The Great Sioux Massacre

The film opens with a formal board of inquiry examining Major Marcus Reno's conduct at the Little Bighorn. Captain Benton is summoned to testify, but instead of merely answering questions, he declares that he will tell his own version of the 'true story' through flashback. The frame establishes Benton as the narrator and sets the stage for a counter-narrative to the official account.

Benton arrives in 1875 with his detachment, escorting Mrs. Turner, the wife of the local Indian agent. Indians attack the party and abduct Mrs. Turner, throwing Benton's mission into doubt. Dakota’s warnings and the ensuing pursuit foreshadow the harsher reality of frontier conflict.

Dakota counsels against immediate pursuit, arguing that deceptive trails could lure them into ambush. Benton and Dakota encounter a wounded Indian, whom Dakota shoots, sarcastically noting that the man will no longer starve on an Indian reservation. The moment deepens Benton's distrust of the war's methods and motives.

Benton faces Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and presents his side of events. Custer validates Benton’s decision to follow Dakota's advice, signaling early alliance but also hinting at later tensions between personal loyalty and strategic risk. This exchange helps establish the dynamic between Benton and Custer.

At a fort dress ball, Reno drunkenly proclaims himself ‘Major General’ and demands to be saluted, exposing lingering North-South rivalries. Custer handles the riffraff with goodwill, attempting reconciliation, while Reno’s arrogance foreshadows further conflict. Benton informs Caroline that her family line has fallen, highlighting the fragile pride at the fort.

Benton and Custer meet Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull to negotiate Mrs. Turner’s release. The Indians demand the release of their own prisoners; Custer proposes a grim compromise—hang the Indian leaders if Mrs. Turner is not freed. The Indians reluctantly agree, and Mrs. Turner is released.

Before departure, the captive Indians attempt a desperate escape, which ends in slaughter. The brutal outcome underscores the merciless nature of the frontier conflict and cements Benton's growing disillusionment with how the war is being prosecuted. The event also foreshadows the larger massacre to come.

In Washington, Custer accuses federal politicians of corruption, including Orvil Grant. The political backlash threatens to derail his career, revealing how national politics intersect with frontier campaigns. The episode marks a turning point in Custer’s relationship with the political establishment.

General Terry informs Benton that the 7th Cavalry will be reorganized and offers him command and a brevet promotion. Benton declines, choosing loyalty to Custer and his own sense of duty over a rise in rank. This decision signals a shift in Benton’s role within the army.

Terry then offers the same command to Reno, but Caroline browbeats her father, prompting him to reject as well. Reno ultimately rejects the offer yet begins a personal turn toward stability by blessing Benton’s engagement to Caroline and giving up drinking. The moment highlights the fraying personal loyalties amid military strain.

Senator Blaine visits Custer in Washington and tries to lure him into a presidential bid based on frontier exploits. A newspaper journalist is assigned to Custer, then sent back to his regiment without a court-martial, shaping the public narrative. The encounter reveals how media and politics influence military fate.

Benton notices Custer’s empathy for Native Americans fading as he pushes for glory through war. Custer personally shoots deserters in the back, including the scout Dakota who had defected to the Indian side. Benton's protest leads to his arrest, illustrating the growing rift between command and conscience.

Indians who had aided Benton earlier intervene to free him from arrest, recognizing his efforts to aid their people during the aborted escape. This act of mercy underscores Benton’s complex alliance with Native Americans. It also foreshadows the larger conflict that will engulf the force.

Benton warns Colonel Custer of a massed Indian army assembling from several tribes. Custer remains wary of the warning and proceeds to divide his forces, a decision that weakens his position. The rift between caution and overconfidence intensifies as the campaign moves toward its climactic clash.

The final sequence culminates in a climactic engagement that mirrors the historical Little Bighorn. Custer’s divided command and the vastly larger Native force overwhelm the Seventh Cavalry, ending in a catastrophic loss. The battle serves as the grim culmination of Benton’s narrative and a cautionary tale about leadership and war.