After opening with comments about a thistle struggling for life, the narrator tells the story of Hadji Murat. Once a highly regarded soldier in the Caucasian separatist movement, Hadji has begun fighting with the Russians themselves. His family is kidnapped by Imam Shamil, the Avar. Hadji is welcomed in the house of Sado, but the townspeople find out about his presence and they run him out of town.
The Russians agree to help Murat, and he meets them at Vozdvizhenskaya. Before he arrives, there is a battle between Chechen and Dagestani forces, so when they arrive, there have been casualties. Petrukha Avdeyev is among the dead. In a long side story, we learn that Petrukha was the better of two brothers, and when his brother was drafted into service, Petrukha went instead. We learn that Petrukha's father regrets letting him go for the rest of his life, wishing he had sent the lazy worthless brother instead of the hard-working, sacrificial brother.
Murat meets Prince Semyon Vorontsov and the royal family. Murat is regarded as an impressive warrior, and the royal family gives him a technically sophisticated watch which amazes him. One day, the governor-general's office orders Murat to write his story down. In Murat's story, we learn that he was born in Tselmes. He was friends with his local Khans because his mother worked as their royal wet nurse. Muridists asked for his help in a holy war against Russia. He hesitated, but agreed. Shamil (the man who has kidnapped Murat's family) was a lieutenant for the Muslims, and when they first met, Shamil humiliated Murat in from of the battalion commander, Gamzat. In their first attacks, they attacked Khunzakh and killed the Russian officials there. Shamil's attack was reckless, and Murat's brother died, as well as Gazmat, so when Shamil asked Murat to continue fighting, Murat said he would not follow Shamil, since Shamil got his brother killed. That's why Shamil took Murat's family hostage.
Back in the present, the Russians agree to help Murat take vengeance on Shamil, but the War Minister, Chernyshov, stands against him. They talk about the Tsar, and the narrator explains that the Tsar is a bitter, lazy man who thinks too highly of himself and mistreats women. Chernyshov tells the Tsar that Murat is a spy, so when they attack the Caucasians, Murat's family might be in danger. He escapes the fortress to save his family.
The story cuts forward in time. Soldiers are holding Murat's severed head in the air. Murat's friend Maria takes the opportunity to criticize the cruelty and brutality of human warfare. We learn what happened to Murat. He fought heroically, but the Russians win against the Caucasians and decapitate Murat.
After the battle noise quiets, the nightingales begin singing, and the narrator ends the book as it began, with commentary on a struggling thistle.
