Original subtitles

one man died, there at Bitter Creek.

And they say he ran away, he was

innocent, not a charge was true, but the

world would never know.

Granted, Scorn is the one who ran, what

do you do when you're granted and you

know you're a man, wherever you go for

the rest of your life.

Colonel Harry Snow, the only man at Jason

McCord's court-martial who believed McCord innocent, has

convinced President Grant that the disgraced soldier is

the right man for an undercover mission against

a border gang that has been raiding U

.S. Army installations.

McCord is to infiltrate the outlaw gang, contact

Colonel Snow, and lead the raiders into a

trap at Fort Perry.

McCord discovers that General Arriola is the leader

of the marauders.

But Colonel Snow is killed before the message

gets through, and Jason McCord is forced to

carry out the attack without warning the fort.

All right, let's put on a show for

Fort Perry.

Down at

the Arroyo, Mexican bandits, get after them, Corporal.

Yes, sir.

Detail by two.

What's going on, Colonel?

Major, we were attacked by bandits, part of

my company is still pinned down at the

Arroyo.

These men need medical attention, would you see

to the defense of the fort, please?

I'm in command here.

I outranked you, Major.

I wasn't told any other outfit was operating

in this area.

I'm telling you now, I gave you an

order, get those men to the infirmary.

So those were the few well-chosen words.

Come on.

Open the

safe.

But Colonel, what...

We want the payroll you're holding for Fort

Lowell, all 36,000 of it.

Private, what do you see out there?

Nobody out there, sir.

They're all gone.

Major Whit...

That man I just saw going into GHQ,

that Colonel, I know him.

That's Jason McCord from Bitter Creek.

Are you sure?

I ought to be, sir.

Corporal, round up those men who came through

the gate, put them on the guard.

Yes, sir.

Column left, on the double.

That's far enough.

Let me have them.

Hold it.

These are two of the marauders wanted by

the Army, Major.

The rest of them are...

I've taken care of the rest of them,

Colonel McCord.

These fellas knew about the payroll shipment, Major.

That's right, Major.

I told them not to lure them here.

Get that hat off him.

Tear off those insignia.

Burn them.

This raid was...

Take him to the guardhouse.

Major, this raid was planned with Colonel Snow.

I was supposed to contact him when I

was ready.

We'll go over that when he gets back.

He won't be back, sir.

Colonel Snow was killed.

I found out too late, so I had

no choice.

I had to go through with this raid.

Look.

Look.

I'm on special assignment from Washington.

You're digging yourself in deeper with every word,

McCord.

Colonel Snow is dead.

Killed by you and your friends, no doubt.

You're wearing United States Army uniform.

On a United States Army installation.

According to the sentence of your court-martial,

that alone is punishable by death.

Listen to the...

I'll listen to you when I'm ready.

You'll face a firing squad tomorrow.

Corporal Dewey, get him out.

Hey, you're gonna shoot him now, huh?

McCord.

I'm gonna get on that firing squad tomorrow

morning if I gotta give six months pay

for it.

That's expensive target practice.

I almost went to Bitter Creek with you,

McCord.

But my best friend went instead.

Jim Whitcomb.

Major Whitcomb's son.

Come on.

I don't buy it, McCord.

You're trying to wiggle out.

Save your own hide.

A scheme known only to you and Colonel

Snow.

Colonel Snow is conveniently dead, isn't he?

President Grant himself gave me this assignment.

It was diplomatically...

President Grant?

McCord.

You're not only a coward and an outlaw,

but you're insane.

Or you think I am?

Major Whitcomb, contact the president.

I wouldn't make such a fool of myself.

Your friends are being transferred to Fort Lowell

tomorrow.

But you wanna take care of me personally,

is that it?

McCord.

Jim.

I fought my way up through the ranks.

Fucking fools and bungling idiots like you.

I wish I'd been at Bitter Creek.

I just heard your son was there.

I'm sorry.

His application for an appointment at West Point

was turned down, but it took a yellow

belly like you.

Seems to me you're nursing a pretty big

hatred for the Army yourself, Major.

I hate Army mistakes.

Men who make it easy.

Background, influence, connections in the right circles.

West Point man.

Handpicked by the guards.

Coddled and bottle-fed by the Academy.

Handed a commission on a silver platter.

Your personal opinion of me and the Academy

is beside the point.

I've got to get word to Washington right

away.

I know who's really behind those raids and

why.

It's secret information that could lead to or

avoid a full-scale war.

Tell me this secret information.

I'll decide if it's important.

In your frame of mind, Major, I wouldn't

take a chance telling you.

McCord.

I'm the judge and jury here.

Not you.

This time your background and your big connection

won't get you out of it.

I don't care whether the armchair soldiers back

in Washington like it or not.

They wrote the book.

The book says you should be shot.

I'm ordering you shot.

Tomorrow morning at dawn.

Tyler.

Get this man back to his cell.

Same old army rations, huh?

Right down to the hard type.

Those here always talking about home cooking.

That's better than any I ever had.

Guard.

There's something wrong with this man.

The mail.

McCord.

Let him go.

Only make him look more guilty.

Courier for Major Whitcomb to the commander at

Fort Lowell.

It's McCord.

If I needed any further proof, McCord, this

is it.

Innocent men don't run.

I was about to give you the benefit

of the doubt.

But this forces me.

Take him back to his cell.

Double his guard.

Corporal Dewey.

Good work.

Open them when we're all through.

Just hit me a winner, Corporal.

The only winners are the ones who draw

blanks.

Now what's eating you?

If you like the coward, why did you

let him escape?

I don't especially like him.

I just don't like maybe having to kill

him.

Not this way.

All right, open them.

The six who got the mark, one step

forward.

I'm the sixth.

Report to the armory a half hour before

dawn.

Six rifles will be issued by the supply

sergeant.

Five with live ammunition and one with blanks.

All right, fall out.

Hey, stupid.

Hey, Captain, stupid.

Colonel, stupid.

Hey!

You were supposed to capture us.

Well, that's very funny.

And now your own government is going to

kill you.

I think that's very funny.

Stop it, Tyler.

What's bothering you?

You shot a couple of Indians, didn't you?

That was war.

This isn't the same.

Six of us blasting away at somebody with

his hands tied behind his back.

This isn't just somebody.

This is the coward of Bitter Creek.

He's a man, Tyler.

Just shut up.

Stupid, don't you think that's funny?

Isn't that fun?

Yes.

March.

Left face.

Forward, march!

You want a blindfold?

No blindfold.

Major, I know you go by the book.

Isn't it customary to grant a final request?

If it's reasonable.

I think it's reasonable.

I cannot see the firing squad.

This isn't fair.

Why should they have all the fun?

It's a very bad army, Emil.

They hide when they do something pleasant.

They refuse to share.

Perhaps the sound from the shots will amuse

you.

That's true.

My mind sees very good.

I will enjoy it better.

Ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Beautiful.

A very itchy place on my back has

just been scratched.

That's one thing less to worry about.

Hey, Major!

Very good job.

He died like a coward.

You two are being transferred to Fort Lowell

tomorrow.

Tell me something.

Since it's too late to do him any

good, was he a leader?

He was a very bad leader, Major.

We argued, but...

but he insisted on this attack.

I knew what he was all along.

He was a traitor.

I knew I could tell.

That's enough!

You believed him, but I could tell.

I tried to kill him, but you stopped

me.

And he lied to you.

You're stupid.

He led us into this trap.

That's what it was, a trap.

He still worked for your army.

And now your army has killed him.

Thank you.

McCoy!

You're right.

That was a reasonable request.

What are we doing?

Now you're dead!

Stupid!

Come in.

Thanks for the coat, Major.

I'm sorry.

It can't be regulation.

You know, McCord, you must have been pretty

sure of yourself.

And me.

Waiting until you were in front of a

firing squad like that.

Sure.

I wasn't so sure.

This is a note I wrote to President

Grant...

to be delivered in the event of my

death.

Now I can take care of it in

person, thanks to you.

McCord.

I've been thinking about Bitter Creek a lot

the last few hours.

I'm not going to think about it anymore.

As far as I'm concerned, that book is

closed.

And McCord.

This won't clear your record in Bitter Creek.

Nobody will ever know about it.

But I'll tell you this.

If the President of the United States believed

you were a coward...

he wouldn't send you on this mission.