On his way to West Point military academy Orry Main, the son of a wealthy South Carolina plantation owner, rescued Madeline Fabray and her free black servant Maum Sallie from a carriage wreck and poisonous snake. Upon the discovery that her destination was Resolute, the Mains' neighboring plantation owned by the ruthless Justin LaMotte, Orry offered Madeline transportation. Madeline arrived safely at Resolute, and Orry continued on to the train station after they promised to write to each other.
At the station, Orry encountered some anti-southern immigrants who provoked him into a fight. Just as the outnumbered fight breaks out, Pennsylvanian George Hazard arrived. The northern industrialist and owner of the prominent Hazard Iron ironworks company jumped in, and the West Point plebes were victorious, forming a life long friendship.
On the train, Orry confided in George his worries about his lack of academic skills. George ripped a ten dollar note in half and gave part to Orry, keeping the other half for himself. If Orrys pessimistic prediction came true, George would lose the money; if he graduated as George hoped, Orry must reimburse the money.
At West Point, George and Orry met their roommate, the Ohio born Fisk, son of a cotton planter who resented having to compete with slave labor for small farm profits. They later offered him a loan when his father was injured and needed money to run the farm.
They also made an instant enemy of their drill major, the evil Elkanah Bent. Later Bent followed them to Benny Haven's. When he fell through thin ice, Orry persuaded George to help him. Despite the great risk they took and their peace making gesture, Bent still reported them and Orry got sick. Later they ended up getting him kicked out of West Point.
Madeline was devastated when Orry stopped sending letters to her, and vice-versa. They didn't suspect that Nicholas Fabray, Madeline's father and Justin LaMotte's close friend, was intercepting the letters his daughter sent and received. He obviously was not aware that tampering with the mail is a federal offense. Madeline consented to a marriage between her and the much older Justin LaMotte.
Orry's mid-training break two years later came just in time for the Resolute wedding which he and his younger sisters, egocentric Ashton and naive Brett, attended as well. Orry and Madeline discovered Mr. Fabray's deception moments too late, after the conclusion of the ceremony.
Madeline soon realized that her brutal husband married her only for her beauty and intended to treat her no better than his slaves. She loved Orry but was married to Resolute's contemptible owner. Orry and Madeline met in a nearby abandoned church. Her affair was the only thing that made life at Resolute with Justin bearable.
Before coming home to Mont Royal, Orry visited George's family. The rest of the Hazard clan was not as likable as George, the second son and third born child. The eldest, Virgilia, was an abolitionist who was working to end slavery. When he attended a public speech of hers in Philidalphia, Orry was appalled at the exaggerations and misconceptions she had of the south and southern plantation owners who supposedly breaded their slaves.
Orry almost liked Stanley, the second oldest of William Sr. and Maude Hazard's children, as much as Virgilia. George's spineless older brother was always giving in to the ideas of his greedy wife Isabel, even when her plans hurt the rest of his family. The only thing he and Orry agreed on was that Virgilia carried her causes far too extremely.
Billy Hazard, George's only younger sibling, was a year older than Orry's sister Ashton and a future West Point graduate.
George and Orry were sent to Mexico in 1847 to fight in the Mexican-American War. They ended up being reunited with Elkanah Bent who was their superior officer. He forced them into a dangerous position, and Orry was seriously injured. George managed to get him to the field hospital in time for his life to be saved by Dr. Flynn, but his leg wound never fully recovered.
While in Mexico, George met Constance Flynn with a little help from her father who George met in the hospital. They decided to get married shortly, but Orry was less than enthusiastic about being the best man at their wedding, being depressed about his situation with Madeline.
George and Constance got married in a private ceremony to which only Orry, Maude Hazard, Stanley, Isabel, Virgilia, and Billy attended. Isabel was very much aghast that her brother-in-law would marry an Irish Catholic and did not even try to hide her feelings.
George invited the Mains to Belvedere for the summer. Orry accepted on behalf of his entire family.
During one of George's visits to Mont Royal, one of the Mains' slaves ran away. At Resolute, Madeline helped him escape. Tillet Main and Justin LaMotte started a search party. Orry found Priam while taking George to the train station. George made Orry let Priam go by forcing him to chose between the slave's capture or their friendship. Orry told him that there were certain things they could never discuss if they were to remain friends, and George agreed.
By the time the Mains went to Belvedere there was an addition to the family. Charles Main, the orphaned son of Tillet Main's brother, had been sent to live with Aunt Clarissa, the deceased Uncle Tillet, and cousins Orry, Ashton, and Brett. He was a troublemaker and never fit in with southern gentleman Orry, dignified Ashton, and well behaved Brett. The three Mont Royal cousins only associated with Charles when absolutely necessary, and he resented Orry and the girls for ignoring him.
That all changed when Whitney Smith challenged Charles to a duel after catching him in the company of his fiancee, his cousin Sue Marie Smith (yuck!). Smith Dawkins, Whitney's second, came on a rampage to Mont Royal, interrupted a meeting between Orry and James Huntoon, one of Ashton's many suitors, and demanded satisfaction.
Orry helped his cousin prepare for the duel, and Charles found that he could indeed play by the rules. The two became close and saw each other differently. Whitney was overconfident and missed by a long shot. He became so embarrassed and frightened at the prospect of death, that he had a little accident (oops!). Charles showed the class of a southern gentleman and the nobility of a Main by sparing Whitney's life.
Orry planned to prepare Charles for West Point, a new dream of the younger Main's. Also preparing for West Point entrance was George Hazard's younger brother Billy. Charles and Billy became best friends during the Mains' stay at Belvedere.
Billy also became acquainted with Ashton and Brett. Ashton, two years her sister's senior, was beautiful and self centered. She loved nobody but herself. Brett was attractive but hidden by Ashton's ostentatious beauty. The younger sister was intelligent, sweet, and had a big heart.
Brett had a crush on Billy, while he fell for Ashton's flirtatious charm and beauty (or maybe it was that ABC fruit; I guess we'll never know). Charles tried to convince his friend that he had chosen the wrong girl, but Ashton's beauty made little else matter for the youngest Hazard.
George and Orry decided to form a joint cotton mill together and call it Hazard and Main. Virgilia threw a fit in front of the Hazards' guests and was banished to her room for the rest of their stay.
Despite Virgilia's big mouth and obscene words, Orry and Clarissa invited Maude and her children to Mont Royal. The Mont Royal visit brought about many changes in relationships; some for the best, some for the worst. A party at the plantation in the Hazards' honor was planned. James Huntoon, one of Ashton's suitors, brought his coachman Grady with him. Virgilia bumped into Grady (literally). He was shocked at her kindness and how polite she was about the entire stumble.
Forbes LaMotte, Justin's nephew, was one of the party guests. Originally he came as Brett's date, but he ended up in the cotton dock with Ashton. Billy went in search for Ashton and found her with Forbes (Oh Botherment!). Billy decided to listen to best friend Charles and give Brett a chance. Ashton was infuriated that Billy would chose her sister over herself. She and Forbes plotted for revenge.
Virgilia went riding with Cuffey, one of the Mains' slaves whose only apparent job thus far into the mini-series seemed to be saddling Orry's horse for him. They were caught in a rainstorm and ran into (not literally this time) James Huntoon's coachman. Huntoon had started back to his plantation, but Grady had stayed. Cuffey rode back to Mont Royal to get George and Orry while Virgilia stayed in the coach with Grady. She offered to help him escape and told him she would do anything to prove that she thought of him as an equal. Grady kicked the coach's door off so they would be forced them to seek shelter in a barn (all the good churches and cotton docks were being used by the Mains).
Near the end of the Hazards' visit, Virgilia gave Grady money and an address where he could get help. Luckily he taught himself how to read so he escaped from the Huntoons.
The next morning, James Huntoon stormed over to Mont Royal. He accused Virgilia of freeing Grady and called her some unmentionable names which caused Billy to deck him (or maybe Billy just couldn't stand those sideburns anymore; it's hard to tell). Virgilia admitted to helping Grady. Needless to say, James Huntoon was not the president of the Hazards' fan club. This ended their stay at Mont Royal. Orry was pretty ticked off at Virgilia, too, since he had to pay Huntoon for Grady.
Billy and Charles went to West Point. At their graduation ceremony, Brett and Ashton watched the soldiers march. Ashton flirted with Miles Woodward (who, for the record, was paying more attention to her than his marching line and almost crashed into the guy in front of him). Brett asked what Ashton's fiancee James would think of her flirting, and she responded by saying that she could never love just one man; think how disappointed the rest of them would be.
Billy proposed to Brett who accepted. An angry Ashton collected West Point buttons in the chemistry lab from Miles Woodward and all of Billy Hazard's friends in attempt to get even with him. Charles caught her, but she knew he would not tell her secret because he, unlike Ashton, cared about the Main family.
Madeline and Orry decided to leave St. George's Parish. She was deathly afraid of what Justin would do to her if he found out the new secret she had learned. On his death bed, Nicholas Fabray told Madeline that her mother was one-fourth black (which is not a good thing in St. George's Parish, South Carolina, in 1857) and that she worked for Elizabeth Taylor. Most people would be happy to work for Elizabeth Taylor since she is a legendary actress and even has her own line of perfume, but her North and South character owned a brothel (ut, oh).
Ashton had gotten herself into quite a little situation. Her button collecting venture had its consequences. She went to Madeline who helped her by taking her to a woman named Aunt Belle Nin (A.K.A. The Family Planning Center of the 1800's). The only difference between Aunt Bell and the FPC is that Aunt Belle doesn't require a twenty-four hour waiting period.
Justin suspected that Madeline was meeting someone and spent the day at the hotel in Charleston she was supposedly going to be at. When she did not show up, he was sure she was meeting a man (wrong Main this time, Justin). She refused to tell him who she had betrayed him with so he locked her in her room. Maum Sallie tried to get her out, but Justin caught her. In the struggle, he sent Maum Sallie down the stairs, and she died.
Madeline became sick, and Justin told the doctor she had a nervous breakdown. He prescribed tonic which Justin hid in her food as well as giving her the medicine. Soon she became addicted to it. When Orry came to ask the LaMottes if they were coming to Ashton and James's wedding, Madeline was acting strange and claimed to have a good marriage.
Virgilia sent the Mains a copy of Harriet Beecher Stowe's southern slandering book Uncle Tom's Cabin. She and Grady were living in Philedalphia, dirt poor and trying to promote abolitionism.
Orry and Brett traveled to Lehigh Station to visit George and Constance. Virgilia was home mooching money off her family for about the fiftieth time. She and Orry exchanged words. They both went too far, and George demanded an apology from Orry who refused. He and Brett left Belvedere.
At the train station, Billy asked Orry again when he and Brett could be married. Orry refused to approve their plans at that time. After saying good-bye to Brett, Billy ran into his sister Virgilia who was also traveling on the Mains' train. At Harper's Ferry, the passengers were forced off the train and used as John Brown's hostages. (Some guy named Oliver had a big mouth and was spouting off rude remarks, so John Brown had to tell him to shut-up. That's not really important, but if you saw the show a million times like I have, you'd be able to remember that, too.)
Involved in the uproar was Grady who John Brown ordered to shoot anyone who gave him any kind of resistance. Virgilia and Grady met up with Orry and Brett, and they argued (as usual). Just as Grady was about to take John Brown's advice and shoot, who should show up but Priam. He told Grady that Orry had spared his life. Orry tried to tell Virgilia to go home before anything bad happened, but she wouldn't listen.
The passengers boarded the train again as the militia arrived. Poor Prime was killed. When Priam was shot, Virgilia became outraged, grabbed her husband's gun, and ran into the open to shoot at the men. Grady was shot protecting her (they should have listened to Orry) and Virgilia was hauled off to the loony bin.
Poor Orry was having a terrible time. Madeline seemed to be happy at Resolute, George was ticked off at him, and his sister wanted to marry a Yankee. Brett got a letter from Billy saying he was to be assigned to Fort Multree soon and they could be married any time after that. She went to Orry hoping that he would be understanding and sympathetic, the kind of brother he use to be. Orry and Brett quarreled. She was very angry that her brother would not allow her to be happy. In the heat of the moment, Orry hit her. Immediately apologetic, he tried to make it up to her, but she was too angry with him to reason with. Orry started to cry (this is the big not scene) his world crumbling around him.
Orry woke to find that Brett had moved to Ashton and James's house. Ashton pretended to be the sympathetic older sister when, at the same time, she was in cahoots with Forbes plotting Billy's murder. Eye Patch, Ashton's hit man, trailed Billy and Brett to a restaurant and then chased them half way around St. George's Parish. They managed to ditch him by hiding behind someone's gate. When he ran around a corner, Eye Patch's hat fell off and a fellow hit man stepped on it (you know you've seen this show too many times if you remember that!).
George and Constance received news that she would have a child soon and talked about linking Belvedere to the underground railroad. George had reservations because it was against everything Orry stood for.
George traveled to Mont Royal to make up with Orry. He helped his friend see that Billy and Brett's marriage would help keep their families together. Orry finally approved.
Billy was in Charleston at the same time James gave a speech about secession. Huntoon even dropped the American flag (how unpatriotic!). Ashton wasn't the only unfaithful one in their marriage. James and a new friend, Elkanah Bent, went to a brothel together. Bent saw James's wedding picture and recognized Orry.
Madam Conti told Bent about Laurette, one of her friends who married Nicholas Fabray. Bent put the pieces together and realized that the woman was Madeline's mother. He stole Madam Conti's only portrait of Madeline's quadroon mother.
Charles was in Texas on military assignment when Fort Sumter was fired on. He and many other southerners chose to join Jefferson Davis's Confederate forces. One man (who isn't important enough to be on the credits) called Charles a traitor. The Main retaliated by beating the snot out of him. Since there were no superior officers left at Camp Cooper (maybe the camp has something to do with the magically appearing Cooper Main in part three), Charles nailed his resignation to the door and left.
Charles got to Mont Royal just in time to be Billy's best man at the wedding (great timing, Charles). Ashton and James (and his funny sideburns) came to Brett's wedding, while Forbes set the plan into motion.
Justin helped Forbes and his second cheat on the duel. They made a toast to the southern government and Justin mentioned that there would be "one less Yank for our boys to fight". Madeline overheard the conversation and tried to leave Resolute. She had to slash Justin in the eye to get out the door (that scene was kind of disgusting, but sort of fake because the blood just kind of squirted up suddenly and didn't look real; better luck next time, special effects people).
Billy and Brett left for Washington. Forbes and his second (some guy named Preston Smith) caught up with Billy and Brett's carriage. Forbes insulted Brett, causing Billy to return his taunt. Forbes challenged Billy to the planned duel. The slave coachman named Homer served as Billy's second. Forbes and his friend spilled most of Billy's gunpowder onto the ground. Forbes, the little cheater, turned on nine instead of ten and almost killed Billy. Luckily, good old Homer chucked a rock at Forbes, causing him to miss.
Charles arrived just in time to help Billy fight Forbes and Preston. Brett just stood there (I personally wouldn't have just watched someone try to kill my husband, but that's just me; maybe South Carolinians are different). Preston got away with a kick in the rump by Charles (no joke), but Forbes and Homer were killed.
Orry connected Ashton to the murder attempt and kicked her out of the family. She left in a huff, and the look on James's confused face was hilarious, because he didn't know what was going on. The Mains offered Madeline sanctuary at Mont Royal. Justin went to his neighbors' plantation to get her back, but Charles and the slaves who were fully armed discouraged him.
Orry went to Lehigh Station to give George his share of the Hazard and Main company profits. Sam Green, a congressman, had gotten Virgilia out of the mental hospital. She went home, and Constance agreed to let her stay. While Orry was at Belvedere, Virgilia told some of their neighbors that a southerner was there. The mob rushed to Belvedere, intending to do away with the Confederate. George, Orry, and two very intimidating guns held them off.
Virgilia stole some valuable items from her own family and headed down the stairs. She thanked Constance for everything she tried to do for her. One of her trunks broke and the entire contents of her bags fell down the stairs. Constance picked them up and put them back in Virgilia's bags, including Constance's own favorite dress and let her keep them.
George used his authority as a Union General to stop a train. Orry went on as a special passenger. The two friends took out their halves of the ten dollar bill they had bet on during the train ride to West Point and separated it for the last time.