Rio Grande

Yay! They're coming! They're coming!

Sick call!

Corpsman!

"A" troop.

Fores right. Yo!

Fores right. Yo!

Troop, halt!

Halt!

Gentlemen, congratulations.

Thank you, sir.

Indian scouts...

yuh-te.

Yuh-te!

When you're dismissed...

you will walk your horses for half an hour...

then water and picket them.

The sutler's store will remain open until 12:00.

Let them have some beer.

We thank the colonel.

That's a fine idea.

Officers post. Gallop.

Prepare to dismount!

Dismount!

To the left!

Good evening.

Good evening, sir.

Good evening, sir.

Have a cup of your own coffee?

I've been thinking of nothing else...

for the last two hours.

Tough, huh?

Tough, sir.

I haven't had a cup of duty coffee with you...

since we rode down the Shenandoah together.

Fifteen years ago, wasn't it?

Fifteen years, two months...

seven days.

How did you fare on patrol?

Had a running fight for 30-odd miles.

We captured Natchez, their chief...

eight others before the Apaches reached the Rio Grande...

and crossed into Mexico.

Pursuant to orders...

I halted on our side of the river.

Men didn't like it very much.

Neither did you.

Neither do I, but that's the policy...

and soldiers don't make policy. They merely carry it out.

The State Department could do something.

Yes. They'll write a sharp note of protest...

if you care to read sharp notes of protest.

I'll declaim them over the graves of the troopers...

who were guarding the water holes.

Three of them staked face down on anthills.

You've got the dirtiest job in the army.

No doubt of that.

I'm not complaining, sir. I get paid for it.

Maybe you should complain.

I'll listen.

This coffee isn't as good as it used to be.

I'll make a note of that.

Maybe someday it'll get better and stronger.

I'll drink to that, sir.

Stronger.

Too bad about your son.

I hadn't heard.

Oh, I'm sorry, Kirby.

I thought you knew.

He failed mathematics at West Point...

and they've dropped him from the military academy.

Indeed.

Oh, it's no disgrace failing mathematics.

I missed it myself by the skin of my teeth.

I haven't seen my son in 15 years.

Yes, I know.

Kirby, this coffee's weak, but it's all we have.

More?

If it's all we have.

Hup left. Hut.

Knock it off! Knock it off!

Left face!

Aye, you're a fine body of men.

Put your bags down.

This is your home, so make yourselves comfortable.

Aye...

I bid you all welcome to Fort Starke...

recruits that you are.

But in no time at all, you'll be soldiers.

Sure.

Why, in less than six months...

with good behaviour and hard work...

you'll be wearing yellow stripes on your britches.

Would you mind putting your cap back on your head, son?

No, not at all, doc.

Did any of youse ever ride a horse?

Yeah, some.

Answer the roll call.

- Adams. - Present.

- Baker. - Yo!

- Boone. - Yes, sir?

- Boone. - Yeah?

Just say "yo".

Yo.

- Carroll. - Yo!

- Dirks. - Yo!

- Eaton. - Yo!

- Franklin. - Yo!

- Hackenschmidt. - Yo!

- Ives. - Yo!

- Murphy. - Here!

- Perkins. - Yo!

- Selby. - Present.

- Tyree. - Yo!

- Yorke. - Present, sir.

All right. Pick up your bags.

Left face!

As you were, sergeant.

I don't want you to be fooled about what's coming up for you...

torture.

At least that.

The war department promised me 180 men.

They sent me 18, all told.

You are the 18.

So each of you will have to do the work of 10 men.

If you fail, I'll...

have you spread-eagled on a wagon wheel.

If you desert, you'll be found...

tracked down and broken into bits.

That is all.

Forward. Hey!

Hut, two, three, four.

Hut, two, three, four.

Trooper Yorke, sir.

I haven't seen you for 15 years.

So I've been told, sir.

I have no clear memory.

You proved that when you failed at West Point.

Yes, sir.

Where did you enlist?

At Highland Falls, sir. Next day.

Lied about your age.

Recruit training?

Jefferson Barracks, sir.

Hmm.

On the official records, you're my son.

But on this post, you're just another trooper.

You heard me tell the recruits what I need from them.

Twice that I will expect from you.

At Chapultepec...

my father, your grandfather...

shot for cowardice the son of a United States senator.

That was his duty.

I will do mine.

You've chosen my way of life.

I hope you have the guts to endure it.

But put out of your mind... any romantic ideas that it's a way of glory.

It's a life of suffering and of hardship...

an uncompromising devotion to your oath and your duty.

Have I the colonel's permission to speak?

Within proper limits, yes.

I didn't ask to come to this regiment, sir...

but I wouldn't have it otherwise now that I'm here.

May I also put something straight?

Proceed.

I'm not in this post to call you father.

I was ordered here as Trooper Jefferson Yorke...

of the United States Cavalry.

That's all I wish to be, sir.

Then we understand each other.

We do, sir.

Sergeant Major?

The recruits are for field duty as of now.

Dismissed.

Trooper Yorke.

What are you waiting for?

Trooper Yorke expects his salute to be returned.

Military regulations, sir.

Quincannon.

Can't you go around faster?

Keep your heads down! That's it!

Hey, hey!

Keep it coming now!

You got it made!

There we go!

Once again and faster!

Put it up another notch.

Give 'em a good jump.

See how easy it is?

When I was a young man like yourselves...

I could jump nine feet tall...

with an Indian under each arm.

What tribe?

Once again and faster!

Horsemen. Ha ha!

Yaah!

Appears to me they make a lot of fuss...

jumping a horse over some sticks.

Yo.

That's a six-foot jump, Travis.

Give them their heads.