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Problem
When her brother Noah runs away to fight in the Civil War, Tilly Pruitt must bring him home and keep her family from falling apart. -
Lincoln's Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated to his first presidency, just two weeks after Jeff Davis was elected President of the Confederacy. Tensions are mounting between the North and the South, and the fate of the country lies on the new President's next move. -
Event 1
Tilly, Noah, and Cass Pruitt are introduced. Tilly comforts her sister, Cass, who forsees the dead boys of the coming Civil War. When Cass sees Noah, who was returning from playing soldier, she breaks down in tears. -
Event 2
While the Pruitts attend a dance, a steamboat arrives in Grand Tower. Two mysterious young women arrive from New Orleans, named Delphine Duval and Calinda. Delphine announces that they cannot travel on to meet her aunt, while Calinda, who is black, remains silent. Mama Pruitt invites them to stay in their house, and the strangers accept, even offering to pay. -
Event 3
Tilly shows Delphine around their tiny, unimpressive town. Delphine stops in T. W. Jenkins' store and purchases oil, matches, and lamps, a rarity in that time and place. Tilly and Delphine get acquainted on the Devil's Backbone, and Tilly realizes that Delphine is hiding something. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
Confederate General Beauregard demanded the surrender of the Union forces of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Union Commander Anderson refused, and the Confederates opened fire, and Anderson surrendered and evacuated Fort Sumter. This was a Confederate victory, and it was the battle that started the American Civil War. -
Event 4
Calinda earns an income for the family by selling her New Orleans pralines on the docks. It is a golden time for the Pruitts because of the strange girls that brought them food, happiness, and light. -
Event 5
Curry Marshall runs away to fight for the South, leaving Tilly a note and his spelling bee ribbons. Delphine is outraged when Cass tries to wear a tignon like Calinda and rips it off her head. -
The Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run at Bull Run, Virginia was the first major battle of the Civil War. Union troops under General Irvin McDowell attacked the Confederate Army, but Southern reinforcements forced the Northern army to retreat. -
Event 6
Several women from town call on Mama Pruitt and accuse her of housing Southern spies. One of them insults Mama deeply and she orders the women out of her house. -
Event 7
All of Grand Tower attends and enjoys the last showboat show. Noah asks Delphine to dance and Dr. Hutchings asks Tilly. Calinda dances an exotic and wild dance alone when one of the musicians recognizes her, bringing out tears in both herself and Delphine. -
Event 8
Noah runs away from home to join the war for the North. Mama is heartbroken and driven mad from depression and fear. She orders Tilly to find her brother and bring him back because he is sick. -
Event 9
Delphine and Tilly leave Grand Tower to find Noah and bring him home. They bring food, blankets, and Calinda's cures with them, travelling by train to Cairo to meet Dr. Hutchings. -
Event 10
Delphine, Tilly, and Dr. Hutchings find Noah in Camp Defiance, sick with dysentery. Tilly and Delphine feed Noah and care for him and others in his hospital tent. -
Event 11
Mrs. Hanrahan, Delphine and Tilly's landlady, pays them a visit and sees immediately that Delphine is a colored woman. After insulting Delphine, Mrs. Hanrahan leaves, and Tilly finally understands Delphine and Calinda's odd predicament. The two are sisters and their quadroon mother sent them North to avoid the war. -
Event 12
Noah is healthy and sails off to war, and Dr. Hutchings goes as well as an army doctor. The day before they leave, Delphine, Noah and Tilly take a photograph, the girls in their best dresses and Noah in his uniform. -
Battle of Belmont
General Grant led his forces from Cairo, Illinois to attack a Confederate camp at Belmont, Missouri. His troops successfully overan and burned the Confederate camp, but the Southern troops reorganized and attacked with heavy artillery, forcing Grant to retreat to Paducah, Kentucky. -
Climax
Dr. Hutchings and Noah return from the Battle of Belmont, but Dr. Hutchings had to amputate Noah's left arm. Noah is in poor health and doesn't recognize Tilly or Delphine, and it is uncertain whether or not he will live. -
Falling Action 1
Delphine and Tilly nurse Noah back to health. Once they have him strong enough to travel, they take the train home, leaving Dr. Hutchings in Cairo. -
Falling Action 2
Delphine, Tilly, and Noah come home to find Cass and Calinda mourning. When their father's coffin arrived in Grand Tower, Mama thought it was Noah and threw herself in the river. -
Resolution
Delphine, Tilly, Noah, Cass, and Calinda are left to carry on with their lives and find a new way of doing things without Mama. Eventually, Calinda leaves for California and Cass dies soon afterwards. Noah and Delphine have a son, whom they name William Hutchings Jr.
