Summary

Simon does his very best to avoid the Confederate conscription men in Chapter 1. He goes so far as to hide in an outdoor icebox at one of the parties he is performing at. The conscription men eventually find him when Simon gets arrested for participating in a barroom brawl. Someone tried to take his fiddle and, before he knew it, everyone in the bar started fighting. Simon is forced to join the Confederate army who are stationed in Mexico. There, he meets another musician named Damon Lessing. The two of them regularly entertain the troops. Simon plays the fiddle and Damon plays the flute. At night, Simon fantasizes about someday leading a simple life, with a wife and children.

Simon’s regiment gets attacked by 250 Federal troops in Chapter 2. This is surprising, considering that the war is nearly over. Damon gives Simon a...