Inman, a Civil War Confederate soldier, is seriously wounded in battle before heading home to North Carolina to his pre-war beloved, Ada. In his absence, Ada--with the help of a young drifter named Ruby--is desperately trying to hold onto the farm of her deceased missionary father. Inman's long journey home takes him through the crumbling confederacy, as he meets people of all walks of life who want to both aid and hinder his mission.