The Spragues of rural Cedar County, Missouri, missed the Civil War until their oldest son, Jesse, answered a remark from a drunk southern sympathizer who wore revenge. Soon after, his father is shot by a group of confederates scouts. With the help of his special needs friend, Rooney, the two youngsters maintain the farm until Franklin recovers. The next summer after Jesse taking his girl, Sissy, home from a brush arbor church service, a group of southern sympathizers ambush him. Jesse escapes with the help of Rooney and leaves the county. Having two friends in the Union Army is southern Missouri, Jesse decides to travel there. On his journey, the youngster meets a drummer and a young lady, Lena. Chauncey, the drummer, and Jesse barely escape a group of Confederate raiders returning from a foray. Jesse makes it Monett and is hired as a scout. Back in Cedar County, Rooney misses his friend and when Sissy dies, he decides to go find Jesse and tell him of her death. When he reaches Monett, he discovers Jesse was wounded and taken to Arkansas to be executed as a spy. Rooney's purpose is clear: he will rescue Jesse, nurse back to health and take him back to Cedar County.