Bugles in the Afternoon

Shafter is court-martialed for striking Lt. Edward Garnett. He insists his action was in defense of his fiancée's honor, not aggression. The court finds him guilty as charged and cashiered from the US Army.

After his dismissal, Shafter drifts for a while and decides to reenlist as a private. He heads toward Dakota Territory and enlists at Fort Abraham Lincoln. On the journey to the fort, he meets Josephine Russell while waiting to board a stagecoach to Fargo.

Shafter is assigned to the 7th Cavalry under Capt. Moylan and given the rank of sergeant. He is pleased to serve under an old friend and former sergeant major, Moylan, but there is an undercurrent of tension as Garnett is nearby.

Shafter learns that Lt. Garnett is at Fort Lincoln, now a captain and commander of one of the companies. The discovery foreshadows a growing rivalry between the two officers that will shape many decisions to come.

Shafter befriends Private Donovan, formerly a sergeant who lost his rank after punching the Sergeant Major. The two are assigned to investigate the murder of local miners by Sioux tribesmen, a dangerous assignment that pulls them into hostile territory.

As the risky missions continue, Moylan realizes that Garnett is deliberately putting Shafter in harm's way. Moylan begins to plot a way to clear Shafter and protect him, aiming to shield his friend from Garnett's schemes.

Garnett pursues Josephine romantically, while she remains unaware of the history between the two men. Shafter strikes Garnett in a moment of boiling frustration, angering Josephine and heightening the feud between them.

The unit departs with Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer to engage the Sioux. The march marks a turning point as tensions within the company rise under the looming threat of war.

Garnett sends Shafter, Donovan, and another soldier on a scouting mission, claiming there are no Sioux warriors in the vicinity despite having seen them through his binoculars. The trio soon comes under the shadow of a large Sioux war party and barely makes it back, Donovan being fatally wounded in the attempt.

Shafter witnesses the collapse of Custer's command as the Sioux attack in force. He fights to regroup with his own company amid the chaos and endures the brutal toll of the battle.

Garnett pursues Shafter during a separate skirmish and the two clash. In the struggle, Garnett tries to drop a large rock on Shafter, but Shafter is knocked unconscious.

As Garnett is fatally shot by a Sioux warrior just as he is about to strike, Moylan arrives and kills the warrior. Moylan also tells Shafter that he witnessed the end of Garnett's confrontation.

Shafter and Moylan regroup with their command to fight the Sioux, and Shafter is shot during the final engagement. The two fight alongside their men as the siege closes in.

Thanks to Moylan's intervention, Shafter's rank and reputation are restored and his status as captain is renewed. The vindication strengthens his leadership within the unit.

With the dust settled, Josephine now sees Shafter as the man she wants. Their relationship gains depth as they face an uncertain future together.