Drum Beat

Drum Beat is a 1954 CinemaScope western film in WarnerColor written and directed by Delmer Daves and coproduced by Daves and Alan Ladd in his first film for his Jaguar Productions company. Ladd stars along with Audrey Dalton, Charles Bronson as Captain Jack, and Hayden Rorke as President Ulysses S. Grant.

In 1872, veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay Alan Ladd is sent for by then President Grant Hayden Rorke. He tells government officials in Washington about hostilities between settlers, soldiers and Modoc renegades near the California and Oregon border. He is appointed peace commissioner for the territory.On the way west, Johnny gives an escort to Nancy Meek Audrey Dalton, a retired army colonels niece. Nancy is traveling to a ranch owned by her aunt and uncle. There is an ambush outside Sacramento during which the sweetheart of their stage driver Bill Satterwhite is killed by a Modoc renegade. Later they find Nancys aunt and uncle murdered and the ranch burned. ........

Source: Wikipedia