August 1862, over a year into the war.
1862年8月,开战已逾一年。
General Robert E Lee's Confederate Army, is readying to launch a wide ranging assault ,against Union forces in Virginia.
罗伯特·E·李将军所领导的南方联盟军队,准备好发动一起大规模的进攻,对手是弗吉尼亚的联邦军队。
Highly motivated these men are fighting on their home turf, and are ready to die for Southern independence and traditions, and its rural way of life.
士气高昂的士兵们将在他们的故土上大战一场,并时刻准备好为捍卫南方独立,为维护传统的乡村生活方式而牺牲。
It s prosperity is built around a simple crop -- cotton.
南方的繁荣完全依托于一种农作物,棉花。
Known as white gold, the South accounts for two thirds of the world's supply of cotton.
棉花被喻为"白色黄金",南方的棉产量占世界总产量的三分之二。
And it brings extraordinary wealth to the Southern states.
棉花给南方各州带来了惊人的财富,
But its wealth built on the backs of slaves.
但这笔财富却是建立在奴隶的血汗之上的。
Now Lincoln's victory at the ballot box threatens this traditional way of life, the slavery it is built on.
而如今,林肯的票选胜利对这种传统生活方式构成了威胁,使它所赖以生存的奴隶制岌岌可危。
Rather than submit to Northern rule, the South decides to fight.
不愿屈服于北方统治,南方决定一战,
They want a separate nation.
他们想要分而治之。
General Robert E Lee takes command at the head of the newly formed army of Northern Virginia.
罗伯特·E·李将军担任新成立的北弗吉尼亚军队总指挥,
Lee, a brilliant graduate of the elite West Point Academy is already a veteran of the Mexican War.
李是毕业于西点军校的高材生,又在墨西哥战争中久经历练。