Chapters 1-2 Summary

The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove is a novel about the Civil War, but it is not the average Civil War novel. In this book, the events of the Civil War take a turn when a group of men from one hundred fifty years in the future appear and offer their services to the Confederacy. In addition to their services, they also offer to supply a fantastic new weapon and ammunition at an unbelievable low price. The new repeater carbine is an AK-47.

General Robert E. Lee is explaining in a letter to President Davis why he cannot go to North Carolina for the attack of New Berne when he hears gunfire. A man named Andries Rhoodie has developed a new rifle as he is informed by Colonel Gorgas and Lee agrees to see Rhoodie. Rhoodie demonstrates the new...