Indians, soldiers and temperance women fight to control a wagon train hauling whiskey across the West.
Denver is faced with a crisis before the winter of 1867 when it is discovered that there is only enough whiskey to last 10 days more. An emergency meeting is held, and Oracle Jones, who has visions when drunk, devises a plan to bring 40 wagonloads of whiskey to Denver from Julesburg before winter comes. Hobbs, a teetotaling editor, wires Cora Templeton Massingale, a temperance leader at Fort Russell, about the whiskey. Three Sioux Indians, Chief Walks-Stooped-Over, Five Barrels, and Elks-Runner, become aware of the plans of the wagon train, which is traveling under the direction of distiller Frank Wallingham. Col. Thadeus Gearhart, commander of "B" Company, U. S. Cavalry, is forced to escort the band of temperance women who are marching to intercept the whiskey train. "A" Company, under the command of Capt. Paul Slater, is to protect the whiskey train. Slater is in love with Gearhart's daughter Louise, one of the temperance ladies. The Sioux and a Denver citizens' militia under the direction of Clayton Howell are also heading for the whiskey train. Kevin O'Flaherty and his Irish teamsters stage a slow-down strike, thus leaving the train open to attack, which comes at dawn from the Indians. Suddenly during the attack, a large sandstorm comes, totally confusing everyone. No one is hurt during the battle, and the Indians agree not to disturb the train in exchange for some whiskey. The train, now traversing territory made dangerous by quicksand, is host to a temperance meeting arranged by the ladies for the Indians, who promptly kidnap the ladies and demand whiskey as a ransom. An elaborate exchange procedure is arranged. Oracle Jones persuades Wallingham to leave immediately for Denver. He arranges for a safe journey over the quicksand by marking a trail with his underwear, but Cora and the temperance ladies move the markers. Cora causes the horses to stampede, and the barrels containing hot champagne pop their corks, simulating gunshots. The Indians form a circle with the wagons while the cavalry rides around them. Wallingham and the train follow the marked trail and end up in the quicksand, the whiskey lost. Gearhart and Cora and Slater and Louise marry, and everyone goes home, except for Wallingham and Oracle, who sit beside the quicksand waiting for the whiskey to surface.
