War Arrow

Major Howell Brady is sent from Washington, D.C. to Fort Clark, Texas to quell a Kiowa uprising terrorizing white settlements and Seminole villages. He argues for fast-moving small units to engage the Kiowa, warning that piecemeal assaults would invite heavy losses. The post commander Colonel Meade resists this strategy, fearing the odds would be against his troops.

With his two sergeants, Brady enlists the Seminole chief Maygro by paying him $500 and promising food and land. They arm 25 Seminoles with Henry repeating rifles and train them in counter-guerrilla tactics. The plan is to lure Kiowa into ambushes and strike when they are most vulnerable.

At Fort Clark, Brady meets Elaine Corwin, the widow of a cavalry officer, and a romance begins to develop. The relationship raises personal stakes for Brady's mission. Their bond becomes a quiet counterpoint to the battlefield action.

Brady's forces repel a Kiowa attack and he spots a white man with the Kiowa, recovering an engraved sabre that belonged to Captain R. G. Corwin. The Kiowa prisoner is tortured to confirm that Corwin is still alive. This revelation ties Elaine's past husband into the present conflict.

Colonel Meade fails to deliver promised food to the Seminoles, prompting Maygro to lead his people away from the fort. Brady steps in, stealing food from the fort and delivering it to Maygro to maintain their alliance. The rift between Brady and Meade widens as tensions rise.

Brady is jailed for stealing food, but Elaine and some Seminoles intervene to secure his release. The incident underscores the fragility of Brady's authority within the fort. It also demonstrates the Seminoles' continued support for his plan.

Brady returns to warn Meade that the Kiowa are preparing to attack Fort Clark, but Meade ignores him as the fort is defended by only about 20 men because he is away pursuing the Kiowa. The looming assault raises the stakes for Brady's counter-attack plan. The situation tests the defenders' resolve.

A cavalry patrol returns with the same warning that the Kiowa are preparing to attack Fort Clark. Brady's warning is now vindicated, and the troops brace for a decisive engagement. The sense of urgency heightens as the enemy draws near.

A fierce battle erupts as the Kiowa attack Fort Clark. Brady and the Seminoles fight alongside the dwindling garrison to repel the attackers. The defenders prevail, preserving the fort against overwhelming odds.

Among the dead is Captain R. G. Corwin, revealed as a traitor who had collaborated with a group of Mexicans to incite war. The battle exposes the internal threat that had haunted the fort. The death marks a turning point in the conflict.

With the Kiowa threat defeated, Fort Clark holds and Brady's unorthodox strategy is vindicated. Elaine's relationship with Brady remains, and the fort begins to recover from the siege. The episode ends with a sense of uneasy peace settling over the post.