He comes round a few days later in a wagon and is being tended by the eldest daughter, Ann. Painfully aware that there is a growing attachment between him and Ann, and now chilled by the knowledge the Brotherhood of the Lamb is after him from what Ann has told him about the activities of a priest named Lynch, Casca tries to keep a distance from the girl. After arriving in Lynchburg, Virginia, he identifies the local priest Schofield as another Brotherhood agent.
Settling down with the McGuires on a farm close to Lynchburg, Casca plans on dealing with Schofield but the arrival of Whitby and his cronies complicates matters. Whitby wants Casca dead for ruining Whitby's little empire in Philadelphia. Employing neighbours Michael O'Driscoll, Sean Brady and the boy Patrick McGuire, Casca defeats Whitby's attempt to burn down the farm, but Whitby escapes. At the same time the Brotherhood is thwarted in doing the same thing. Michael forms an attachment with Bridget McGuire and Sean with Ann, much to Casca's relief. Thinking the McGuires are now safe, Casca opts to leave the farm and join the US army, particularly as war with Mexico is looming.
The middle daughter, Bridget, becomes involved with an unsavoury neighbour and is used by the Brotherhood to find out the whereabouts of Casca. When war breaks out, Casca is sent to Texas and trains on the coast, forming a friendship with a Jimmy Mulherne. He also earns the emnity of the British hating Quinn who mistakingly thinks Casca was in the British army in South Africa. Michael O'Driscoll then arrives and informs Casca that he has broken up with Bridget because of her affair with the neighbour.
In their first battle the Americans win comfortably enough but in the second battle Casca has to save Michael's life, but eventually they win and occupy the Mexican town of Matamoros where Casca enjoys the delights of the local brothel. During an argument, Casca learns Michael still misses Bridget. The nthey are moved south to Monterrey and in a tough battle defeat the Mexicans but Casca misses an opportunity to kill Quinn who has deserted to the enemy. Michael has almost certainly murdered his own sergeant for being punished and Casca warns Michael.
After the victory in Monterrey Casca narrowly avoids being captured by two Brotherhood agents, killing them instead. Then he and his unit are posted to another American force and sent to Veracruz and Casca helps an engineer called Captain Lee site artillery platforms for the capture of the port. Lee allows Casca to train on a new kind of rifle. Veracruz falls and Casca and his men advance on Mexico city, defeating the enemy on the way and become involved in some bloody battles. At one of them Casca finally confronts and kills Quinn. Michael contracts dysentery at Puebla and before he dies hands Casca a pile of letters he confiscated, in which Casca learns Michael murdered Bridget and her lover. Also Ann has had a baby boy.
During the battle for Chapultepec castle outside Mexico, Casca joins up with a unit of Marines and they storm the fortress, finally walking into what the Marines think are the Halls of Montezuma. Casca then receives a letter from Ann, telling him that Whitby has kidnapped the youngest daughter, Elizabeth, and Casca deserts the army, returns to Virginia and rescues the girl before breaking Whitby's neck. He takes Liz home, relieved the whole thing is finally over.
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