The Last Frontier Page #3

Capt. Clarke,

check on your men in the hospital.

Find out how many can return to duty

and when.

Before I was forced

to abandon Fort Medford...

I telegraphed for reinforcements.

They never came.

I believe it'd be better to discuss this

in my quarters, sir. Or yours.

I've nothing to hide, Captain.

Have you?

Sending out 100 men from this fort

would have left us practically helpless, sir.

So you took it upon yourself

to disregard my request.

Shallan is a key fort, sir.

If Red Cloud takes it...

there's nothing between him

and Fort Laramie.

He's very tricky, sir. And clever.

The man's a savage, Riordan. Not Napoleon.

You're afraid of an ignorant savage?

The Colonel had a taste

of this ignorant savage at Medford.

Yes, I did.

But I'm going back there, Captain.

We're all going back there.

I'll hang Red Cloud

and enough of his men...

to put the fear of the Army

into every Indian in this country.

Go back?

- That's what I said.

- You can't, without more men.

And we're not going

to get any more while the Civil War is on.

There are enough men here.

We were sent out here

to build this fort and to hold it.

As I told you before,

these men aren't trained.

- Sgt. Decker!

- Sir!

I want all training procedure

doubled immediately.

- Make soldiers out of them.

- Yes, sir.

- This is my command, sir.

- It was.

- Do you have orders relieving me?

- I don't need them.

I'm senior officer in the territory.

You're subject to my orders.

You can accept that,

or place yourself under arrest.

Yes, sir.

- Decker, send Cooper to my quarters.

- Yes, sir.

Hi, Captain.

- Col. Marston wants to see you in his office.

- I heard him.

The Colonel does not like

to be kept waiting.

I'm eating breakfast.

Cooper, someday

I'm gonna take you to pieces.

Do you have anything to do right now?

Just let me know

when you've finished your breakfast.

- I'm finished. Come on, Mungo.

- Not him.

- He goes where I go.

- He's an Indian.

Say.

You are an Indian.

How about that?

You better not go, Mungo.

You might get in trouble.

Do they miss me at home?

Do they miss me?

'Twould be an assurance most dear

To know that this moment some loved one

Were saying

I wish he were here

To feel that the group

At the fireside

Were thinking of me

As I roam

Oh, yes

'Twould be joy beyond measure

No good.

No, Mungo. Very good.

To know that they missed me at home

To know that they missed me

At home

They tied the arrows. I saw them.

I sent you out to scout Red Cloud.

Why didn't you have Cooper

report directly to me?

I wanted to talk to Gus first.

Cooper is a civilian scout.

You know procedure.

I'm sorry, sir.

Your report, Cooper.

Red Cloud and the men

are camped at the foot of the canyon.

They're having a meeting

with the Assiniboin chief.

- Looks like they're gonna join forces.

- How long will that take them?

- About a week.

- They gotta make it by then, sir.

- Why?

- Red Cloud's gotta beat the snow.

Otherwise he'll have to hold off till spring.

By that time maybe

the war back east will be over.

Red Cloud knows

that means more men here, more guns.

He's got to strike soon

while he's got the chance.

How soon will it snow?

Like Gus said, the snow's overdue.

- Where you going, Cooper?

- To get some coffee.

- Is it that urgent?

- It is to me.

When I first came here...

Capt. Riordan assured me

that Fort Shallan was an important post.

- How are you, soldier?

- Fine, sir.

Has anything happened to

change your mind, Captain?

My last orders from Fort Laramie

were to hold, sir.

Since communication's been cut off...

I have no way of knowing

what other orders there may be.

There are orders, Captain.

Mine.

I lost Medford because my orders

were to stay inside the fort and hold.

Holding actions do not win battles.

I was sent out here to build a fort.

Not attack Red Cloud.

How did Red Cloud become so powerful?

Because no one had the courage

to move out against him.

With what?

Men who had to be shown

which end of a rifle to point?

It was up to you to make soldiers of them.

Which is just exactly

what they are going to become.

Don't attack yet. We still have

a good chance of holding off Red Cloud...

until it does snow.

And if the Assiniboins join Red Cloud first,

they'll attack.

I don't intend to let them join forces.

- You can't do it, Frank. It's suicide.

- I'll be leading the men.

I've no intention of committing suicide.

Stop him, Glenn. You know it's wrong.

Capt. Clarke, I believe

you're forgetting yourself.

Col. Marston, here,

is in command of this fort.

Thank you, Captain.

You were assigned here as a doctor.

Not a military strategist.

Please return to your patients

where maybe you'll do a little good.

Ask him what happened at Shiloh?

Ask him. And if he won't tell you, I will.

- How are you feeling?

- I'll be all right, sir.

- Think you'll be strong enough to march?

- I'll try, sir.

I'll tell you what happened at Shiloh.

I lost 1,500 men in a single encounter.

We were cut to ribbons by enemy artillery.

By the time the report

got back to Washington...

they were calling me the Butcher of Shiloh.

Yes, they called me the Butcher of Shiloh.

But reports are cold facts on paper.

I took a calculated risk.

I dared where cautious men stood still.

But victory is not given to the cautious.

That's why the war back east

still drags on after four years.

Because our men in command

have no daring.

If I had taken the enemy artillery position,

it would have turned the tide.

But unfortunately the War Department

does not reward courage.

Just results.

But if I had to decide Shiloh again...

I'd do exactly what I did.

Go ahead. Go after him if you want to.

Go on.

I gotta get you out of here.

I can take you up in the mountains

where you'll be safe.

- I don't want to leave.

- But you've got to.

The Colonel's gonna get himself

and everybody in this fort killed.

- Why do you want to save me?

- Because I want you for my woman.

I don't have to ask you.

I could take you if I wanted to.

- You're a savage.

- Are you crazy like he is?

- Do you wanna die, too?

- No, I wanna live.

I'll take good care of you.

I know these mountains

like I know the fingers on my hand.

There are other women at the fort.

- But they're not mine.

- I'm not your woman!

You think you're too good for me? You ain't.

You're another scalp for Red Cloud

to hang up in his tent.

I don't want to be saved by you, Mr. Cooper,

or any other man.

I've been saved enough.

First by Col. Marston who married me

to keep me from being a spinster.

And now, you offer me the choice of dying

or becoming your squaw.

- You don't understand.

- What is there left to understand?

- You're no different from him.

- I am.

How?

I care for you.

I need you.

How can I help you?

I can't even help myself.

I know what I am.

I know when I'm wrong.

You could make it right.

Cease fire.

Hold your fire!

Decker, turn out the guard,

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