Original subtitles

I've called all you folks together because for the next couple of hundred miles we're

going to be traveling through ute country.

That means that we have to be extra careful.

Bridget used to say to me, boy, you keep your eyes peeled for them pesky utes.

That's good advice.

So for the next couple of hundred miles I want you to stay very close together.

No stragglers.

And there'll be no hunting.

You never know what might set them off.

I'm not trying to scare you people.

I just want you to realize that this is a very dangerous stretch of ground.

And like Bridget said, I want you to keep your eyes peeled.

The country's supposed to be beautiful in these parts, but I don't suppose I've ever

really seen it.

I'm always looking past the scenery for trouble, Indian trouble.

If you ever heard a war cry split a summer afternoon, you never forget it.

And you meet a lot of ghosts along this trail.

I guess that's why it's come to be called the trail of death.

And when it's finally behind you, you have a real celebration.

I can't think when I've seen everyone so happy.

Even Mr. Pringle is smiling.

Look at him.

His face is going to crack any minute.

You know, I never saw my husband dance before.

My, he's good.

And he's got something to kick his heels about.

He was afraid your time had come before we left Ute country.

I told him the baby wouldn't be born until Denver.

I'm just sure of it.

Well, it's always a great relief to get through the Ute country.

Well, it seems so peaceful and quiet.

Was it really as dangerous as that?

And I lost 11 wagons the last time I came through.

11 wagons and 23 lives.

Well, I reckon we're luckier than we knew.

I reckon.

You know, every time I do any square dancing,

I always feel like I'm off feet.

You do.

Every woman in camp had her eyes on you.

Even those of us that could be your grandmother.

Is that a proposal?

I'll take it up with Mr. Anders.

Indeed, I would.

You do that.

Well, honey, how are you feeling?

Like dancing.

Well, come on.

See that you do it vicariously, Mrs. Bideau.

Well, I feel like a cup of coffee.

How about you?

Once I'm mistaken, that means you've

got something to talk about.

That's right.

So I told the company I'd telegraph

them a report from Denver.

I'd kind of like them to know as soon as possible how

we got through the Ute country.

All right, how soon do you want me to leave?

No, I'd better go myself.

I was kind of thinking of going out tonight.

Well, why don't you wait until morning?

You're a nosy one, aren't you?

Sorry.

It's a pleasure to travel with you, boy.

Thank you.

You must be a great satisfaction to Jim Bridger.

Well, I hope so.

I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him.

What tribe was it that killed your parents?

I don't know.

Jim would never tell me.

It's better not to know.

I know what tribe it was that killed my wife and children.

No matter how many Christian arguments I give myself,

I'll know until the day I die.

Yeah, well, looking back doesn't do any good.

No, it doesn't.

And this is no time to be lugubrious.

We're past the pesky Utes, and I'm

riding into Denver tonight.

I need a few hours alone to settle.

You'll take over for me?

Sure, I'll take over.

Thank you, boy.

See you in Denver sometime Monday.

All right, you'll recognize me because I'll have

a couple of hundred wagons behind me.

You'd better.

I intend to count.

Lugubrious.

Where's my boy?

Flint?

Flint!

Jim.

You consorned, ornery little tadpole, you.

Where'd you come from?

Where always, Jim.

I'm a man of my word.

I'm a man of my word.

You look fine, boy.

So do you.

Well, come on.

I thought you were with the army up in the Yellowstone.

Well, that's why we're pinting.

You mean you haven't been there yet?

Running into them consarned pesky Utes.

They wipe you out?

Well, last time I saw them, they were

a little bit of a pain in the ass.

Well, I'll tell you what.

I'll tell you what.

I'll tell you what.

They wipe you out?

Well, last we heard four days ago,

we were still holding out.

Why are you here?

Well, I'm escorting General Jameson,

the smaller detachment.

Why isn't General Jameson with his men?

Because he's a wise old bird who listens

to a little advice every now and then.

And I bet you're giving it to him.

Who's heading up to your wagon train now?

Oh, Chris Hale has the job.

Is that so?

Good man.

Yes, he is.

Got to have a talk with him.

I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while.

He's on his way to Denver.

Oh.

Well, that's a piece of bad luck.

Why?

Who do you leave in charge of the outfit?

Me.

You.

Why not?

Don't you have any faith in me?

I, uh, I have a wishing for someone else.

Why?

Best it don't come from me.

Ain't fitting talk to his father and son.

Best come official-like.

You're in charge of the wagon train.

The general's in charge of the army.

Hi, General.

Hi, General.

General Jameson.

Clint McCullough.

General.

Glad to meet you, Mr. McCullough.

Did Mr. Bridger tell you what we need?

No.

He's been kind of secret about it.

Well, the major part of my command, 120 men,

is trapped in an ambush back in Ute country about 180 miles.

Now, strategically, they're in a good position

to hold out as long as their ammunition lasts.

I can't leave those men there to die.

I've got to have help.

I see.

Where are your men trapped?

Up on Snow Mountain.

At the basin at the foot of the ridge?

Yeah.

That's right.

Now, the way we size it up,

the men were coming down the mountain

when they were attacked.

That's an old Ute trick.

They'll wait until your men run out of ammunition,

and they'll pick the remains.

I took this train 80 miles out of the way

to avoid Snow Mountain.

We couldn't do that.

We're on our way to Yellowstone.

I see.

You had no choice.

Well, Mr. Bridger and I and the men with us

went out in a reconnaissance.

And when we got back to the outfit, it was dark,

and the situation was as I've just described.

Now, I was all for fighting our way up the mountain,

but Mr. Bridger thought otherwise.

He'd have never made it alive.

Well, you and Mr. Bridger seem to think alike.

I'm not surprised.

Well, Mr. Bridger persuaded me

that my men would have a better chance

if I came after your wagon train for help.

I see.

Well, we've been celebrating getting through that country.

I don't know how much help they'll be willing to give you,

but I'll ask for volunteers.

I'm not asking for volunteers, Mr. McCollum.

I'm commandeering this train.

What do you mean, commandeering?

My men are trapped.

I've got to get them out.

Well, you can't just hijack us.

Hijack is hardly the word.

Well, you're Americans,

and those are American soldiers back there.

Yeah, but 50% of the people on this train

are women and children.

In a state of war,

all civilians are subject to the call of duty.

This is hardly a war.

When 120 soldiers are fighting for their lives,

a state of war exists,

no matter what you choose to call it.

I said I'd ask for volunteers, General.

That's as far as it goes.

You know what I'm talking about. Tell him.

I brought General James in here.

Yeah, but you didn't know he was going to do this.

I told him to do it.

You told him?

120 brave lads,

and the buzzards are circling.

Would you do nothing to help them?

I said I'd ask for volunteers.

A show of strength is what's needed, the whole train.

200 wagons riding that snow mountain.

Soldiers up ahead, flags flying.

Them Indians will think we're riding in with heavy reinforcements.

And what if they don't?

Time was when you respected my judgment.

This has nothing to do with respect.

You can't ask me to risk the lives of these people.

He's not asking, and I'm not asking.

I'm ordering.

This is a gamble I've got to take for my men.

You're not gambling with human life,

not when it's my responsibility.

I'm relieving you of that responsibility right now.

You'll have to.

Sergeant Hogue.

Yes, sir.

Am I under arrest?

If necessary, you will be.

Have the personnel of this train assembled immediately.

I want to speak to them.

Yes, sir.

Flint.

Now think a minute.

You're looking just one side of the coin.

Am I?

When you came here last night, you were welcomed like a father.

You're still my son.

I think I'm a prisoner.

You ain't eating?

I just can't understand why Bridger'd do this.

I know how you feel, Flint, but you've got to eat.

I'm not hungry, Charlie.

You've got to eat food to keep them bones glued together.

The sergeant's calling all the people together.

Here you go, Bill.

I'm not eating today, Charlie.

You too, huh?

You got a way figured to block this thing?

I don't think I'm going to block it.

All you have to do is say the word and the whole camp will fight.

You know that.

Yeah, but I'm not going to say the word.

It might start a mutiny.

That's my job around here to keep the peace.

Are we going to the meeting?

Yeah, I want to hear what the general has to say.

It's your decision.

I'll never feel the same about that Jim Bridger.

Yeah, me too, Charlie.

Our president accounted for it, General.

This wagon train is now in the service of the United States Army.

We're going to the rescue of 120 soldiers caught back in new country.

What right have you got to tell us what to do?

We're not in the army. We don't have to do it.

Quiet! Quiet!

What do you say, McCullough?

Are you going to stand for this?

Mr. Jameson is a general in the United States Army.

I don't respect his methods, but I have to respect his rank.

And you should respect it.

All of you.

This is your country.

And your soldiers need your help now.

I'm not a brigand or a highwayman.

I'm law and order.

The thing that you want most of here.

But we're not soldiers.

You are now, ma'am.

Every man, woman and child in this outfit is now a soldier in the army.

And will be for the next 12 days.

I apologize for this inconvenience.

Believe me, I regret the necessity far more than you.

But understand this.

You are offered no choice.

In a state of war, the military is in full charge.

This gentleman here is Mr. Jim Bridger.

For the benefit of any of you who might not know him.

The army considers him the greatest living authority on Indian affairs in the whole country.

He's also a great explorer.

You all came west by the Overland Trail.

Mr. Bridger blazed that trail.

You passed by Fort Bridger and you recently came through Bridger's Pass.

Now in the next few days, Mr. Bridger is going to be riding at the head of this train.

Now that's something you'll be proud to tell your grandchildren one day.

That is, if we live to have any grandchildren.

Maybe it won't be that bad.

Hitch up your teams and be prepared to leave in one hour.

Sergeant Hope.

Mr. McCullough, don't we have any rights in this?

Yeah, we have rights, but not to fight the army.

Look, we've got guns.

And as far as I can see, we outnumber the soldiers.

I say we fight.

And I say we don't.

You're siding with them.

You saying we go along with them?

Under the circumstances, that's what I'm saying.

I forgot.

Bridger raised you, didn't he?

What does that got to do with it?

Sounds to me like it's got a lot to do with it.

Well, I can't help how it sounds.

McCullough's with them.

There's nothing more we can say to him.

Come on, folks.

Come on, let's pack our gear.

Come on.

Things are going to get pretty edgy.

Flinch, you can't blame the people for feeling the way they do.

No, you can't.

You know, this is like being invited to your own massacre.

I never figured Bridger to be a part of a thing like this.

You know, I've looked up to him all my life.

I figured that they just didn't make men any taller.

Now, I'm not so sure.

Now, I'm not so sure.

Please turn your wagon around, sir.

No, I won't.

I won't turn my wagon around.

I'm sorry, sir.

Atkins, turn this wagon.

You stay away from that wagon.

Sorry, sir.

Please turn this wagon, sir.

My wife's going to have a baby.

We're not going back to Injun country.

I'm sorry, sir.

You know my orders.

The devil with your orders.

Are you starting a ruckus, sir?

Look, mister, maybe you didn't understand me.

I said we're not going back.

Brown, turn this wagon.

No, you don't.

Sorry, ma'am.

General's orders.

Go ahead, Brown.

Turn the wagon.

Is he dead?

No, just...

I'll find my car.

You don't seem to understand, General.

Some of the people aren't physically able to make the trip.

If I make one exception, I'll have to make a hundred.

What about Mrs. Bedos?

She could have her baby at any time.

It's not human to move her.

It isn't human to take any of you.

Her husband is young and able.

I need him.

I see.

And what about the elegant boy?

I'll have the army surgeon look after him.

I'll have the army surgeon look after him.

Captain Falk is better than any you'll find in Denver.

I always thought that the army was sent out here

to protect the people, not sacrifice them.

I'm not going to argue any longer.

I'd advise you to keep your people in order.

Any insubordination will be harshly dealt with.

You capture this wagon train.

Don't ask me to help you run it.

I won't need your help.

You might need this much.

It's a long train.

I wouldn't turn my back on a single wagon.

Flint!

Flint!

Flint!

Flint!

Jim,

you did a good job on that boy.

In his shoes, I'd be saying the same things,

maybe not as politely.

Well,

I reckon

each of us

does his duty as he sees it.

Sometimes the cost is kind of high.

I'm sorry it turned out to be his train.

I know what McCullough means to you.

I figured he'd be about

eight years old when I found him.

He was a little red-headed sprout

trying to dig a grave for his ma and pa.

I'll never forget the look on his face that day.

They weren't crying.

They were mad.

Had himself a powerful, strong anger even then.

And when I

finished the graves, I

said,

I reckon I found me a son.

That's the way it was.

Never no trouble with Twixtus.

Never.

All them years,

he'll cool down.

You don't ask me why.

I expect that's what troubles me most.

You don't give me a chance to tell him why.

The way, Mr. Bridger.

Wagons!

Halt!

Get those wagons going!

Get those wagons going!

Hey, you!

Hey, you!

Get those wagons going!

Hey, you!

Get those wagons going!

Hey, you!

Hey, you!

Get back!

Forward to town!

Forward to town!

And right here we turn off Snow Mountain.

We should be there by sundown tomorrow.

How long there?

Uh, bar an accident, uh, three days journey.

Three days?

If my men hold out that long.

Colonel Stacy's an old campaigner.

He'll ration the food and the ammunition.

Jim, he doesn't even know help's on the way.

That old war horse will hope right down to the last bullet.

We better keep moving just as fast as we can.

Something's wrong.

Something's wrong.

Come on.

Frank! Hold him up!

Hey!

What's up?

Fisher wagon broke a wheel.

About 50 wagons hung up behind it.

They put new wheels on that wagon just last week.

Must not put them on right.

What, are they fixing it?

Not now, he ain't. He's unloading his wagon.

Unloading the wagon?

Yeah, he's looking for tools.

He must think the Jamison's pretty stupid.

What's the trouble?

Breakdown in the fifth section. About 50 wagons held up.

A legitimate breakdown?

A wheel came off a wagon.

You can't run a wagon on three wheels, General.

Here's like me best stop here for noonin'.

Don't you think it's a little early, Mr. Bridger?

General Jamison, the way I figure it,

we better send some soldiers down there to fix them wagons.

Unless we want to sit here for quite a spell.

Is that the way you see it, Flint?

Yep, that's the way I see it.

There's no mountain.

We'll cut straight through.

Any sign of Indians?

No, not yet.

People behaving?

Sulking, doing whatever they can to hold us up.

General Jamison?

Yes, sir.

Three more wagons report their loads upshifted and we'll have to repack.

God bless their Henri Hides.

That could cost us a whole day.

If they want to play tough, we'll play with them.

Pass the order, we'll stop here for repairs.

And tell McCullough to come to my wagon immediately.

Yes, sir.

You tell the general that I'm busy, Sergeant.

Sir, the general wants to see you immediately.

Well, I don't want to see him immediately or any other time.

You just tell him I'm busy.

Sir, my orders were to tell you to come to his wagon immediately.

Yeah? Do you have an alternative? Do you bring me in dead or alive?

I'll have to ask the general for an alternative, sir.

You do that, Sergeant.

You tell him I'm busy, Sergeant.

Sir, I'll have to ask the general for an alternative, Sir.

You do that, Sergeant.

McCullough's sergeants are downright mean.

They're all alike. I've never met one in my life that wasn't a mean one.

Can you just fix the chow, please?

Yes, sir, Mr. McCullough. Right away.

Do you have that coffee ready yet?

Had to get the water, didn't I?

Well, if you don't hurry up, we won't have time to eat lunch.

I only got two hands and two feet.

Yeah, and you got two heads.

I'm going to take this saddle down to the Weber wagon,

and when I come back, I want that chow ready.

That's what you get paid for.

You're going to be a mean old man someday.

Now, there's a living example of an ex-sergeant.

I'm going to get myself a job with a new wagon thing next year.

This outfit is getting too cranky for me.

Mr. McCullough.

Mr. Bridger tells me that we're getting close to Snow Mountain.

Do you agree with that?

It would be presumptuous for me to disagree with Mr. Bridger, don't you think?

My soldiers are taking care of the latest rash of breakdowns.

I'm getting sick and tired of these tactics.

I've ordered Sergeant Hogue to pass the word down the line

that the driver of the next wagon who holds us up faces arrest,

20 lashes, and possible fine and imprisonment.

I don't think you mean that, General.

I do mean it.

Believe me, I mean it.

I wouldn't push the people too far.

I don't care if they hate me.

I've got 120 men caught in a death trap.

They've been there 11 days. Time's running out.

Threats won't speed up the train, and neither will bluffing.

Then you'd better make a dead blame clear that I'm not bluffing.

This isn't a war of nerves between them and me.

This is an effort to save a company of men.

Every hour lost may mean the life of a man or 120 men.

What kind of people are they?

Must they be whipped like naughty children before they do what's right?

No, they're not children, but they're not soldiers either.

They're ordinary people, and they think independently.

They make up their own minds about what's right and wrong.

And they resent taking orders with a gun in their back.

They're free citizens, General.

And they've got very strong opinions about the rights of free citizens.

They figure the Army's supposed to protect those rights, not take them away.

I've got to have help.

I always thought that help was something that was given.

I didn't hope.

Yes, sir?

Cancel those on it.

Yes, sir.

You see, I'm never too old to learn, Mr. McCullough.

I see you made it back, Jim.

I told you.

No sign of them pesky Utes.

The way I figure it, they're all at Snow Mountain.

Any more breakdowns?

No, no incidents this morning.

Except for a few punks.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

I'm afraid they're all gone.

Mr. Mitchell.

There'll be no more hot shots at my men.

Are we destined to have no shots?

We can't let them engine know we're here.

Very well, Mr. Bridger.

There'll be no more shots.

I'm getting sick and tired of darning.

Darning is a woman's work.

All I do all day long is cook and wash and sew.

And what do I get out of it?

Why don't you be quiet.

You're just a butcher to the bone,

slave over a hot stove all day.

Charlie, I'm trying to think.

Yeah, and you'll be sorry when I'm gone, too.

Yeah, but you're still here.

And if you'd have bought new canvas to begin with,

I wouldn't have all this darning to do.

You better be quiet about that canvas.

Oh, thin-skinned and touchy, huh?

Can't stand a little criticism.

Everything you do has got to be perfect.

Everything I do has got to be wrong.

Bill, what are you going to do?

Don't touch me. I'm littler than you.

Bill! Bill!

Bill! Bill!

Now maybe you'll cool down a little bit.

I'll kill him. I'll kill him.

Let it go, Charlie. Let it go.

There's no time for you two to be clowning around.

I know, Clint. I'm sorry.

I know we've got to act normal, all of us.

Well, you do a pretty good job.

Maybe you'd better put on some dry clothes.

Have you talked to Jim yet?

No.

You're going to?

I doubt it.

Why not?

Because I've got nothing to say to him.

Well, who is it now then?

I'd leave it up to you if I was you.

Go on, seal it, beat it up.

Well, see you later, Jim.

Just go on, Bill.

Say hello to me.

Please!

See ya.

Mr. Chris Bellandy.

Goodnight, Charlie.

Night, Bill.

David Crockett could do that.

Not with one foot on Flagstaff Mountain,

the other on Boulder Ridge.

David Crockett?

He had a grizzly bear for a pet.

Yeah.

Well, you know, that, uh,

that David Crockett, he was some fella.

I remember one time him and me had a contest

down the Arkansas River.

I said, uh,

Davy, let's settle this thing once and for all.

And so we each plunked down a brand new shiny dollar.

And Davy,

he bends over and he picks up

under each arm.

And then he takes himself a run and jump

and he lands clear across on the other side

of the Arkansas River.

Standing up straight.

Never even lost his balance.

And then he just stood there looking at me.

See, he was waiting to see what I was gonna do.

Wow!

There ain't no way to beat that.

Oh.

I don't mind telling you,

he had me stumped there for a minute.

But I wasn't gonna give up that silver dollar

without a fight of some kind.

I said, Davy,

let me see them lions.

And so I retched out across the Arkansas

and grabbed each one of them babies by the tail

and hauled them back across the river.

By the tail?

Yeah.

Oh, that's, uh, that's the best way

to get a good hold on a lion, you know, by the tail.

And so then I started whirling them around my head,

you know, one one way, one to the other.

And when I got them whirling good,

let's go!

And away they went,

way up into the sky.

You know, them lions never come down

till they was across the Canadian border.

And they never did come back.

Oh.

And then old Davy,

he stood on the other side there

and laughing and laughing and laughing.

People around thought they was hearing thunder.

And then he hollered out to me,

he says, Jim, you keep the dollar.

It was worth the cartwheel to me

just to see the look on them lions' faces.

Ha, ha, ha.

Mr. Bridger, were you born in the mountains?

No, no.

No, I, I, uh, I never was born.

Oh, one day there was a big thunderstorm

and a boat come out to the sky

and it landed plunked

alongside of my daddy's cabin.

And I walked out of that thunderbolt

full-grown with a jar of tobacco in my hand.

Ha, ha, ha.

Ha, ha, ha.

Woo-hoo!

Ha, ha, ha.

Yeah, time was when I used to tell my stories

to another little boy in the long, long ago.

What happened?

Well, uh, he grew up.

Grew up?

Tony?

Jimmy?

Yes, ma'am.

Bye, Mr. Bridger.

Bye, boys.

Come back, see me again.

It's kind of lonesome around here.

Hello, Mr. Bedoll.

How are you feeling?

Well, I don't know.

I'm not feeling very well.

I'm afraid I'm going to die.

Well, I'm afraid I'll die.

What's that?

I'm afraid I'll die.

What's that?

What's that?

I'm afraid I'll die.

I'm afraid I'll die.

What's that?

I'm afraid I'll die.

Hello, Mr. Bedoll. How are you feeling?

Oh, I'm all right.

Well, that's good.

How's the head?

You just keep right on moving, Mr. McCullough,

and we'll both feel better.

Oh, Gray, don't. It doesn't help.

That's right.

You figure McCullough sold us out for friendship or money?

You don't really mean that.

I'm doing the best I can.

It happens everyone on this train doesn't agree with that.

Is that so?

Yes, that's so.

Well, we may even things up yet.

Don't start anything.

This place is crawling with Indians.

Save your advice, McCullough.

This wagon train's had about a belly full of it.

You heard what I said.

Don't start anything.

Gray.

You better go in, Mavis.

Dier has turned bitter.

He doesn't mean all he's saying.

Come on in, Mavis.

Someone might see us talking to McCullough

and get the idea we're still friends.

Don't worry about it.

What's the matter?

Mr. McCullough?

What is it, Sergeant?

I'm instructed by General Jameson to collect all firearms.

Get the rifles.

Wait a minute.

What are we going to do if we're attacked?

My orders are to fire on anyone who refuses to obey the order.

Mr. McCullough, I'd regret very much

having to order these men to fire.

Give it to him, Charlie.

Thank you.

You tell General Jameson that if we're attacked,

it'll be a massacre.

General Jameson's not afraid of an attack.

Then he's a fool.

You'll get your guns back at the proper time.

I ain't been without my gun since I was born.

I feel naked.

What do you suppose will happen to us?

Where does the army get off taking our guns?

They took ours, too.

They can't get away with this.

We're a nude country.

Well, you better tell General Jameson

he's running this train.

You're supposed to be in charge of this outfit.

Not at the moment, I'm not.

As far as Chris Hale's concerned, you are.

Well, Chris Hale isn't here

and I'm doing the best I know how.

You know, the people aren't speaking to me

down the line, Flint.

They think we're part of this.

Maybe we should have set them straight.

That might mean a mutiny.

Maybe that's what we ought to have.

Maybe we should have done that in the first place.

That'd show our position to every youth in the territory.

Well, I'm not sure we can stop a mutiny.

Maybe not.

But you ought to walk down the line

and see how popular you are right now.

I'm not out here to win a popularity contest.

I'm trying to save this train.

Well, the way to save it is to get back control.

That's for me to decide.

Maybe you can't decide.

Maybe the people are right.

Maybe you're too close to Jim Bridger

to see the truth of things.

Maybe.

This is Bedot. Let's go.

I guess it's her time.

Captain Fox is a duck, isn't he?

He's at your service.

No, you stay away from my wife.

It's your fault that we're here.

That's not important now.

You stay out of this.

What matters now is your wife.

Don't be a fool. Let the doctor go in.

I brought many a baby into the world, young man.

Please help her, Doc.

Please.

All right, you folks.

That isn't the first baby we've had on the trail.

Charlie, you get the water boiling.

Anything you need, ladies, you just tell us.

I don't know. That's up to General Jameson.

How about it, General?

Well, it's three more hours of daylight.

We'll get an early start tomorrow.

All right, folks, we camp right here.

Thanks, General.

I hate new coffee pots.

It takes a year to make them taste like a coffee pot again.

You notice any change down the line?

Well, I'm not sure, Flint.

It's hard to say hello again.

That's some encouragement.

You know, there's a bunch of young fellows

gathering over at the Kayo wagon.

Well, we can't stop them from gathering.

That might really set them off.

Yeah, but we better keep our eyes on them.

They want their guns.

Well, so do we.

What's the matter with you, anyway?

Every time a baby's born on this wagon,

I get nervous. That's why.

You're not the mom or the pop, are you?

Well, I'm Uncle Wooster.

You sure are, Charlie, every time.

Hey, that's an idea.

I never had twins before.

Where you going, Flint?

I'm going to go see the General.

Snow them out tomorrow?

Yep.

We going to fight them?

Your guess is as good as mine, Charlie.

General.

Jim.

Well, I'm off to get myself

a look at them pesky Utes.

Be back before sunup.

In the name of God, man, you be careful.

General,

them Injuns never got me yet.

Maybe not.

But I'm uneasy tonight.

Well, I...

I've known considerable generals in my time,

and every single one of them

was uneasy for a battle.

Mr. Berger,

the Army owes you more than it can ever repay.

For that matter, the whole country does.

And I consider myself fortunate

to count you among my friends.

Well, I'm coming back.

You talk like you was telling me goodbye.

You look pure-tuckered out.

A couple of hours sleep

will make everything look brighter.

Maybe so.

See you before sunup.

Well, see that you do, Mr. Berger.

See that you do.

I feel I've seen him for the last time.

Well, it's another battle.

That's what he said.

How can two people

who think so much alike

become divided?

I guess because we have

divided responsibilities.

I don't like this feeling.

I have half an ocean to send after.

He wouldn't come.

He's gone to scout Snow Mountain.

You've talked to him?

No.

But nobody has to tell me

where Berger went tonight.

You've held all this against him.

He didn't know you were in command of this train.

When he found out, it didn't change anything.

I'm the one that took the train

to command his mind.

This shouldn't come between you and him.

I came to ask if your plans

are the same for tomorrow.

If they are, are you going to cooperate?

I offered you my help in the beginning.

I didn't approve of bringing women

and children then, and I still don't.

But we're here, and I'd like to know

what's expected of us.

If nothing's changed,

the Indians are camped at the foot of the mountain.

We'll have our men out front

with flags and bugles,

and we'll charge those Indians.

Now, if we put on a good enough show,

don't think half the army's with us.

They'll panic and scatter.

That'll give my men a chance to get down the hill.

Those men on the mountain are soldiers.

They faced danger and death before.

They're not strangers to it.

And if they survive tomorrow,

they'll meet it again.

But they chose this life.

It's their job.

Remember that these people...

I brought them out here at gunpoint

to do a soldier's job.

Now, maybe I didn't have the right to do it.

I've been in the army since I was a boy.

I suppose I've just lost sight

of the gentler ways of doing things.

You've given me something to think about.

I'll tell you that.

Well, you've given me something

to think about, too, General.

I've lost sight of the fact

that soldiering and pioneering

go hand in hand.

One man sort of helps the other.

I've ordered your guns returned.

I'm going to apologize to these people.

I'm going to tell them my plan

and ask their help.

Pray to God they give it to me.

120 lives

for a whole company of men.

That sounds like the new arrival.

This is Bedot.

Come on, let's find out.

Full of comings and goings.

A child is sent

and a man is taken.

It's always the same story.

It's always the same story.

It's always the same story.

It's always the same story.

It's always hail and farewell.

Well, the gun's been taken out of our backs,

the train's in our hands,

and we're free to move.

But before we pull out in the morning,

we've got a decision to make.

And we should try and make it

without any bitterness, if we can.

As you know, for the last several days,

General Jamieson and I

have had two points of view.

And I suppose we're both right.

That is, depending on how you look at it.

But I'm sure there are more than

two points of view on anything.

And before we make a decision,

I think, even though Mr. Bridger

and I don't always agree with each other,

I think we ought to hear

what he's got to say.

Well, I got ax to grind.

I thought I'd be the first to tell you.

I come through this country

when it weren't safe

for no white man to travel.

Sitting on his belly.

And that way I got a real close look

at the good black earth around here

and the green things growing.

And I commenced thinking

of the people back east.

All closed in with the smokestacks and cement.

How good it'd be for them out here.

And pretty soon,

the wagons started to come in.

For quite a spell there,

it seemed more folks died

are coming than got where they was going.

And in the army,

guns sending in help.

There aren't always war

and how us mountain men

felt ought to, but well.

And you folks wouldn't have got

as far as you have

if it weren't for a lot of battles

being fought and

a lot of good men dying

before you got here.

The army

brung law and order to the west.

Now,

it ain't reasonable

to get all that protectin'

and then to go right on through

and forget about it.

Everything is by way of having a price

and you should ought to pay your share.

Now the army come to the west

to make it safe.

Hmm.

The way I figure it,

they got a right

to help and hand from them

that they're keepin' safe.

Could you turn this train around?

Go away.

Leave them men up there in the mountain

to get murdered.

I don't think there's a single one of you

that sleep at nights if you used to do it.

It seems to me that

that Mr. Bridger makes a lot of sense.

But it's up to you folks to make the decision.

We'll take a vote

and we'll either turn around

and head back for California

or we'll go on to Snow Mountain.

I don't think there's a single one of you

that sleep at nights if you used to do it.

I don't think there's a single one of you

that sleep at nights if you used to do it.

Up to you.

♪♪

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♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

We haven't exactly seen eye to eye these last few days.

Nothing wrong with the way you were seeing things.

Only way you could see them do your job.

I could have seen them your way.

I mean, I should realize that

everybody out here sort of has to

help everybody.

I lived considerable more years than you.

I've got hindsight.

Hindsight comes with the years.

When I was your age,

guiding folks west, I only thought of the ones

I was responsible for too.

And these later years,

I come to think of all of the wagon trains,

all of the army commanders, one.

One large group of Americans going west into history.

In that rain, we...

Here's to me, I've been doing considerable speechifying

these last few hours.

Well, it won't hurt me to listen.

A fellow once said to me that

a man should never be too old to learn.

I expect that fellow was right.

Take care of yourself.

You too.

See you.

Consigned to own a little tadpole.

See you.

THE END

© BF-WATCH TV 2021

© BF-WATCH TV 2021