Westbound

Captain John Hayes is assigned to take charge of the Union's Overland stagecoach line, which ferries gold to support the war effort. He travels to Julesburg, Colorado to meet the Overland headquarters and assume command. The assignment sets the stage for alliances and conflicts that follow.

At the Overland HQ, Hayes meets Rod Miller, a one-armed Union soldier, and Miller's wife Jeannie. The encounter introduces a key trio who will influence the line's stability. Their dynamic hints at personal tensions to come.

Clay Putnam has quit his Overland position and secretly works for the Confederacy. He has the support of Mace and is married to Norma, Hayes's former love, creating a personal vendetta. This setup explains the antagonistic forces arrayed against Hayes.

Mace's bandits pick a fight with Rod Miller, taunting him as 'half a man' due to his missing arm. Rod is distraught and unable to cock a pistol, highlighting his vulnerability. The confrontation foreshadows the violence to come.

Hayes asks the Millers if they would operate the local Overland station from their own farm, hoping to keep the route running and protect shipments. Rod and Jeannie become more entangled with the Overland operation. The plan deepens the investment of the Miller family in the line.

To avoid direct bloodshed, Putnam urges Mace and his men to target Overland facilities instead. He also orders the theft of gold shipments to cripple the Union's supply line. The plan marks a slide toward calculated sabotage rather than open violence.

Putnam, consumed by jealousy over Norma and his fear of Hayes's influence, orders his men to avoid bloodshed. He hopes to keep his own hands clean while the operation proceeds. This internal conflict showcases Putnam's precarious control of the conspiracy.

One of Putnam's men attempts to kill Hayes but shoots Rod Miller by mistake. Rod survives the shooting but is gravely wounded and humiliated by his missing arm's vulnerability. The blunder escalates the danger facing Hayes and the Millers.

Mace orchestrates a deadly accident by sending a stagecoach off a cliff, killing several passengers including women and children. The atrocity shocks the town and galvanizes the locals around Hayes. Norma is revolted and decides to leave Putnam.

Norma, repelled by Putnam's actions, announces she will leave him and depart toward the East. She warns that Hayes's life should be protected and suggests that she would see Putnam hang if anything happens to him. Her decision marks a personal pivot in the conflict.

A final confrontation in town draws in the townspeople who rally around Hayes. Putnam confronts Mace to prevent more killings and is shot, ending his treacherous plans. Hayes shoots Mace in a climactic showdown, resolving the primary antagonists.

With Putnam dead and Mace defeated, Norma leaves town to live back East, severing the rivaling relationship. Hayes, meanwhile, appears to have a future with Jeannie, suggesting a reconciliation and a new life beyond the war. The ending emphasizes personal futures over political ones.