Yellowknife meets the white man who's supplying them.
I'll do the rest.
You'll be saving lives, Wild Dog.
Sioux lives.
For the sake of my people, I tell you, a place north of here, a place you call Bright Canyon.
Bright Canyon.
Well, when it's over, I'll come back and we'll smoke the pipe.
Yes, if you come back.
If I come back.
Captain Quinn's reporting, sir.
I hear you left the post last night, Captain.
Yes, sir.
Well, you never were much of a garrison soldier, were you?
No, sir.
You saw your friend Wild Dog, I suppose.
Yes, sir.
Well, Lee, I have new orders from Washington this morning.
Yes?
My orders to patrol the reservation and to secure Fort Laramie still stand.
We're not to go after Yellowknife.
But the importance of the Henry rifles is recognized and we're to put a stop to it.
Yes, sir.
Can you do it?
I can.
All right.
Take half of B Company only.
Yes, sir.
You'll pass the head of your column through the main gates of the post one half hour before
Reveille tomorrow morning.
Right, sir.
And remember, Captain Quinn's, your orders are to stop that gun smuggler not to run down
Yellowknife.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Then move out.
Sergeant Gorse?
Yes, sir.
Sergeant, ride out here with me.
Take a look at these tracks.
One shot pony and the rest is mules, Captain.
And they're not Indians, are they?
No, sir.
And they're headed straight for the rim of that canyon ahead.
Bright Canyon, Captain?
Yeah, Wild Dog wasn't lying.
Take five men right out ahead of Corporal Mercer's point.
Make a reconnaissance of the North Rim.
If it's clear, send a runner back.
Yes, sir.
Tell the point to swing north and to dismount from the cover of those trees below the crest.
Right, sir.
Move out.
Mr. Cybert.
Yes, Captain.
I think we've found our man, Mr. Cybert.
He'll be in that canyon up ahead.
Sergeant Gorse is scouting the North Rim of the canyon.
If it's clear, we'll hide in those trees just below it.
And then we'll wait.
Wait for what, sir?
We'll catch him in the act, Mr. Cybert, when Yellowknife comes for his rivals.
But Captain...
It's not my fault if Yellowknife gets in the way when we move in on that gun smuggler.
No, sir.
Mr. Cybert's passed the word to space out, stagger the odd files to the left.
You're raising too much dust.
Hey, boat right.
What are you doing over here, Vickers?
Go on back to your post.
Oh, there's nothing happening down there in the valley.
He's some gun smuggler.
Just sits around in his cabin.
What's the matter, Captain Quince, anyway?
Half a troop against one man.
And we hide around watching him for two days.
You can't figure nothing, Vickers.
We're waiting for Yellowknife.
You mean we're gonna fight them Indians?
Soon as they show up?
You scared, boat right?
All I need is to kill me an Indian, and I won't be scared no more.
Yeah, me too.
I think.
Who's throwing that rock?
It's Gorse and the captain.
Well, get down there.
He's signal to you.
Oh, man, I'll catch it now.
What are you doing away from your post, Vickers?
I couldn't see nothing where I was.
I was wondering if Boatwright could, Sergeant.
You can be shot for leaving your post at a time like this, Vickers.
Yes, sir, Captain.
You're risking the life of every man in this troop.
I'll get back where you belong.
Yes, sir.
Captain, Captain Boatwright wants us.
All right, come on.
The end of the canyon, sir.
Look, there they come.
Yellow knife.
How many braves you figure he's got with him, Gorse?
It's hard to say yet, sir.
Maybe 30.
They got a bunch of horses, too.
Yeah, wants to pay for the rifles.
Captain, I can see more than 30 suit down there.
It must be nigh on to 40.
Yeah.
There's that dirty gun runner now, talking with yellow knife.
I wish we had whole to be company here.
Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Take Boatwright and move out about 300 yards west of here.
When you're ready, I want you to ride straight down into the canyon.
What?
Shut up, Boatwright.
Your orders are to find out if they're really trading for guns down there.
But, Captain...
If you're running into any trouble, I'll have to help you out of it, that's all.
I understand, sir.
Come on, Boatwright, let's move now.
Well, of all the trees...
Shut up, Captain.
And tell Mr. Cybert's there I want to see him.
Right, sir.
You want it, me, Captain?
Mr. Cybert's, I think those suit down there are trading for Henry rifles.
Sergeant Gorse and Boatwright are going to ride down and find out.
You mean they're going alone, sir?
There'd sure be a fight if we appeared in force.
Might even look like I was trying to run Yellowknife down.
But they'll be killed, sir.
Well, I can't let that happen.
If they're attacked, we'll just have to ride in.
It'll be a rescue mission, Mr. Cybert's.
I understand, Captain.
All right, now get back to the troop, pass the word to Saddle and Mount.
Space out the 60 paces between mounts.
It'll make us look full strength.
Right, sir.
And Mr. Cybert's.
I'll shoot the first man who crosses the ridge before I give the signal.
Pass the order and then come back here.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Move out.
Troop's ready, Captain.
Just in time.
There go Gorse and Boatwright.
They'll be seen any minute, sir.
Yeah.
Let's get back.
Get mounted, Mr. Cybert's.
Yes, sir.
When we reach the cabin, you lead the troops.
Sound stop for the gun runner.
As skirmishers, pull.
At the trot, pull.
Get out.
Hold.
Go.
Go on!
Gorse! Sergeant Gorse!
Yes, sir!
Where'd the white man go?
He isn't with him up there.
I never seen him, Captain.
Well, he must be in the cabin here.
I'm going in after him.
I'll go in with you, sir.
No, no, you stay with the troop. They've chased him far enough.
And get those stolen horses rounded up.
Right, sir!
You're all through, mister.
Come out of there.
Oh! You ain't gonna hang me!
Come out with your hands up, you'll get a trial!
Hanging's bad. I ain't gonna hang.
It's your choice, mister.
Come out or I'll kill you right there.
I'll take my chances.
Suits me.
They're still running, Captain.
But we killed some of them.
What about Yellowknife?
He's dead, sir.
Right over there.
Private Boatwright killed him.
That Boatwright lying over there too, Mister Sabitz?
Afraid so, sir.
He took a bullet after he got Yellowknife.
Sergeant Gorse has some men rounded up their horses, Mister Sabitz.
Reform the rest of the troop.
Take care of the wounded.
Detail six men for a burial party.
Yes, sir.
Mercer! Over here!
Hello, Boatwright.
Captain, sir.
What can I do for you?
Nothing, Captain.
I'm all shot up.
There's nothing anyone can do.
That... that was Yellowknife you killed, Boatwright.
I always wanted to get my end in, Captain.
But I sure never figured it'd be Yellowknife.
You did find, Boatwright.
But... but here's something.
I took off Yellowknife.
You keep it for me.
You know what it is.
Yeah.
Yeah, I sure do.
I feel all wet inside, Captain.
I'm... I'm sorry, Boatwright.
It's all right. I ain't scared.
Of course not.
Tell them goodbye for me, Captain.
All of them.
Captain Quince reporting, sir.
I've just finished going over your report, Captain.
Yes, sir.
I'm not sure on reading it whether you deliberately disobeyed orders or not.
Would you care to clarify that point?
Major Daggett, did you ever see one of these?
That's a scalp.
Private Boatwright took it off a Yellowknife, Major.
It's a woman's scalp.
Young woman.
Get rid of it.
Yes, sir.
Captain Quince, I'm reporting to Washington that the gun smuggler's been destroyed,
but that you were attacked by Yellowknife during the operation
and were forced to defend yourself.
Thank you, Major.
That's all, Captain.
Oh, Captain.
Yes, sir.
Just one more thing.
In regard to your recommendation for a posthumous medal for private Boatwright.
Yes, sir.
I'd question a report that recommended an honor for one of the soldiers
who actually brought on Yellowknife's attack.
So, for the good of the company, I'd suggest...
That's all right, Major.
Boatwright...
Boatwright would understand.
He was a real soldier.
A line soldier.
Fort Laramie is produced and directed by Norman MacDonald
and stars Raymond Burr as Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry,
with Vic Perrin as Sergeant Gorse.
The script was specially written for Fort Laramie by John Meston,
with sound patterns by Bill James and Ray Kemper.
Musical supervision by Amerigo Moreno.
Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Bob Sweeney, Sam Edwards,
Jack Moyles, Jan Arvin, Joe Cranston, and Lou Krugman.
Company, attention!
Dismiss!
Next week, another transcribed story of the Northwest Frontier
and the troopers who fought under Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
People keep saying that conversation is a lost art,
but meanwhile, proof keeps popping up that they're wrong.
All that's needed is a good conversationalist,
and one of the best is a man who's also rather well-known as a singer and an actor,
a man named Bing Crosby.
You can hear Bing holding forth on almost every subject under the sun,
lighting up the subject with his own easy and humorous point of view
each evening, Monday through Friday, on his own show,
over most of these same stations.
And, oh yes, you'll hear plenty of wonderful singing, too.
After all, it's the Bing Crosby Show.
The Bing Crosby Show.
Thank you.