User Reviews

The episode opens with the Cavalry parading down the streets of Dodge with twenty-three soldiers that had been killed at Cold Creek during an Indian ambush. One of the dead is the brother of a hot-head named Will Bailey. Mr Bailey blames the Cavalry's scout named Amos Cartwright for the ambush. It seems that Amos has lives with the Indians and even married one of them. Plus the fact that Amos was the only one that lived through the ambush makes people believe that he knew something was amiss.

While Bailey is making accusations Amos rides into town to confront Bailey. While Marshal puts a stop the the gunfight it is not long before Amos has had enough and kills Bailey. Amos the flees Dodge and rambles along on the prairie.

With Matt and Chester on his trail they also notice that Amos is being followed by an Indian. They are not sure of the reason until they find Amos that reveals the entire story.

Another classic western tale that was entertaining to watch. Anytime you have Indians, Cavalry and trouble- you know that it's going to raise interest. Good Watch.

This Season 1 episode begins somberly with a U. S. Calvary unit riding into Dodge City with twenty-three dead soldiers that were ambushed by Comanches at Cold Creek. (This is one of the few episodes from the first season that does not open with Matt Dillon walking around Boot Hill with a James Arness voiceover.) Several of the Dodge City residents line the streets to watch the procession.

Will Bailey is watching the procession. His brother is among the dead soldiers. He blames Amos Cartwright for the deaths and vows revenge. Cartwright is a white man who serves as a scout for the Calvary. He is the only survivor of the twenty-four men that were ambushed.

Bailey hates the Comanche and plans to form a posse to go after and kill any American Indians he and the posse can find, but he especially hates Cartwright because he married a Comanche woman and lived with them for some time.

Cartwright soon learns Bailey is making threats. He confronts Bailey in a tense moment in the Long Branch Saloon. Matt Dillon intervenes and stops any bloodshed, but Cartwright tells Bailey he will see him later.

(Note: In the earlier episodes of Gunsmoke, food is sometimes served in the Long Branch, as in this episode where Kitty Russell tells Matt the cook has prepared a stew Matt likes. As the series progressed, there would be occasional scenes where sandwiches were available, but never any hot meals.)

Veteran actor Eduard Franz portrays Amos Cartwright in this story. As a younger man, Franz appeared in numerous films. In 1951 he portrayed Dr. Stern in the film The Thing from Another World, in which James Arness played the monster alien. As he aged and television became more popular, he found success guest starring in various series. Franz has the distinction of being the only actor that appeared only in the first and last season of Gunsmoke. His two roles in the series took place twenty years apart.

DeForest Kelley (credited as DeForrest Kelley) appears as the character Will Bailey in his only Gunsmoke appearance. Kelly was a frequent guest in westerns throughout the 1950s and early 1960s prior to his iconic role as Leonard "Bones" McCoy in Star Trek: The Original Series and the first six Star Trek movies.

"Indian Scout" is an episode that distinguishes Gunsmoke from other series of the time. The story has a dark, ominous tone, and John Dunkel's script does not pull any punches. The Amos Cartwright character in particular finds himself caught in the quintessential no-win situation. One gets the sense that past events in his life have led him to stop caring much whether he lives or dies.

As with many of the first season episodes, this episode was originally one of the radio broadcasts. Dunkel wrote both the radio story and the television screenplay.

Beware: some versions of this episode have key scenes removed either for additional commercial time or due to inferior quality prints. (I know of at least one DVD version of the episode where an important scene with the Will Bailey character is removed.)

I'll stop far short of the reviewer "kfo9494" who seems to think that a review is the same as a plot summary (grrrr) and I'll agree with reviewer "dougdoepke" on his excellent opinon... This episode was well acted and suspenseful; in fact I think that the series is hitting its stride during these installments.

Mild actor spoiler follows, one that any fan of American TV should spot... DeForrest Kelley (as he's billed here) looks quite cro-mag in this episode and it was cool to see his face, unexpectedly, on this episode. In case you don't know, he was famous for playing "Bones" on Star trek.

Strong first year entry and one of John Dunkel's best screenplays. Opening scene is a grabber as retrieval posse caravans down Front Street with bodies of 23 men killed in battle with Comanches. Only the Indian scout, a white man who's lived with Comanches, has survived. Brother of one of the slain vows revenge on the scout, suspecting he led the party into an ambush because of his Indian loyalties. In front of Matt and others he insults scout who will not take the insults lightly. They are two strong-willed men now at loggerheads.

Best part is rather mysterious nature of the scout whose loyalties are not always predictable, making him a rather unusual character for the series-- which is uppermost, his white heritage or his Indian adopted family? The climax presents a satisfying and thoughtful resolution. However, veteran actor Eduard Franz severely underplays his role as the scout, thus undercutting much of the power of the climax, while the cheap-jack exterior set which is supposed to blend with the fine location shot of Comanches silhouetted against the sky robs the half-hour of classic status. Nonetheless, the story remains an engaging and thought-provoking one.