re: Watched "Fort Apache" on Encore and realized...

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Any explanation or theories on what happened between Thursday and Collingwood?

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Despite the Civil War and the Indian Wars, the "regular army" was pretty small back then. West Point would produce 40, 50, 60 graduates back then, so the fraternity was pretty small - they all knew each other.

So,

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Nothing personal in this, Sam. No explanations, Owen. We've never had them before. - Although, once, I tried. - There was nothing to explain. No, nothing. You did what you did, and rode to glory. I did what I did, and wound up at Fort Apache- Well, you've wound up here too..

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George O'Brien (Collingswood) is older than Hank Fonda by 6 years and the Duke by 8, for perspective.

I always read it that Thursday screwed over Collingswood (or otherwise jumped over him) and that's why he's got the permanent rank of Lieutenant, while Collingswood (and the Duke, for that matter) are still Captains. All three of them probably commanded Regiments and were brevet LTC during the war.

That would be about right for young lieutenants when the war started (heck, maybe Collingswood was a captain, even then), and now, 15 to 17 years later, they're at Fort Apache.