All language subtitles for Death.Valley.Days.S08E38.The.Great.Lounsberry.Scoop.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-bigworm_track3_[eng]

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks.
I'’m the Old Ranger,

with an exciting new story
of real life in the Old West.

In 1876, Bismarck,
Dakota Territory,

was the jumping off place
of civilization,

the western end
of the telegraph line,

and the place where
Colonel Clement Lounsberry

established
his frontier newspaper,
The Bismarck Tribune,

and where, as correspondent
for The New York Herald,

he performed
a journalistic feat

that has gone down
in history as...

Across the river
from Bismarck,

lies Fort Lincoln,

U.S. Cavalry post,
under the command of

that popular hero
and great Indian fighter,

General George
Armstrong Custer.

Events are in the wind
on this spring morning of 1876,

as Custer visits
The Bismarck Tribune office.

General!

Lounsberry!

Good to see you.Nice to see you.

My assistant Mark Kellogg,
General Custer.

How do you do, sir?Nice to know ya.

Well, my orders
have come through.

I'’m to command the 7th Cavalry
in the campaign
against the Sioux.

Congratulations!

Thank you.

Can you take the summer off?

Take the summer off?

You'’re coming with us

to cover the story.

Why, I understood
all newspaper men were barred.

You'’re the one exception.

Special permission
from General Terry.

Now, how does that happen?

I asked for you.

[ chuckles ]Better start getting ready.

Oh, I'’ll be ready.Good.

Well, I'’ve got things
to attend to.

Kellogg.General.

I'’ll be talkin'
to ya, colonel.

[ door closes ]Did you hear that, Mark?

I'’m to accompany the troops
to the badlands.

That'’s quite a break.
I envy you.

You'’ll have to run the paper
in my absence

and take over my assignment
as correspondent
for The New York Herald.

I'’m wiring Bennett
right now.

Take this over
to the telegraph office

and give it to Carnahan. [ footsteps ]

Oh, wait a minute.
Here'’s Carnahan himself.

Dispatches from St. Louis
and Chicago.

Say, what'’s goin' on?
I just saw General Custer
leave here.

Well, you send this off, pronto,
and you can read
about it, yourself.

"James Gordon Bennett,
New York Herald.

"General Custer has arranged
for me to accompany expedition

against the Sioux."

Well...

"General Custer has arranged
for me to accompany expedition

against the Sioux."

Well...

Think of it, Miller.

We'’ll be the only newspaper
in the country

with its own correspondent
on the spot.

Well, it'’s about time
we got something out

of that backwoods town.

It'’s gonna be quite a show...

and The Herald'’sin
on the ground floor.

[ man barking orders ]

We'’re moving out
next Wednesday morning,

the entire 7th Cavalry,

six companies of infantry.

Can we release all this
to the public?

[ chuckles ]
Every Sioux in the country
probably knows it already.

Now, the plan, you see... [ knocking on door ]

is a converge on Sitting Bull
from three different
directions.

[ knocking continues ]

Come in.

Message for Colonel Lounsberry.

Mrs. Lounsberry'’s
been taken ill.

They want you home
as soon as possible.

General, I--

Go on, Lounsberry.

Oh, it'’s no use, Mark.

Under the circumstances,
I can'’t go.

You'’ll have to go
on my place.

Me?

Well, I know
it'’s terribly short notice

for an absence
of months, but--

That'’s all right.

I have no family.

Troops leave Fort Lincoln
tomorrow.

If you hurry, you can make
the next ferry.

It'’s a good thing I keep extra
shirt and socks in the office.

[ chuckles ]

Yeah, here'’s some paper
and pencil for your notes.

I'’ll keep a diary.Good.

Don'’t forget your pipe.

Send back dispatches by pony
as often as you can.

And, Mark...

stay close to Custer
and you'’ll get plenty of copy.

Oh, uh, guess
I'’d better wear these.

I won'’t be able
to see where I'’m going.

I'’ll do my best.

Oh, this isn'’t goodbye.

I'’ll be at Fort Lincoln
to see you and Custer off.

Major, take charge.

Troops in column, by twos.

Forward, ho!

[ horses neighing ]

Here you are, Carnahan,

story of Custer'’s departure
for The New York Herald.

That was quite a send-off,
wasn'’t it?

Yes.
I envy Mark Kellogg.

On that mule?

I know what you mean, though.

Chance to see Custer
in action.

Oh, uh, by the way,
how'’s Mrs. Lounsberry?

Oh, she'’s better, thanks.

Good.

CARNAHAN:
Special,The New York Herald.

You don'’t look
very happy, Miller.

Lounsberry didn'’t go.

Are you sure?

Well, here it is.

A Description
of Custer'’s departure.

That'’s probably
the only exclusive story

of the expedition
we'’re gonna get.

He must'’ve had some reason.

Oh, you know
these small-town editors.

Well, run this
and trust we get some more.

OLD RANGER:
Valley of the Little Big Horn,

June, 1876.

[ horses whinnying ] [ men shouting ]

Sure enough dispatches came
back to Bismarck, regularly,

by courier
for the next few weeks.

From the Little Missouri,

the Powder River,
the Yellowstone,

and then silence.

♪♪ [ drum ]

Those drums are getting
on my nerves.

Aww, just friendly Indians
across the river.

And they were going
all last night.

Well, the white man celebrates

the 4th of July.

Indians gotta celebrate, too.

Celebrate what?

You'’re not worried,
are you?

Well, we haven'’t received
a dispatch in over a week.

Gotta remember,
they'’re pretty deep

in Indian territory.

Takes longer to get word out.

Mmm.

Indians have
their couriers, too,
don'’t forget.

I think I'’d better get over
to the post in the morning

and see what I can find out.

MAN:
Yah! Hyah!

Dispatch from The Tribune,
Mr. Lounsberry.

Good.

Where'’s this from?Rosebud Creek, sir. Montana.

Thanks very much.

[ door closes ] ♪♪ [ drumming continues ]

It'’s dated June 21st.

"We leave the Rosebud tomorrow

"and by the time
this reaches you,

"we will have met
the red devils,

with what results
remain to be seen."

Good ol'’ Mark.

Listen to this.

Last line of his dispatch.

"I go with Custer

and will be at the death."

♪♪ [ drumming continues ]

Colonel Lounsberry.

I'’ll have some copy for you
in a minute.

I'’m afraid I've got a story
for you, sir.

Oh? What is it?

Custer and all of his men...

wiped out.

What?

How do you know?

Steamer Far Westjust tied up.

In from the Big Horn.

Better tell Mr. Carnahan
to stand by.

Yes, sir.

[ moaning ]

LOUNSBERRY:
Captain Marsh?

Lounsberry, Bismarck Tribune.

Oh, yes.

These are the wounded
from Major Reno'’s command.

51 of '’em.

Oh, what of Custer'’s command?

Wiped out
to the last man.

Complete massacre.

We--we had
a reporter with Custer,

Mark Kellogg.

Oh, yes.
Just a moment.

This bag was found
beside his body.

Could you please come
to the Tribuneoffice
as soon as possible?

I must get this whole story.

Clear the lines
to Saint Paul and the east.

We'’ve got news
that'’ll rock the nation.

[ tapping Morse code ]

CARNAHAN:
Cut me through, quick.
Special,New York Herald.

Mark'’s diary.

It'’s the whole story...

stained with his blood.

Carnahan,

when you get that line,
keep it open.

Keep it open,
no matter what.

MILLER:
Mr. Bennett.

Yes.It'’s a wire from Bismarck.

It'’s horrible.

"All the Custers killed."

Oh, God.

Better get on the wire.

Tell '’em
to rush all particulars.

[ Morse code ]

"Operator Bismarck,

"rush...

"me...

"full...

"particulars.

"Signed,

James Gordon Bennett."

Well, here'’s your first batchof copy.

I'’ll feed you more
as soon as I can write it.

[ tapping Morse code ]

CARNAHAN:
Bismarck, July 6th.

Miller!

Give this
the whole front page.

I wired
our Washington correspondent

to check with
the War Department
for a statement.

Good, and tell Bismarck
to keep it coming.

Fine.

[ sighs ]

Rogers.

Get over to The Triboffice.

Tell Lounsberry I'’m runnin' out
of copy.

Well, he should have some.
He'’s interviewing
Captain Marsh.

MARSH:
First we knew was two days
after the battle

when a crow scout
came staggering aboard
the Far West.

That'’s where we lay
at the mouth
of the Little Big Horn.

We couldn'’t believe it.

It was true, all right.

The Sioux had massed 3,000 men

and Custer had only 261.

[ door closes ]Colonel Lounsberry,

Mr. Carnahan needs more copy.

Then give him this--

the list of the dead.

And tell him to hang on
to that wire.

If we lose it,
we'’ll never get through again.

Some more stuff
from Bismarck.

It'’s a list of the dead,

including all five Custers.

Any word from Washington?Not yet.

I can'’t understand it.

You don'’t think,
by any chance,

that our Bismarck correspondent

has gone off half-cocked
on this thing?

A story like this,
a list of the dead?

Impossible.

Well, if it'’s true,
Army headquarters

would be the first
to be notified.

You know, the costs
on that open wire to Bismarck

are running into a fortune.

I know.

Tell Lounsberry to hold up

further copy,
awaiting confirmation
from Washington.

All right.

Where'’s Lounsberry?

Down on the Far West,
interviewing some of the wounded

from Reno'’s command.

Wire here from New York says
"Hold up everything

till further notice."Hold up everything?

All right, I'’ll tell him,
but I think

you ought to send this anyhow.

Yeah.

So that'’s it, huh?

Yeah, he just didn'’t wait.

You know Custer, sir.

Bravest man who ever put foot
in a stirrup,

ridin'’ for glory.

Last anybody saw of him,

he was leadin'’
the Gray Horse Troop

over the divide.

He was wavin'’ his hat.

Whole battle
couldn'’t have lasted
more than an hour.

Well, thanks very much, men.

MAN:
Oh, sir, there'’s something
you might like to know.

There was just two
of the bodies

the Indians left untouched--

General Custer,
your reporter, Mark Kellogg.

He was a man who could make
the paper talk.

We'’ll make it talk.

We'’ll make it scream

clear across America.

Colonel Lounsberry--I'’m getting this copy out

as fast as I can.They don'’t want it.

What?

Who?New York, The Herald.

They say to stop sending
until they get word
from Washington.

I do that, I break telegraphic
communication with them now,

I'’ll never establish contact
with them again.

Somebody else
will grab the line.

Carnahan can'’t hold the line
much longer anyway, sir.

He--He'’s run out of copy.

[ slams table ]

[ exhales ]

Then give him this.The Bible?

Tell him to keep sending
scripture till copy is ready.

If Bennett won'’t foot
the bill, I will.

It'’ll run to thousands
of dollars.

I'’ll pay for it if I have
to sell the plant,

but this story is going out.

Yes, sir.

[ tapping Morse code ]

CARNAHAN:
"Thou shalt not be afraid

"for the terror by night,

"nor for the arrow

"that flieth by day.

And it came to pass..."

From Washington?No, it'’s from Bismarck.

Completely disregarding
our orders.

I can'’t understand this silence
from the War Department.

They know nothing.
They'’ve got nothing to say.

That'’s incredible.
General Sheridan must'’ve
received dispatches.

General Sheridan
is in Philadelphia
at the Centennial.

Well, send someone there
to track him down.

I'’ve already sent a man.

We'’re wasting valuable time.

Is the story set up?We'’re ready to roll,

but we can'’t.

It'’s too big a risk.

[ sighs ]

What does Lounsberry say
this time?

Oh, nothing.

He'’s singing psalms

at his own expense.

Let me see that.

"Thou shalt not
be afraid for..."

Miller, don'’t you see?

He'’s holding
the lines open with anything,

as long as they'’re words!

He'’s really got a big one,

the biggest
in newspaper history,

and he'’s going
to see that we get it!

Well, maybe,
but I just can'’t--

Get the presses rolling.

We still don'’t have
a confirmation of it!

Then we'’ll run without it.

We don'’t dare!

Maybe we don'’t, but I do.

And who owns the newspaper?

You do, thanks to the fact
that your father founded it.

Think of him, Bennett.

If you publish the story
of Custer'’s defeat

and it proves to be untrue,

well,The Herald'’s reputation
will be ruined!

And you, well,
you'’ll never live it down!

I'’ll take my chances.

What is the word
of some editor up
in a sticks somewhere

compared with that
of the U.S. government?

Release the story!

All right.

"Bloody Battle."

"General Custer Killed."

"A Horrible Slaughter Pen."

I have heard
of yellow journalism,

but I never thought
The New York Herald
would be guilty of it.

Now, just a minute, major.

To perpetrate
a cruel hoax like this
on the American public.

This story happens
to be true,

direct from our correspondent.

The War Department
denies it, categorically.

Yes, I know.

General Sheridan,
General Sherman,
they give it no credence.

I still believe it.

Then you'’re a fool.

And worse--
if you were in the Army,

you'’d be court-martialed.

Headquarters may still
hold you responsible.

I knew your father.

He was a great newspaperman.

He must be turning over
in his grave.

I hope I haven'’t
let you down.

[ dog barking ]

Nah.

Scouts on the frontier
have a way
of spreading stories,

especially
about Indian warfare.

Your editor
would'’ve been wise

to wait for a confirmation
from headquarters.

You think it'’ll come,
General Sheridan?

Nothing that horrible.
It couldn'’t be.

A defeat at the very worst,
but not a wholesale massacre.

[ knocking on door ]Come in.

[ door closes ]

A dispatch from
the War Department, sir.

Addressed to you
at Army headquarters

and forwarded to you here.

Sorry it was delayed.

It'’s true.

Every word
The Heraldprinted.

[ tapping Morse code ][ deep breath ]

Any more?

That'’s it.

Over 80,000 words.

Oh, I kept prayin'’
my hand wouldn'’t get paralyzed.

Carnahan, do you know how long
you'’ve been at that key?

[ grunts ]80 hours.

That all?

Seemed like 80 years.

[ chuckles ]

Well, there it is,

the whole story.

Interviews with
General Sheridan,
General Sherman--

Complete confirmation.

Good work, Miller.

Good work for you, sir.

Taught me a good lesson

in faith
in my fellow newspapermen.

Yes.

The honors go
to Colonel Lounsberry.

He had a great story...

he recognized
a great story...

and he handled it
with greatness.

The way I'’ve got
it figured out,

we'’re gonna owe Western Union
about $3,500,

including charges
on some Bible quotations.

The best $3,500 I ever spent.

And you can spend
a few more dollars
of The Herald'’smoney

sending our thanks
and our compliments

to Colonel Lounsberry
and to the telegraph operator.

Better get along now
and send that message off
to Bismarck.

Yes, sir.

[ Morse code ]

[ sighs ]

On the sight of the old Western
Union office in Bismarck,

there stands today

this marker commemorating
that historic feat

of journalism
and telegraphy.

Few news stories
have so electrified a nation.

And the Custer Battlefield
National Monument,

a simple stone
of white marble,

marks the grave
of Mark Kellogg,

the reporter,
who, as he prophesied,

was with Custer
at the death,

and whose diary helped
to piece together

the story
of that ill-fated campaign.

Now, I have here in my hands,
at this moment,

some pages
from that diary,

stained with Kellogg'’s blood

from the battle
of the Little Big Horn,

June 25, 1876.

Now, for these priceless pages
and for all her other help,

we are indebted
to Mrs. Stella Mann,

the present publisher
of The Bismarck Tribune

and successor
to its founder,

Colonel Clement Lounsberry.