Original subtitles

[Music]

From the archives of the United States

Cavalry, the true stories of Colonel

Ronald McKenzie and the cavalrymen he

led. McKenzie's raiders. His secret

orders from the president of the United

States. Clean up the Southwest. Make it

a fit place for Americans to live. Wipe

out the renegades, outlaws, and

murderers. If necessary, cross the Rio

Grand, knowing capture means hanging by

the enemy. Discovery court marshal by

the United States

[Music]

Army 1873.

15,000 square miles of the Rio Grand

border, ravaged by murderous bands of

renegades, striking suddenly out of

nowhere, looting, killing, burning

everything in their path, then racing

back across the border to

Sanctuary. 1873, the fourth cavalry

troops led by Colonel McKenzie fought an

impossible war, never knowing when or

where trouble would hit next. Two things

stood between them and the murderers. An

international law and the real grand.

March 17th, another day, another attack.

Another ranch looted and burned. An

entire family brutally massacred. But

this attack carried a new significance.

McKenzie's lead scout, Trooper John

Ryan, had been captured by the

Renegades. Their escape seemed quick and

easy. But this time, McKenzie was close.

The ranch was beyond saving, but trooper

Ryan was still alive.

Following their usual pattern, the

outlaws raced for the river. But they

picked a spot where McKenzie knew they

couldn't cross. Knew it to be a trick to

discourage pursuit. The far side was

sheer cliff. They would have to go

farther downstream. There was still a

chance to save Ryan.

Let's try and cut him off.

[Music]

McKenzie's troops galloped tired horses,

too tired to save the seconds needed.

And again, McKenzie was too late. Again,

a few feet of shallow brown water served

not only as an international boundary,

but as a bulletproof barrier that

McKenzie couldn't pierce.

[Music]

Hold your fire.

Mr. Wyinners, my orders were to halt.

Obey them or I shall fire.

I'd sure like to follow the lieutenant

across that river.

Come on. Come on.

[Applause]

Why don't they shoot at us? They want us

to watch what they're doing to Ryan.

Will they kill him? Worse. They'll keep

him alive. Just barely.

Come on.

Reform ranks. Lieutenant, we're going

back to Fort Clark.

Ryan's just newly married, sir. I'm

aware of that, Lieutenant Winners. You

forget, I married them myself just two

weeks

ago. How would you be so good as to obey

my order? Left by two. Oh.

No military commander finds it easy to

sacrifice even one man. Colonel McKenzie

was no exception. He knew what his men

must feel as they carried out his orders

to abandon Ryan to torture and leave

without an attempted

rescue. We're coming into Fort Clark. I

want every man to ride in like the

cavalry man who rode out this morning at

a gallop. And one thing more. Trooper

Ryan did not fall into the hands of the

renegades alive. He was killed instantly

and died

gallantly. Any man who breathes a word

to the contrary will have to answer to

me

personally. All right, Sergeant Lond,

give the command. All right, buckles.

Heading out now.

[Applause]

[Music]

Alex. Oh man.

[Music]

Hey, shall I dismiss the men, sir?

No, Lieutenant Witters. We'll have them

stand fast.

If you expect a compliment on today's

action, I'm afraid I have a

disappointment for you. Could hardly be

called a success from any point of view.

Bravery there was, but our movements

were imprecise,

undisiplined. And precision and

discipline are what an army unit fights

on, what it survives on.

Sergeant Lond.

Yes, sir.

Commander to have 5 minutes to change

mounts. Then they're to engage in two

hours of saber drill. Lieutenant Winters

will accompany

you. You may dismiss the platoon.

Prepare to discom.

I'm sorry, Mary.

Colonel McKenzie, they they didn't get

him alive, did they?

No. He was much too good a soldier to

let them get him alive. Thank God for

that anyway.

You'll need friends now, Mary. I hope

you'll consider me one of them.

Thank you.

Saber drill in this day and age. Where

does he think he is? Back of West Point.

I thought we were doing pretty good

until he stopped us. Yeah, it's never

good enough for the colonel. That's why

you buckos are going to live to be old

soldiers in spite of yourselves.

Urgent dispatch for Colonel

McKenzie. Come

on. Dispatch, sir.

Uh, no answer. That'll be all.

You wanted to see me, Lieutenant? I

assumed you'd want to see me, sir. Oh,

yes.

I should reprimand you for your

impetuous conduct at the river. Is that

all, sir?

No. The Secretary of War is inspecting

this post. You'll arrive by stage coach

in 3 hours. Please see to it that a

guard of honor is called out to receive

it. Yes, sir.

I must admit, Colonel, that's the worst

meal I've had since since we were

campaigning at Shiloh. Yes, Mr.

Secretary. You always feed this badly?

Nearly always, Mr. Secretary. Feed your

men this badly? Nearly always, Mr.

Secretary. Cut out that, Mr. Secretary.

You know my name as well as your own.

Yes, Bill.

You can't feed soldiers every night on

hard attack and bacon. No, Bill. The

soldiers had beef steak

tonight. What?

Why didn't I have beef steak? There

wasn't enough to go around, sir. I

haven't had a nickel from the War

Department in over 3 months. Doesn't

seem to have slowed you down, honey.

Never heard so many civilian complaints

against one officer in my life. Doesn't

this post ever pay bills? Hardly ever,

sir. Only when it receives money.

You and your territory are getting quite

a name for yourselves around Washington.

Non-payment of bills is the least of it.

How bad trouble am I in, Bill?

These devils running back and forth

across the border. There's more looting,

kidnapping, and murder in this

territory. I asked, sir, how bad trouble

am I in? You went to West Point just as

I did. You know that no military

commander in history ever had everything

that he wanted. Make do, McKenzie. Make

do.

Make do.

Just how? Oh, it sounds great up there

in Washington, but tell me just how with

that Rio Grand staring me in the face.

That Rio Grand that I'm forbidden to

cross and protecting every killer and

bandit and cutthroat in the whole

territory. An entire family was wiped

out today and their murderers escaped to

attack someplace else again tomorrow

because I'm forbidden to cross that

river.

One of my troopers being tortured to

death right at this moment because I'm

forbidden to cross that river. Sure,

I'll make do. Tell me just

how that's an order.

Mr. Secretary, I think you've talked

enough for the moment, Colonel. Now,

shut up.

Sure. The situation here is impossible

and it's a situation which under the

orders you have is completely impossible

to change. Nevertheless, we want you to

change it. We that president, he and I

will be the only two who will ever know

your new orders.

Well, what are my new orders, sir?

Orders? Orders limit a commander, and

you're not to have any limitations. They

also protect them, and you're not to

have any protection. But you ought to

have orders. Verbal secret orders. And

here they

are. By hook or by crook, clean up the

Southwest. Make it a fit place for

Americans to live. It'll surprise us if

you don't find it necessary to cross the

Rio Grand. And it'll surprise us even

more if we hear about it when you do it.

If the enemy catches you, he'll hang

you. And you have every legal right

to. We catch you, we'll hang you. We'll

court marshall you and drum you out of

the service in disgrace for disobeying

orders and causing a war with Mexico.

And now, sir, if you'll excuse me, I

have some pressing duty to attend to.

Shaughnessy, take care of Mr. Secretary

Shaughnessy. I have to go out. Can't

wait till morning. Waited too long

already,

sir. And

Bill, I'll make do.

[Music]

The Secretary of War had given Colonel

McKenzie secret orders that could shape

the destiny of the entire Southwest. To

McKenzie, it had a more immediate

bearing on the destiny of one man,

Trooper John Ryan, if he were still

alive.

We should have followed Lieutenant

Winters across the river today. The old

man couldn't have shot us all. The old

man's got his reasons, I tell you. He's

always got his reasons. Sometimes he's a

bit peculiar, I admit. But we're still

alive, ain't we?

As you were, boys.

I need five volunteers. The duty will be

dangerous and secret. I volunteer, sir.

Thank you, Forest.

Any other

volunteers? Thank you, men.

All

right.

Tober,

Warren, Sergeant

Londe, and

Forest. That's it.

I know you only asked for five men, sir,

but I'd appreciate it if you took me

along.

How much do you weigh, Banyan?

About 210, sir.

Sorry, your request is refused.

The men I have chosen will be ready to

ride in 5 minutes. You'll carry sabers,

no blankets, no bed rolls. Each man will

bring a short length of rope and some

boot

polish. Any

questions? As you were, man.

Oh, remember I said secret

rope boot polish.

Lovely night for a ride, sir. Who's the

other horse for? Lieutenant Wyinners.

Lieutenant Winters? I didn't give

Lieutenant Winters any orders. Well, he

said he just wouldn't feel right letting

you go off without another officer,

city. Where is he? Pearson

reporting for duties.

Happy to have you with me, Ben. Thank

you, sir. Let's go.

McKenzie's plan was simple and daring.

The only question, could it succeed? He

knew he must depend entirely on the

element of surprise. Sometimes concealed

by darkness, sometimes harshly revealed

by treacherous moonlight. McKenzie's

raiders pounded through the

[Music]

night. The easiest way was not the

shortest. McKenzie wanted the shortest

and the fastest.

[Music]

From here on, we travel with as little

noise as possible. Anything that rattles

stays behind. No bridles. Use the length

of rope you brought for hackamores.

Blacken your faces and your hands with

the boot polish. There's moonlight. All

right, let's go.

Take off them spurs, Tobber. You can

hear them a mile.

Park, you can leave that bugle behind.

We won't be needing

you. Then we're all ready, sir. Very

good, Lieutenant.

Goodbye, darling.

[Music]

Each man knew he might not return. Yet

each man followed McKenzie with one

thought. Could they reach Ryan before he

was tortured to death? When McKenzie

reached the Rio Grand, the river had

changed. It was no longer an impossible

barrier blocking McKenzie and shielding

the enemy. He had waited a long time for

this night, March 17th,

1873, when for the first time in

history, McKenzie's raiders crossed the

Rio Grand into Mexico.

[Music]

Knowing that every second that passed

reduced his chances of finding Trooper

Ryan alive, McKenzie kept up the

grueling pace as he penetrated deeper

and deeper into foreign territory. There

would be no slowing down until he was

within striking

[Music]

distance. There was little doubt that

his attack would hit with surprise, but

it would have to be total surprise. The

slightest warning would guarantee

failure, the loss of life to Ryan and

his rescuers. The enemy might be off

guard, even careless, but there would

surely be centuries. These could spell

the difference between possible success

and immediate catastrophe. There must be

no warning, no call for help, no alarm

that American troops were on Mexican

soil.

If you don't hear an owl hoot in 3

minutes, you may assume that I'm that

I've been unsuccessful. Yes, sir. Then

you're to take command.

Good luck,

sir. The lieutenant shouldn't have let

the old man go in there alone.

[Music]

[Music]

How long's it been

now? It's been 2 minutes and 35

seconds. Maybe the old man ain't as

surprised as he thinks he is. Maybe he

needs help.

[Music]

Suddenly the fatigue was gone, the need

for silence gone. Only the big job was

left. The attack hit with savage

precision. McKenzie had picked his men

carefully. None faltered. Each had a job

to do. Each did it well. Ryan seemed to

be alive. At least they hadn't cut him

down.

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

McKenzie's first raid had hit and

succeeded. John Ryan had been rescued

and not a single trooper had been lost.

McKenzie had crossed the Rio Grand,

wiped out a murderous band of outlaws,

and there would be no report, no court

marshal. Not this time.

Ben, let the men know we may ride

together again sometime. Yes, sir.

picking men were light so they wouldn't

tire the horses. He sure had this one

planned out. Yeah, sabers are silent, he

says.

Hey, Sarge. Boot polish and rope. That

McKenzie,

what'd I tell you about the old man?

[Music]

They're good troops, Colonel. My

congratulations. Thank you, sir. By the

way, Colonel, I hear that one of your

men captured by the Renegades made his

escape last night. That's right,

sir. How'd the raid come off? Mike,

you must be mistaken, sir. Wasn't any

raid that I know of.

Tell me, Colonel, do you regularly wear

boot polish at morning review?

Not on your boots, Mac. On the back of

your neck.

[Music]

McKenzie's raiders did ride again and

again, carrying out the secret orders of

the President of the United States. Do

whatever necessary to clean up the

Southwest. Make it a decent place for

people to live.

Ride with McKenzie's Raiders as they

relive the blazing pages of history in

the making.

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

From the archives of the United States

Cavalry, the true stories of Colonel

Rand McKenzie and the cavalrymen he led.

McKenzie's raiders. his secret orders

from the president of the United States.

Clean up the Southwest. Make it a fit

place for Americans to live. Wipe out

the renegades, outlaws, and murderers.

If necessary, cross the Rio Grand,

knowing capture means hanging by the

enemy. Discovery Court Marshall by the

United States Army.

[Music]

Early summer of

1873, Texas country south and east of

Fort Clark, the lowlands of the

Rio Grand. Country terrorized by Manetu

and the renegade Shurikawa under his

command.

[Music]

For 4 months, Monadu had been tracked by

Colonel Ranold McKenzie and members of

the fourth cavalry. Each time, the

Indian renegade had escaped to continue

plundering and killing.

With a handful of pick raiders, McKenzie

sought the renegade monotue in a land

which knew only the law of

violence. Colonel

Cut him loose, charger.

[Music]

He murdered the scouts. to let me know

he's put a price on my head.

$500 dead or alive. Monet.

Yeah, it's Monet. All

right. What the colonel's got now is a

private war for himself. Just him and

Monet. I'm betting Monatu ain't very

far.

[Music]

Been in this territory a long time,

Lieutenant. The things about it, I'll

never know for sure. But there's one

thing I do know for

sure. Where you find Sorrow, Monet's

been there. We'll get him. But how long

will it take, sir? The colonel's had a

$500 reward posted on Monatou for the

last 6 months now. Nobody's given him to

us and we've never found him. Now he's

laughing at us putting $500 of his own

on the colonel's head.

Have the men mount up, Sergeant. Back to

the fort, sir. No to monetu.

them

out. Hello.

Lieutenant,

pretty good terrain if two were waiting

to ambush us, wouldn't she say? Like a

textbook. Lieutenant, let's assume we're

about to be ambushed. I'd say that was a

pretty good assumption, sir. Honey,

let's reverse it. Yes, sir. Take half

the troop and circle through that wash

so they won't be seen. When we ride into

the ambush area, have them attack from

the flank. Maybe a waste of ammunition.

And then again, it may not be. Let's

find out. All right, sir.

[Music]

[Music]

Heat.

[Music]

Heat. Yeah. Heat.

Hold your fire. Hold your fire.

How do you feel, son? Son at ease. At

ease at ease.

Something to write home about, sir.

Four. Nothing much to write except

walking guard spitting and polishing.

You right-handed, trooper?

Yes, sir. Well, somebody's got to write

home about what happened today, don't

they? I tell you what, when we get back

to the fort, you tell me what to write.

Yes, sir.

Sergeant,

we looked at all the dead. Colonel Monet

is not among them. Some tracks by the

Rio Bravo could be made off during the

skirmish.

[Music]

Monotu, I'd say

so. Get my horse. I'm going after him.

Alone. Get the troops back to the fort.

There isn't one of them that doesn't

need medical attention. May I speak off

the record, Colonel?

Very well. Monet will lead you further

away from the fort. And they'll never

make it back alive.

That could be, Lieutenant, but what

would you do in my place?

All right. Get the troops back to the

fort.

Yes, sir.

Oh, Sergeant, that young trooper

Mitchell, sir. I promise to write a

letter for him when we get back to the

fort. You do it, will you? Yes,

sir.

Prepared to lay down his life to fulfill

his secret orders to clean up the

Southwest, McKenzie moved out alone into

Churikawa country in relentless pursuit

of the enemy Monet.

[Music]

[Music]

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

Okay.

[Music]

I'm going to take you back.

[Music]

43 mi southeast of Fort Clark, deep in

Churikawa country, two men, Colonel

Ranold McKenzie and the renegade

Churikawa Manetu, each bore or deep

hatred for the other. Each knew that one

must soon destroy the other.

[Music]

water.

Drink. I

waited. I fed you water to learn a

thing.

Why did you save my life? You were

helpless. Would have been murdered to

kill you then. Yet you would take me

back to your fort and execute me.

Yes, I've seen your executions,

McKenzie. The man is propped

up.

Ceremony. A rag is put over his eyes.

Drums,

prayers, soldiers marching.

And the man is

slaughtered. This is what you had in

mind for me? Yes, I have the answer that

was a riddle to

me. Now I leave you here to die.

By your own reasoning, I I would be less

a man than you if I were to lead you

here. Nor would I murder a helpless man.

The bullet must come

out. Bite in here. Hide.

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

How long? No matter. Try to stand,

McKenzie.

Now we shall rise

together to your execution to my people

in the ceremony of deaths. We

have. You see, I saved your life for the

same reason you saved mine. We would not

execute a dying man no more than you

would.

Go. Then your death shall be here. And

[Applause]

more than

that. There's a price on both our heads.

They take your body into the fort and

get the bounty. I prefer they took your

body to the

Cherikawa. We need each

other for the

present. We must go before they come up.

There's one path. Follow me. June 2nd,

1873. Five scavengers rode out of the

hills to collect a human bounty. Reward

money for McKenzie or Monet. Payable

upon death.

[Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause]

Yeah.

[Applause]

We'll drive the horses that way. Then

we'll go up there. That won't fool them.

They'll know we're up there. I want them

to. Come on.

[Applause]

[Applause]

[Music]

Get

out.

What?

[Music]

Dawn June 3rd,

1873. Colonel Ronald McKenzie returned

to Fort Clark, carrying with him the

dead body of the Churikawa renegade

Manatu. But still, it remained a land of

the violent, and no one knew when or

where they would rise up to plunder and

destroy. But when they did, standing

against them, a man, Colonel McKenzie,

ready to strike back with all the power

at his command.

[Music]

McKenzie's raiders did ride again and

again, carrying out the secret orders of

the president of the United States. Do

whatever necessary to clean up the

Southwest. Make it a decent place for

people to live. Ride with McKenzie's

raiders as they relive the blazing pages

of history in the

making.

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

From the archives of the United States

Cavalry, the true stories of Colonel

Ranold McKenzie and the cavalrymen he

led. McKenzie's raiders. His secret

orders from the president of the United

States. Clean up the Southwest. Make it

a fit place for Americans to live. Wipe

out the renegades, outlaws, and

murderers. If necessary, cross the Rio

Grand knowing capture means hanging by

the enemy. Discovery court marshal by

the United States

[Music]

Army. The year

1873. The place Fort Clark, Texas. A

remote military installation close to

the Mexican border. its commanding

officer, Colonel Ranold McKenzie, fourth

United States Cavalry. His orders, clean

up the Southwest under any

conditions. McKenzie's control of the

area depended on his vital supply lines.

They had to be protected at all costs to

ensure the fourth cavalry's

effectiveness as a striking

force. May

1873, three convoys outbound from Fort

Clark had been totally destroyed. The

loss of both men and equipment was more

than Colonel McKenzie's illequipped

command could afford. A way had to be

found to combat this powerful unseen

foe. The last deserted stretch of bad

land before reaching the open plains

that led to the fort was called Killer's

Notch. It was in this area that the

crippling raids took place.

[Music]

Get

it. Hurry it up.

Come on, let's go.

[Music]

Come in.

Any report? Not right a word, sir. 2

hours overdue.

Detail assembled for search duty. Yes,

sir.

Change

dead. Help.

Did you check the men's weapons? Yes,

sir. Just like the other time. They

never got off an answering round.

There must have been 50 on the gang,

sir. All firing on the number to do

this.

Three convoys ambushed. Three armed

escorts wiped out to the last man and

I All right. Get the bodies back to the

fort. Faster. Oh, Colonel.

It's Trooper Combmes, sir. He's still

alive. Can he talk? No, sir. If we don't

get him docked up fast. All right. All

right.

Get him back to the post as quickly as

possible. Let's concentrate on the

ambushers while there's still light.

Prepare the men to Mount and search the

area. Yes, sir. Troopers, help.

[Music]

Must be 50,000 beautiful dollars here.

Maybe more. We did it again. Craft, huh?

We Well, you and your boys did the job.

Sure. But I told you about it, didn't I?

You'll get paid proper for it. How long

will it take this stuff to be broken

into small bills? Oh, a month, maybe

more. Month? Well, most of these are 50s

and hundreds. I have to send him to

Chicago and St. Louis to do the job.

It'll take time. McKenzie will be poking

around. You're nervous about Mackenzie

Duke. Well, he's smart. Don't underrate

him. Believe me. Suppose he is. How's he

going to tie us into the deal? Well,

there were uh no survivors, huh? No

survivors. I personally saw to it. Now,

get this stuff counted and on its way.

Only the approach of night halted

Colonel McKenzie and his men in their

grim search for the

ambushers. This man, Sergeant.

[Music]

Sir, stand easy. Hennington.

What's the word on Trooper Cton? He's

still alive, sir. Doctor's with him.

Corporal Nathan standing by.

Think only talk. Tell us what happened.

Dispatch, arrive from Washington this

afternoon, sir. It's the answer to your

request for more troops.

Additional troopers not available at

this

time. I've lost 20 men in the last

month. 20 men. All the bloody

hard-fought gains that this fort has

made since it was activated are being

knocked into a cocked hat. But there are

no additional troopers available at this

time. Sir, there are non-combatant

troops available. The dispatch says

they'll send you an agitant if you need

one. There are four men killed this

afternoon. They never knew what hit

them. They never had a chance. I don't

need non-competent agitants to help me

prevent that happening again. I need

fighting men. Yes. Yes. Nathan, come in.

What about Trooper Chrome? Trooper

Chrome is dead, sir.

Did he

uh was he able to tell us anything? No,

sir. He never regained consciousness.

All right, Corpo. Yes, sir.

Have Sergeant Armbber tell off five

troopers for special duty. Yes, sir.

What kind of special duty?

Just tell them I said they may enjoy it.

Yes, sir.

Tomorrow we're going to escort another

convoy through the notch. This time

we're going to be ready for an attack.

And I'm depending on you men to see to

it that we are

attacked. You're all at liberty until

Revy

tomorrow. I want you to spend that

liberty in

Bracketville. Be friendly and loose

tonged about our mission. Talk to

anybody who will talk to you. The facts

of the mission are these. The convoy

will leave here at 10:00 a.m. We'll go

through Killer's Notch. We'll be

escorting the payroll for

Fortrandle. It's important,

man. I'm counting on

you. Sergeant

teach

dismissed. Ready the horses,

Sergeant. Is that reward notice ready?

[Music]

Yes. Bracketville, the sinkhole of the

Southwest. A gathering place for all the

filth and evil of this desolate

frontier. By McKenzie's orders, it was

tolerated, for it sometimes was the

source of valuable information.

For months, McKenzie had suspected the

Bracketville General Store and its

owner, Duke Pharaoh, of dealing in more

than dry goods and hunting rifles. It

was the best place to begin. This is

probably the best model I've gotten.

Good evening, Mr. Ferrell. Good evening,

Colonel. My condolences on that terrible

affair in the Notch.

You heard about it? Oh, yes. It's all

over town.

Is it true? Unfortunately, yes.

Oh, it's a nice rifle. The Sharps. Yes.

It's the very latest. It's a beauty.

Where's the rear sight? It's here.

Oh, assemble it for me, will you, Mr.

Ferrell? Certain.

No survivors, huh?

One. One.

How fortunate, Colonel.

Better let me help you with that, Mr.

Pharaoh.

There you are, Mr. Frell. If you hear of

anything worth passing on, uh, let me

know, won't you? Certainly, Colonel.

Oh, and by the way, you wouldn't mind if

I posted a notice in your store, would

you? My pleasure, Colonel. Thank you.

It's a reward for those bushwhackers I

was telling you about.

[Music]

Sergeant, after we pass that window, you

keep walking.

[Music]

I tell you McKenzie knows one of his men

lived. I told you I personally saw to it

that they were all finished off. He

knows nothing. He's fishing. I want you

to get some ammunition and lots of it.

Ammunition.

One of McKenzie's little boys in blue

was shooting his mouth off. There's

another shipment going through the notch

tomorrow morning. You may be underrating

him. This could be a trap. A trap. You

forgot something, Duke. We got the

gatling gun and McKenzie don't know it.

$1,000 reward for information leading to

the capture dead or alive of persons or

person who

ambushed. Nice easy way to earn $1,000.

E Duke, what are you talking about?

Comes to me. You're the only one besides

me and the boys who knows we got the gun

and where she's set up.

You wouldn't be tempted to turn us in

for a measly $1,000 reward, would you

do? Me? Cuz if you whoever was foolish

enough to do that, your corpse would be

worth $1,000. And that's

all. You get the idea, don't you? Now,

get that ammunition ready. My boys will

be picking it up.

[Music]

On the morning of May 30th,

1873, seven grim-faced troopers acting

as decoys waited for the command to

escort an empty transport wagon through

the

notch. McKenzie's plan was ready to be

put into action.

Come

in, Mr. Frell, sir. Ah, yes. Uh, Mr.

Frell, the charity corporal.

Hey, the corporal said that uh you

needed my help, and of course, I

responded. Well, I appreciate that, Mr.

Pharaoh. How may I be of service?

Uh, that notice I posted in your store

last night, I thought by now you might

have some information for me.

Information? No, nothing at all.

Somehow, Colonel, I feel that you seem

to think

uh No, no, sir. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Mhm. That man that came into your store

as I was leaving, uh, who is he? Man in

my store? Oh, yes, I remember. It was a

customer. I'd never seen him before. Oh,

complete stranger. Yes, that's right. He

was interested in a in a Bowie knife,

and he looked at my stock. Well, you

seem to have a pretty animated

conversation with this stranger after I

left before you two disappeared into the

back room. Oh, I think you must be

mistaken, Colonel. I I I I never All

right, Mr. Farrell. Come on. You're

coming with us. Where? Too into the

notch. Into Killer's Notch. You, me, and

a handful of

troopers.

Corporal. Mr. Pharaoh will accompany us.

Please escort him to the

convoy. You're bluffing McKenzie.

After you, Mr. Perl.

There's no reason for this, Colonel. You

won't find anything in the notch. I

think we will. When we get close enough

to be in danger, I think we'll find

something.

I

[Music]

am.

[Music]

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

Carbons at the ready. Sergeant march.

Carbon at the ready.

March. Colonel.

Colonel.

Colonel. That man last night. Crap. He's

waiting up there.

How many men are with him? How's he

armed? I I don't know. Where is he? I

don't know. Believe me, he could be

anywhere. Where is he? I don't know.

They could go off at any minute.

Turn back. I beg you.

Turn back. They've got a Gatling gun.

Gatling gun. I should have known. All

those men murdered without a chance to

defend themselves because they've got a

Gatling gun.

Where is it? Where's the gun? I don't

know. I swear. Where is it? I don't

know. All right, Mr. Pharaoh. Perhaps we

can jog your faulty memory. Sergeant

Arburster. Yes, sir. Put this man in

uniform.

That's fine, boys. Now, fetch ammunition

and fetch plenty of it. This baby has a

large appetite.

[Music]

I should imagine our gun imp placement

is somewhere in those

hills. Let's find out. Mr. Frell, you

ride on the wagon. Sergeant, ride beside

him. Slowly, straight ahead. The rest of

us will go up in those rocks and see if

we can draw their fire. Yes, sir. All

right, Mr. Frell, back on the

wagon. Come

on. Get out. Get him. Get him.

Two soldier boys and a nice fat wagon.

Get back.

Don't fire until I give the word. Not

before. Surprise, boy. Surprise.

Corporal, I'm not a gambling man, but if

I were, I'd bet that that Gatling gun is

imp placed in those rocks up there. Yes,

sir. I'd bet that, too. Well, if we're

right, the limit of its effective range

should be just about that first tree

down there. Yes, sir. We'll charge and

try and draw its fire. We'll locate it

that way. In no case are the men to

charge beyond that tree. That's our

deadline. Yes, sir. Detail. Prepare to

charge.

It's a trick. Here they come.

What are you doing fire box? It's me,

Duke.

Just go down the hall and get some more

ammunition. Bring a lead. Watch the

ridge just in case.

Trooper Howard. Trooper Howard. Sir,

you're coming with me. Bring your bugle.

Corporal. See that tree in those rocks

up there? Yes, sir. That's where our gun

employment will be. Hard and I are going

to work our way up behind it. Try and

draw its fire in the opposite direction.

I want covering fire for that until we

reach the bluffs. Plenty of it. You got

it? Yes, sir. Also, keep yourself in

readiness to charge that imp placement

as soon as we've drawn its fire in the

opposite direction. But don't charge

until you get a bugle signal. Yes, sir.

All right. Let's start that covering

fire. All right, men.

[Music]

[Music]

Howard. Heat. Heat.

[Music]

Get really

[Music]

I'll try and work around behind him. You

go that way, but keep low. Yes, sir.

[Music]

Okay. Hey.

That's for my 20 men.

[Music]

Come in.

Start from Washington, sir. Oh, read it,

Corporal. In answer to your request,

Gatling gun was shipped to you the 14th

of June last. Have no acknowledgement of

receipt of same. Request receipt for our

records.

All right,

answer. Gatling gun in question had been

stolen. Located same, engaged same,

captured

same. Ronald S. McKenzie, fourth cavalry

commanding. Yes, sir. Oh, one other

thing, Corporal. Pass the word to

Lieutenant Taylor. Saber drill this

afternoon will be

suspended. Gatling gun drill instead.

Yes, sir.

McKenzie's raiders did ride again and

again, carrying out the secret orders of

the President of the United States. Do

whatever necessary to clean up the

Southwest. Make it a decent place for

people to live. Ride with McKenzie's

raiders as they relive the blazing pages

of history in the making.

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

From the archives of the United States

Cavalry, the true stories of Colonel

Ranold McKenzie and the cavalrymen he

led. McKenzie's raiders. His secret

orders from the President of the United

States. Clean up the Southwest. Make it

a fit place for Americans to live. Wipe

out the renegades, outlaws, and

murderers. If necessary, cross the Rio

Grand, knowing capture means hanging by

the enemy. Discovery Court Marshall by

the United States

[Music]

Army Texas country

1873 wild and lawless peace had been

established with some Indian tribes but

other Indians brooding over old wrongs

and goated by evil White men were still

of the Stone Age, barbaric savages who

delighted in cruelty and wanted

destruction. For 2 months, Colonel Rand

McKenzie and his raiders had tried

desperately to catch a small, vicious

band of Indian killers. But the army was

prohibited by law from entering any

Indian reservation. Any blue coat who

did so was subject to heavy fine and

imprisonment. In principle, a good law

designed to keep the military out of

purely civilian matters. But it crippled

McKenzie's efforts to do his job. For

after each attack, the marauding Indians

would vanish behind the protection of

the reservation.

Sir. Yes, trooper.

Some moved

wagons. I rode with

them. The Indians attacked at Black

Canyon, killed

everyone. They took

wagons,

horses. Yes, sir.

[Music]

Just a

kid to do a thing like that to a nice

kid like

Bobby. Left just enough life in him to

get him here. Yes, Angel. That would be

their idea of a joke to send us the news

by our own dispatch rider. Should we go

after them, sir? No. No. Well, they'll

be back in the reservation by now, and

Adam Beecher will enforce the law, keep

us off the

reservation. Organize a burial here, and

we'll find the settlers. Yes, sir.

[Music]

As for man, his days are grass. As a

flower in the field, he flourisheth. The

wind passeth over the place, and it is

gone. The place thereof shall know it no

more.

[Music]

Mom,

what's on your mind? Senu, nothing, sir.

I I was just wondering if we was ever

going to be able to stop these killings.

We'll stop them. Not one way, then

another. We'll be out on this patrol

until tomorrow afternoon. Have a man

ride by Los Rios.

Tell Chief Whitecloud that I'd like to

meet him in my office tomorrow

afternoon. Yes, sir.

All right. I want you to ride back and

forth across that grave. I don't want a

sign that it was ever there.

Welcome back, sir. What's going on,

Carl? Chief Whitecloud is waiting to see

you. He's in your office. Thanks.

McKenzie is honored that his friend,

Chief Whitecloud, accepted his

invitation. How can it be otherwise

between friends?

However, Chief Whitecloud, the occasion

is sad.

Indians tortured and killed one of my

men last night and wiped out two

immigrant families. The braves were from

the reservation. Men of your tribe,

Chief. You cannot be sure of that,

Colonel. Where else could they come

from? I tell you nothing. Whoever they

were is no affair of

mine. I'm a chief in name only. My

tribesmen no longer heed my console.

Even my own son. I no longer can talk

with my own son.

Why

not? Who could come between a chief and

his son? The matters between us, I tell

you

[Music]

nothing. Uh,

paragraph. The,

uh, the five bodies were all

unrecognizable. The scalps had been

taken from all of them. Now strike that.

The scalps have been taken from all but

one of them. This latest outrage brings

the number of murders in this territory

to 33 in the last 3 months. All directly

traceable to the Los Rios Indian

Reservation. Adam Beecher, agent. Excuse

me, sir. Yeah. There were 33 murders at

the time of your last complaint. The

total now would be 38.

Yeah, you're right.

Have you gotten your notes there of the

disposition of our last complaint? I

believe so. Just read of duty. Yes,

ma'am. Referred to department commander

September 2nd. Referred to division

commander September 5. Referral to war

department September 9th. War department

refers to department of interior

September 12th. Referred to Indian

bureau September 17th. Reply from bureau

September 27th. Quote, Mr. Adam Beecher,

agent of the Los Rios Reservation,

advises us that he has thoroughly

investigated your complaint and finds it

completely

unjustified. You ready to continue, sir?

Yeah, sir.

No, no. Take a note to Adam Beecher

instead.

Oh, and be sure the uh messenger is

instructed not to enter the reservation.

He must stop at the gates and hail

someone. Yes, sir. All right. Adam

Beecher, Los Rios Indian

Reservation, so

forth. My dear sir, before taking more

drastic action, I request the honor of a

meeting with you in my office at your

earliest

convenience. Your obedient servant,

Ronald McKenzie, fourth cavalry

commanding, and so forth. Get that off

right away. Yes, sir.

[Music]

Brave Bear, son of Chief Whitecloud, the

leader of the Renegade Indians. For a

share of their loot, Agent Adam Beecher

made the reservation the sanctuary for

the criminal red men, using his high

office for the lowest of purposes,

graft, robbery, and murder.

So it is paint. And who do you make war

on? Some unarmed traveler, a defenseless

woman and her children. Go your own way,

old man, and let me go mine. There is

need for talk between us, brave bear.

Take the time for it while there is

still time before the evil is too great

to mend. I I cannot talk now. Perhaps

tomorrow, some other day. No, we have

already delayed too long. If you do not

talk now, brave bear, I'm waiting for

you.

Well, how'd it go? Let's take a look at

what we

got. There's a nice little ring. Too bad

we can't wear any of this stuff, huh?

Brave Bear. Oh, but we shouldn't kick

none. So long as I can take all this

stuff down to El Paso and get good money

for it.

What do you want, Whitecloud? Me and

your boy's pretty busy. So I see a

message for you from Colonel McKenzie. A

soldier brought it to the gate.

That's mighty nice of you. You

shouldn't.

[Music]

I don't exactly like being talked to

that way, Colonel. If you got any more

complaints, you put them in a letter and

send them to Washington. They'll know

what to do with them. But they don't

know what to do with you, do they, Mr.

Beer? Because they can't believe that

anyone could be so despicable and still

live.

I don't have to sit here and listen to

no brass button pipsqueak. Now, I'm

warning you, Mr. Beecher. There better

not be another one of those raids. Not

another one. Do you understand? Because

if there is, I'll hang you for it. Oh,

you will? Huh? How you going to do it?

You can't get no proof again. Me. I'll

get proof. Depend on

it. Now, please get out of here, Mr.

Beer. You make me sick.

Sergeant. Yes, sir.

I want rotating patrols set up. Five men

in each unit, and each unit ready to

ride instantly at a moment's notice.

Yes, sir.

If you will permit me to say so, sir.

You sure made that old skunk mad.

I intended

to. Get those patrols ready, Sergeant.

We're going to need one very soon. Right

away, sir. Thank you, sir.

Ray Bear, come in here, man. Less than 3

hours after Adam Beecher had left

McKenzie's office, the Indian Raiders

struck again.

[Music]

You all right?

Get out of here.

[Music]

In a heartbreaking race, the Indian

raiders had beaten the patrol to the

reservation gates. Once again, McKenzie

was helpless. Looks like you fellas been

riding pretty hard. You going somewhere

or you just out for the exercise? We

want those Indians, Mr. Beecher. Those

killers that just rode in this gate.

This gate? Ain't no engines come through

here. I'd have seen them if they had.

Why you stinking?

Quiet. You couldn't have seen them, Mr.

Beecher. You weren't here at the time.

Oh, that's where you're mistook,

Colonel. Yes, sir. You sure are. That's

a fact. Cuz I've been right here all

afternoon. We caught them in the act of

raiding a settler's home. We followed

them here. I shot one of them. Oh,

Engine might hurt himself any number of

ways, Colonel. Ain't no way of proving

you done it. It was a shoulder wound.

I'm sure I could pick him out. Oh, you

mean if I'd let you come in here and

take a look around, huh? Oh, I don't

think I could do that, Colonel. It's

again the law, you know. And I'm a

law-abiding citizen.

You stupid numskull.

This is all your fault. We'd have those

Indians if you'd obeyed my orders. Well,

I didn't do it. Don't you talk back to

me. Take him back to the fort. Put him

in the guard house. I'll prefer charges

against him tomorrow. Please. You You

can't mean it, sir. I got 20 years in

the service. You'll have 20 years more

in prison before I get through with you.

I guarantee it. Come on, let's go.

[Music]

Come in.

[Music]

Well,

Sergeant, what have you got to say for

yourself?

Nothing, sir, except I'm sorry I've been

so much trouble to you. H should think

you would

be. You're facing some pretty serious

charges. Disobedience, refusal to obey

an order. Why? I could hang you for

that. Do you realize it? I'm afraid I

do, sir. Well, then act afraid, will

you?

You did a pretty good job of fooling Mr.

Beecher this afternoon. Now, I want you

to do an even better job.

You

mean Yes, sir. All right. You all set to

escape from that guard house?

Escape? The sooner the better, sir. I

don't like being in that place, even on

a makeelie charge. All right. You'll be

out within an hour. Just as soon as I

can make some necessary arrangements.

Yes, sir. Now, the guards will let you

escape. The sentry will let you slip

through the gate. There'll be a horse

tied outside. I want you to get on that

horse and make for that Indian

reservation just as fast as he can carry

you. Don't stop when you get to the

gate. I understand, sir. You won't be

able to stop anyway because there'll be

a band of troopers chasing you. Now,

you're a very much wanted man. You need

money to make good your escape. Beer

represents your only chance of getting

any money. So, you're to pedal a story

to him that there have been so many

raids on convoys in this territory

lately that McKenzie is shipping in some

valuable merchandise. Three civilians

will be carrying it. You think you can

make him believe that?

I'm sure I can, sir. Just let me try.

All right, I will.

Stanfield, come here. Come

here. You know where Dancing Rock is?

Yes, sir. Just below it, there's a dry

goch. That's where the three civilians

will be camped. It's a logical place.

But I've chosen it for another reason.

It's a culde-sac. I want those Indians

alive. Every one of them. And that dry

gulch is the one place where I'm sure I

can do it. Yes, sir.

How's that for easy pickings? 10 $15,000

worth of first class trade goods. And

all you got to do is grab it. It sounds

good. But so did that settller's cabin

you told us about. Oh, now why bring

that up? You don't think I tried to get

you caught? Why would I think

that? Why would you want to get us

caught? Oh, now lookucky, brave bear.

This stuff's just sitting there. All

that stuff is sitting there waiting to

be took. All that good merchandise. I

got it straight from that runaway

soldier. This soldier with McKenzie

after him. Why did he leave here? Well,

he had to. Peter stuck around here.

Mackenzie would have got a court order

out for him. He could be working with

McKenzie, laying a trap for us. What do

you take me for? You think I ain't got

no sense? Don't you think I'd know if it

was a

trap? What's the matter with you,

youngster? Has your old man been riding

you again? You just send him to me and

I'll straighten him out fat. You will

not hurt my father. Oh, I I didn't mean

that. I mean, I'll just explain it to

him, you know, like I did to you. Show

him how what you're doing is helping his

own people.

It's the truth, Brave Bear. If you go on

working like you are, these white

settlers are going to have to pull up

stakes and clear out.

I would like to believe that, but Well,

you have to believe it. It's the only

thing that makes sense. Now, what do you

say? You're not going to pass up a juicy

job like this, are you?

I cannot be sure.

Right bear, drop your weapons. All of

you drop them. I said

troopers. All right, bring them out.

[Music]

It was my father who told you. He must

have. A father speak against his own

son. You know better than that, brave

bear. But you knew who I was. You could

not see in the darkness. Yet you called

me by name. Perhaps I can see in the

dark. Or perhaps it was a good guess.

After all, who but a chief's son? No.

No, you lie. Suppose a certain person

felt you were getting yourself into a

mess and were going to drag him in with

you. He'd want you dead, wouldn't he?

And suppose that he could get a message

to me in such a way that I wouldn't know

who he was. You tried to trick me. He He

would not. All right. All right, brave

bear. You have it your way. If you want

to hang and see all your friends hung

while the man who sent you to the

gallows goes

free. All secure in there. All secure,

Colonel. All right. Signal the men down

from the cliffs. Right away, sir.

[Music]

Let him go. He's doing exactly what I

want him

[Music]

to. Come

on. McKenzie's secret orders from the

president of the United States. Clean up

the Southwest. Do whatever you think is

necessary to bring peace to the area. On

the night of June 5th, 1873, McKenzie

obeyed his orders and broke all law and

precedent. He entered the Indian

reservation at Los Rios.

[Music]

What are you doing here? I didn't expect

you for a long time yet. I know what you

expected. That I would be killed. What

kind of talk is

that? Oh, now now wait a minute. What's

the matter with you? Look, I I I'm your

friend. Haven't I planned all your jobs

for you? Haven't I covered up for you?

Go on, Beecher. And when you can no

longer use me, what do you do

then? You sent me into a trap. I'm going

to hang. But before I do, hang Gray

Bear. He'll hang with you. He's admitted

more than enough.

The gun you stole from me is empty,

Brave

Bear. Might as well give it to

me. Your father will pass judgment on

you, Brave Bear.

Colonel, you all right,

McKenzie? Sure hope it didn't hurt

you. Kind of lost my head for a

minute, but I sure didn't mean to hurt

you.

None. You hear that,

Mackenzie? I I done throw my gun

away. Me?

I I know when I'm

lit. I ain't got a speck of fight left

in me.

I'm going to give myself

up. I I'm going to take my

punishment. Say something,

McKenzie. Make a noise of some kind.

So, I know you're all right.

drop that gun, Mr. Be.

All

right, let's go. We've got a date with a

hangman. Well, let's let's talk this

over. I got lots of money. I can stack

enough money up, but you can't even see

over it, Mr. Beer. Yeah. Well, you've

never lived like a man. It's too late to

do anything about that. Let's see if you

can die like

one. With the passing of Adam Beecher,

the Indians of Los Rios Reservation

lived in peace with the white man. But

the wild, lawless area continued to

exist. Against it, one dedicated man,

Colonel Ran McKenzie. Oh, Sergeant,

you know, when that detail wrote in from

Dancing Rock last night, they were a

pretty slack looking outfit. Dusty gear,

sloppy uniforms, unsoldierly bearings.

Some of them were even smiling. I want

them sharpened up. You understand? Yes,

sir. I'll see they smart enough. You do

that. And just to make sure they

remember, give them two hours of close

order drill.

Yes, sir.

Oh, and Sergeant. Yes, sir. When they

finish that drill.

Yes, sir.

Give them the rest of the week off.

McKenzie's raiders did ride again and

again, carrying out the secret orders of

the President of the United States. Do

whatever necessary to clean up the

Southwest. Make it a decent place for

people to live. Ride with McKenzie's

Raiders as they relive the blazing pages

of history in the making.

Heat.

Heat. Heat. Heat.