In Wyoming Territory, army Major Ives and his men are building a temporary camp. The civilian surveyor, Mr. Keats is making preparations for the construction of a large permanent fort. However, the future fort is being erected on Cheyenne lands, in defiance of the treaty. Adam Reed is a self employed scout with friendly ties to the Cheyenne. Upset about the construction of the new fort on their lands, the Cheyenne ask scout Reed to contact Major Ives and deliver their message of grievance to him. The symbolic message consists of a yellow tomahawk as a warning against the building of a new fort in the area. Reed delivers the warning message to Major Ives but he is not taken serious. Major Ives lectures Reed about the need of bringing civilization to the lands that otherwise would go to waste under the savages. Reed retorts that Major Ives' only duty is to escort wagon trains of settlers passing through Cheyenne territory rather than build new forts in violation of the treaty. Reed also mentions the fact that Major Ives has a bad reputation with the Cheyenne who call him 'the Butcher' because of past massacres committed against Indians. Major Ives refuses to heed Reed's warnings, calls Reed a traitor and orders him to remain in the army camp to prevent him from returning to the Cheyenne. Reed obeys but warns everyone in the camp of a major Cheyenne attack. Major Ives orders the hurried construction of a reinforced defensive compound. Also in the camp are the families of the soldiers, a Mexican scout and his Indian squaw, the fiancee of one of the officers and a gold prospector who just happened to arrive there. Major Ives' determination to stay and defy the Cheyenne is not all due to his patriotism and courage. The Major also hides a terrible personal secret.