Tomahawk Page #5

I wish you could understand.

Listen, do you know "thank you"?

Jim, your Jim, told me

and I thank you.

Please.

Thank you.

- It's lovely to hear you laughing.

- You're so pretty Monahseetah!

I wish the pin was prettier.

I didn't know Monahseetah

was learning English.

She's learning wonderfully fast.

Did you ever notice trouble

seems to make us women

forget differences?

With men it seems to turn them

into snapping dogs.

I haven't seen my wife in a year.

It'll be doomsday before

any of us see our folks.

What's the Colonel waiting for?

Bridger claims we haven't

got a chance outside the fort.

He wants us penned up here where

Red Cloud can push us over.

I wish they'd attack!

I want to see some action.

Anything new from our

Indian friends Mr. Bridger?

Nope. Nothing new.

When you don't see Indians,

that's when you have to watch out.

There's a lot of truth

to that old saying.

I say you have to watch out more

when they got spies sneaking around.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- That you shouldn't snoop around.

And your friend Beckworth.

Funny how the drums began

the day he left.

And he ain't been heard of since.

Listen! They've stopped!

What does that mean?

Rifle fire.

That wood detail's in trouble.

May I go? It may be my last chance

for action before my leave.

- Go ahead.

- This may be a trap.

They should go and come straight

back, and not over that ridge.

Nobody over that ridge Captain,

that's an order.

Yes sir.

Jim,

I have to tell you something.

You have a right to know.

It's no proof but when you

told me about Chivington,

I knew I'd heard his name before.

Later I remembered.

Traveling from Laramie, Dancy said

he'd served in his volunteers.

You sorry now you warned them?

No, there are other men out there

besides Dancy.

Looks like Hanna bringing

the good news.

We figured the Colonel was

sending help.

We held off about ten charges then

they sort of skedaddled up the hill.

- How many?

- About 20.

We got two of them and not

one of us was even nicked.

Look Captain.

Let's take a crack

at those up there.

I want to get one scalp

Sitting ducks Captain.

You've been in the Army long

enough to follow orders.

Wait Captain.

If we take care of them Carrington

couldn't bring charges against us.

The way they feel in Laramie

we'd get a promotion.

It's the oldest rule in the Army.

Don't disobey orders

when you can't win,

But when you can't lose!

Bridger!

I'd have bet my life on Fetterman.

I wouldn't have bet mine

on Dancy.

Sitting ducks.

Draw!

Swords!

Charge!

Jim! Jim!

- Laramie didn't send equipment.

- Three wagons full.

They sent

the breech loading rifles too.

Now?

Now they send the ammunition.

Well their wagons will be

useful to carry back our dead.

Get a stretcher.

Colonel sir...

Son, why did Fetterman

countermand my order?

- Is the Captain dead?

- Everyone but you.

It was Lt. Dancy sir.

He ragged the Captain.

He wouldn't take no.

He said they'd get promoted.

Dancy got away.

He threw away five men to give

himself that one chance.

Which way? Which way?

Up through those hills.

Chivington said I should

kill that sqaw.

I had to follow orders.

Afterwards...

He told me she was

the one you married.

Get up! Get up!

- What happened to Dancy?

- A kid got him.

A little Indian kid.

- Only one?

- There'll be more.

You better get ready.

Keep the ammunition wagons here

and the others back to the fort.

Sergeant. Dismount!

Distribute the rifles,

behind the wagons.

Yes sir. Dismount men!

Get those rifles!

- What are they singing?

- Death chant.

They always sing that just before

they start a ruckus.

- What are they waiting for Jim?

- Red Cloud.

Waiting for him to give the orders.

It's a pity. These

new breechloaders will wipe him out

- he hasn't got a chance.

- What do you think he'll do?

How will he attack?

Probably come at you in waves.

He'll try to draw a volley

with the first and keep hitting you,

before you get a chance to reload.

He doesn't know with these breech

loaders reload three times as fast.

Thanks Jim.

At my command fire by volley and

reload as fast as possible.

It's Red Cloud.

That means back to earth.

They'll fight till they die.

Get ready.

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Well, it's finished.

Red Cloud's coming down

to pick up his dead.

You had him in your sights.

I know.

Red Cloud is a great man.

We'll need great men on both sides

when this ruckus is over.

It's a mixed up business.

Red Clod wins his in Washington

after we beat him on the field.

We didn't beat him.

It was those breechloaders.

- It was a mechanical thing.

- But he is getting a new treaty.

We're closing the road

and giving up the fort.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe this treaty will be kept.

For the sake of the Sioux Nation

I hope so.

Victory for the Sioux and

their great leader, Red Cloud.

The year, 1868.

Fort Kearney is abandoned

and the US government

signs a peace treaty.

The offiicial document reads:

"From this day forward all war

between the parties

shall forever cease.

The white man is leaving

and the red man is left with

a bitter memory of dead

and wounded.

So now he moves to destroy

that memory,

to destroy the last

remaining symbol of another world.

There will be dances,

feasting and singing.

The sacred hunting ground

has not yielded to the plow.

For another 30 years the sun will

rise on the world of the Sioux

the world of Red Cloud

and Sitting Bull,

the world of Jim Bridger,

pioneer, hunter, scout, American."

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