A Distant Trumpet

In 1883, Matthew Hazard, a newly graduated lieutenant from West Point, is assigned to Fort Delivery on the Mexican border in the Arizona Territory. He begins his service at a remote outpost marked by harsh terrain and isolated duties. The stage is set for frontier conflict and the challenges of command on the border.

Soon after arriving at Fort Delivery, Hazard encounters Kitty, who is married to Lieutenant Teddy Mainwaring. The meeting introduces key personal stakes and foreshadows future involvement with Kitty. The fort’s tense atmosphere provides a backdrop for their initial interaction.

During an Indian attack, Hazard comes to Kitty’s aid and rescues her from danger. The act establishes Hazard’s competence and bravery in the line of duty. The rescue deepens the interwoven relationships at the fort and heightens the stakes for subsequent events.

Major General Alexander Quaint arrives at Fort Delivery to conduct an official inquiry into alleged illegal and prejudicial actions by elements of the fort’s command. The inquiry aims to expose abuses and property destruction tied to the fort’s leadership. Tension rises as officers await the findings and consequences.

After the inquiry, Quaint apologizes to the officers for the mock proceedings and proceeds to outline a plan to capture Chiricahua Apache chief War Eagle. The plan reframes Hazard’s role from subject to key operative in a larger political objective. The atmosphere shifts as military strategy takes precedence over personal concerns.

Hazard is dispatched across the border into northern Mexico to locate War Eagle and persuade him to surrender. The mission tests Hazard’s endurance through harsh desert landscapes and dangerous frontline conditions. It marks a turning point where diplomacy and coercion intersect on the frontier.

Hazard engages War Eagle and asks for surrender, offering a promise of safe haven at a reservation near their ancestral homeland in Arizona. The encounter blends negotiation with high-stakes risk and personal responsibility. War Eagle’s decision becomes a linchpin for the unfolding policy debate.

On the return to Fort Delivery, Hazard and War Eagle’s party are met by Major Miller, an officer who has shifted from common ranks to authority and intends to exile the Indians to Florida. The encounter pits Hazard’s negotiated promises against a hardline policy. It crystallizes the moral and political conflicts at stake.

Hazard is presented the Congressional Medal of Honor in Washington, D.C., a moment that elevates his status but also places him at the center of the policy confrontation. He uses the occasion to urge reversal of the exile plan and to advocate keeping his promise to War Eagle. The ceremony becomes a public platform for institutional debate.

In a bold public act before press and family, Hazard returns his Medal of Honor and resigns from the Army. General Quaint also resigns in solidarity with Hazard’s stance. The two resignations signal a dramatic dissent within the military leadership and set the stage for political intervention.

The Secretary of War remains steadfast, refusing to reverse the decision to exile War Eagle’s people, prompting renewed political maneuvering. Quaint and others seek presidential intervention, bringing the matter to the attention of the highest executive office. The stakes shift from military procedure to national policy.

President Chester A. Arthur overrules the War Department’s stance and orders the release of the Indian prisoners. This decisive intervention reverses the exile policy and reopens the possibility of settlement and safeguards for War Eagle’s people. The decision restores credibility to Hazard’s original promise and alters Fort Delivery’s fate.

With the policy crisis resolved, Hazard is promoted to Captain and assigned as the new commanding officer of Fort Delivery. He also marries Kitty, the widow of Teddy Mainwaring, tying together professional achievement and personal reconciliation. The frontier chapter closes with Hazard firmly in command and a new life begun.