When West Point graduate John Richards marries socialite Felicity Wynngate against her father's express wishes, they set off a chain of catastrophic events neither could have anticipated. Pursued by a determined adversary intent on returning Felicity to her dubious father, the couple flees Philadelphia, racing towards John's parents' home. However, fate has other plans as the British, fresh from their victory over Napoleon, turn their sights on the United States.

As the British burn Washington and aim to control the Mississippi, Colonel Andrew Jackson rallies American forces. Amidst the chaos, John is mistakenly listed as a casualty of the Battle of New Orleans. Before he can correct the error, a heartbreaking letter informs his parents of his supposed sacrifice. Believing her husband dead, a grief-stricken Felicity ventures west, only to meet with an accident that further complicates their separation. Each believing the other has perished, John and Felicity embark on separate journeys filled with peril and hope. Will their paths cross again on the trail to love, or are they destined to remain apart forever?