In "Ambuscade," the captivating opening tale of The Unvanquished, we meet young Bayard, a spirited twelve-year-old who narrates this vivid saga. He, alongside his close companion Ringo, a black boy, reenacts the siege of Vicksburg under the stern gaze of Loosh, Ringo's uncle and a slave. Their intricate model of the battle is abruptly dismantled by Loosh, hinting that the real Vicksburg has already succumbed to Northern forces. With Vicksburg's fall, the Mississippi River falls into Northern hands, cleaving the South in twain; simultaneously, the Southern defeat at Gettysburg marks the final failed attempt to invade the North and seize Washington, D.C.

Bayard, like many reflective storytellers, is a character of dual dimensions: in the past, he lives through the events, while as narrator, he examines them from the lens of maturity, discerning their deeper meanings. This tale captures Bayard and Ringo's youthful delusions, their dreams of Southern triumph, and their admiration for Southern valor, epitomized by Bayard’s own father, Colonel John Sartoris. These fantasies crumble initially due to Loosh's revelations, and further, as John Sartoris and Bayard's grandmother, Rosa Millard, decide to secrete away their livestock and bury the family’s treasured silver.

The narrative takes an intriguing turn with the arrival of the Yankees. Bayard and Ringo, in a moment of youthful bravado, take aim at these Union soldiers, confronting their own false hopes. The erosion of family values begins subtly, with Miss Rosa's effort to curb the boys' foul language, even as she deceives the commanding officer about their whereabouts. Yet, the Yankees, personified by the understanding Union Colonel Dick, do not pose a significant menace. His knowing gaze catches the boys concealed beneath Granny’s skirts, and he responds with compassionate understanding, reflecting a humane side amidst the turmoil.