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Learn more- John and Allen Grigsby, brothers, own and operate a general store at Hopkinsville, Ky., and our opening scene occurs on the wedding day of Allen, the younger brother. The wedding party are gathered at the home of Judge Hopkins, whose pretty daughter is the prospective bride. Word has been received that the first shot has been fired at Fort Sumter, and even in the midst of the wedding festivities the conversation of the excited guests turns to the talk of war and its possibilities. The judge has drawn up a document which he is going to ask his neighbors to sign, declaring their allegiance to the Southern cause. All the men are asked to meet at the Grigsby Brothers' store two weeks after the wedding, prepared to declare their principles and to sign or refuse to, the oath of allegiance. The guests then depart tor the village church to witness the wedding ceremony. The second scene occurs two weeks later, showing in a faithful manner the interior of a village store in Kentucky in 1861. Young Allen signs the oath of allegiance and calls his brother to do the same. His brother reads it slowly and hands it back again, saying: "I am sorry, Allen, but I cannot sign that paper." The hot-headed boy can scarcely believe what he hears. "Do you mean you are going against me? Against our own people?" "I am going to do what I think is right, Allen." With an oath the younger brother springs at John's throat, but the neighbors separate them and lead Allen from the place. Four years later on the Rappahannock, the Confederate regiment with which Allen Grigsby is serving as a captain has been trapped. The Federals have closed in on all sides of them. The Union troops, sure of their prey and anticipating an attack from the redoubtable Jackson, are playing a waiting game. The Confederate colonel, knowing that Jackson is but five miles away, calls for a volunteer to get through the enemy's lines and apprise Jackson of his predicament. Allen is selected, and disguised as a Union officer starts on his dangerous mission. A Union spy directs Allen to take a road leading towards the Federal's main camp, and then hastily notifies Colonel John Grimsby, who sends a lieutenant with a squad of cavalry to capture the spy. An exciting scene follows, for Allen puts up a brave fight, but, overwhelmed by numbers, he is marched off to the temporary stockade prison, where our next scene occurs. Colonel John Grigsby is in command of the regiment which is stationed at the prison, and receiving an order from the brigade commander he enters and calls the number Allen is known by. He then reads to him the fateful order. "Execute at sunrise." As Allen stands up to hear his sentence, John sees his prisoner for the first time. With a cry of horror he recognizes his own brother. John Grigsby now stands face to face with one of the strangest of all war possibilities. He as the commanding officer must punish with death the spy captured within his own lines, and that spy is his own brother. The stricken man offers his hand to Allen. "A man does not shake hands with his executioner," is Allen's reply to his offer. During the night, which Allen feels to be his last on earth, a vision comes to him. He sees the girl wife he left behind in old Kentucky. Allen, shaken by the vision of his wife and boy, relates the dream to John and pleads for his liberty that he may go to them. Suddenly a plan forms itself in John's mind. "I can't and won't let him die like a dog." He acts at once, and unbuckling his sabre and revolver belt, strips off his uniform coat and quickly puts them on Allen, gives him the password, and then with quiet intensity says, "My horse is outside. Ride straight ahead until you reach the river, then keep the Shell road to Warrensburg. It's only five miles. Jackson is encamped there. Stop, give me that revolver: I may need it. I'll give yon five minutes' start, anyway." The brothers clasp hands, and Allen, disguised, darts out of the door. John listens until the clatter of the horse's feet dies out, then deliberately shoots himself in the shoulder. The report of the revolver shot brings the guard, who, seeing his commander wounded and the prisoner gone, rushes to the officers' quarters for help. When they arrive John feigns unconsciousness and thus gains a few precious moments for Allen. Finally he tells the anxious officers that, being unable to sleep, he called to get the address of the condemned man's friends so that he might write them of his fate. That he was met by a stern refusal, and that as he turned to leave the man sprang upon him, and in the struggle be was shot and lost consciousness. The camp is aroused, but Allen, mounted on Colonel Grigsby' big bay, leaves all pursuit behind and makes good his escape. Three months later, the fight at Buckton's Bridge. During the action Colonel John Grigsby leads a charge against the infantry massed at the enemy's end of the bridge. A young Confederate officer, with his regiment's colors in his left hand, leaps out in front of his kneeling men to steady them against the Federal attack. Colonel Grigsby gives the order, "Draw sabres! Charge!" The grey line breaks and gives way in spite of the young officer's pleading. The boys in blue with a yell of triumph dash for the captured end of the bridge, firing as they come. Colonel John sees the brave Confederate flag bearer stagger. He orders his men to cease firing and goes himself to the officer's assistance. As he lowers the wounded man to the ground he is horrified to find that he is looking into the face of his own brother. "It's the fortune of war, John. Good-bye; take care of Laura and my boy.'' And young Allen Grigsby dies in his brother's arms. Two years later, Allen Grigsby's widow recognizes her husband's brother. Her heart is bitter towards him at first, but his worn face and the sorrow in his voice softens her anger, "Laura, the war is ended. Can't we be friends? It was his wish, for he died in my arms. Fell fighting for the cause he thought was right." She gives him her hand. The breach is healed. He gives the widow her husband's last message, and with bowed and reverent head the sorrow-stricken woman murmurs. "Father in Heaven. Thy will be done." A picture story full of the pathos that grips the heart. The kind of a story that will live always. - The Moving Picture World, April 3, 1909
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