Texan adventurers have invaded Cuba. Lord Palmerston, the British Foreign Minister, is outraged and sends in the Royal Navy. President Fillmore is dismayed at the news of hostile warships so close to US shores. He threatens to invade Canada unless the Brirish withdraw. Lord Palmerston thinks he is bluffing and ignores him - but Congress will not let the president back down. It was a war that nobody wanted but which no-one knows how to stop. The United States has a battle-hardened army, daring commanders and an excellent railroad network. The British have the best navy in the world, but only a few army regiments in Canada. They have not fought a major war since they defeated Napoleon. The president, hoping for a quick victory, orders the army to attack without any preparations. They are repulsed and both sides settle down for the long haul. The Canadians build a fortress on the south bank of the St. Lawrence, to protect Montreal. Charles Lloyd is sent out from Britain to improve communications between the governor and the general. He had expected to serve the governor in Quebec and is disgusted when he is sent to Montreal, the target for the American attacks. George Eastman is a half-breed Abenaki Indian. He is a drifter who has joined the army to prove that he can achieve something in his life. He had expected to be sent to the fort but instead his company is sent behind enemy lines to attack the railroads. Most of his companions are countrymen but George grew up in the city. He doubts that he can cope. Miss Grace was educated in a convent. She is recruited by Mr. Lloyd to write despatches. It seems boring, but she soon realises that the task has unexpected dangers. Harry Newbegin was a dilettante in Germany until he chose the wrong side in the revolution of 1848. Now he scratches a living as a journalist in New York. He can see that the war is unpopular. Unscrupulous politicians are encouraging impoverished immigrants to defy the authorities. Is Harry going to see barricades on the streets of New York?