During the American Civil War, Sergeant Chesterfield and Corporal Blutch serve in the Union Army despite having completely opposite personalities. Chesterfield is disciplined, patriotic, and convinced of the importance of his mission, while Blutch mainly tries to avoid fighting and survive the often absurd decisions of their superiors. Sent to different fronts and repeatedly caught up in battles, dangerous missions, and unlikely situations, the two soldiers move through the conflict with humor while also discovering its contradictions, violence, and human consequences.