One night in 1877, Sybil's father, who is a colonel in the state militia, gets word that the British are marching to attack Danbury. He needs to get word to all his militiamen who live in the area. Sybil volunteers to make the dangerous ride during a rainy night to assemble them. She rides more than 40 miles in almost nine hours. The militia doesn't save Danbury, but it does drive the British back to the sea.