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00:00 ♪ [music] ♪
00:08 From the archives of the United States Cavalry, the true stories of Colonel
00:12 Randall McKenzie and the cavalrymen he led, McKenzie's Raiders.
00:17 His secret orders from the President of the United States, "Clean up the Southwest.
00:22 Make it a fit place for Americans to live.
00:24 Wipe out the renegades, outlaws, and murderers.
00:27 If necessary, cross the Rio Grande.
00:30 Knowing capture means hanging by the enemy.
00:32 Discovery, court-martial by the United States Army."
00:36 ♪ [music] ♪
00:52 The time, 1873. The place, 15,000 square miles of treacherous Texas borderland.
01:00 The problem, open the territory for peaceful settlement.
01:04 This was the task assigned to Colonel Randall McKenzie and his troopers at Fort
01:08 Clark. Against them, the murderous renegades who fought amongst themselves
01:13 for the spoils of the area.
01:15 One of these fights for power led to a split between Red Buckman,
01:19 the leader of a notoriously vicious gang, and his lieutenant, Andy Wheeler.
01:24 As with the others, Wheeler began to scavenge for himself.
01:28 [birds chirping]
01:38 [footsteps]
01:58 [gunshots]
02:06 Handicapped not only by shortages, but by the vast distances between his
02:10 command post and the far-flung settler's cabins, necessity demanded that McKenzie
02:15 spend long hours in the field searching for the renegade raiders.
02:19 - He's firing down by the Jeppers farm, sir. Could be Buckman's men.
02:23 - Hey! - Ha!
02:25 [footsteps]
02:32 - What do you want to fight me for? For this?
02:35 - Dirt-grubbing farmers work themselves like horses, and for what?
02:40 Ten dollars, if that.
02:42 - What'd you expect to find here, Carlotta's crown?
02:44 - No, but enough to get the wrinkles out of my belly.
02:47 - We should've stayed with Buckman.
02:48 - Well, you can go back anytime you have a mind to.
02:51 - Get my ears cut off?
02:53 - No, Porter, we've raided our last farm. 'Til I get Buckman.
02:57 - Andy, you thinking about that again?
02:59 - I never stop thinking about it. With Buckman out of the way,
03:02 his men would follow me anywhere.
03:04 - That's right enough. And that's our next move.
03:08 Against Buckman.
03:10 - Take the horses out of the corral.
03:12 - Right.
03:14 - Let's get some fresh horses from the corral.
03:24 - I never could understand your kind.
03:31 [gasps]
03:33 - Leave a good home, take up to some no-count man,
03:37 then fight for it.
03:39 Your whole life for what?
03:42 - Three of 'em.
03:50 - Get out of here!
03:54 [gunshots]
03:59 [gunshots]
04:01 [gunshots]
04:11 [gunshots]
04:15 [horse whinnies]
04:20 [gunshots]
04:22 [gunshots]
04:27 [gunshots]
04:29 [gunshots]
04:32 [dramatic music]
04:53 ♪
05:19 - A woman, over there on the couch.
05:21 - Have a look.
05:23 - Who are you, sir?
05:27 - Wheeler. Wheeler, Andrew Wheeler.
05:30 Formerly Lieutenant, Fifth Georgia Reserves.
05:32 - What are you doing here?
05:34 - I was just passing through.
05:35 These folks are kind enough to ask me to share their meal.
05:38 - Colonel.
05:40 - Pistol whips.
05:43 - Renegades?
05:48 - Yes, sir. They slugged me.
05:50 Didn't any of us have a chance.
05:52 - How many?
05:53 - Oh, I'd say about eight or nine.
05:56 Two that stayed outside when the others rode off.
06:00 They're the ones that did that.
06:02 - Recognize any of them?
06:04 - It's hardly likely, sir, since I'm a stranger in these parts.
06:08 But I did see the leader before.
06:12 - Where?
06:17 - The other side of the border a couple of nights ago.
06:20 I was riding up from Rio Rivas.
06:22 Stumbled across this little canyon and...
06:24 same man was there, camped with some others.
06:27 I was gonna stop.
06:29 Glad I didn't now.
06:31 - Can you describe him?
06:33 - Well, he was a big man, riding a white stallion.
06:37 Wore a beard, kind of reddish brown.
06:39 - Sir, that description fits Red Buckman.
06:42 - Yes, I'm aware of that.
06:45 - Well...
06:47 - Mr. Wheeler, I wonder if you'd mind accompanying us back to Fort Clark.
06:58 I may need some more information.
07:00 It'll also give you a chance to rest up and have that head wound tended to.
07:04 - Well, Colonel, I don't think... - It'll only be for a couple of days.
07:07 I'd like you to be my personal guest.
07:10 - Well, thank you, sir. I appreciate your hospitality.
07:12 - Thank you, Mr. Wheeler.
07:14 Lieutenant.
07:16 Eager to avoid suspicion, yet certain that McKenzie had believed his story,
07:24 Wheeler agreed to stay at Fort Clark for a few days of rest and medical attention.
07:30 [♪♪♪]
07:57 - What are you looking for, sir?
07:59 - I'll tell you in a minute.
08:01 Hey, hey, hey.
08:03 Ah, look here.
08:10 See anything?
08:11 - Only a little mark in the metal facings.
08:13 - Yeah. That mark is the blacksmith's signature.
08:16 It appears to me that Mr. Wheeler's horse and that renegade animal were shot by the same man.
08:21 - Colonel, if that's so... - I think I'll ask Mr. Wheeler for a little more information.
08:25 [♪♪♪]
08:28 [gunshot]
08:35 It's me, Greer!
08:42 Tell Buckman if he wants to keep living, he better see me fast.
08:45 Been admiring that suit, Mr. Wheeler.
08:52 Surely that isn't Brackettville tailoring. - Well, thank you, sir.
08:55 No, I, uh... I believe in the old saying, "Clothes make the man."
08:59 - Well, I rather agree with you.
09:01 - Uh, you tell me, though, you've been on the trail for a long time.
09:04 Aren't those pretty fancy clothes?
09:06 - Well, as you know, sir, I haven't had a chance to shave yet today,
09:09 but I've always prided myself on being a cut above the average saddle cramp.
09:13 - No insinuation to the contrary.
09:15 Tell me, Mr. Wheeler, what kind of a horse were you riding?
09:18 - Well, Colonel McKenzie, I should think you'd be able to tell just by looking at me.
09:22 I wouldn't ride anything except a blooded animal.
09:25 - What became of this blooded animal?
09:27 - I told you, sir.
09:30 - Well, tell me again.
09:32 - Those renegades stole him.
09:34 The man you called, uh, uh, Buckman.
09:36 He drove him off when they left the farmhouse.
09:38 - Where'd you have this animal shod?
09:41 - Well, um...
09:44 He was already shod when I bought him.
09:46 - Where'd you buy him?
09:48 - In Mexico.
09:49 I wonder if I could trouble you for a light?
09:51 - Oh, surely.
09:52 - Thank you.
09:53 - Surely, Mr. Wheeler.
09:54 - Would you mind if I asked you, uh, what you were doing in Mexico, Mr. Wheeler?
09:59 - Not at all, sir.
10:01 We were looking at some silver mining property.
10:02 - Oh. Any luck?
10:04 - Not much.
10:05 - Ah, that's pretty much of a gamble.
10:06 - Too much of a gamble for me.
10:08 Two or three years' time, maybe a man's whole poke.
10:10 Not for me, I'm sorry.
10:12 - Now, this canyon where you stumbled on the outlaw, this Buckman fellow,
10:17 uh, what was the place you were riding toward?
10:20 - Rio Rios.
10:21 - Oh, yes.
10:23 I hear that's... that's very good ore country.
10:26 - We weren't looking for silver in Rio Rios.
10:28 - We?
10:29 Who was with you?
10:30 - A friend of mine, name of, uh, of Johnson.
10:33 - What happened to Mr. Johnson?
10:34 - He stayed down there.
10:36 - Oh, he was more of an optimist.
10:37 - Well, let's put it this way.
10:39 He's a little longer than I am on capital and on patience.
10:42 - Mm-hmm.
10:43 Now, you say when you ran onto them, you were headed toward Rio Rios.
10:47 - That's right.
10:50 Colonel, I've answered all your questions,
10:53 and I've certainly told you everything I can think of.
10:55 - I know you have, but, uh, maybe I can think of something more.
10:59 Until I do, I'd appreciate it if you'd stay here on the post,
11:02 as my guest, of course.
11:03 - Oh, well, uh, with pleasure, sir.
11:06 - Thank you very much, Mr. Wheeler.
11:09 - Thank you, sir.
11:11 All your courtesy.
11:16 - His story sounds straight enough.
11:19 - Maybe.
11:21 Maybe.
11:23 Lieutenant, you've been on this post long enough to know
11:26 that this is pretty rowdy territory.
11:29 Violence is sort of commonplace.
11:31 - Yes, sir.
11:32 - But pistol-whipping a woman is not commonplace, even out here.
11:35 - You may say so, sir.
11:36 - There was another woman pistol-whipped in this territory about a year ago.
11:40 Only she didn't die.
11:42 - That was just before I was assigned to the post, sir.
11:44 - Uh-huh.
11:46 Her name was Mrs. Lane.
11:48 She lives with her brother about a mile, a mile and a half beyond Bracketville.
11:52 - Oh, I see what you're up to, sir.
11:54 Have her take a look at Wheeler and try to identify him.
11:56 Is that right, sir?
11:57 - No, Lieutenant, that's wrong.
12:01 Take a ride out to the Lane place.
12:10 And I have reason to believe, Mr. Gifford, that this is the same man who pistol-whipped your sister.
12:15 - Well, I don't know whether or not Helen can face him, Colonel McKenzie.
12:19 For the past year now, she's been awfully upset.
12:22 - I know, I know. No one can blame her.
12:24 Perhaps if you could explain to her, though, how important it is,
12:27 how important to the whole territory.
12:29 - I know it's important that you identify him, but--
12:31 - No, no, no, Mr. Gifford.
12:33 It's important that she does not identify him, even though she recognizes him.
12:37 - But why, sir? If he is the man--
12:39 - Because, because I want to give him confidence.
12:44 I want to give him too much confidence.
12:47 I'll go in and talk to her, but I can't promise anything.
12:51 - Thank you, sir.
12:58 - Wheeler's here. He's waiting outside.
13:01 - All right.
13:03 When we get a little ways from the fort, see to it that Mr. Wheeler rides on out in front.
13:09 Just in case.
13:11 - In case of what, sir?
13:12 - In case somebody else has ideas.
13:18 [Hooves clopping]
13:29 - How much money did you say?
13:31 - A thousand for Wheeler.
13:33 Two thousand if you crawl over McKenzie's dead body to do it.
13:38 - Let's take the shortcut.
13:42 [Hooves clopping]
13:49 [Horns playing]
14:00 - October 11th, 1873.
14:03 Colonel McKenzie's strategy demanded the complete confidence of Andy Wheeler.
14:08 Together, they rode out to the home of Mrs. Lane.
14:12 [Gunshot]
14:14 [Hooves clopping]
14:23 - Excuse me, Mr. Wheeler.
14:33 It appears they were shooting at you, whoever they were.
14:36 - I don't understand. I don't know why anybody shoot at me.
14:38 - No. Well, perhaps they were shooting at me, just bad shots.
14:44 Whoever they were, they're gone.
14:46 Let's be on our way. Mrs. Lane's expecting us.
14:50 [Music]
15:04 [Knocking]
15:05 - Ellen.
15:07 It's only me, dear.
15:10 - Hello, dear.
15:23 - Colonel McKenzie will soon be here.
15:34 - You still want to go through with it?
15:36 - Yes.
15:38 - He knows it isn't going to be easy for you.
15:42 That must be them now.
15:46 [Knocking]
15:55 - Come in, Colonel.
15:57 - Mr. Gifford. Nice to see you again.
15:59 - Good to see you, sir.
16:01 - Uh, Mr. Gifford, there's Mr. Wheeler and Lieutenant Paxson.
16:04 - Mr. Gifford.
16:06 - She's in there, sir, waiting for you.
16:08 - Go right ahead.
16:09 - Thank you.
16:11 - Who's, uh, who's she?
16:14 - Mr. Gifford's sister.
16:16 Her name's Lane.
16:18 Still doesn't mean anything to you?
16:20 - No more than it did before.
16:22 As it's supposed to.
16:24 - How is she?
16:26 - The same. She hasn't set foot outside of this house since she came here.
16:30 Seems like she just wants to dry up and die.
16:33 - Excuse me, gentlemen, but, uh, what's all this got to do with me?
16:37 - That's what we're going to find out.
16:41 [ ♪ ]
16:44 - Is this the man, Mrs. Lane?
17:08 - Be very sure.
17:10 - I don't remember ever seeing you before.
17:17 I think I'd remember if I had.
17:21 Pretty woman like you.
17:23 - No.
17:29 No.
17:30 - You're sure?
17:32 You're sure this isn't one of the men that was there that day?
17:36 - Yes, I'm very sure.
17:38 - Well. Now!
17:48 Callin' me a renegade.
17:52 A murderer. Worse.
17:55 He should've known better than that.
17:57 [ Laughs ]
17:59 [ Laughing ]
18:02 [ Laughing ]
18:05 - She did well, didn't she?
18:12 Didn't act like she recognized him at all.
18:15 If there's anything I can do, uh, no, sir.
18:19 Thanks just the same.
18:21 - Well, I'll tell you what I think, Lieutenant.
18:25 I think that Colonel owes me an apology.
18:28 - I agree with you, Mr. Wheeler.
18:31 And I do apologize.
18:32 All I can say is, we made a mistake. I'm sorry.
18:35 - Well, Colonel, I'm no one to hold hard feelings.
18:38 All I want to do is just be on my way.
18:40 - Oh.
18:42 - Anything wrong with that?
18:43 - No, no, no. I, uh...
18:45 I was in hopes you could help us, Mr. Wheeler, but...
18:47 - Well, look, Colonel, I...
18:48 - It's quite all right. It's quite all right.
18:50 Somebody else will claim the reward.
18:52 Uh, Lieutenant Paxton,
18:54 take Mr. Wheeler over to the hotel for supper.
18:56 Buy him the best and then see him on his way.
18:59 - Yes, sir.
19:00 - Colonel!
19:01 - Uh, what was that reward you were just speaking of?
19:06 - $500 for Red Buckman.
19:09 We got word of the offer this morning.
19:11 - $500 for Buckman, huh?
19:13 - That's the man you saw near Rio Rios.
19:15 - Yeah, yeah, I know.
19:17 - Uh, I was just thinking, Mr. Wheeler,
19:20 if you could remember the exact spot where you saw him
19:22 and lead us there,
19:24 I'd see to it that you got that reward.
19:26 How about it, Mr. Wheeler?
19:29 - Well...
19:30 - Uh, Mr. Paxton,
19:34 have Lorcan and Waverin mount up.
19:36 We're gonna help Mr. Wheeler collect that reward.
19:38 - I talked to the finance officer, sir.
19:40 He says he hasn't received orders from you
19:41 authorizing the $500 reward.
19:44 - Lieutenant, I should have said we're going to help
19:47 Mr. Wheeler get his "just" reward.
19:50 - The Rio Grande,
19:52 once a barrier to Colonel McKenzie
19:54 and a shield for those who would run from justice.
19:57 Now, by secret orders of the President of the United States,
20:00 McKenzie could cross the international border.
20:03 However, should his mission be exposed,
20:06 the very man who had issued his secret orders
20:09 was powerless to protect him from inevitable court-martial.
20:13 (dramatic music)
20:16 (dramatic music)
20:44 - Guards over there. We'll have to walk in on 'em.
20:47 (dramatic music)
21:13 (tires screeching)
21:16 (dramatic music)
21:19 (dramatic music)
21:22 - Horses first.
21:49 (dramatic music)
21:52 (gunshots)
22:07 (gunshots)
22:15 (gunshots)
22:18 (tires screeching)
22:21 (gunshots)
22:24 - There's only two of 'em. Come on, we'll rush 'em.
22:28 (gunshots)
22:31 (gunshots)
22:34 (gunshots)
22:36 - Not so fast, boys.
22:38 - He's mine.
22:39 - Drop it. Drop it, Wheeler.
22:40 - What?
22:41 - Drop it.
22:42 Drop it, Buckman.
22:45 Drop it.
22:46 (gun cocks)
22:51 - Why didn't you let me get him?
22:55 - Is that what you wanted, Mr. Wheeler?
22:58 - Yes.
23:00 - Didn't you?
23:01 - I mean, they're nothing but scum, Colonel.
23:03 They don't deserve a tryout.
23:05 - I'm surprised you feel that way.
23:07 - How else would I feel?
23:08 I would've brought you up here otherwise.
23:10 Reward or no reward.
23:12 (birds chirping)
23:15 - Well, I guess you won't be needing my services anymore, Colonel.
23:20 I'll send you an address.
23:22 You, uh, you will see that I get my reward, won't you?
23:26 - Oh yes, Mr. Wheeler, I'll see that you get your reward.
23:29 I made a promise I try never to break.
23:31 - Thank you, sir.
23:32 - I'd leave that right there if I were you.
23:35 - Why?
23:37 - Those renegades that fired at you down the road.
23:39 They gave you away.
23:40 - Well, that's impossible, Colonel.
23:43 - Mm-hmm, just as impossible as it is for Mrs. Lane
23:46 to forget what you did to her.
23:47 Take him away.
23:50 - This is from Mrs. Lane, sir.
24:07 She told me what it was, a pair of socks.
24:09 - Well.
24:13 - She knitted them herself.
24:14 - Yes, sir.
24:17 - Her brother says she's a changed woman since we got Wheeler.
24:20 Even does her own marketing.
24:22 - Well, I guess we were all lucky until that accident.
24:27 - It wasn't exactly luck, sir.
24:28 I'd like to know, why were you so suspicious of Wheeler?
24:32 - Remember that first time we saw him?
24:35 He was wearing that farmer's Sunday suit.
24:37 Two things that never go together.
24:39 - What's that, sir?
24:40 - A farmer's Sunday suit with a dirty man inside.
24:43 Well.
24:47 Now, about these orders of the day.
24:50 - Mackenzie's Raiders rode again and again,
25:01 carrying out the secret orders of the news.
25:04 Carry out the secret orders of the President of the United States.
25:07 Do whatever necessary to clean up the Southwest.
25:10 Make it a decent place for people to live.
25:13 Ride with Mackenzie's Raiders as they relive the blazing pages of history in the making.
25:19 [Music]
25:21 [Music]
25:25 [Music]
25:53 [Music]
25:56 [Music]
26:08 (dramatic music)