Just this side of lawlessness, Gladback, Montana has seen its share of drifters, passing settlers and those looking for a quiet place to die, but never has it seen the likes of Colonel Joseph Dunn, whose command on the battlefields of the Civil War is the stuff of legend. As Dunn becomes reacquainted with an old friend and an old love thought long lost, the mystery of the Colonel's past begins to unfold. But others in Gladback bear close watching, and before Dunn's first night in Gladback is over, the barbaric ravaging of a resident will leave the town in shock — all save Dunn, who knows who committed the heinous act; a man he has spent his life tracking and who he has sworn to kill with his own hands.