The Black Dakotas

The Black Dakotas is a Columbia Pictures Technicolor Western spy film set during the War Between the States. Directed by Ray Nazarro and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch, the film stars Gary Merrill as a cold blooded secret agent using the war for his own ends. The film features The Lone Ranger television series Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore in separate roles as well as Richard Webb of Captain Midnight.

In 1864 a stagecoach containing two passengers is attacked by an armed band who kill the driver and stop the stage. One of the passengers, Zachary Paige offers the armed but polite band his money but is surprised when they inform him that they are not interested in his money but know his identity as an diplomatic emissary of President Abraham Lincoln sent to the Dakota Territory to negoitate a treaty with the Sioux than includes payment of 130,000 in gold to the tribe. The band take his credentials and Paige is further surprised when his travelling companion, Brock Marsh tells him he is a secret agent of the Confederacy who will impersonate Paige in his diplomacy but will use the opportunity to break the promises and lure the Sioux into attacking the white settlements. The leader of the band John Lawrence informs Paige he will be held until after Marsh completes his mission then released. As Lawrence goes away Marsh further explains his mission in a courteous manner, then shoots and kills Paige to protect the mission to the surprise of Lawrence and his band.Arriving in the nearest city, Marsh as Paige informs the town authorities of his mission and tells them his stage was attacked by an armed Indian band. Marsh meets Gimpy Joe Woods who offers to take him to the Sioux, but Marsh chooses Daugherty to take him. Before their departure a posse bring in John Lawrence who they have identified as a Confederate agent and seek to lynch him. The lynch mob becomes an impromptu court run by Judge Baker who try Lawrence for treason on the spot and sentence him to hanging. Gimpy implores Marsh as Paige to use his Federal authority to make the case a Federal matter and delay Lawrences fate to a trial by Federal authorities. Marsh refuses and is hanged in front of his daughter Ruth, who swears vengeance on the town and its population. Gimpy takes Marsh aside and reveals himself as Lawrences second in command and asks him why he did not save Lawrence with Marsh replying that his m

Source: Wikipedia