At the beginning of the Civil War, seven friends embark on a cross-country journey in order to join the Confederate army.

At the onset of the Civil War, seven young Texans decide to join General Hood's Texas regiment in Richmond. During their long horseback voyage from Texas to Virginia, the seven young men will witness first-hand the Southern prejudice and snobbery. They also will witness the lynching of runaway black slaves. Filled with dreams of war glory, they will nevertheless push ahead toward their destination. Their trek eastward is eventful and fraught with dangers, as the Texans will occasionally get into trouble with the townsfolk from various towns. Although they do eventually join the Confederate forces, it will happen in Shiloh, Tennessee not in Richmond, Virginia as planned. After becoming soldiers, they realize that war is not what they expected or dreamed about. The army and the war are not at all compatible with the core human values of ordinary Texans. The battle of Shiloh is the epitaph of this story.—nufs68