Call to Arms

On December 20, 1860, a momentous occasion takes place in the beautiful, graceful old city of Charleston, South Carolina. Taking part in this celebration are cadets from the Citadel, a military institute for young men. Two of these cadets are Robert Gilmore and Allard Tyler, who are good friends despite differences in their backgrounds. Allard is from a wealthy Charleston ship-building family, while Robert is from a much less well-to-do farm family. Stirred by the patriotic fever that grips Charleston, both young men vow that if secession leads to war with the North, they will withdraw from the Citadel and join the battle against the Yankees. The stories of these young people and their friends and families play out against the drumbeat of impending war. Robert enlists in the Hampton Legion and sees his first action at the battle of Manassas. Allard joins the Confederate navy and barely escapes with his life when his ship is sunk during a battle with a Union cruiser. For both young men, many of their romantic notions about the glory of war are shattered.