Cawnpore has been retaken by British soldiers, but they have come too late to stop the slaughter perpetrated by the mutinous Indian army.

Cawnpore is retaken, but they have come too late to stop the slaughter—the relieving British soldiers can only stare at the ill-sited, poorly-defended entrenchment and shake their heads, wondering why. One of only two survivors, Colonel Alex Sheridan is numb. His wife and newborn son lie dead. But now he must join General Havelock's force of barely a thousand men as they fight their way through to the besieged garrison at Lucknow.