Sam Brentwood is tasked by President Andrew Jackson to lead the first wagon train to the Oregon Territory, in hopes of gaining full control of the area instead of the British and Russians; both countries send agents to put a stop to it. Among the first people to join the wagon train is fiery widow Claudia Humphries, forced to go on the journey because her brother-in-law was given official control of her property from her late husband's will, and the law is on his side.
Along the way the wagon train gains several new members, and together they must reach the final civilized town in their journey, Independence, Missouri, despite any dangers.
- Accidental Declaration of Love: After a tense situation some of the ladies of the wagon train became involved in, Claudia asks Sam why he is particularly haranguing her for getting in that situation. He says it is because she means more to him than the rest do. He quickly leaves, and both reflect on what he just did... admit that she means a lot to him, a previously confirmed bachelor.
- Artistic License – History: the first wagon trains to Oregon began in 1844 and were completed in a matter of months, while in the novel the first train began in 1837 and did not reach Oregon until the fourth book, set in the year 1839.
- The Blacksmith: Ted Woods was a Hoosier blacksmith who had been in jail for 10 years before joining the original wagon train in Indiana.
- Damsel in Distress: Claudia and other female wagon train members were repeatedly in danger from thieves and ruffians.
- Evil Brit: Henry St. Clair is a British agent sent to sabotage the wagon train and prevent it from ever reaching its destination.
- Forced into Evil: Tonie Mell is sent by Russian officials to sabotage the wagon train against her will. See The Gulag below.
- The Gulag: Russian officials threaten Tonie Mell that if she doesn't sabotage the wagon train on their behalf, her parents that still remain in Russia will be sent to Siberia.
- Historical Domain Character: Andrew Jackson is a rather prominent individual early on in the novel, and in one meeting to score funds for the wagon train there are other historical individuals discussing the manner.
- Injun Country: Discussed by the time they reached Cincinnati. Sam notes that the Indians here are fairly tame compared to those that are still on their native lands in the rest, but should still not be messed with.
- Little Stowaway: Danny joins the wagon train but hides when his former master comes by to inspect the train for his presence; the members were happy to discover he stayed with the train after the cruel master departs.
- Mal Mariée: Cathy Van Ayl's bad situation in Independence!, except in a frontier instead of a medieval setting.
- Mountain Man: both Sam Brentwood and Whip Holt are this, although Sam notes he is getting too old to maintain that profession.
- Quest to the West: the wagon train members travel west to Oregon in order to make better lives for themselves.
- Sexless Marriage: Cathy suffers from this, as the one time Otto tried to have sex with her was their wedding night, and he was unable to function.
- Struggling Single Mother: The widow Emily Harris has to raise four boys on her own and the only hope for the future she sees is taking the family all the way to Oregon.
- Sworn Brothers: Sam Brentwood and Stalking Horse are blood brothers. When Abe Ellis almost killed Stalking Horse due to a hatred of Indians, Sam told Abe that had he succeeded, Sam would have been obligated to kill Abe in return.
- Tomboy: Being raised by her uncle and aunt that had no children of their own, Tonie Mell was raised with frontier skills like hunting and shooting, which are decidedly unfeminine.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Tonie and Claudia have this dynamic, with each occasionally envying the other one for their opposing attribute.
- The Von Trope Family: Baron Ernest "Ernie" von Thalman is an Austrian nobleman who was encouraged to join the wagon train for the adventure of it by his friend Andrew Jackson.
- Weapon Specialization: Michael "Whip" Holt obviously got his name through his expert use of whips.
- Widow Mistreatment: Claudia is not only forced to sell off the mills she inherited from her late husband but also to abandon her comfortable life in Connecticut for the wagon train life, just because her miserly brother-in-law Otto said so as the law required a man to be in charge of her inheritance. Otto even said she would need his permission to remarry.
