Richard Gatling, an American inventor born in 1818 in North Carolina, invented the Gatling gun in 1862, which was one of the first successful machine guns. The Gatling gun helped reduce the need for large armies since it allowed one man to do as much battle duty as a hundred. While developed during the Civil War, the Gatling gun saw little action but led to the creation of modern rotary cannons like the M61 Vulcan. Richard Gatling patented many inventions and felt compelled to invent the machine gun after seeing many soldiers die from disease rather than gunshots during the Civil War.
Richard Gatling, an American inventor born in 1818 in North Carolina, invented the Gatling gun in 1862, which was one of the first successful machine guns. The Gatling gun helped reduce the need for large armies since it allowed one man to do as much battle duty as a hundred. While developed during the Civil War, the Gatling gun saw little action but led to the creation of modern rotary cannons like the M61 Vulcan. Richard Gatling patented many inventions and felt compelled to invent the machine gun after seeing many soldiers die from disease rather than gunshots during the Civil War.
Richard Gatling, an American inventor born in 1818 in North Carolina, invented the Gatling gun in 1862, which was one of the first successful machine guns. The Gatling gun helped reduce the need for large armies since it allowed one man to do as much battle duty as a hundred. While developed during the Civil War, the Gatling gun saw little action but led to the creation of modern rotary cannons like the M61 Vulcan. Richard Gatling patented many inventions and felt compelled to invent the machine gun after seeing many soldiers die from disease rather than gunshots during the Civil War.
1. American: born in Hertford County, North Carolina
2. Best known for his invention of the Gatling gun; the first successful machine gun 3. Invented/patented many inventions including a screw propeller and a steam plow 4.Born: Led to the creation of the M61 Vulcan; a six-barreled, air cooled, rotary cannon Died: 5. After noticing many soldiers dying in the war from disease, rather than gunshots, Home: he felt compelled to build the machine gun
"It occurred to me that if I could invent a machine a gun which
could by its rapidity of fire, enable one man to do as much battle duty as a hundred, that it would, to a large extent supersede the necessity of large armies, and consequently, exposure to battle and disease [would] be greatly diminished."
Did you know?
Though the gun was developed during the Civil War it saw very little action.