Abraham, a former slave living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, knows that the Civil War is about to become real. Confederate soldiers are everywhere, and one morning he finds himself and his charge, Ladysmith, face-to-face with a young Southern soldier. But despite their many differences they find common ground, explaining how they feel about the war to each other. And when the soldier falls in the battle of Gettysburg, it is Abraham who finds him and brings him to a field hospital. Because Abraham served in the ambulance corps during the battle, he is invited to the dedication of the national cemetery. In a powerful ending, he meets Abraham Lincoln himself, and talks with the great man about the battle.
