The Guns of Fort Petticoat

The Guns of Fort Petticoat is a 1957 Technicolor Western produced by Harry Joe Brown and Audie Murphy for Columbia Pictures. It was based on the 1955 short story Petticoat Brigade by Chester William Harrison 19131994 that he expanded into a novelization for the films release. It was directed by George Marshall and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch and at Old Tucson. The working title of the film was Petticoat Brigade screenwriter and television director Walter Doniger was originally set to have directed the film. The fictional story tells the tale of an Army deserter training a disparate group of women to be Indian fighters climaxing in a Battle of the Alamo type action.

Hewitt deserts to warn the Texans but is hated and ignored as a traitor by his now Confederate former neighbors, who despise him for serving with the Union. No one believes him until he brings home the dead body of a woman murdered by Comanches who have joined the uprising. Hewitt organizes a petticoat brigade of women training them in marksmanship and combat tactics. Armed and given military ranks, Hewitt and the ladies seize the day and hold on to the only safety they have in an abandoned mission The Guns of Fort Petticoat. Hewitt, the blue belly traitor, and the confederate petticoat brigade face desertion from the only remaining man and fight off scavengers and Comanches as they struggle to build trust and work together during the ensuing attacks. As the final gun fight is over Hewitt and his greatest female critic fall in starcrossedlove left over from childhood memories. But Hewitt cannot reciprocate because as an honorable soldier he must return to his post at Sand Creek and face charges for desertion. Col. Chivingtons commanding general happened to enter the trial room in the final hour as Hewitt is being renounced as a deserter and a liar about a most fantastic story of helping to rescue the women in Texas and training them to fight off Comanches. As the guilty sentence and execution is about to be pronounced, the female confederates return the favor marching armed into the trial to stop the proceeding. The commanding general, in amorous good will, orders a surrender to the armed ladies who have saved the day and proved Hewitts truthfulness. Hewitts testimony snares Col. Chivington who is relieved of command and ordered held for trial and his hopes in his newfound Confederate love are restored.Murphy produced the movie through BrownMurphy Pictures, which he had set up with producer Harry Joe Brown. On November 9, 1955, Murphy signed a contract with BrownMurphy Pictures to appear in two films, of which this was the first. Brown wanted Murphy to make another

Source: Wikipedia