They Died with Their Boots On Page #10

But I can promise you that tomorrow...

...you'll take the salute from one of the

finest squadrons of cavalry ever.

There'll be no officers on parade?

Very irregular, sir.

That's because I want you to see

the men who fought 36 engagements...

...who cleared and pacified

this frontier single-handed...

...who sweated and starved day

after day against impossible odds.

- There's no denying their record.

- It was an idea that made them.

An idea and a song.

You should have seen them the day

they were mustered in. Derelicts...

...criminals who joined because

they couldn't make a living.

But wait till you see them now.

Wait till you see what discipline, devotion

to duty and human understanding can do.

You'll see men who aren't afraid to look

death in the face with pride.

Not for $ 13 a month, but because

they've got pride in their regiment.

Go take the salute.

You've good reason to.

You and every other civilian

in the United States.

- What's the meaning of this outrage?

- I think I know.

If I was you, Mr. Sharp, I'd vamoose.

- Custer's liable to go loco about this.

- I'm not getting out.

Have those bung-starters handy

when Goldilocks arrives.

He'll never close this bar again.

This is none of your affair, Custer.

We... We opened by authority

of the commissioner.

The drinks were free to the men

in honor of his visit.

Stop it, Custer! You're destroying

private property. It's an order!

- This bar opened by my authority.

- Your authority?

If your men are drunken sots,

that's your responsibility.

Sots?

You cheap, bootlicking...

You contemptible parasite!

I'll see that he's relieved

of his command.

He'll be in Washington

for a court martial.

I wish you'd stopped in Chicago

and seen Uncle Phil.

We'd only have been in Washington one

day later, and he might've helped you.

I don't think anyone can help me now.

I struck a representative

of the government.

And I'd do it again.

When the facts are known,

who in all the world could blame you?

- You.

- I?

Yes, I should have thought of you.

This mess has made me realize

how selfish I've been.

My dear.

Taking you away from

your home, comfort...

...peace of mind.

- Darling...

...I knew what I was doing

when I married you.

But I didn't know

what I was doing to you.

- I've made you give up everything.

- I love you.

- Springfield! Five-minute stop.

- Why don't you get a breath of fresh air?

I don't think so. There may be reporters

around, and I don't want to see anyone.

Is there anything I can get you,

magazine, cigars?

Nothing. Maybe a newspaper.

You better take a little walk yourself.

You've been cooped up here

long enough.

- Papers, papers.

- Paper.

- Have a Chicago or Washington paper?

- Chicago Record Herald, just out.

- All about the gold strike in Black Hills.

- The Black Hills in Dakota?

Yes. It's bigger than the one

in California.

Look at this.

Look.

Gold.

"Strike in the Black Hills.

The stampede started when an Indian

squaw tendered gold for supplies...

...in the Western Railroad Land

and Trading Company at Fort Lincoln."

"Thousands of people

rushing into the Black Hills."

That's what Mrs. Taipe meant. She said

thousands were coming to Dakota...

...and advised me to buy stock.

- Mrs. Taipe said that?

- Yes, the day you came back to the fort.

I didn't repeat it.

I didn't think it important.

The day I came back to the fort...

...Mrs. Taipe knew then that

these people were coming.

But, Libby, don't you see?

This Indian woman came into

the fort yesterday.

- Then that must mean...

- There's no gold. It's a conspiracy...

...to break the peace treaty. And what

happened at the review was a part of it.

They had to get rid of me,

and no wonder.

I'd have hanged them all from

the fort gates, Taipe and the rest.

I'd have burnt the railroad bridges.

And I gave my word to Crazy Horse

that the Sioux...

The Sioux.

Why, Libby, those fools don't know

what they've done.

Conductor. Conductor.

I'm saying that the commissioner

is Sharp's bought man.

- He has an interest...

- I object.

Objection sustained.

I'm sorry, but you must confine your

testimony to actual proof of conspiracy.

I'm here to tell you Sharp's company

tricked thousands of people...

...into violating Indian territory

with a tale of gold.

- And Taipe was a party to that plot.

- That's an accusation.

What facts can prove it?

Weeks before there was talk of this

so-called gold...

...Taipe's wife said that people...

- I object to such testimony. It's hearsay.

- Sustained.

We can hear no evidence of that nature.

It's inadmissible.

Inadmissible?

Do you think you'll keep me

from testifying by legal skulduggery?

- Do you think I'd lie?

- No, colonel, but you're not a lawyer.

The testimony you're giving is hearsay,

the words of another person.

- It's never admissible.

- Never?

Except in the case

of a dying declaration...

...where words are spoken in knowledge

of approaching death.

You'll have plenty of evidence within

a few weeks. The treaty's been broken.

Within weeks, thousands

will be massacred in Black Hills.

That's why I blasted this open

in the press.

- Now you talk about legal technicalities.

- There need be no apprehension.

Generals Terry and Crook have orders

to concentrate forces in Yellowstone.

Three thousand American soldiers

should be a match for 3000 Sioux.

Why, you fool. Those troops are infantry,

useless against Indians.

And they won't find any 3000 Sioux.

The sanctuary of the entire red race

is being violated.

They'll find every tribe in the West

ready to overwhelm them.

Not only Sioux, but Cheyenne, Blackfeet,

Sans Arcs, all the rest of them.

And who's to blame them?

Not I, gentlemen.

If I were an Indian, I'd fight beside

Crazy Horse to the last drop of my blood.

It's in Custer's interest to be alarmist.

He's relieved of command...

...awaiting court martial, but the War

Department doesn't share his fears.

Especially as among the forces ordered

into action is the celebrated 7th Cavalry...

...which boasts itself able to defend

the frontier single-handed.

Colonel Custer, have you any further

testimony to place before the committee?

None.

Then I move we adjourn, gentlemen.

Was it that bad?

I'll start assembling a division at once.

But it'll take time, Custer. Time. Troops

on the frontier will have to be sacrificed.

Including the 7th Cavalry.

What else can I do?

There's this.

Get my court martial postponed.

Get my command restored to me.

And let you commit suicide?

No, thank you.

You don't owe anybody that.

Sheridan, do you remember

what you said to me after Winchester?

You said, "If there's ever anything

you want from me...

...including my right arm,

don't ask, just take it."

I won't do it. You don't owe

those bloodsuckers anything.

I'm asking you, now.

There's Libby to be considered.

I wouldn't do it if I could.

But I can't.

Taipe would never let it get through.

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