Fort Apache Page #2

All other officers on the post...

...will leave their cards at the quarters

of the incoming officer, right?

Right. Now do you understand?

- It was just a duty call?

- That's it. Just a duty call.

But there's nothing in the regulations

that says an officer's daughter...

...should receive such cards

on her back porch in her nightie.

Pish-tush. This is not a nightie.

It's a dressing gown, isn't it?

- I wouldn't know.

- And I haven't received any cards, anyway.

Well, hand them over to her, Mickey.

Oh, I get it, Miss Thursday.

The lieutenant expected someone

to meet him at the door with a silver salver.

- A what?

- A silver salver.

He drop the cards in that

and hurry away.

You don't happen to have

a silver salver, do you?

A silver salver?

Our things haven't even arrived.

Why, last night I slept

on a horse blanket.

Attention! Sergeant Major O'Rourke, sir.

At ease.

- Did you say, "O'Rourke"?

- Yes, sir.

Place seems to be full of O'Rourkes.

Have the trumpeter sound

officer's call.

Officer's call?

How long you been

in the Army, O'Rourke?

In the United States Army?

Then you've heard of officer's call.

Have it sounded.

Yes, sir.

- Derice, sound officer's call.

- Now?

No, next Christmas, you loony.

How long you been in the Army?

Then you've heard of officer's call.

Sound it.

"War Department, Washington, D.C.

Special-orders number 687.

One. Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday

is hereby relieved of his present duties...

...and will proceed to Fort Apache,

territory of Arizona...

...and upon arrival assume

command of that post.

Travel directed... " And so forth.

"By direction of the Secretary of War,

William B. Stayforth. "

In compliance with these orders,

I take command of the regiment...

...relieving Captain Kirby York,

who is returned to his troop.

Captain Collingwood is relieved of

the duties of regimental adjutant...

...and returned to his troop.

Lieutenant Gates is appointed adjutant.

At ease, gentlemen.

Gentlemen, I did not seek this command,

but since it's been assigned me...

...I intend to make this regiment

the finest on the frontier.

I fully realize that prolonged duty

in a small outpost...

...can lead to carelessness...

...and inefficiency,

and laxity in dress and deportment.

I call it to your attention

that only one of you...

...has reported here this morning

properly dressed.

The uniform, gentlemen, is not a subject

for individual whimsical expression.

We're not cowboys at this post...

...nor freighters with a load of alfalfa.

Mr. Murphy.

O'Rourke, sir.

Mr. O'Rourke, will you step forward.

Gentlemen, I call your attention

to Mr. O'Rourke's dress.

Being fresh from West Point...

...Mr. O'Rourke has not forgotten

Army regulations.

I trust my other officers will

remember them in the future.

And I will insist they be enforced

throughout the command.

Understand me, gentlemen,

I am not a martinet.

But I do want to take pride

in my command.

We here have little chance for glory

or advancement.

While some of our brother officers

are leading...

...their well-publicized campaigns against

the great Indian nations...

...the Sioux and the Cheyenne...

...we are asked to ward off

the gnat stings and flea bites...

...of a few cowardly Digger Indians.

Your pardon, colonel. You'd hardly

call Apaches "Digger Indians," sir.

You'd scarcely compare them

with the Sioux, captain.

No, I don't.

The Sioux once raided

into Apache territory.

Old-timers told me you could follow

their line of retreat...

...by the bones of their dead.

I suggest the Apache

has deteriorated since then...

...judging by a few of the specimens

I've seen on my way out here.

Well, if you saw them, sir,

they weren't Apaches.

We'll discuss the Apache

some other time, captain.

The immediate point, gentlemen,

is that I hope to know you all better.

If we don't understand

each other now, we soon will.

Questions?

Good morning, gentlemen. You may return

to your breakfasts or your other duties.

Captain Collingwood, will you remain?

Go on.

Gentlemen, are there any questions?

If there are none, I intend

to follow orders and have breakfast.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Report to your coop.

Sir.

Nothing personal in this, Sam.

No explanations, Owen.

We've never had them before.

- Although, once, I tried.

- There was nothing to explain.

No, nothing.

You did what you did.

Rode to glory.

I did what I did.

Wound up at Fort Apache.

- Well, you've wound up here too.

- Oh, by thunder.

I've not wound up.

Not by a jugful.

They've pushed me aside,

sent me up to this tenpenny post.

But they'll not keep me buried.

I'll find something.

This isn't a country for glory,

Owen.

I'll take my risks. I always have.

Well, then all I can do is

wish you good luck.

And I wish you that sincerely.

Thank you, Sam.

Will you have a drink?

No, thanks, Owen.

It's a little early in the day.

Even for me.

Anything new about my transfer?

- Sorry, sir, nothing yet.

- Thank you.

- O'Rourke.

- Yes, sir.

I require a mount. Have two or three

brought over for my selection.

- Yes, sir.

- O'Rourke.

Sir.

This Lieutenant O'Rourke,

are you, by chance, related?

Not by chance, sir. By blood.

He's my son.

I see.

How did he happen

to get into West Point?

It happened by presidential

appointment, sir.

Are you a former officer, O'Rourke?

During the war, I was a major

in the 69th New York Regiment.

The Irish Brigade, sir.

Still, it's been my impression that

presidential appointments...

...were restricted to sons

of holders of the Medal of Honor.

That is my impression too, sir.

Will that be all, sir?

Yes, sergeant. It will.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, ma'am.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Excuse me. Could you tell me

where Mrs. Collingwood lives.

- Oh, right in there, dear.

- Thank you.

- Good morning.

- Philadelphia. Philly.

L... I was just...

I know it's terribly early to call but...

Nonsense. Come in, dear.

I'm so glad to see you.

I was just passing and...

My, what a beautiful sideboard.

And those candlesticks.

They were my Aunt Martha's.

I was her favorite niece,

so when she died...

...she left her fortune

to a home for stray cats...

...and the candlesticks to me.

They're lovely.

Everything is.

But our place, it...

It's so bare and... And so dirty.

- Oh, you poor child.

- And there's no water.

- Mrs. Collingwood.

- Aunt Emily.

Aunt Emily, what does a woman

do in the Army?

Our things haven't...

We haven't even got a coffeepot.

Do I get someone to help me or?

Owen. Owen Thursday. That man.

Now, don't you fret, dear.

In times of trouble,

we call on Mrs. O'Rourke.

- Mrs. O'Rourke?

- Mrs. O'Rourke.

Martha, where's Mrs. O'Rourke?

- Mrs. O'Rourke.

- Mrs. O'Rourke.

- Mrs. O'Rourke.

- Oh, yes, what is it?

- Mrs. O'Rourke.

- Oh, yes, Mrs. Collingwood?

Yes, Mrs. Collingwood? Yes?

Mary, this is Colonel Thursday's

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