⁣The Desperate Mission is a 1969 American television film directed by Earl Bellamy. The production was a joint project of 20th Century Fox Television, Montalban Enterprises Production, and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. The story is a fictionalization of the life of Joaquin Murrieta.

A man who has lost everything joins others paid to convey a wealthy man's wife - and a mysterious treasure - to safety in San Francisco.

⁣Joe Dawson, foreman at a ranch in San Saba, asks his old friend Cisco to come and help them catch a gang of cattle rustlers. When the leader of the gang hears of this, he orders two of his henchmen to kill Joe and blame the murder on Cisco. Cisco and Pancho have to keep away from the sheriff at the same as they are searching for the gang and the missing cattle.

⁣Needed winter supplies are being stolen before they can reach the village. Tim, a simple-minded man, is made to believe he killed someone and when he flees he becomes an easy scapegoat.

⁣Someone is selling illegal guns to the Indians. The townspeople blame gunsmith Eben Cotten.

Tom Bentley plans to marry Alice Denton, but Sheriff Dan Bentley, Tom's father, is wounded and offers Tom the job as sheriff. Alice makes Tom refuse the job, but when Scar kills his father, Tom puts on the badge and takes off after him.

⁣Mexican outlaw Zanti killed John Tobin's parents. John teams up with Dusty, also hurt by Zanti, to get the bad guy.

⁣ Jean Loring has her men illegally killing and selling game. Roy suspects her and gets himself invited to stay at her ranch. Investigating he finds the freezer where the slaughtered game are kept. But he is caught, tied up, and left to freeze.

⁣Brother is pitted against brother in this tale of feuding ranchers in the old west.