It's the early days of the American Civil War, and Reuben Cole is serving as a scout in the Union Army. Posted to a remote fort, the Army of the Potomac, under General McClellan, is attempting an ambitious assault on confederate positions, in the hopes of turning their flank and bringing the war to a swift end. Cole is assigned to track down a ruthless bunch of raiders, hell-bent on killing as many of the Northern Blues as they can. But when personal tragedy strikes, Cole will need to take his first steps on the path that will transform him into the hardened, uncompromising man he is to become, and to learn the lessons that will keep him alive through the hardships that await.