User Reviews

As a U. S. Calvary regimen under the leadership of Major Glenn Vanscoy camps near Dodge City, some of the troops are allowed to travel into the town. One of the soldiers, Sergeant Spear, is given to drunkenness and becomes belligerent when intoxicated. A pair of soldiers under the Sergeant's command were caught attempting to dessert, and the Sergeant is using the attempt to force the men to do what he wants, as opposed to officially charging them with desertion.

When Sergeant Spear predictably gets drunk, he picks a fight with Festus Haggen. During the fight, Festus temporarily loses consciousness. The two soldiers are watching the action and seize upon the opportunity to attempt to kill the Sergeant by stabbing him.

The circumstantial evidence indicates Festus stabbed the Sergeant. To make matters worse, the wound is serious, and there is significant doubt Spear will survive.

Major Vanscoy demands Matt Dillon arrest Festus and turn him over to the Major for prosecution. Of course, no one in Dodge -- including the Marshal -- believes Festus is capable of such an act.

Will Sergeant Spear survive? Will the Major impose martial law? Will Festus be arrested? Will the true culprits get away with their crime? The answer to these questions will be revealed before the episode is complete.

Victor French, who became a frequent Gunsmoke guest over the last half of the series run, is Sergeant Spear in this story. A pre-Archie Bunker Carroll O'Connor fills the roles of Major Vanscoy. French and O'Connor deliver good performances, as they usually did in any roles they played.

This is an entertaining episode, but, other than the fine performances by the actors, there is not a lot about it that is truly memorable or outstanding. I think at least part of the reasoning for this is the way the story is presented to the viewer. There is not much suspense to grip the viewer, as we have information that remains a mystery to the characters in the story.

A Yankee Sergeant (Victor French) gets into a dust up with Festus. Festus gets on him like ugly on an ape, globing on him harder than when Uncle Herkel faced down that group of hen snatchers back home. When Festus is plumb knocked out for just a moment or two, the Yankee Sergeant gets stabbed by two of his Soldier Boys.

Major Glory (Carrol O'Conner) demands that Matt stifles himself and hand over Festus before daybreak or he'll declare Marshal Law and take over the town.

Marshal Dillon not wanting Marshal Law setups a scheme to catch the dingbats who took a poke at the Yankee Sergeant (who looks a lot like Ol' Dan Tucker). The scheme unfolds in a stable with the offending Soldier Boys facing down Marsha Dillion and Major Glory.