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.
Alright you men, at ease. I said at ease.
What's the cavalry gonna do to win glory today, Sergeant?
I'm glad you spoke up, Soothy.
You and Private Plover there have just volunteered to make mud bricks for the new powder magazine building.
No, no, Sergeant. Me and Plover worked in that adobe all day yesterday.
Another month, you ought to be finished.
I didn't join this army to make mud bricks.
Are you refusing an order, Soothy?
Put your shoes on, Plover. Let's get going.
Now the rest of you men will finish cleaning this barracks and fall out in ten minutes.
I suppose you're taking them buffalo hunting, Sergeant.
Each man will go to supply and get a pick or a shovel. We're building a road today.
Building a road?
That's enough. I said ten minutes.
You line up smiling and happy or I'll work you all night.
You got your shoes on, Plover?
Sure. What do I need shoes for? I'll bow my hands and knees most of the time.
Ain't it a shame, men like us, doing that kind of work?
Yeah. I'm ready, Soothy.
Then let's go.
Ten minutes, soldiers, and don't forget them shovels.
I reckon any outfit's got to do some time in garrison, Soothy.
We've been in garrison three months. It's got me talking to myself.
Well, at least wise, we ain't getting shot at by no wild engine.
What's a cavalry fur if it ain't to get shot at and to do a little shooting itself?
All engines around here is peaceable. At least wise, there has been the last few months.
Reservation engines. Them shying ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Sitting around watching the women do the work, waiting to be fed by the government.
Where's the gumption anyway?
Well, good thing they is peaceable, I think.
Them engines go on a tear and makes it bad for everybody.
They go on a tear and get us out of the garrison.
Well, they ain't going, so you just might as well face up to them.
I could make them go, Plover.
Oh, now, stop that talk.
I've told you how I could make them go.
Now, look here, Silthie, I ain't even gonna listen to you.
Why, you could be shot for just what you're thinking.
Nobody'd ever know.
You know you're crazy. Being stuck here in the fort so long as driv, you plumb crazy.
Your mouth's getting awful big, Plover.
Aw, now, don't get on the prod.
Look here, I tell you what.
Tonight, you and me are gonna sneak off the post and we'll go into town
and have us a drink with that gal you like.
That Ella Braden. How about that, Silthie?
Never you mind Ella Braden. You called me crazy.
Oh, I didn't mean nothing by that.
I ain't crazy and I'll prove it to you.
You put that knife away, Silthie.
You got a knife? Get it out.
No.
Get it out, I said.
I'm gonna cut you, Plover. I'll do it.
All right, that's how you want it.
There's my knife.
Now you cut me, Silthie.
Come on, now cut me.
I'll lay your whole face open, soldier.
Hold it, you men.
Lieutenant Sybritts, you don't mean nothing to me.
Captain Quist with him, Silthie. Watch your face.
Oh, rip your belly open, you try that again.
Stop that, man.
Put those knives away.
It's a firefight. You got no right to stop me.
Do as I say, Silthie.
You cut me, I'll put mine away.
I can't quit less than he does.
All right, Suzy. You too, Plover.
I know you're on edge being in garrison so long,
but that's part of soldiering.
And so is keeping your temper.
Now put those knives away before we all get in trouble.
Well, there's mine.
All right, you're here to cap, Silthie.
There's mine.
You men on detail?
Making mud pies again, Captain.
Then get to it.
If there's any more fighting, you'll go to the guardhouse.
That clear?
Yes, sir.
Move out.
Those men are crazy enough to have stuck you, Captain,
getting between them that way.
One of them might have stuck me, Mr. Sybritts,
not both of them.
They need action, Captain.
They're soldiers, not laborers.
They're even forgetting to think like soldiers.
There's going to be more trouble like this, Mr. Sybritts.
A lot more.
Captain Quince reporting, sir.
At ease, Captain.
How's B Company getting along?
Well, Major Taggart, I guess B Company's getting along
about the way you'd expect.
Like those two men of yours last week
who were going at each other with knives?
I didn't know you'd heard about that, Major.
I heard about it.
I also heard how you failed to punish them.
With all due respect, sir, it's my company.
And you know I never interfere on a company level.
I'd transfer out of here if you did.
I'm sure you would.
It isn't easy, is it, Lee?
Much more of this, I'll be looking for a good fight myself.
Enforced inactivity, the bane of the cavalry.
That and the salt pork diet.
Two more of my men came down with scurvy today, Major.
That's what I wanted to see you about, Lee.
How'd you like to go on a buffalo hunt?
Buffalo hunt?
I thought we couldn't go out.
I know, I know.
General orders are to avoid antagonizing the Indians
by hunting buffalo in their territory.
We're sitting right in the middle of their territory.
Twenty-two cases of scurvy are enough.
Higher orders are to hold Fort Laramie with a full complement of cavalry.
Captain Quince, you think you can bring in some fresh meat
without starting a new Indian war?
I can try, sir.
I'm dependent on you.
Yes, sir.
You'll take fifteen men, two wagons and six mules.
You'll leave one half hour after Reveille tomorrow morning.
You'll return Saturday by sundown without fail,
exactly one week from today.
Any questions?
No, sir.
I hope you'll see fit to include those two men,
Soothey and Plover, in your party.
I intend to, sir, as skinners.
And move out.
Hey, Soothey, how you feel?
Not so good, Plover.
I'm bleeding again.
Well, most to the fort.
Here, see the man?
There, standing around waiting on him.
That's what the captain said.
Saturday by sundown.
We made it.
Yeah, some of us made it.
Eight of us?
Eight out of fifteen.
Seven men killed.
We done all right.
They can show them.
Hey, looky, there's Brigadaggin.
He's waiting too, you see him?
No.
I can't see so good, Plover.
My head hurts bad.
Everything's kind of swimming.
You ain't gonna pass out now, are you?
The way you got me roped onto this saddle
wouldn't matter none if I did pass out.
Well, his other boys hurt worse than you.
I ain't complaining.
The bench up ahead there, he passed out.
About him tied belly down across this saddle.
And I reckon he's dead.
We're here, Soothey, we're back.
I can't see nothing but the fort.
Oh, my head hurts awful.
Control, halt!
Corporal Mercer, you'll remain with the wounded.
They'll stay mounted.
Sergeant Gorse, get details from the garrison
to help these men down and get them to the hospital.
Rest, he'll stable the horses.
Control, dismissed.
Mrs. Hybert!
Yes, sir.
Would you take my horse to the stable for me?
Certainly, Captain.
I'd better report to the Major there.
Yes, sir.
If you'd care to, come by my quarters later.
I'll find us a drink.
Thank you, sir.
Captain Gwin's reporting, sir.
You're not hurt, Lee.
No, sir.
What happened?
Cheyenne, over a hundred Braves hit us
dawned two days ago.
I had a guard posted, but they rode right over them.
Seven troopers killed in battle,
another died in a saddle about noon today.
Wagons, mules, lost.
I sent a scout looking for you.
Never found us.
What is it, Major?
Cheyenne jumped the reservation?
Yeah, nobody knows why.
They slipped out in the middle of the night and disappeared.
I can't figure it.
Big Wolf's been as peaceful a chief as I've known.
Big Wolf's young son died a couple of weeks ago.
Maybe that got him started.
I think...
I think I'll ride out to the reservation tomorrow,
take a look around.
What for?
No particular reason, Major.
Just curious.
Captain, I don't think them Cheyenne left a single thing out here.
Yeah, they sure stripped the place, Gorse.
I guess when you ain't got much,
you don't leave nothing behind at all.
No.
Captain, all them poles over there
with the burying platforms on them.
What about them?
They're all gone.
But they left some dead platforms on them.
What about them?
They're all new, Captain.
I mean, they're empty.
There's no corpses laying on them.
Can't they be new?
They must have taken their dead with them, Sergeant.
I don't understand it.
That ain't like them.
Why would they do that?
They...
They were in quite a hurry.
What do you mean?
I'm not sure, ain't it?
Yeah.
I will stop in town on the way back, Sergeant.
Now you're making this detail worthwhile, Captain.
Yeah, I got some business at the post office.
Post office?
But I'll meet you at the saloon when I'm through.
I'll be there, Captain.
You can depend on me.
Of course, we don't make much money.
But, well, soldiers are an honorable profession.
It's better than being a thief, ain't it?
I hope I'm not intruding, Sergeant Gorse.
Captain?
Captain Quince, this here's Ella Brayden.
How do you do, Ella?
Pleased to meet you, Captain.
Won't you sit down?
Oh, thanks.
I've been trying to explain to Ella that soldiers are just as good as civilians.
I never said they weren't, Sergeant.
Sergeant Gorse has been in the cavalry 20 years, Ella.
He's still trying to figure out why.
I think you're right, Captain.
It's all he talks about.
Now that ain't so.
I mean, when you're being a gentleman, Sergeant.
Oh.
You know what he did a couple of weeks ago, Captain.
Now, Ella.
What'd he do, Ella?
Well, he...
Nah.
Nah, I'm too much of a lady to say it.
Thank goodness for that, anyway.
Ella, of course, gets out of line just you whack him with a bottle.
It's the only kind of language he understands sometimes.
Oh, I got something better to whack him with, Captain.
It's carved from solid bone.
What?
Here.
I got it in this sack.
Brought it in to show to the barkeep.
Now, what in the world is that, Ella?
Let me see that.
It's an Indian souvenir of some kind.
Where'd you get this, Ella?
A kid at the fort gave it to me.
He found it somewhere, I guess.
Who gave it to you?
His name is Soothy.
Soothy.
Well, what's wrong, Captain?
This is a Cheyenne totem, Ella.
I'm gonna have to keep it.
Oh, here.
Now, that's mine.
Sorry, Ella.
You'll have to find another souvenir.
This one's caused enough trouble.
Morning, Captain Quince.
Lieutenant Mather, I want to see Private Soothy.
Where's his bed?
At the far end, Captain.
There, where Sergeant Gorse is.
Thank you.
Captain.
Gorse.
Hello, Soothy.
Captain Quince, how are you, sir?
How you feeling, Soothy?
Oh, pretty good, Captain.
Except for my head aching all the time.
You'll get over it.
I better.
I can't stand it this way, sir.
I'm not a good man.
I'm a good man.
I better.
I wish they'd kill me if I got to go on like this.
Soothy, you seen this before?
I don't know, Captain.
What is it?
You know what it is.
Where'd you get it?
I can't help you, Captain.
Sorry, maybe later sometime.
Now, look here, Soothy.
You know I won't take an answer like that.
Captain Quince.
What is it, Sergeant?
Would you step over here a minute, sir?
What do you want?
Oh, my head.
It always does.
Stop aching.
Oh, I see.
All right, Sergeant.
It aches all the time.
Well, Soothy, I won't bother you anymore.
I know all I need to anyway.
I don't know what you're talking about, Captain.
I ought to hate you, Soothy.
But I only feel sorry for you.
What you've done, I'm going to try to set right.
But whether I can or not, you're going to have to live with it the rest of your life.
I think I'm speaking for a lot of good men who died because of you.
Sergeant.
Yes, sir?
I'll meet you at the main gate in half an hour.
Have our horses saddled and packed with two days' rations.
Move out.
I find this hard to believe, Captain.
Major Daggett, I've always tried to think of every trooper in my company as a real soldier.
Somehow, it makes me feel less of one myself when I find out about a man like Private Soothy.
I can understand that, Captain Quince.
I sympathize with you.
Yes, sir.
But what you propose to do about it is nothing short of suicide.
I can't allow that.
I'm meeting Sergeant Gorse at the main gate in a few minutes, Major.
I'm volunteering for this mission.
He goes with me.
He'll have to volunteer too.
Big Wolf and his Cheyenne are a mission for the entire Second Cavalry, Captain, not for two men only.
It was me those Cheyenne warriors hit, Major.
It was my men I watched die.
This mission belongs to B Company.
To me, not to the Second Cavalry.
You're putting a terrible responsibility on me, Captain Quince.
As a volunteer?
I don't see how, Major.
All right, go ahead.
Thank you, sir.
On Lee.
Yes, sir.
I'll give you one order.
You're to return to Fort Laramie within two weeks without fail.
More coffee, Gorse?
I could sure use it.
It's hot.
I can see that.
Thanks, Captain.
This is better than garrison, isn't it, Sergeant?
Oh, it sure is.
The night's full of stars.
We had a good dinner of pork and chickpeas.
Coffee's hot.
There's plenty of it.
Got a big fire going here, lots of wood.
There's nothing wrong with this, Captain.
Except for one little thing, maybe.
What's that, Sergeant?
Oh, it's hardly worth mentioning.
Oh, go ahead.
Speak up.
Well, from all the sign we've seen today, I'd guess we're smack in the middle of about
four Cheyenne war parties.
You know, I think you're right, Sergeant.
Of course, I don't know for sure, but with this bonfire we got going, I got a sneaky idea
them engines just might catch on to our being here sooner or later.
They might.
Sorry you came along, Sergeant.
I volunteered.
Interested in mission, you said.
Yeah.
I also said we might get killed, didn't I?
You didn't say how.
I don't know how, Sergeant.
I'll bet I could tell you.
Not interested.
We get killed, this mission will be a failure.
Yeah, say I hadn't thought of that.
Now, that'd be a doggone shame, wouldn't it, Captain?
It would.
I can just see all them generals back in Washington sitting around a big shiny table saying,
that darn fool, Captain, that darn fool, Sergeant, couldn't accomplish a simple little
old mission.
What's the cavalry coming to?
That's what they'll be saying.
Throw some wood on the fire, Gorse.
You're closest.
Sure.
Captain Quince?
Yeah.
They're here.
All around us.
Step back to the fire.
Real slow.
If they can see anything at all, they can see we ain't armed.
They wouldn't show themselves this close if they didn't know that.
They're coming in, Captain.
Stand steady, Sergeant.
No sudden movements.
Sure is some fine way for the cavalry to go engine hunting.
We found them, didn't we?
What happens now?
That's not entirely up to us, Sergeant.
Easy now.
Sure.
What's he saying?
He says he'll take us to Big Wolf, all right.
He says the chief wouldn't want to miss the torture before they kill us.
You awake, Gorse?
Who could do any sleeping tied up like this?
It'll be dawn soon.
I just ain't looking forward to it today, Captain.
At least we'll get out of this teepee.
You know, this is the first time I was ever inside one.
I ain't missed a thing.
I don't know, a teepee can be pretty nice when you got a fire going
and a buffalo robe to wrap up in.
Maybe some antelope steak for breakfast, a jug of spring water,
maybe a woman to do all the work.
You're spoiled, Gorse. Rotten spoiled.
Well, it ain't the frontier life, did it, Captain?
I can tell you that.
You never should have left home.
Oh, ish nay zo, Valaya.
He says they're ready for us, Sergeant.
What was that?
Big Wolf hasn't returned.
They've decided not to wait for him.
But, Captain...
If it was our only chance, I could have talked to Big Wolf.
Not these other warriors, not even worth trying.
He's gonna cut us loose.
Why not?
With a half hundred braves out there, we ain't going no place.
You can tie a man up off a tight.
I ain't even sure I can walk.
A'y lia a'zor.
Well, let's go, Sergeant.
Sure.
Sergeant.
What is it?
Big Wolf, he's back.
Thank heaven for that.
It's a chance, at least.
There he is.
Say, he looks like a chief doony.
Yeah, he does.
Captain Quince.
Hello, Big Wolf.
My people are ready for your death.
I know.
We allowed ourselves to be captured, Big Wolf.
This I do not understand.
I wanted to see you.
I wanted to bring you something.
White soldier has brought shame and dishonor to my people and to me.
You're speaking of your son's grave.
White soldier come at night, left my son's body on ground.
Yes.
And he stole this from your son's grave.
The totem, totem of my clan.
The white soldier did this to dishonor you, Big Wolf.
Cheyenne recover honor in war and by killing you.
Let me say something first, Big Wolf.
It was neither of us did this thing.
It was a soldier who was weak and foolish and bad.
This soldier has dishonored me as well as you.
We do not want war with your people.
Who is soldier?
His name is Soothy.
Give him to me.
No, I can't do that.
Then you must die.
You have already killed eight soldiers, Big Wolf.
Soon many soldiers will come.
More soldiers than you have braves.
Give me Soothy.
So you can punish him?
He must be punished.
He must die.
Big Wolf, when you wake in the morning and step outside your lodge,
what do you see?
Tell me.
I see the sun on the land, morning shadows, bright mountains.
And if you could not see all this?
It would not be good.
The white soldier, Soothy, has already been punished, Big Wolf.
By you, it is not enough.
No, not by me.
By your warriors in the fight.
He is blind, Big Wolf.
Blind?
Blind for the rest of his life.
His punishment will never stop.
You are brave men to come here with the totem.
There must be no war between our people.
The thing is done.
Seven of my warriors died in fight.
It is enough.
We ride back in peace?
Yes.
Then we have won, Big Wolf.
We have both won.
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 Marino.
Featured in the cast were Sam Edwards, Harry Bartel, Jack Moyles,
Jack Crouchon, Howard Culver and Vivi Janis.
Company attention!
Dismiss!
Next week, another transcribed story of the Northwest frontier
and the troopers who fought under Lee Quince, captain of cavalry.
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