Traces, in this second of a three part series, the events of the Civil War from the first battle to the surrender with emphasis on the experiences of the individual soldier.

Eleven-year-old April is delighted when President and Mrs. Hoover build a school near her Madison County, Virginia, home but her family's poverty, grief over the accidental death of her brother, and other problems may mean that April can never learn to read from the wonderful teacher, Miss Vest.

Describes the events leading to the war and the unforgettable individuals of that era including peacemaker Henry Clay, Harriet Tubman, and abolitionist John Brown.