On the eve of the Civil War, Dr. Richard Eppes looked with pride over the lands of his Appomattox plantation that his ancestors had called home for the last two hundred years. Working those lands were his slaves, whose efforts kept a roof over his family, provided food on his table and maintained his place in the social hierarchy of the south. The tension and fragility of Eppes' relationship with his slaves were exposed when the Union army arrived in the area in May 1862. The family packed their bags and headed to Petersburg for safety, while all but a few of his slaves disappeared over the following months.