1863....
And the war in the East-the Civil War-had drained the U.S. Army posts on the frontier of every able- bodied fighting man.
Fort Laramie was no exception.
It was manned by turn-coat secessionists, draft dodgers, wounded men and the scum of the frontier.
At least this is what certain civilians thought of the Fort's undermanned, overworked complement.
For a fact, how much protection could a valuable wagon train expect to get from two Rebs, a drunken mountain man, an Austrian deserter and a Cajun horse thief?
The Indians found out.