''The Battle of Rogue River'' is a 1954 American Western film starring

George Montgomery George Montgomery may refer to: * George Montgomery (actor) (1916–2000), American actor *George Leslie Montgomery (c. 1727–1787), Irish Member of Parliament *George Montgomery (set decorator) (1899–1951), American set decorator * George Thoma ...

, Martha Hyer, and Richard Denning, directed by William Castle and produced by Sam Katzman. The screenplay is written by Douglas Heyes. It is set during the

Rogue River Wars The Rogue River Wars were an armed conflict in 1855–1856 between the U.S. Army, local militias and volunteers, and the Native American tribes commonly grouped under the designation of Rogue River Indians, in the Rogue River Valley area o ...

in the Oregon Territory but features the standard costumes of a post American Civil War western and was filmed on the Newhall Ranch, California.

Plot

In the Oregon Territory prior to the American Civil War, Chief Mike ( Michael Granger) has fought the US Army and the white settlers to a standstill. As a result, the post commander Major Wallach ( Willis Bouchey) is replaced by Major Archer (

). On the way to the fort, Major Archer's troop of cavalry accompanied by two

field gun A field gun is a field artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march, that when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances ( field artille ...

s spot an ambush by Chief Mike's Indians. Major Archer orders one of the guns to fire knocking down a tree and panicking the "braves" who suffer no casualties. On arrival at the Fort, Major Wallach has allowed the use of his barracks to recruit more Irregulars for Stacey Wyatt ( Richard Denning) who accompany the regulars on their military expeditions. As the recruiting involves free alcohol and kisses by women to the volunteers (and to their Regular comrades-in-arms) Major Archer is furious and immediately takes command of the post to reinstall military discipline, retrain the men and plan another expedition. No one is more outraged than Sergeant Major McClain's ( Emory Parnell) daughter Brett ( Martha Hyer) who thinks Archer inhuman. An emissary of Chief Mike comes to arrange a meeting between the new commander to discuss peace but Major Archer initially refuses until orders come for him to negotiate with the Indians. The Major and Chief meet with each respecting each other and arranging a thirty-day truce with the Indians and whites not crossing either side of the Rogue River. Wyatt is secretly employed to keep the Indian wars going by a consortium of the territory's business community (mining, ranching, lumber, fur trade) who oppose Statehood that would ruin their profits. Wyatt tricks Sgt Major McClain into breaking the treaty by telling him the Indians have attacked a white settlement leading to all but McClain killed after they attack an Indian settlement.

Cast

References

External links

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Review of film
at Variety 1954 films 1954 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by William Castle Films set in Oregon Films set in the 1880s Western (genre) cavalry films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-Western-film-stub