Beginning of the saga of Spence Pierce after he leaves the Federal hospital where he was recovering from wounds received during the Gettysburg engagement. He goes back to the battle scene to try to make sense of the battle and finds his horse. Leaving Gettysburg Spence knew he didn't want to go back to the family farm and starts to drift westward. He stops for work to make traveling money but is always moving west. Finally crossing a mountain range he encounters a range rider for a major ranch in the area. After the rider is killed in an ambush Spence hires onto the ranch where he encounters a range war, raiding indians, cattle punching and a beautiful auburn haired young lady. Extreme adventure and historical fiction makes this a great read.