40 Guns to Apache Pass

For years following the Civil War

the question was whether Indians

or the United States Army

would control Arizona Territory.

Bands of hostile Apaches

roamed the countryside.

Only the courage and dedication

of a few brave fighting men

kept the Territory from being

completely overrun.

In the summer of 1869,

Cochise, bold chief of

the Chiricahua Apaches,

made a brutal vow to kill every man,

woman and child in southern Arizona.

Many of the settlers in the area

had already felt the fury

of Cochise's bloody oath.

A small detail of

United States cavalrymen

were escorting the survivors to

a hastily-established outpost.

There, the Army was determined

to make a last-ditch stand.

I know how to spell our name.

Go work.

Hey! Hey, look!

It's Bruce.

Don't get your hopes up, sis,

when the Captain comes courting

he doesn't bring a crowd of people.

- Ellen.

- It's good to see you, Bruce.

Is something wrong?

- Your pa at the house?

- Yeah.

Let's go talk to him.

Isn't that the Carter family?

What's left of them.

Apaches hit this morning.

Your place will be next.

Sure glad you came to stand

them off, Captain.

We make our stand at Apache Wells.

Oh, you're going to have a hard time

talking Pa into leaving.

They all wanted to stay, too.

The Apaches made a pretty

good argument against it.

Sergeant Walker.

Have some of the men

find their wagon.

Pitch it up and bring it

to the house.

Captain, wait. Don't you think

you ought to talk to Pa first?

I think he'll understand.

Pa!

Captain Coburn.

Mrs Malone.

- Cochise's gone on the war path.

- What?

We're escorting the settlers

into Apache Wells.

I didn't ask for any escorting.

Neither did they, Cochise sent his

braves to burn them out.

Pa knows how to deal

with the Apaches.

There's no dealing with them, Mike.

How many guns do you have?

Just this one.

She's never failed me yet.

Look, Mr Malone. Our job

is to protect you people.

We can't put soldiers

at every farm house.

You've got to come in where our

strength is concentrated.

You better listen to him, Harry.

Kate.

We have given ten long years of

hard work to build up this place.

And you'll give your life

if you try to hang onto it.

Cochise made a vow he'd kill every

white man in southern Arizona.

Looks like he's already started.

Now this is no time to argue.

I'm not going to let you

stay here and get killed.

Well, I guess it's the only way.

It'll take me a little

while to pack.

Sorry, ma'am, we can't wait.

Troopers will bring

your wagon around.

Be ready to go when it gets here.

Come on, Ma.

Pick up what you can, kids.

Captain, shall I order

the men to dismount?

Sergeant Walker gives the orders.

I know that, sir, but the men

asked me to talk to you.

They're complaining you're driving

them too hard. They need a rest.

They can rest when we

get back to camp.

I know, Captain, but we got

to stop somewhere.

There's water, hay for the horses.

We can stand off the Apaches here

as good as any other place.

Bodine, are you talking command

of this outfit?

No, sir.

When I was a sergeant the officers

used to listen to what I had to say.

Is that why they broke

you to Corporal?

They'll need me again, sir.

Maybe they will, but by God I don't.

If you give me one more

bit of trouble

I'll bust you all the way

back to Privey.

Now, mount up.

Yes, sir.

Locking horns with

the Captain again, Bodine?

I don't back off for

nobody, Sergeant.

Well, that's why you're here.

You and a dozen more like it

that nobody else could handle.

Sergeant, I want to

tell you something.

He might break the rest of them

but he won't even make a dent in me.

- Sergeant Walker?

- Hello.

Put a match to it, no use leaving

anything for Cochise.

Whoa!

Captain Coburn drove

the settlers hard all day,

but nightfall and weariness

finally forced a halt.

I want your complete

cooperation tonight.

If we're attacked they'll probably

hit the wagons and the horses first.

I want you people to bed down

right up there in those rocks.

There'll be no fires, no noise.

Be ready to move out at daylight.

- We don't have much water, sir.

- I know.

Give the women and children what they

need, save the rest for the horses.

- Get them started, Sergeant.

- Yes, sir.

All right. Bring your belongings

and come with me.

Look, Captain,

what about us troopers?

We're just as thirsty as they are.

We've been riding in

the hot sun all day.

It won't hurt you to go

one night without water.

- Look, Capt...

- That's all, Bodine.

You know, we'd better get ready to

help if there's Indian trouble.

Let's ask the Captain if he'll

lend us a couple of rifles.

You know how I am with guns, Mike.

Can't hit the broad side of a barn!

Well, if those Apaches get close,

you'll learn fast enough.

Any chance those Apaches will

hit tonight, Captain?

They don't let me in on their

plans always, Mike.

Just try to keep ready.

Doug and I would like to help if

you'd let us have a couple rifles.

I appreciate the offer but I don't

have enough guns to arm my own men.

Well, then I guess we'll have to

sharpen up the old axe, huh?

Many a battle has been won with less.

Hey, Mike, Doug?

Come on, give me help.

Here. Ma and Pa went up the hill,

you can take them up, huh?

All right.

Oh!

It's been a long time since we've

been able to talk to each other.

Over a month, Colonel hasn't been

too generous with leave time lately.

Oh, well you won't have

any more excuses.

I'll be right there at Apache Wells.

I won't be looking for excuses.

Come on, I'll walk you.

Mm, uh-uh. I like it right here.

Listen to that lonely sound.

Probably a lonely Apache scout.

Did you come out here just to

protect me from the Indians?

Well, not exactly but...

They'd give anything for a scalp

as pretty as that one.

How about you? Hmm?

It'd be awful easy to hand it to you.

Why don't you?

I'm not a very good bet for

a girl like you.

Men in my business don't

stick around too long.

Your warning comes

a bit late, Bruce.

I'm going up the hill, see you later.

You know that's all

the water we have.

You'd never do that if you weren't

hiding behind those Captain's bars.

I'm not hiding behind anything,

Bodine.

I fought in this army for ten years

before they pinned these on me.

I don't need them now.

Oh?

You mean you're willing to

forget you're an officer

and reckon man to man?

I've tried everything else with you.

I guess that's the only language

you understand.

Captain! Captain!

Captain, you'll kill him, sir.

Pick those horses up and

put a guard on the water.

Yes, sir.

Apache Wells, Arizona territory.

Colonel Homer Reed in command

of a troop of cavalry

whose assignment was to hold

the lonely outpost at any cost

and to protect the settlers

in the adjacent area.

Nearby families had already

taken refuge here,

only the most distant ranches

remained to be accounted for.

Attention! At ease.

- That Captain Coburn's outfit?

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