"Two Bits" 7 April 1956

"Two Bits", 7 April 1956, is the story of a former racehorse, probably named for his onetime price, bought by a US cavalry unit stationed at Fort Whipple, Arizona.

When there is a general uprising of Apaches threatening to wipe out Northern Arizona, a soldier "Sam" is sent by Captain Charles Carter at Fort Whipple, Arizona to request aid from Colonel Downey at Fort Wingate, 250 miles away in New Mexico. Of course there should have been other forts a lot closer than Fort Wingate.

Fort Whipple, Arizona, was founded in December 1863 and served as the territorial capital of Arizona until Prescott was founded in 1864. The US army finally abandoned it in 1913.

Fort Wingate, New Mexico was established near Seboyeta in 1849, moved to San Rafael in 1862, and moved to the former site of Fort Lyon in 1868, and closed in 1993.

Prescott was the territorial capital of Arizona Territory from 1864 to November 1, 1867 when the capital was moved to Tuscon, and again from 1877 to 1889. Since the Governor is mentioned as residing in Prescott, "Two Bits" might happen from 1864-1867, or 1877-1889. But the worries about a general uprising of Apaches makes it seem more likely to have been in 1864-1867, and certainly before 1886.

The episode uses a lot of clips from various western movies and TV shows. During a 4th of July celebration at Fort Whipple, there is a scene of cavalry wearing full dress uniforms, including spiked helmets inspired by Prussian pikelhaube adopted by the US cavalry in 1873. And I guess this could have been a scene was a real life cavalry full dress parade filmed about 1900, or else a scene from some rare and unusual old western movie that showed reasonably correct full dress cavalry uniforms.