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A Play in Three Acts

written for student performance at

**Fort Scott National Historic Site**

**Cast of characters**

Narrator

Dragoon Officer

**Act one**

Dragoon Officer

Santa Fe Trader

Jacob Snively-Leader of Texas \"freebooters\"

Dragoon Sergeant

Dragoon Privates (5)

Texas Freebooters (5)

**Act two**

Dragoon Officer

Oregon Pioneers-The McLain Family

Bill McLain-a scout for the expedition

John McLain-Bill's brother and head of the expedition

Carolyn Mc Lain-John's wife

Rebecca McLain-John and Carolyn's 16 year old daughter

Pawnee Chief

Pawnee Indians (5)

**Act three**

Dragoon Officer

Mexican Lancer

The ranger has the option of playing either the narrator or the dragoon
officer doing the reminiscing. A teacher or parent will be asked to play
the other role. Three different students should play the dragoon officer
in each of the different time periods. Other speaking roles include the
Santa Fe trader, Jacob Snively, a Texas freebooter, two pioneer men and
two pioneer women, the Pawnee chief, five Pawnee Indians, and the
Mexican Lancer. Non-speaking roles include five dragoon soldiers and
five Texas freebooters for Act One.

**Introduction**

**Narrator**: The story you are about to hear is historical fiction.
Most of the individuals depicted in this play did not really exist.
However, the events discussed are actual events and the dialogue
represents the point of view of the characters involved.

The year is 1855. The map of the nation has changed dramatically in the
last decade. As a result of the Mexican War, the nation now has
territory stretching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. California was
granted statehood in 1850. The notion of a Permanent Indian Frontier
beyond which white settlement would be forbidden is now a dead issue.
With the demise of the frontier, Fort Scott was abandoned in 1853.
Kansas Territory was organized in 1854. With the opening of Kansas to
settlement, the buildings of the fort were sold at public auction and
the fort became the nucleus of the new town of Fort Scott.

A dragoon officer formerly stationed at Fort Scott has now returned to
live in the town of Fort Scott and is writing about his experiences
while stationed here. As he writes we see flashbacks of his experiences.

**Act One**

**Dragoon Officer**: When the fort was first established, we were
charged with keeping the whites and Indians out of each other\'s
territory and to keep the Indians at peace with each other. We
encountered very little trouble from the Indians, however and found
ourselves assigned to construction duties at the fort. Several of the
privates were discontent, claiming they did not join the army to build
houses. It seemed to them that they spent more time learning to use an
axe and shovel than they did their muskets. Life at the fort was not
very exciting for the officers, either, but at least there was good
hunting in the area.

The first real excitement came in May of 1843, when we were ordered to
join an expedition of dragoons from Leavenworth out on the Santa Fe
Trail. Our mission was to protect trade along the trail and to escort a
caravan headed for Santa Fe. We'd heard rumors that men from Texas were
attacking the caravans and when news reached us that a Mexican trader
was murdered, we were ordered to investigate.

*(The characters in Act One: the dragoon officer for Act One, the
dragoon sergeant and privates for Act One, the Santa Fe trader, Snively,
and the Texas freebooters will now come forward. The Santa Fe trader
will be seated on the front of the wagon.)*

**Narrator**: We now flash to a scene along the Santa Fe Trail,
somewhere near what is now Dodge City, Kansas. The scene begins with a
conversation between a Santa Fe trader and the dragoon officer.

**Trader:** I am grateful for the military escort. The reports of Texans
raiding along the trail are very disturbing. This journey has enough
dangers without being attacked by Texans. I've been traveling the trail
for five years now and have seen just about every danger imaginable.

**Dragoon**: What kind of dangers have you experienced?

**Trader:** Last summer was so dry that the wagon wheels began to shrink
and the iron tires began to come off. We had to stop every so often to
take the wheels off the wagon and dip them into the water so that the
wood would swell again. That really delayed us in making the return
journey. We got caught in an autumn blizzard and lost half of our mules.
The year before last we had such heavy rain that parts of the trail
washed away and we had to cross some swollen streams. Many of the goods
that I was carrying were washed away.

**Dragoon:** What goods are you carrying?

**Trader:** I've got everything from playing cards to parasols, but the
biggest moneymaker is cotton cloth.

**Dragoon:** What do you get in exchange?

**Trader:** Silver is what they usually pay us in, but we also get
horses and mules.

**Dragoon**: Have you had much trouble with Indians?

**Trader:** I personally have not. But during the late twenties, Indians
started attacking the wagons, so several of the traders begged the U.S.
Army for protection.

**Dragoon:** Yes, and the infantry was sent out to provide protection
for the caravans, but soldiers on foot aren't much of a match for
Indians on horseback. That's why the 1st Regiment of Dragoons was
organized in 1833. *(He sees the freebooters up the trail.)* I see
trouble up ahead. I'd better be going.

**Narrator**: At this point, the dragoons have encountered a group of
Texas "freebooters" who have been plundering the trade along the trail.
They are under the command of a Jacob Snively. On their initial
encounter, the dragoons and the freebooters were across the Arkansas
River from each other. Both sides had raised a flag of truce. Snively
crosses over to meet with the dragoon officers and is forced to
surrender his weapon.

**Dragoon:** Halt, lay down your arms.

**Snively:** By whose authority?

**Dragoon:** My orders come from Captain Phillip St. George Cooke of the
United States 1st Dragoons.

**Snively:** We have a right to be here. I hold a commission from the
Republic of Texas. President Sam Houston signed it himself. We're here
to raid Mexican caravans that are crossing Texan territory and to get
revenge for everything Mexico has done to us in the last seven years.

**Dragoon:** First, of all Mexico has never agreed that Texas extends
this far north. Second and more important, you are currently on soil
belonging to the United States.

**Snively:** That isn\'t true; we're miles west of the border.

**Dragoon:** According to my commander, whose maps are extremely
accurate, you are in the United States of America. Lay down your
weapons!

**Snively:** We haven\'t done anything wrong. We got President
Houston\'s blessing!

**Dragoon:** Did President Houston give his permission for the murder of
the trader Chavez on American soil?

**Snively:** What are you talking about?

**Dragoon:** Two months ago, the trader Antonio Jose Chavez was murdered
along with several of his men. \$12,000 was stolen from the wagons.

**Snively:** We had nothing to do with that. We aren\'t killers.

**Dragoon**: Yes, we know. The culprits were apprehended. And we are
here to make sure that nothing similar happens in the future. This
caravan is going through. Hand over your weapons!

**Snively:** If we give you our weapons, we will be defenseless on our
way back to Texas.

**Dragoon:** You will be left ten guns for defense, but if we leave you
more, you will probably go back to raiding caravans. For the last time,
hand over your weapons!

**Narrator**: Snively surrenders to the officer and crosses back to the
other side of the river. The dragoon officer instructs the sergeant to
disarm the freebooters.

**Dragoon:** Sergeant, take a squad and disarm the Texans.

**Sergeant:** Yes, sir. Men, let's go do as we've been ordered.

**Narrator:** The dragoons take their weapons and cross the river to
disarm the freebooters.

**Sergeant:** Men, search this camp and confiscate their weapons.

**Narrator:** The freebooters surrender their weapons to the dragoons
and finally, the dragoons ride off. Unknown to the dragoons, the Texans
had raided a Mexican caravan just a few days earlier and had confiscated
several of their guns. So once the dragoons have left one of the
freebooters goes to a secret hiding place and pulls out another gun.

**Freebooter:** It\'s a good thing we took those guns from the Mexicans
the other day, otherwise, we would've had to surrender our own guns.

**Narrator:** The scene now flashes back to Fort Scott as the dragoon
continues his reminiscences.

**End of Act 1**

(The players for Act One will now leave the stage and the players for
Act Two will come forward. They are the Dragoon Officer for Act Two the
Oregon Pioneers, the Pawnee Chief and the Indians.)

**Act Two**

**Dragoon:** The next two years saw us active along the Oregon Trail. We
went to the camps of the Pawnee in 1844 in an attempt to persuade them
to cease their attacks of the Sioux as the emigrant trains were being
caught in the middle. They refused at first, but upon witnessing the
firepower of the mountain howitzers that we brought with us they relaxed
their stance and became more cooperative. The next year we traveled the
Oregon Trail as far as South Pass and then turned south to Bent\'s Fort.
We returned to Fort Scott by way of the Santa Fe Trail, completing a
march of 2200 miles in just 99 days.

**Narrator:** The scene now flashes to the Oregon Trail in what is now
western Nebraska. A wagon train wends its way westward. As the scene
begins, a family of pioneer emigrants is focused on. They are talking
among themselves. They are the McLain family. The McLain Family consists
of a father (John), mother (Carolyn), daughter (Rebecca) and the
father\'s brother (Bill).

**Bill McLain:** I told you that we should have left earlier in the
year. We\'ll be lucky to reach the Willamette Valley before the winter
snows hit.

**John McLain:** If we had left earlier, than we would have had to cross
the swollen streams. And besides, I wanted to wait until the spare axle
came in from St. Louis. Trying to make an axle from these cottonwood
trees would be futile because the wood is so soft.

**Bill:** Well, I understand that. We should start moving faster now
that we discarded the piano.

**Carolyn McLain**: I hated to leave that piano along the trail. It was
my grandmother\'s. It meant so much to me.

**John:** Yes dear, I realize that, but we never would have made it up
Windlass Hill if we hadn\'t discarded it. The oxen were straining enough
as it was.

**Carolyn:** All the same it was precious to me. But I suppose we\'ve
been quite fortunate along the trail. Our family is all healthy.

**Rebecca McLain**: Yes, Mother, we are fortunate to all be alive. I
feel so sorry for the Spencers, burying their little child along the
trail.

**Bill:** Fortunately, the grave is hidden and covered with rocks so
that the wolves and coyotes will leave it alone. (A moment of silence)
Well, I better be headed out on scout duty. I have to keep an eye out
for danger.

*(Bill leaves)*

**Rebecca**: Mother, I am so hot, and the trail is so dusty. My lips are
dry. I would like to have a drink of water and go lay down in the back
of the wagon.

**Carolyn:** You may have a drink, but there's work to be done right
now. You need to go gather some buffalo chips for the fire tonight.

**Rebecca:** Oh, mother, I hate gathering dung.

**Carolyn:** Go

**Rebecca:** I\'m going. I wish that we had never left Ohio. *(She
pauses as she sees a dragoon soldier riding toward the wagon)* Look
Mother, It\'s a soldier and he\'s headed this way. What could he want?
Mother, He's handsome.

*(As Rebecca walks off, the dragoon officer rides up)*

**Dragoon**: Good day. My name is Lieutenant Jack Weston. We are
traveling the trail this year to meet with the Sioux and persuade them
to leave the emigrant traffic alone.

**John:** We are the McLains, from Ohio. Do you think that there is
danger from Indian attacks?

**Dragoon:** The Sioux and the Pawnee have been fighting each other
across the trail and the emigrants have been caught in the middle. We
hope to pacify them and make the trail safer for emigrant traffic. But
the Indians aren\'t the only danger you face going to Oregon this year.
Word has it that war with Britain is a definite possibility.

**John:** Yes, I remember during President Polk\'s campaign, there was
the slogan \"Fifty-four forty or fight.\" With both sides claiming all
of Oregon Territory, and neither one willing to compromise, war is
possible. It would be a difficult matter if war broke out with Mexico
and with Britain. Do you think that your unit will be called to serve?

**Dragoon:** One of the reasons that we have been sent out along the
trail this year is to have a military force near Oregon in the event of
a war. *(At this moment, Bill comes riding back up)*

**Bill:** I have spotted some Indians. They are over there on the
hillside.

**Dragoon:** I had better send out a patrol and see what they want.

**Narrator:** The scene flashes to where the Indians are. A group of
Pawnee Indians is talking amongst themselves. The Pawnee chief is
speaking to the other Indians. While they are speaking in their native
tongue, we imagine their conversation in English.

**Indian #1**: What do you make of this wagon train going through our
territory?

**Chief:** This one wagon train by itself is no great concern, but many
wagon trains have crossed our land in the last few years.

**Indian #2:** Why are they here?

**Chief:** I do not know, but they are destroying the land.

**Indian #3:** The white men kill our buffalo. They cross our hunting
ground. They take all the firewood and the good camping places. They
ruin the watering holes.

**Indian #4:** Perhaps they would be willing to trade.

**Chief:** No, they have nothing worth trading. They have tools and
plows. They are not here to trade. I tried to trade with another wagon
train once, but they yelled at me and waved their guns at me and so I
went away. They are dogfaces.

**Indian #5:** Maybe they have tobacco. We should ride down there and
get some.

**Chief:** No, there are soldiers with them. The soldiers have big guns
that breathe smoke. We promised the soldiers that we would leave the
travelers alone. They will be gone soon. They want land further west.

**Indian #3:** Soon, they will not be gone. Soon they will want all of
the land for themselves.

**Narrator:** The conversation ends and the scene now flashes back to
Fort Scott and the dragoon\'s reminiscences.

**Dragoon:** War was averted with Oregon that year. The British and the
U.S. finally compromised and split Oregon Territory. There was no
compromise with Mexico and war broke out in 1846.

**End of Act 2**

(The players for Act Two will now leave the stage and the players for
Act Three will come forward. They are the Dragoon Soldier for Act Three
and the Mexican Lancer.)

**Act Three**

**Dragoon:** In 1846, the war with Mexico began. My unit left Fort Scott
in June of 1846. We were sent to San Antonio and placed under the
command of General John Wool. He marched us down through Mexico by way
of Chihuahua. We met up with General Taylor's army just in time to
participate in the Battle of Buena Vista. One of my strangest
recollections of the war came the night after the battle. I had been
clubbed in the head during the battle. That night I was lying in the
hospital tent and had a strange dream. I dreamed that I was having a
conversation with a Mexican lancer in full dress uniform.

**Dragoon:** Halt, who comes

**Mexican Lancer:** Please, do not shoot-I am unarmed.

**Dragoon:** You are Mexican. I can tell by your accent. You know
English?

**Lancer:** Yes, I learned it from the white traders.

**Dragoon:** Advance and let me see you to make sure you are unarmed.

(Lancer steps forward)

**Dragoon:** That is better. State your business.

**Lancer:** My friend is severely wounded. I fear that our doctors will
not be able to save him. Santa Ana has ordered a retreat and my friend
cannot be moved.

**Dragoon:** How was he wounded?

**Lancer:** He was wounded during the saber charge earlier this
afternoon.

**Dragoon:** I am a dragoon officer. I led that charge. I may be
responsible for wounding your friend.

**Lancer:** That does not matter, now. All I know is that my friend is
dying and if he doesn\'t get help soon, it will be too late.

**Dragoon:** Why should I help you?

**Lancer:** Please, you have invaded our country, you have won victory
after victory, you have put the Mexican Army in retreat time after time.
Hundreds of Mexicans have died. Hasn\'t this war caused enough pain
already?

**Dragoon:** This war would not be happening had it not been for Mexican
atrocities in Texas.

**Lancer:** The war was caused by your hunger for land. You took Texas
from us. Now you want California and New Mexico. I have heard some
rumors that you plan on taking the rest of Mexico. We have our pride. We
must draw the line somewhere.

**Dragoon:** You would be better off as Americans. Why, the people of
Santa Fe welcomed the American soldiers.

**Lancer:** Perhaps some senoritas and some cowards welcomed you, but a
true Mexican would die fighting, given the choice.

**Dragoon:** If you have such a wonderful country, why do so many
Americans living in California want to break away? Don't answer. I well
tell you. Because they miss the freedoms that they enjoyed in the United
States.

**Lancer:** Why are we arguing about this? My friend is hurt and he
needs attention.

**Dragoon:** I will see what I can do.

**Lancer:** I will stay here and await your return.

**Narrator:** The scene flashes back to Fort Scott.

**Dragoon:** In my dream, I returned with the surgeon but never did find
the lancer. We did find a wounded soldier nearby and were able to treat
him. And right next to the wounded soldier was a dead soldier who bore a
striking resemblance to the Mexican lancer that I had just spoken with.
I am left to wonder whether that was really a dream, or if I'd seen a
ghost.

After the battle of Buena Vista, our unit was used primarily as an
occupation force. We saw little fighting after that. When the war ended,
I resigned my commission and headed for the gold fields of California.
But that account will have to wait for another time.

**End of Act 3**

**Narrator:** The Mexican War was one of the pivotal events in the
nation\'s thirst for expansion. The treaty ending the war transferred
the entire Southwest to the United States. The Mexican War brought about
the realization of Manifest Destiny-the belief that it was the United
States God given right to expand from coast to coast. With the waves of
westward emigration, the acquisition of new territory, and the
subsequent gold rush of 1849, the frontier was quickly pushed westward.
Fort Scott was abandoned in 1853. It is ironic that the expeditions that
the soldiers participated in hastened the very thing that the fort was
established to halt-the Opening of the West and the fulfillment of
Manifest Destiny.