Mercy Street Season 1 Episode 2 The Haversack

The show Mercy Street season 1 episode 2, titled "The Haversack," begins with Dr. Jed Foster being admitted to Mansion House Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, after being injured during the Battle of Bull Run.

Dr. Foster's arrival causes tension among the staff as he is a Confederate soldier and most of the staff are Union sympathizers. This tension is further exacerbated when Nurse Mary Phinney and Confederate spy Frank Stringfellow discover that Dr. Foster is hiding a map of Union troop movements in his haversack.

Meanwhile, a young enslaved woman named Aurelia Johnson is brought to the hospital after being rescued from her abusive slave owner. Though she is treated by the hospital staff, she is still considered property and must be returned to her owner once she is well enough to be discharged. This sparks a heated debate among the staff about the morality of slavery and the role of the hospital in upholding it.

In the midst of all this, Nurse Anne Hastings arrives at Mansion House to volunteer her services. Though she is initially met with suspicion and hostility due to her perceived upper-class background, she quickly proves herself to be a competent nurse and gains the respect of the rest of the staff.

As the episode progresses, tensions continue to rise among the staff as they struggle to resist their own prejudices and the pressures of the war around them. But ultimately, they are united by their common goal of providing the best possible care to their patients, regardless of their allegiances or backgrounds.

"The Haversack" is a poignant and thought-provoking episode that explores the complex issues of race, class, and politics that were at the heart of the Civil War. Through the lens of the hospital staff's experiences, viewers are given a glimpse into the human side of this devastating conflict and the struggles that those on both sides faced in trying to do what they believed was right. With strong performances from the cast and a well-crafted script, this episode is sure to captivate and move audiences.