Near the end of the civil war, Moses Brown, an elderly black man is the true owner of the Bush Plantation - through inheritance. For appearances, his white son-in-law, Josh, plays the part of Master of the plantation when strangers are about. Together they make a success of the plantation.
Their main goal is to use the money they make to buy slaves, but not just any slaves - they're buying family members. The plan is, when they gather the entire family, they'll exodus north to freedom.
Problem is, just as they leave, other landowners catch on and hunt them, so they could take possession of the Plantation and its slaves.