When Brady Gallagher and Shane Connell arrived on American soil, they imagined a fuller life than the one they left behind, their native Ireland withering in fresh poverty due to famine. They're, instead, thrown into the toils of the Civil War aboard the USS Empire, fighting for a country that hardly accepts them. Their deep friendship, however, feeds them a purpose to pursue those dreams they imagined before parting their beloved homeland. Violent combat has a way of crushing dreams. On his journey, Brady discovers that strength and love, even through grief, can drive hope to blossom, even in the most destitute of circumstances when he meets a beautiful, kind creole woman named Gabrielle.