Air date: November 24, 1961
In June 1863, during the height of The American Civil War, Confederate soldier Joseph Paradine hears the marching of the Union army, but is puzzled when it suddenly stops. Curious, he sets out to a nearby town to find what's going on. Upon arriving, Joseph sees the Union soldiers, frozen in place, and meets a strange man named Teague, who happens to be unaffected. Teague reveals a book he's clutching, which he claims is magical and what he used it to freeze the soldiers, thinking that they were interlopers. Joseph initially doesn't believe him until he uses the same spell he used to freeze the soldiers on him. As Joseph wonders why Teague doesn't use the power of the book to subdue the whole Union army, the old man reveals that he's dying and gives the book to Joseph, encouraging him to use its powers against the enemy. The soldier looks upon the book and realizes that isn't what it seems.
As Joseph returns to camp that evening, he informs his superior of everything he saw in the town. The lieuteunant refuses to believe him, until Dauger, a soldier Joseph was travelling with, reveals that the story is true, as he witnessed everything. Realizing that the power of the book can help the Confederacy win the war, the lieuteunant urges Joseph to read from the book. He does so... until he comes to a passage that claims using the book's magic requires the reader to renounce God and pledge their allegiance to the Devil. Joseph promptly hurls the book into the campfire, saying that he would rather let the Confederacy die on hallowed ground instead of forsake God. The next day, Joseph and his fellow troops receive orders to head to a small town in the midst of battle: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Still Tropes:
- Adaptational Alternate Ending: In the short story "The Valley Was Still" by Manly Wade Wellman, Joseph survives the war and repeatedly claims in his old age that the Confederacy's loss was not at Antietam or Gettysburg, but the titular valley hamlet of Channow. The television adaptation ends with Rod Serling noting that Joseph and the other members of his troop moved out to Gettysburg, with the implication being that they will all be killed in battle.
- Affably Evil: Teague borders on this. He may have whole-heartedly embraced his Deal with the Devil so he can use the magic spells in his book, but he's surprisingly laid-back and friendly, even generous enough to bestow the book on Joseph when he dies.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Averted. Joseph, after acquiring Teague's spell book, believes that he has the means to help the Confederacy win the war. Upon noticing the cost it's magic requires, he instead burns the book, deciding that he would rather die with an untarnished soul than win with an evil one.
- Black Magic: Teague's book contains spells and other magical powers, but they will only work if the reader forsakes God and accepts the Devil.
- Chromosome Casting: Given its military theme, the episode has an all-male cast.
- Deal with the Devil: The spell book requires its readers to accept the Devil as their master and renounce God in order to unlock its magic. Joseph's superior and fellow soldiers are eager to use the book's demonic power to win the Civil War, but Joseph manages to convince them not to go through with it.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the short story, Joseph decapitates Teague with his saber after he suggests using the book to defeat the Union. In the television adaptation, Teague dies of natural causes, off-screen.
- Everyone Has Standards: When Joseph finds out that he must forsake God and worship the Devil to fully unlock the magic book's potential, he is horrified and vehemently refuses to do so, tossing the book into the campfire. Just because the Confederates were all in for slavery doesn't mean they were that evil, apparently.
- Foregone Conclusion: Serling's closing narration mentions that Joseph and his fellow soldiers are ordered to move out to a little town called Gettysburg...
- Magical Seventh Son: Teague is able to utilize the spell book's magic because he claims to be "the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son."
- Nicknaming the Enemy: Joseph argues that the Confederates' nickname for the Union, the "Yankees", will become their own doom if they keep doing it.
- Shown Their Work: Dauger mentioned "the second battle of Manassas," which is the Confederate name for the two Battles of Bull Run. The flag the Union soldier is holding is the 34 star flag, which was used during the civil war.
- Time Stands Still: The primary spell of the book that is showcased. Teague used it to freeze numerous Union soldiers in time because he though that they were intruders.
- War Is Hell: Joseph's companion Dauger says that he enlisted in the Confederate Army as if he were playing a children's game, but the experience of fighting has shown him the harsh reality of war. His only desire now is to remain alive no matter what, even if it means surrendering to the Union. Joseph slaps him across the face in response to what he views as treason.
- What You Are in the Dark: Out of all the Confederates, Joseph is the only one to realize that it's much better to go off to battle and die honorably, rather than win by Black Magic that would taint their souls. He believes that if the Confederacy is indeed going to be buried, it should at least be buried in hallowed ground. So while the Confederacy lost the war according to the history books, no one will ever know how Joseph and the others significantly won a personal battle by choosing the high road.
- Your Days Are Numbered: Teague can sense that he is going to die when the sun goes down, so he gives his book of black magic to Joseph, to be used as a weapon against the Union.
