In 1883, U.S. Army Cavalry 2nd Lieutenant Matthew Hazard, newly graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York (on the Hudson River), is assigned to isolated Fort Delivery on the Mexican border of the Arizona Territory in the early 1880s, where he meets 1st Lieutenant Teddy Mainwarring's wife Kitty, whom he later rescues from an Indian attack.

After a long arduous trip south across the border in desolate deserts and buttes, canyons with dry ravines, and gulches, Lt.

Hazard meets War Eagle and asks him to surrender and return with him on the promise that the Indians will be provided a safe haven at a reservation near their ancient tribal homeland in Arizona.

En route back to the fort, they encounter a Major Miller, an officer who rose from the ranks, who was sent out to meet the surrendering Indian party and take them into custody as prisoners to be sent instead to exile in Florida.

[11] Significant changes were made from Horgan's novel in reversing the character traits of the female leads, making Kitty Mainwarring the object of Hazard's affections and Laura the negative personality; and altering the narrative's climax (and history), by reversing the fate of the Apaches from their historic removal to Florida and restoring the male protagonists to full duty, thereby negating Hazard's point-of-honor refusal of the congressional Medal of Honor and resignation from the Army, which was the basis for the entire storyline.

[12] In his review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called the film: A deadly bore...so dull you even lose interest in watching the horses and the stunt men doing their stuff...Seldom has there been a Western picture on which so much money was spent...from which so little excitement, energy or colorfulness exudes.

"[13]Variety said: The stunning location terrain of the Red Rocks area of New Mexico and Arizona's Painted Desert gives the production a tremendous pictorial lift.

[14]Time Out New York feels that despite "an average script and a colourless lead performance from Donahue" the film "[emerges] as a majestically simple, sweeping cavalry Western, a little reminiscent of Ford in mood and manner.

Brilliantly shot by William Clothier, it tends to have its cake and eat it by indulging in a spectacular massacre before introducing the liberal message, but still goes further than most in according respect to the Indian by letting him speak his own language (with subtitles).

"[15] Peter Bogdanovich called the film: One of Walsh's weakest pictures, caused mainly by an intolerably bad cast and a predictable script.