Gunsmoke

In the years between 1820 and 1880,

there was a period on the Texas frontier

little recorded by history, a time of violence and fear.

Indian tribes betrayed by government and army treaties

and incited by white traders, gave birth to renegade bands

composed mostly of young braves bitterly angry

at the white man's ruthless encroachment

into the lands they considered their birthright.

These small bands, splitting away from the tribal structure

of Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache, began a series

of savage raids on isolated white settlements and ranches.

By 1870, these raids for cattle, horses, and human captives

had reached as far north as the Canadian River.

And over the years, they grew in magnitude and terror

until men, women, and children were being carried off

and traded into slavery.

The men who paid in gold, rifles, and gaudy trinkets

for these captives were a gypsylike and notorious breed

of white and Mexican outcasts known as Comancheros.

Eventually, they came to be regarded as more savage

than the bands of renegades with whom they traded,

so that by 1873, the word Comanchero had become synonymous

with violence and terror.

And there was one particular place,

a rocky fortress buried deep in the Western wasteland,

that became a marketplace for their traffic in human misery.

Long after Lincoln's proclamation

had given the black man his freedom,

a white slave market flourished

in the heat and dust of the Southern Plains.

It was a place where families were split apart,

children were torn from mothers and wives from husbands.

And those who witnessed these tragedies called this place

the Valley of Tears.

Let me go.

All right, all right.

Everything's gonna be all right.

A few lucky ones are to be liberated from,

they think, the red savages.

Blue Jacket, how are you?

She's strong.

So is an ox.

Ma'am.

Well, how are you there?

Teeth.

Well, she's not much to look at but maybe she's got

a few years left in her. Britt, do you think so?

All right.

One jug of whiskey, the finest.

One rifle, the latest.

Two rifle.

If she was pretty-eyed, one.

Hm.

Britt.

Let me see the lass.

No.

Easy, just let me see the lass.

Two jugs of whiskey, two rifles.

Done.

Please, I'm her mother, you can't.

No!

Well, I see what caught your eye.

How old are you, darling?

How old are you?

Eighteen.

Eighteen.

And fresh.

And growing riper by the minute, I tell you.

I'm caught all over generous at this one, I sure am.

Two jugs of whiskey, two rifles.

Ah.

Well, what do you think, Britt, should I offer

the ignorant savage more for this one?

Yeah.

She looks a might timid to me.

It's a long way to Chihuahua.

Well, the lad's taken a liking to her, all right.

Two jugs of whiskey, two rifles...

and this.

Done.

Well, Britt, look here.

There's the hand of God in that face.

Auburn hair too.

That's rare south of the border.

I think maybe we can turn a darling profit with this one.

Who are you, husband?

Brother.

What are you good for?

Strong.

Good for work.

I'm not in that business.

The men I deal with are only interested in the ladies.

What about them silver mines at Santa Rita?

Seeing as how we're passing them up there,

we might get maybe a hundred for him.

One jug of whiskey.

You better take it or you'll wind up

shooting him like a lame horse anyway.

Done.

- I'm staying with... - Dan, no.

So, now we come to you, lass.

Britt, look at those eyes.

Green with flecks of fire and silken hair.

I ain't seen the likes of this since Dublin.

All right, three jugs of whiskey,

one full case of ammunition for them rifles of yours.

No trade.

Renegades.

Either you're looting and burning and scalping

or you're tryin' to cheat an ignorant old Irishman.

Hoxie, show the chief that thing that I took a fancy to

at the last mission.

That's it, yes.

Chief.

Nothing in this world grander

to drink your darling whiskey out of, believe me.

I keep.

What are you gonna do with her?

- What do you think? - Keep.

You take her for that.

Well, she's nothing more than a bloody child.

No want child.

- You take. - She needs me.

If she's with me, I won't be able to run.

If you separate us,

someway I'll find a way to cut your heart out.

She's right, Blue Jacket.

You take 'em both or you'll never get

a decent night's sleep, I promise you.

Oh, aye.

Where did you stray from, darling?

A long way from here.

Well, we're on our way to Mexico.

Would you care to join us?

Maybe your last chance out with a white man.

Well, what's the matter, darling?

- Do you got no use for a man? - When I see one.

- I'll pass on this one. - Why?

She's a troublemaker.

She'll have the other girls raising up in mutiny.

It's too bad.

I'd rather ride with you, Irishman.

Sorry, darling, but you're too strong for our blood,

used to frighten farm girls.

You'd be like putting a hornet in with the hens.

- Sorry. - Sure.

This is more like it.

Give him the chalice, Hoxie.

Mister?

Lawman?

My name's Dillon from Dodge City.

I'm McCloud, Josiah McCloud.

Rachel's my daughter-in-law and the girl,

Marcy's my granddaughter.

She's only seven years old.

Rachel's brother Dan, they took him too.

Was one of 'em wearing a blue cavalry jacket?

That's right.

Then it's him you're after.

You got any idea where they're taken 'em?

They'd be better off killed.

There's a place where people are being traded

and sold like livestock.

Slave market run by white renegades out of Mexico.

Find them.

Bring 'em back.

I'll try.

This slave market, do you have any idea what it's called?

A lot of things.

The people that have seen it call it Valley of Tears.

We're moving out.

Load 'em up.

Bring that team down here.

Get in there.

Move along, ladies.

Get in there now.

Keep moving.

Move towards the back there.

You... Inside.

You can't leave my sister with them.

Dan.

- Dan. - I'll do it, boy.

If they're fixing to kill him, don't get caught up in it.

I've seen worse in a Dublin pub.

Get the wagon ready to roll.

Easy there, will you?

Chief, don't let your lads bruise me merchandise.

You're a bloody fool.

Now get on your feet, we'll be getting outta here.

Buy her from that animal.

Pay him anything he wants, please.

Oh I'd like to, laddie,

but my ship has not come in as yet.

You know what she's in for.

Well, whatever it is,

it can't be worse than what we'd be taking her to.

My god, please.

Laddie, the Injun's got his heart set on her.

There's nothing even a man like me can do.

You're no better than them.