The year is 1776, and newlyweds Gilbert (Henry Fonda) and Lana Martin (Claudette Colbert) have decided to take up a rural lifestyle. However, following the onset of the American Revolutionary War, the couple's quiet life in the Mohawk Valley is interrupted by violent attacks from Native Americans and Tories. The Martins refuse to succumb to the difficulties of their new life, though, as Lana takes on the responsibility of raising a child while Gilbert joins the colonists' militia.