Edmond O'Brien plays John Vickers, a vengeful former officer who joins the 7th Cavalry to track down those responsible for his wife's death, and becomes embroiled in a battle with the Sioux at the Little Bighorn River. Along the way, he befriends Molly Quade, played by Polly Bergen, whose father Sam Quade is also a suspect in her husband's murder. Vickers' quest leads to a showdown with General Custer, played by James Millican, and ultimately becomes intertwined with his own survival amidst the chaos of battle.