On the eve of the Civil War, the hard-fighting Fenn family is caught in the middle of a bloody guerrilla war along the Missouri-Kansas border. While Frank marries a pretty abolitionist and goes east to serve the Union cause, hotheaded Zachary joins the guerrilla chieftain William Quantrill and rides with such future outlaws as the Younger brothers and Frank and Jesse James. Patrick - who is unsure of his loyalties - heads for the Rockies in an attempt to escape the war, but finds there is no escape from his blood ties.