My family loves these films. And because my Dad is a smart guy, we have known for a long time that these three films have both a historic basis (Western short story author James Warner Bellah drew from the truth in some cases) and a familial resemblance (due to John Ford and also to his “troupe” of players).
So here in one quick document are: the chronologies and the character similarities (e.g. Capt. York/Lt. Col. Yorke and the two Quincannons). There are different chronological orders depending on whether you are looking at the films in isolation, the short stories, the alleged history or the actual history. In any case: Enjoy!
Order filmed:
1948 – Fort Apache. Wayne plays young-ish Capt. Kirby York.
1949 – Yellow Ribbon. Wayne plays Capt. Nathan Brittles, nearing retirement.
1950 – Rio Grande. Wayne plays Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke, a middle-aged man who hasn’t seen his wife or son in 15 years. (Spelling is different in both the scripts and the movies’ billing, and there’s apparently no reference in the first movie to York having a family)
Order based on the dates given in the original short stories:
1867 – Rio Grande – short story “Mission with No Record” is set in 1867 in Apache Wars.
1870? – Yellow Ribbon – short story “Command” is the basis, but the date is unclear.
1874 – Fort Apache – short story “War Party” is set in August 1874.
Order based on the events’ historical basis:
1866 – Fort Apache – at least if you think it’s based on the Fetterman Massacre (1866). If it’s supposed to be Custer’s Last Stand, that was June 1876. But the Apache Wars were roughly 1861-1872.
1873 – Rio Grande – Sheridan orders Col. Ranald McKenzie to lead the 4th Cavalry in an “extralegal” raid across the Rio Grande from Texas’ Fort Clark in May 1873.
1876 – Yellow Ribbon – The action doesn’t seem to be based on any real events, but see next item.
Order based on dates given in the movies themselves:
Pre-1872 – Fort Apache – The Apache Wars start in 1861 when an attempt to apprehend Cochise goes badly. Cochise agrees in 1872 to end fighting and go to a reservation.
1876 – Yellow Ribbon – Capt. Brittles’ retirement date on the calendar is Sept. 10, 1876. News arrives in the movie of Custer’s troops being killed (June 1876).
1879 – Rio Grande – 1879 is 15 years after Sheridan ordered the Shenandoah Valley burned in 1864, which would be around the last time Kirby and Kathleen were on good terms.
Bonus: Names!
Fort Apache: Wayne = Capt. Kirby York; Victor McLaglen = Sgt. Festus Mulcahy, John Agar = 2nd Lt. Michael O’Rourke
Rio Grande: Wayne = Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke; Victor McLaglen = Sgt. Maj. Timothy Quincannon; Ben Johnson = Trooper Travis Tyree; Harry Carey Jr. = Trooper Daniel “Sandy” Boone
Yellow Ribbon: Wayne = Capt. Nathan Brittles; Victor McLaglen = Top Sgt. Quincannon; Ben Johnson = Sgt. Tyree; Harry Carey, Jr. = 2nd Lt. Ross Pennell; John Agar = Lt. Flint Cohill
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