 Its 1853 and the Gadsden Purchase has just brought part of Mexico into the United States. An Army Major has been sent to Tucson to make peace with the Indians. He is successful with Cochise, the Apache leader, but Cochise is unable to get the Comanches to agree. The Apaches then turn back a raid by the Comanches. There is a man in Tucson that wants the Indian war against the Americans to continue and when a stray Army rifle is found and it kills Cochise s woman, it appears the Apaches will break the peace treaty.