The Doles family immigrates from Scotland to the United States in 1863. Thet arrive during the riots of New York City about the draft for the Civil War. The father is sold into the Army leaving the extremely pregnant wife and two children in hardship and culture shock. The love of the familty members helps. It does not however, keep the family members together in this new land. Each member of the family lives in the hope of being reunited and allowed to become an American, whatever that truely means.