Billy Blue is born in1845 on an Alabama plantation owned by Colonel Reynard Beaumont. Billy's father is an overseer of negro slaves on the plantation. Billy's father dies mysteriously in a flash flood. Billy is twelve. He is put in charge of the stable on the plantation. A horse is born in 1858. Billy considers the horse his. He names him Thunder. The American Civil War starts in April of 1861. The Colonel is ordered to take command of a regiment of the Army of the Confederacy. He takes Billy with him as his orderly. They ride to the regiment on horses. Billy is astride Thunder. The regiment takes a train to Manassas. Virginia to engage in a battle. They are attacked by a Union artillery barrage. The Colonel is badly wounded. Billy decides to return home. On the way home he is shot off of Thunder and captured by Confederate troops. He is accused of spying and sentenced to death by hanging. He is saved by Emma Foster, a girl his age, who is convinced of his innocence. She throws her arms around Billy as he stands with the noose around his neck. She convinces them he is innocent. The next day Billy and Emma go to find Thunder. They take off their shoes to cross a stream. The rocks are slippery and they fall. Billy lays on top of Emma mid-stream. They gaze into each other's eyes momentarily until their lips meet in true love. Two deserters of the Confederate army watch as they kiss. Billy goes downstream to find their shoes which they had dropped. The two deserters attack Emma. She screams for Billy to come help her. He runs to her aid.