The Last Frontier Page #6

Were saying

I wish he were here

To feel that the group

At the fireside

Were thinking of me

As I roam

Oh, yes

'Twould be joy beyond measure

No good.

No, Mungo. Very good.

To know that they missed me at home

To know that they missed me

At home

They tied the arrows. I saw them.

I sent you out to scout Red Cloud.

Why didn't you have Cooper

report directly to me?

I wanted to talk to Gus first.

Cooper is a civilian scout.

You know procedure.

I'm sorry, sir.

Your report, Cooper.

Red Cloud and the men

are camped at the foot of the canyon.

They're having a meeting

with the Assiniboin chief.

- Looks like they're gonna join forces.

- How long will that take them?

- About a week.

- They gotta make it by then, sir.

- Why?

- Red Cloud's gotta beat the snow.

Otherwise he'll have to hold off till spring.

By that time maybe

the war back east will be over.

Red Cloud knows

that means more men here, more guns.

He's got to strike soon

while he's got the chance.

How soon will it snow?

Like Gus said, the snow's overdue.

- Where you going, Cooper?

- To get some coffee.

- Is it that urgent?

- It is to me.

When I first came here...

Capt. Riordan assured me

that Fort Shallan was an important post.

- How are you, soldier?

- Fine, sir.

Has anything happened to

change your mind, Captain?

My last orders from Fort Laramie

were to hold, sir.

Since communication's been cut off...

I have no way of knowing

what other orders there may be.

There are orders, Captain.

Mine.

I lost Medford because my orders

were to stay inside the fort and hold.

Holding actions do not win battles.

I was sent out here to build a fort.

Not attack Red Cloud.

How did Red Cloud become so powerful?

Because no one had the courage

to move out against him.

With what?

Men who had to be shown

which end of a rifle to point?

It was up to you to make soldiers of them.

Which is just exactly

what they are going to become.

Don't attack yet. We still have

a good chance of holding off Red Cloud...

until it does snow.

And if the Assiniboins join Red Cloud first,

they'll attack.

I don't intend to let them join forces.

- You can't do it, Frank. It's suicide.

- I'll be leading the men.

I've no intention of committing suicide.

Stop him, Glenn. You know it's wrong.

Capt. Clarke, I believe

you're forgetting yourself.

Col. Marston, here,

is in command of this fort.

Thank you, Captain.

You were assigned here as a doctor.

Not a military strategist.

Please return to your patients

where maybe you'll do a little good.

Ask him what happened at Shiloh?

Ask him. And if he won't tell you, I will.

- How are you feeling?

- I'll be all right, sir.

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