Jonathan Jinks, a man known for his charm, gets into a bet about seducing opera star Aurelia Trentoni, leading to a series of comical misunderstandings and a secret engagement before a happy resolution.

David Whiting belongs to a fine old aristocratic family of the south and is an officer in the United States Army. He believes in the Union and he is opposed to slavery. When the Civil War breaks out he frees his personal slaves and joins his regiment to fight for the north.