US Cavalry captain Joseph J. Blocker is about to retire in 1892 after a career of protecting Wild West pioneer families by fighting Indian 'savages' from various tribes. Under a presidential order, regimental colonel Abraham Biggs must force him to lead a patrol to return long-imprisoned, terminally-ill Cheyenne chief Yellow Hawk and his four relatives from Fort Berringer, New Mexico, to their Montana native land, the Valley of the Bears, as a 'humanitarian gesture'. Joe's hatred for Indians and cruelty to his charges are kindled as they pass a burnt homestead and take along fresh widow Rosalee Quaid, helping to bury her children. But on the long way, they must pull together to fight off Apache and Comacnhe war parties, where the Cheyenne warrior skills prove invaluable and they manage to bond with Rosalie, while cavalry man fall, including gentle recruit private Philippe DeJardin and one of Joe's old comrades in arms. On the way Rosalie declines settling with commanding lieutenant colonel Ross McCowan's family in a garrison but Joe accepts to deliver to his murder trial a comrade gone rogue, who proves most troublesome. At arrival, Joe's loyalties have shifted and he deals with the illegally hostile reception of the local rancher.—KGF Vissers