Ep 39. Cheyennes

Marshal Matt Dillon and his trusty sidekick, Chester, find themselves in the middle of a conflict between a group of Cheyenne Indians and the settlers of Dodge City in Gunsmoke season 4 episode 39, titled "Cheyennes."

The tension between the two groups escalates after a Cheyenne man is falsely accused of robbing a store in town. To make matters worse, the man is killed by a white man while trying to escape from prison. In retaliation, the Cheyenne begin to raid the outskirts of Dodge City, stealing horses and killing cattle.

As the situation becomes more volatile, Matt must try to negotiate a peace between the two groups, all while facing pressure from the settlers to take stronger action against the Cheyenne. Things come to a head when a group of Cheyenne riders attack a wagon train passing through the area, resulting in several deaths.

In the aftermath of the attack, Matt enlists the help of a Cheyenne chief to negotiate a truce. The chief agrees, but only if the settlers agree to let the Cheyenne have access to the water they need for their crops. The settlers initially refuse, but are eventually persuaded to come to a compromise.

The episode ends on a hopeful note, with the possibility for a future peace between the Cheyenne and the settlers. However, it also highlights the ongoing conflict between Native Americans and settlers in the Old West.

Overall, "Cheyennes" is a tense and thought-provoking episode of Gunsmoke that explores the complex relationships between different groups of people living in the same area. It is a reminder of the challenges of coexistence in a time marked by violence and conflict.