Shenandoah Autumn

In this Civil War drama Charles Knox, a major in the Union army, is in an untenable situation. Two guerilla soldiers, accused of participating in an attack on an ambulance train, have been captured. But these two soldiers are far from being tough killers. One is an affable Irishman who just wants to raise horses, and the other is a local boy who’s never been in battle before. Knox makes them an offer that if they give him information about their leader, he will spare their lives, even though he has been ordered to show no mercy. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Knox’s men are bivouacked on the St. Clair farm, owned by a fellow West Point grad who is fighting for the South. Mrs. St. Clair is trying to hold the farm together and protect both her daughter and former slave woman since her husband has been missing. The physical hardships and suffering, plus the moral dilemma of war itself, make for an eloquent and stirring drama.