The story is founded on an incident taken from the history of the United States during a time of strife. The opening scenes show the departure from their homes, mothers, wives and sweethearts of a number of patriotic young men to the front. Life on the field of battle and their capture as prisoners of war is next shown. While incarcerated in the foul military prison, the poor creatures are subjected to many indignities that even a dog would resent and during the six months of their confinement they industriously bore through the earth under the dungeon, with no other tools than their fingers, until they tunnel their way to liberty. The escape is of course discovered and, though chased, they succeed in reaching home, where their raggedly clothed emaciated forms are once more folded in the arms of their loved ones.