《南北战争乱世情》根据美国作家约翰·杰克斯的著名小说《南北战争三部曲》改编，《人鬼情未了》男主角帕特里克·斯韦兹和《斯帝尔传奇》的男配角James Read主演。讲的是美国南北战争前后北方工业主和南方庄园主两个家族的变迁。乔治和梅是西点军校的同学，亦是好朋友，乔治来自北 方，梅来自南方，故事就是围绕他们的家庭展开。
乔治在墨西哥作战时认识了康坦，两人一见钟情，端的是郎才女貌。结婚后也一直很幸福，康坦很善良，经常帮助黑人和其他有需要的人。
梅在去军校报到的路上认识了玛格丽特，对她一见钟情，玛格丽特也很喜欢他。可是玛格丽特有1/4的黑人血统，她爸爸怕她嫁入庄园主家庭会不幸福，临死前为她寻找了一个丈夫。玛格丽特无奈嫁给了她不爱的人。她丈夫虽然富有，却脾气暴躁，玛格丽特几乎被他整死。梅在墨西哥作战时残废了一条腿，可他虽然瘸腿，依然奋勇去救自己的心上人。在争斗中，玛格丽特的丈夫不留神摔死，玛格丽特成了富有的寡妇，并和梅结了婚。
乔治的妹妹维吉尼亚是一个狂热的反奴隶主分子。她在和哥哥去梅家做客的期间，爱上了个黑人，并协助他逃到北方，两人结了婚，共同成为反南分子。她不惜和家庭闹翻。后来她丈夫在一次战斗中被打死，她又经历了一些和南方庄园主的冲突，渐渐地看法有些改变。
乔治的弟弟比利和梅的表弟查理也是西点军校的同学，自然也成为好朋友。比利在去梅家做客时，认识了梅的两个妹妹，起初他被迷人的大妹妹（虽然迷人，心眼非常坏）所吸引，后来才发现纯真善良的小妹妹帕特才是他真正要追求的。梅的大妹妹被气得要死，其实她不爱比利，只是她不能容忍有她征服不了的男人。她百般破坏比利和帕特，但他们始终非常相爱，还结了婚。梅的大妹妹则嫁给自己的一个追求者，她的丈夫虽然性格懦弱，却非常有政治前途，有望成为南方的领袖。
战争开始了，所有西点军校的学员都应征入伍为自己一方而战，乔治和梅、比利和查理成了敌人。比利不得已告别深爱的新婚妻子，而帕特千辛万苦从北方回到了南方。黑人都跑走了，他们家只剩两个忠心的仆人，于是帕特和玛格丽特开始生产，自给自足。梅的大妹妹自然自己享福去了，她偶然发现了玛格丽特的身世秘密，就跑回家，逼走了玛格丽特。战争是异常残酷的。（那时候人打仗大家排成一排排的，一边往前走，一边开枪，也没个挡的东西。只见走着走着，人一个个倒下来，排在第一排而没被打死的，简直要谢谢上帝了。）比利和查理在战场上相遇，互相用枪指着对方，不过最终谁也没开枪。比利在一次战争过后，看到同伴的惨死，不由倍加思念妻子。他趁战争的空档从北方跑到南方看妻子，险些被梅的大妹妹告发，帕特奋起保护丈夫，她姐姐才没有得逞。查理认识了一个美丽的寡妇，起初她并不接受他，但最终被他所感动。维吉尼亚在战地医院工作，一次一个南方军人死了，院长认为是她歧视南方人而造成。她气愤之下，失手推了院长一下，院长昏倒，她以为院长死了，只好躲到她的一个追求者 - 一名议员处当其情妇。后来议员为了升官，要甩掉维吉尼亚，告诉她院长没有死，以前是骗她的，维吉尼亚气愤下开枪杀死了议员，最终被处以绞刑。梅的大妹妹和一战争狂人勾搭上，但最终这个狂人在自己军火库被炸毁后和军火库同归于尽，梅的大妹妹的奸情也被自己丈夫发现，以后的日子可不好过了。
战争一结束，梅千辛万苦找到了妻子玛格丽特，知道自己已经当了爸爸，一家人终于可以不再分离。查理去找爱人，发现她已经难产而死，只给他留下了一个孩子。比利马不停蹄第一时间赶到帕特家，与妻子团聚。最后众人在梅的庄园重新相聚。
Based on John Jakes best selling novel. 1842, a special summer day at the huge plantation of Mont Royal. A South Carolinian young man, Orry Maine, leaves his rich home for West Point Academy. On his way northwards, in very strange circumstances, he meets two people who will play a decisive role in his life: beautiful lady Madeleine Fabray whom Orry helps and with whom he falls in love and a "Yankee" George Hazard by whom Orry is helped and who is also on his way to West Point Academy. From that time, Orry and George are best friends and help each other at every moment, they fight for the USA in the Mexican War at Churubusco where George saves Orry's life. A few years later, the friendship of Orry and George spread to the friendship of their families, the Maines from South Carolina and the Hazards from Pennsylvania. Yet, the love of Orry's life, Madeleine gets married to Justin LaMotte, a rich cruel owner of nearby plantation in South Carolina. Their love cannot be fulfilled and they only meet in secret. Years pass by and the relations between north and south are not that calm as in the past. Northern abolitionists demand the end of slavery while the south demands secession and separation from the "damn Yankees." Although George and Orry badly want peace between north and south, there is no escape from the inescapable fate. April, the 12th, 1861 and the attack on the northern fortress Fort Sumter done by the southerners means the beginning of war. These who fought together at Churubusco will have to fight against each other. Friends will have to become enemies. Will war be stronger than peace of mind? May the storm and noise of canons, rifles and bullets destroy honor, respect and true friendship?
George Hazard and Orry Main are for two opposite sides of a Civil War, that has just started. But for twenty years they have been the best friends ever . So, when they get in trouble, they can still count on each other. While, the men are fighting, women must take care of their houses. But not all the people are good and honest. Elkanah Bent, a big enemy of George and Orry, with a help form Orry's sister; Ashton, smuggle precious goods from Europe. George's brother and sister-in-law want to become rich from the war. Times get harder and harder. Will the war ever end? What influence is it going to make on the Hazards, the Mains and the nation?
