Field of Lost Shoes

When I was 12 years old,

my father was the Governor of Virginia.

And none of us knew it at that time,

but our world was about to explode

over the issue of slavery in America.

My father's heart had long since changed on the topic,

and one night, he took me to a place

that would forever change my own.

Reading the Englishman again

Will I be shot for treason Father

Most likely.

Another one of those long titles, is it

"The Personal History,

Adventures, Experience,

"Observation of David Copperfield,

the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery "

You read it.

Guess that's why it's here.

Suppose so.

Get your coat, John.

We're going to take a little ride.

I don't think I like these surprise trips anymore, father.

Cause they're usually lessons in life

Exactly.

Well, tell me about the play

your mother took you to in Philadelphia.

You mean "Uncle Tom's Cabin"

And why have we not talked about it

Because we'll disagree,

and disagreeing with you is so disagreeable.

Your mother said you were not impressed by it.

Think it's all made up

by the people who don't like us.

Yes. Well,

there's lots of those in Philadelphia.

All right, ladies and gentlemen

We are about to get started

Step on up Step on up

You're gonna love what we have in store tonight

I'm holding at 275

A slave auction.

Doubtless those people in Philadelphia

would not approve.

Sold at $300.

You're not coming

John, I have never known you to need help

making up your own mind.

For tonight's bidding.

These slaves are trained

by some of our most respected citizens

in the central Virginia area.

Oyez Oyez

Step on up, ladies and gentlemen

Sale's about to begin

A fine lot of slaves belonging to the estate

of the late Colonel William Jasper of Amelia,

sold in no fault, but to sell the estate

We got all kinds.

Old ones, young ones,

men and women, gals and boys

And as some of you may or may not know,

Colonel Jasper's plantation slaves

made him a pretty penny for the last 20 years

Gentlemen,

what we have to offer here is so damn good,

old Mr. Lumpkin even up and married one of 'em

You won't find the mark of a whip on a one of 'em

We're not talking some low-class

Louisiana branding-iron stock

We got the best slave stock

from all of central Virginia here tonight

Colonel Jasper's staff represents the finest stock in the state

This is the best group of dining room servants,

farmhands, cooks,

milkers,seamstresses, washerwomen,

and the most promising group of sassy young females

just ready to breed.

Martha Ann is the favorite of the household.

Perfectly healthy, no blemish at all.

Look at that complexion.

I offer Martha Ann at a reduced price,

because it is the wish of all concerned

to keep them together.

Now,Israel here

is not what you would call an able-bodied man,

having broke his leg in the field,

which didn't exactly mend right,

but he can do all sorts of light work,

and you can have him and the young'

uns mighty cheap

Masters, if you'll buy me,

the children and Martha Ann,

God knows ['ll work myself to death.

Come on. No bids at all

400. Do I hear 450

Come on, people, 450

Look at her He can work

This is one of the best slave lots

we're gonna see all night,ladies and gentlemen

400 going once.

400 going twice. Sold

Will you take Israel and the young'uns with her

No. I'm lucky to be able to afford one as it is.

I don't need no more mouths to feed than hers.

No, please

No

Don't leave me

Don't take me

You'll have more children, missy.

Come on

No Israel

No Israel

Ladies and gentlemen

Five years later, the Civil War

began closing in on the Shenandoah Valley,

the place that was home to the military school

my father had sent me

when he became a general in the Confederate Army.

I was 17 years old and in my second year

at the Virginia Military Institute.

Whoo Johnny Wise

Always in a hurry

You think he'll do

He's a rabbit, a mouse.

And he's perfect,

like he shipped straight from heaven.

Round up the boys.

All right.

Good morning, young sir.

Let me give you a hand to the barracks.

But, sir, you're an upperclassman.

This is true. One day,

you will be magnificent yourself,

somehow find a way to repay my kindness.

Well, imagine this.

A welcoming committee.

Robert, come on and meet some of the boys.

This here's Duck.

Let's get you unpacked.

Oh--

And this is Jack Stanard,

a real soldier and a hard man indeed.

You want to grow up and be a man,

you pay attention to him and not me.

You looking for an easy ride,

you come to the wrong place.

This handsome creature is our resident Jew.

His name is actually Moses,

and he's an artist.

He's got the best heart of the bunch

if you ever need to cry on somebody's shoulder.

We'll start by me telling you

all about Sammy here so

you can protect yourself.

Couldn't you do one of them,

but without the clothes

Uh-oh. What have we here

W-What's that

Well, that looks like food to me, son.

Anybody tell you there's a war going on

Concealed foodstuffs,

that's contraband.

Clear violation of Institute regulations.

Immediate dismissal.

Might even be criminal.

Oh, Bobby, how could you

Cadet Stanard, could you please fetch

the Officer of the Day

I-I don't know how it got there.

This is Cadet Garland Jefferson,

Officer of the Day,

whose jurisdiction covers this matter.

And since his family are direct descendants

of Thomas Jefferson and own the eighth-largest plantation in all--

That'll do, Atwill.

Now, if I take charge, this goes to the faculty,

which ends horribly for the boy.

Oh, please, sir.

Could we have Duck fetch John Wise

Handle this within the barracks

Bobby, this is John Wise,

our unofficial Chief Magistrate.

Now, his father was once governor of this Commonwealth,

so he is as close to an aristocrat

as you can find in a democracy.

Look me in the eye, son.

Tell me the truth as if your very life depended on it.

Did you do this

No, sir.

I swear on my father's soul.

I believe this child.

I ask that we be allowed to settle this here.

All right.

You understand, son,

if this gets out,

it could be bad for Cadet Jefferson.

Therefore, there must be

some evidence of punishment.

Will you submit to a caning

Yes, sir,