At the end of the American Civil War Charley - a young African-American slave - is ostensibly freed. But then her adopted mother is raped and lynched at the hands of a mob and Charley is left alone. In a terrifyingly lawless land where the colour of a persons skin can bring violent death Charley disguises herself as a man and joins the army. Soon shes sent to the prairies to fight a whole new war against the savage Indians. Trapped in a world of injustice and inequality its only when Charley is posted to Apache territory that she begins to learn what it is to be truly free.
