- [first lines]
- Lt. Johnny Reardon: This is the territory - Arizona - 1868. This is the fort, such as it is. These are the men. Ex-mutineers, deserters, Confederate prisoners. But mixed in with these are a handful of the finest regulars on earth, all of them soldiers at $13 a month. My name is Reardon.
- [last lines]
- Lt. Johnny Reardon: Sixteen thousand miles of enemy frontier to be patrolled... a handful of men to do it. This is what had to be done.