Daniel and Yadkin need to get a freight wagon train across the Cumberland Gap to Boonesborough so the settlement can get through the winter. But teamsters are not for the having as outlaw Simon Bullard (Bruce Cabot) is menacing the trail. Reluctantly, Dan takes on a team of convicts for the mission.
This is the first of several DB episodes modeled on the "Dirty Dozen" template, in which a team of disparate disagreeables are compelled to take on a do-or-die assignment. Our lineup tonight is Inherited debtor James Best ("The Dukes of Hazzard," though many credits beyond that), bank embezzler Gordon Jump in his film debut ("WKRP in Cincinnati"), ex-Hessian Charles Horvath and Irish rebel Sean McClory. Whit Bissell ("The Time Tunnel") is an early-offed traitor, and Bruce Cabot is the trail menace. The guest-heavy format allows all these character actors to play well together, and its especially interesting to see office-fixture Jump in a younger incarnation. Mingo is along for this one, though he was better fitted for the previous episode.
In many ways this episode ventures into "Wagon Train" territory. If you wish think of the guests as the following antecedents - McClory - Flint McCullough, Horvath - Charlie Wooster, Jump - Bill Hawks, and Best - Major Adams. Expect major continuity problems, though. The territory depicted rather suspiciously makes the forested Cumberland Gap look like WT's SoCal locations. Very experienced Westerns regular Best did turn in three appearances in WT and McClory one. And as in WT, the really critical players are the wagons and stock - any Westerns aficionado just cannot get enough of seeing them in action.
The train's progress is somewhat isolated from historical reference except for Horvath's ex-Hessian status which would seem to indicate post-Revolution.
When DB hits all cylinders on action (lots of flintlock fire here), notable guests and location shooting, the result is indeed a fine one. In this hour all the bases are touched, making the outing another Season 1 success.