Paul Cable (Tom Selleck) returns home from the Civil War having fought for the Confederacy. He left the war after being wounded and knowing the war is now a lost cause. He meets his wife, Martha (Suzy Amis) and two kids, Clare and Davis (Rachel Duncan and Haley Joel Osment) in Texas where they have been staying with her father, James Sanford (Harry Carey Jr.). Cable learns that is third child, Mary, became ill and died three years earlier. Quickly we learn that things are not right between the Cables; they are both much changed from the war. They are anxious to get home--which is in Arizona.
However in arriving home things still are not good. Another family has been living in their house, and when they ask them to move there is a gun battle in which Martha kills a couple men when they draw on her husband. Of course the rest of the family wants to make it even and another brother dies. In addition there are another coupoe ranchers, Vern and Duane Kidston (Keith and David Carradine) who supported the Union. There is an instant feud. Lastly there is a man who has been running guns for the confederacy, Edward Janroe (David Dukes) who wants Cable to continue fighting for the cause while Cable says the war is over.
When the papers announce the war is over, Genroe says he will tell Cable who is on his ranch. Instead he trashes the house, and then murders Duane Kidston. He is framing Cable as the murderer. He wants to create a war so Cable has to kill the local Unionists. Would have worked but Cable and Kidston talk before killing each other as Martha has a gun drawn on Kidston to save her husband's life. Then it is obvious what has happened.
