The Deserter

When his cavalry platoon is ambushed by Indians with red bandanas in a corn field, Lt. Matthew Ryan cowardly hides and watches them, including the man who saved his own life, Sgt. O'Connor, get slaughtered. After the bloodbath he picks up the Dead Man's Gun from O'Connors corpse, and heads back to the fort. Asked about what happened, he obviously lies, claiming that he heroically fought the Indians but everyone else was slaughtered despite his actions. He is believed, but when one of the troops believed dead returns to the fort and tries to tell the truth about Lt. Ryan, the commanding officer believes that the soldier himself is the one who ran off and is trying to cover his own behind. Lt. Ryan simply agrees, and watches in silence as the innocent man is hanged. He believes his ordeal is over, but the commander has one more job for him before they move out - to return to the battle site and bury the other men. He reluctantly agrees, and when they arrive and enter the field he s