Jackson Chandler and Luke Boyett, two soldiers in the Confederate Army, have been ordered by their commanding officer to retrieve a mail bag that was originally intended for their regiment. The mail bag was stolen by a Union soldier acting on orders in an effort to gain enemy secrets. When Luke recklessly begins to open a letter intended for a fallen comrade, Jackson must decide between upholding his convictions and following Luke's overriding desire to hear any word of home.