Cheyenne Autumn Page #6

...until they change their minds.

They will not go back.

- Hello.

- Hello, captain.

- She's not gonna lose her?

- No, no. Not at all.

Not at all.

You know,

I was a good surgeon once.

See that?

I haven't had a drink in a week.

- Amazing.

- God's truth.

- Take a look at himself, will you?

- Hello, Scott.

Hello, sir.

Aye, just pneumonia, all right.

But he's young and strong,

thanks be to God, so he got over it.

- I'm throwing him out tomorrow.

- Good. He'll be on his feet in no time.

Now, what's this, huh?

T-R...

- A.

- A.

- I.

- I.

- N.

- N.

- Train.

- Train.

That's good. That's very good.

Bye, honey.

- Good luck, Scott.

- Good luck to you, sir.

I'll need it.

You're going away?

I hope you'll be here when I get back.

T-R-A-I-N.

Miss Wright, if you please.

I hope you know

what you're doing, sir.

- Let's go.

- Smith, sir! Giddap.

Yes?

I was told the secretary

wanted to see me.

Were you also told

that the secretary is a very busy man?

Well, sir, I am also a very busy man.

And what is your name?

Archer. Captain Archer.

I do not see the name

of a Captain Archer on the list...

Look, sir, I have to get back

to Fort Robinson.

Fort Robinson?

I've been wanting to meet someone

from Fort Robinson.

- Come with me.

- Thank you.

Gentlemen, gentlemen. Please.

Come in.

- Captain Archer, aren't you?

- Yes, that's right.

This is my hideout.

This is where I keep away

from the leeches and vultures upstairs...

Excuse me, but I have an appointment

with Mr. Schurz.

- The secretary judge...

- I'm Carl Schurz. Cigar?

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.

I didn't recognize you.

Nobody does. Sit down, sit down.

Oh, thank you.

Captain.

I understand you're quite unpopular over

at the War Department.

For what purpose?

Is that why you wanted

to see me, sir?

I'm not supposed to discuss this

outside of channels.

Well, if it concerns the Indians

at Fort Robinson, I'm the channel.

I'd like to know why

you're risking your career...

...your commission

by questioning superior authority.

I'd like to know, confidentially,

the truth.

I don't often manage to hear it.

Well, sir.

At Fort Robinson, I've seen respect

for superior authority...

...gone stark-raving mad.

Those Indians are dying of cold

and starvation in that prison.

I only heard they were being,

what's the word? "Restrained"?

- "Disciplined"?

- No, sir.

"Murdered" is the right word.

And you'd like me to do something

about it?

Sir, I only know what those Cheyenne

have gone through.

If the people had seen it,

they wouldn't have liked it.

The people?

Captain...

...you're asking me to make

that false move...

...that a lot of people

have been hoping for.

They need your help, sir.

There's a train at 7 this evening

for the West. You'll be on it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir.

Old friend.

Old friend.

What would you do?

They sound like a thousand banshees

out there...

...keening over the grave

of Choochoolan.

Young lady, you don't seem to realize

what you're asking of me.

You know the Army

is the only living that I have.

Now you listen to me for a minute

and I'll explain it to you.

Look, when I was studying medicine

on the Continent...

...it was read a book, look at a corpse

and say, "Thank you for the license."

Well, the Civil War changed all that.

Civil War was my salvation.

I stepped right off a boat

and straight into uniform...

...and I had a good sense

to stay there.

Now, all I've done ever since

is hand out blue pills...

...and give doses of castor oil.

Man alive, I...

Look, I starved to death

in civilian practice...

- You use the word lightly.

- "Lightly"? I...

I think the Cheyenne

are starving now.

Now listen to me, Miss Wright.

You're a Quaker and you're dedicated

to self-sacrifice...

...while I'm dedicated

to self-preservation.

You want me to go out there,

don't you?

Yeah, and take me future,

me career and me pension...

...and throw it down the drain.

Is that what you want, huh?

Yeah, well, that's exactly

what I'm going to do.

Captain, you've got trouble

on your hands.

Trouble?

How can there be trouble?

They have nothing to fight with.

- Their bare hands, maybe.

- "Bare hands."

The question is,

do you want to be responsible?

Responsible?

I am responsible for nothing.

None of them had to die.

They could've walked out of there

any time they liked.

I have simply been the instrument

of an order.

An order I did not agree with.

You say that as if you've memorized it.

Why? Why do you talk to me?

Why don't you talk to those Indians?

That is where the blame is.

Any time.

Any time they could've ended this.

First, it was the order from headquarters.

Now, it's the Indians.

Everybody is to blame but you.

I will not stand

for any more insubordination...

- The truth of the matter is that you've...

- Get out!

...let this become a test of wills

between you and the Cheyenne.

You have made it

your own personal fight.

You are a liar.

You lie!

Nothing I have done is personal.

I am a soldier.

I was a soldier in Prussia,

and I am a soldier here.

All my life, I have given

and taken orders.

What would be this world

without orders, huh? What would be?

Chaos. Anarchy.

That's what would be.

Well, I will not let that start here.

And you...

You. You, oh...

I will not let you spread these lies.

You are under arrest.

Gentlemen!

Mr. Peterson.

Lieutenant Peterson, bear witness.

I have just arrested this man.

You are mistaken, captain.

I am not under arrest, but you are.

The regulations state

that when an officer...

- Yeah, I know the regulations...

- "Due to alcoholism...

- "Alcoholism"?!

...brain injury or kindred disability...

...is not capable of command...

- What did you see in this?

...he may be removed."

I am doing just that.

You are the one with brain disease,

not me.

I am doing just that, sir.

- You'll be court-martialed and shot!

- These men are my witnesses...

...but I am assuming full responsibility.

You are confined to quarters.

- Quarters?

- Officer of the day, the keys, please.

Mr. Peterson, I am taking

full responsibility.

Enemy! Enemy!

On the double! On the double!

Come on!

Oh, glory be to God.

Back to work!

Stop it, you idiots! Stop it!

As if guided by the instinct

of a wounded animal...

...the survivors of the Cheyenne

joined together 1200 miles...

...from the territory they had fled...

...at a place in the arid hills of Dakota

which they held sacred...

...called, in their language,

"Victory Cave."

Cavalry in position, sir.

Colonel, I'd like to have you meet

the Secretary of the Interior, Carl Schurz.

Well, I'm glad to see you,

Mr. Secretary.

Riding all night didn't help

my lumbago.

- Is that coffee I smell?

- Yes, sir. Oh, Captain?

- Archer, sir.

- Archer.

Thank you.

- You see those guns, Mr. Secretary?

- Yes.

Well, in just about

one minute now, sir...

Yes, I know, I know.

You're all set.

But not before I've had a chance

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