Daniel and Gabe blow up a bridge to deny it to the British and are promptly captured, then promptly escape. They must make their way back to safety through British territory via a chain of Patriot undercover agents.
As the series draws to its close, we are treated to a well-deserved homage to the early DB years through a doubleheader of Revolutionary War episodes. Dan and Gabe are joined in the outing by the living embodiment of adult resistance to 1960's youth counterculture, John Davidson in his 2nd DB outing (yes, he gets to sing). James Doohan is also a returnee, the former Scotty of "Star Trek: TOS" playing of course - a Scottish blacksmith. Liam Sullivan changes sides from his earlier DB portrayal of Patrick Henry to a British colonel here.
The hour is clearly patterned on the Steve McQueen WW II vehicle film "The Great Escape," in popular theatrical release a few years back in 1963. Not a bad model, and the result is an engaging wartime mini-epic with plenty of action, multiple settings and a small army of supporting characters.
Straight to the historical hits and misses - just follow the bouncing coonskin cap:
* By the map shown at the hour's opening, Dan and Gabe blow up a bridge across the Ohio River (actually an easily fordable California creek). Crossing the Ohio never a main British attack route.
* Logically, the two should be imprisoned at Fort Niagara, NY.
* After breakout, the three head to Shelby - all right, Shelby Township east of Fort Niagara, but not settled until 1818.
* Then, its on to the Hudson Valley and Fort Stony Point, NY - held by the British until 1779, which dates the episode. Plenty of safe American-held territory due south of Shelby, but never mind.
* Finally, to the denouement at the entirely fictional Fort Royal - have to assume we are still in NY.
* References are made to Fayetteville and Raleigh, NC being nearby - geographic sense flies out the window here.
Redcoat report - about 25 throughout the hour, most uniformed in the red and blue of DB's favorite stormtroopers, the Royal American Regiment. But creatively, Tory troops appear in the green and red of Butler's Rangers, active in NY during this period.
Fess Parker leads the chase for the entire hour, and gets to try his comedy hand in a well-played bit as a clergyman not overly familiar with the Bible.
Its not an accurate primer on the Revolution, but as a signoff for a 1960's Western the episode provokes nostalgia for time when the primetime audience was expected to have some historical foreknowledge for context. This one gets one of Season 6's high scores.