The Birth of a Nation Scene 10 Summary

  • Two and a half years later (big jump), we see Ben Cameron receive a letter from his family on the war front.
  • It's from his baby sister. How do we know? It's signed "Sis"—for real. She talks about how much she's grown and compliments him on his mustache—again, seriously.
  • Back at home, Little Sis (that's what we like to call her) reads Ben's letter while clad in a special dress. She stuffs it in her bodice when she's done.
  • Apparently Piedmont is being assaulted by guerillas. The two sisters hear an announcement of one such assault as they leave the house, prompting them to go right back inside.
  • But the doors are locked—uh oh. Daddy Cameron gets them inside just in the nick of time, but the guerilla forces advance all the way to their doorstep.
  • All of the soldiers in this militia are black, save the captain, who the film describes as a white "scalawag" who influences them. There's a lot of subtext there.
  • The girls hole up while Dr. Cameron is shot by members of the militia who are ransacking the house. The girls hide in a secret compartment underneath the floor.
  • The guerillas enter the room where the girls are hiding. They start tearing the place apart, though they still haven't found their hiding spot.
  • It's at this time that Confederate soldiers arrive and retake the city. Before turning tail, the guerillas set the Cameron's house on fire.
  • Wait—Dr. Cameron isn't dead. He just sort of gets up. Weird.
  • The Confederates rescue the lot of them and it doesn't seem like the house has been damaged much, even though it was set on fire.