| Director | Ted Post |
|---|---|
| Genre | Western film |
| Country | United States |
Dave Harmon, a former lieutenant in the U.S. Army, is sent to Yuma as the territory's new U.S. Marshal. His wife was raped, and son killed and the only description of the criminals responsible was they were wearing army uniforms. Harmon subsequently becomes a marshal and takes postings near several army posts to conduct his own investigation. Yuma is a city with an army post commanded by Major Lucas and an Indian reservation nearby.
On first day has Harmon encounters two drunk criminals, the King brothers, who have just hijacked and robbed a stagecoach outside of town. Harmon sets about dealing with the brothers, arresting and jailing one for theft and killing the other in self-defense at the town saloon after provoking him into drawing his gun.
The second brother is subsequently shot in the back using a gun from the Marshal's office during a nighttime jail break organized by Sanders, a corrupt agent of the local freight company baron, in an effort to get the third King brother, an honest cattleman, to kill the Marshal.
The murderer also has the Major's subordinate, Captain White, assist him to the crime, as the freight owner, Sanders, and the Captain are all involved in an ongoing scheme to defraud the Native Americans out of cattle they need for food that is due them in accordance with a treaty.
The only witness to the break-in is Andres, a Mexican orphan boy who had earlier been taken in by Harmon. He was asleep on the floor in the jail when awoken by the noise of the break-in but only manages to see the boots of the killers - one pair being the distinct U.S. Cavalry boots worn by Captain White.
The third King brother rides into town and demands justice. He gives Harmon time to find the murderer but promises to take his vengeance if he fails. Harmon sets out to find the killer and unravel the related corruption involving the Native Americans, who threaten to revolt but come to his assistance as the story unfolds.