Gatling gun: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|1860s multi-barrel rapid-fire gun of Richard Gatling}}

{{useUse mdy dates |date=April 2021}}

| type = Rapid-fire gun, hand -cranked [[Machinemachine gun]]

| wars = [[American Civil War]]<br>[[Boshin War]]<br>[[Indian Wars]]<br>[[Franco-Prussian War]]<ref>Smithurst, Peter, The Gatling Gun: Osprey Publishing (2015)</ref><br>[[Anglo-Ashanti War]]<br>[[Ethiopian-Egyptian War]]<br>[[Haw Wars]]<br>[[Satsuma Rebellion]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thoughtco.com/the-satsuma-rebellion-195570 | title=How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion}}</ref><br>[[Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)]]<br>[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]<br>[[Anglo-Zulu War]]<br>[[War of the Pacific]]<br>[[Argentine Civil Wars]]<br>[[Russian conquest of Central Asia]]<br>[[Kiriji War]]<br>[[Mahdist War]]<br>[[Anglo-Egyptian War]]<br>[[Colombian Civil war of 1884-1885]]<ref>{{cite book|last= Sicard |first= Pedro |title= Páginas para la historia militar de Colombia: Guerra civil de 1885 |url= https://studylib.es/doc/5567992/p%C3%A1ginas-para-la-historia-militar-de-colombia |year= 1925 |publisher= Press of the E.M.G. |location= Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango |pages= 119 }}</ref><br>[[Northwest Rebellion]]<br>[[Italo-Ethiopian War of 1887-1889]]<ref>Finaldi, Giuseppe, "A History of Italian Colonialism, 1860–1907: Europe’s Last Empire"(2016)</ref><br>[[Revolution of the Park]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.zona-militar.com/foros/threads/las-gatling-en-el-ejercito-y-armada-argentina.33840/ | title=Las Gatling en el Ejercito y Armada Argentina | date=December 8, 2017 }}</ref><br>[[Argentine Revolution of 1893]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.efemeridesradicales.com.ar/indice/R/Revolucion_Radical_de_1893/Revolucion_Radical_de_1893.html| title=Revolucion Radical de 1893}}</ref><br>[[Revolta da Armada]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.armasbrasil.com/SecXIX/declinio/ArmasFogo/Mtr_gatling.htm | title=ArmasBrasil - Metraladora Gatling }}</ref><br>[[First Sino-Japanese War]]<ref name="SinoJapaneseWar">{{Cite book |last=Esposito |first=Gabriele |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1350351894 |title=Armies of the first Sino-Japanese War 1894-95 |date=2022 |others=Giuseppe Rava |isbn=978-1-4728-5130-7 |location=Oxford |oclc=1350351894}}</ref><br>[[Second Matabele War]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.samilitaryhistory.org/vol162ic.html | title=THE ORDNANCE AND MACHINE GUNS OF THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY 1889 - 1896 Part One: 1889-1891 }}</ref><br>[[Spanish–American War]]<br>[[Philippine–American War]]<br>[[Boxer Rebellion]]<br>[[Colorado Labor Wars]]<br>[[Russo-Japanese War]] (limited)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/108355102849/the-gatling-gun-invented-by-dr-richard-gatling-in/amp | title=Historical Firearms- The Gatling Gun}}</ref><ref>Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, "Anti-personnel Weapons"(2021)</ref><br>[[History of Honduras#The rise of US influence in Honduras (1899–1919)|1907 Honduran Conflict]]<br>[[Mexican Revolution]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://truewestmagazine.com/article/guns-of-mexicos-freedom-fighters/ | title=Guns of Mexico's Freedom Fighters}}</ref><br>[[Battle of Blair Mountain]]

| production_date = 1862-19031862–1903

The Gatling gun's operation centered on a cyclic multi-barrel design which facilitated cooling and synchronized the firing-reloading sequence. As the handwheel is cranked, the barrels rotate, and each barrel sequentially loads a single [[cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] from a top-mounted [[magazine (firearms)|magazine]], fires off the shot when it reaches a set position (usually at [[clock position|4 o'clock]]), then ejects the spent casing out of the left side at the bottom, after which the barrel is empty and allowed to cool until rotated back to the top position and gravity-fed another new round. This configuration eliminated the need for a single [[reciprocating motion|reciprocating]] [[bolt (firearms)|bolt]] design and allowed higher rates of fire to be achieved without the barrels overheating quickly.

One of the best-known early rapid-fire [[firearm]]s, the Gatling gun saw occasional use by the [[Union (American Civil War)|UnionU.S.]] [[Union Army|forces]] during the [[American Civil War]], which was the first time it was employed in combat. It was later used in numerous military conflicts, including the [[Boshin War]], the [[Anglo-Zulu War]], and the assault on [[Battle of San Juan Hill|San Juan Hill]] during the [[Spanish–American War]].<ref name="enc-sjh">{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-SanJuanHillBattleof.html|title=San Juan Hill, Battle of|first=John W. (II)|last=Chambers|work=The Oxford Companion to American Military History|year=2000|access-date=2009-11-24|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126021542/http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-SanJuanHillBattleof.html|archive-date=2009-11-26}}</ref> It was also used by the Pennsylvania militia in episodes of the [[Great Railroad Strike]] of 1877, specifically in [[Pittsburgh]]. Gatling guns were evenalso mounted aboard ships.<ref>[https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-57000/NH-57130.html 1884 Picture of Gatling Gun on board 1875 US warship "Alliance"]</ref>

The casing was partitioned, and through this opening, the barrel shaft was [[journal (mechanical device)|journal]]ed. In front of the casing was a [[Cam (mechanism)|cam]] with spiral surfaces. The cam imparted a reciprocating motion to the locks when the gun rotated. Also in the casing was a cocking ring with projections to cock and fire the gun. Each barrel had a single lock, working in the lock cylinder on a line with the barrel. The lock cylinder was encased and joined to the frame. Early models had a fibrous matting stuffed in among the barrels, which could be soaked with water to cool the barrels down. Later models eliminated the matting jacketing as being unnecessary.

By 1893, the Gatling was adapted to take the new [[.30-40 Krag|.30 Army]] smokeless cartridge. The new M1893 guns featured six barrels, later increased to ten barrels, and were capable of a maximum (initial) rate of fire of 800–900 rounds per minute, though 600 rpm was recommended for continuous fire.<ref name="Parker, John H. 2006"/><ref>U.S. Ordnance Dept., ''Handbook of the Gatling Gun, Caliber .30 Models of 1895, 1900, and 1903'', Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, (1905) p. 21</ref> Dr. Gatling later used examples of the M1893 powered by electric motor and belt to drive the crank.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/2433/eleckeygatling.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-09-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725152641/http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/2433/eleckeygatling.jpg |archive-date=2011-07-25 }}</ref> Tests demonstrated the electric Gatling could fire bursts of up to 1,500&nbsp;rpm.

The M1893, with minor revisions, became the M1895, and 94 guns were produced for the U.S. Army by Colt. Four M1895 Gatlings under Lt. [[John Henry Parker (general)|John H. Parker]] saw considerable combat during the Santiago campaign in Cuba in 1898. The M1895 was designed to accept only the Bruce feeder. All previous models were unpainted, but the M1895 was painted olive drab (O.D.) green, with some parts left [[Bluing (steel)|blued]].

Before the Gatling gun, the only weapons available to military forces capable of firing many projectiles in a short spaceperiod of time were mass-firing [[volley gun|volley weapons]], like the Belgian and French [[mitrailleuse]] of the 1860s and 1870s, and field [[cannon]]s firing [[canister shot]], much like an upsized [[shotgun]]. The latter was widely used during and after the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. Although the maximum [[rate of fire]] was increased by firing multiple projectiles simultaneously, these weapons still needed to be reloaded after each discharge, which for multi-barrel systems like the ''mitrailleuse'' was cumbersome and time-consuming. This negated much of the advantage of their high rate of fire per discharge, making them much less powerful on the battlefield. In comparison, the Gatling gun offered a rapid and continuous rate of fire without having to be manually reloaded by opening the breech.

Early multi-barrel guns were approximately the size and weight of [[artillery]] pieces and were often perceived as a replacement for cannons firing [[grapeshot]] or canister shot.<ref name=" proceedings"/> Compared with earlier weapons such as the ''mitrailleuse,'' which required manual reloading, the Gatling gun was more reliable and easier to operate and had a lower, but continuous rate of fire. The large wheels required to move these guns around required a high firing position, which increased the vulnerability of their crews.<ref name="proceedings"/>

The Gatling gun was designed by the American inventor [[Richard Jordan Gatling|Dr. Richard J. Gatling]] in 1861 and patented on November 4, 1862.<ref>Richard J. Gatling, [http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00036836&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D0036836.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0036836%2526RS%3DPN%2F0036836&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page "Improvement in revolving battery-guns,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120053800/http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00036836&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D0036836.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0036836%2526RS%3DPN%2F0036836&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page |date=2017-01-20 }} U.S. Patent No. 36,386 (issued: Nov. 4, 1862).</ref><ref name=Greeley1872>{{cite book |title=The Great Industries of the United States |last=Greeley |first=Horace |author-link=Horace Greeley |author2=Leon Case |year=1872 |publisher=J.B. Burr & Hyde |isbn=978-1-85506-627-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/greatindustrieso00greeuoft/page/944 944] |url=https://archive.org/details/greatindustrieso00greeuoft }}</ref> Gatling wrote that he created it to reduce the size of armies and so reduce the number of deaths by combat and disease, and to show how futile war is.<ref>Paul Wahl and Don Toppel, ''The Gatling Gun'', Arco Publishing, 1971.</ref>

British manufacturer James George Accles, previously employed by Colt 1867–1886, developed a modified Gatling gun circa 1888 known as the Accles Machine Gun.<ref>[https://www.accles-shelvoke.com/company/about-accles-shelvoke/history History of Accles & Shelvoke from company website]</ref> Circa 1895 the [[American Ordnance Company]] acquired the rights to manufacture and distribute this weapon in the Americas. It was trialed by the US Navy in December 1895, and was said to be the only weapon to complete the trial out of five competing weapons, but was apparently not adopted by US forces.<ref>{{cite book | last = American Ordnance Company | title = The Driggs-Schroeder System of rapid-fire guns, 2nd edition | publisher = The Deutsch Lithographing and Printing Company | year = 1896 | location = Baltimore, MD | pages = Preface, 76 | url = https://archive.org/details/driggsschroeders00amer/page/n10 }}</ref>

In 1907 Gatling guns were used by Nicaragua in the battle of Namasique, those were largely manned by American mercenaries<ref name=":0" />

Gatling guns were kept in store by coal companies and used during the [[Battle of Blair Mountain]];<ref>{{Cite web |title=100 years since the Battle of Blair Mountain |url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/09/10/bmtn-s10.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=World Socialist Web Site |date=September 10, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> In September 1 a group of miners looted one of these guns and assaulted a spot called Craddock Fork. Opposing forces fought back with a machine gun, but after three hours of heavy fire, their weapon jammed. The miners surged forward and briefly broke the defensive line, but were repulsed by another machine gun nest located further up the ridge. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Evan |title=The Battle of Blair Mountain |url=https://www.history.com/news/americas-largest-labor-uprising-the-battle-of-blair-mountain |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=HISTORY |date=September 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

GatlingsGatling guns were used by [[Khedivate of Egypt|Egyptian]] forces both on sea and land, and saw combat in Sudan and Abyssinia. [[Isma'il Pasha]] ordered 120 Colt 1865 six-barrel Gatling guns; after being convinced by Shahine Pasha who witnessed Gatling gun trials at Shoeburyness in 1866. In 1872 a few <nowiki>''</nowiki>camel<nowiki>''</nowiki> guns were purchased, these were smaller and used a tripod instead of the carriage. During the [[Siege of Khartoum]] an Egyptian Gatling gun aided by a telescope was able to target Sudanese artillery crews from a distance of 2,000 yards.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dunn |first=John P. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/808492529 |title=Khedive Ismail's army |date=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-64595-9 |location=London |oclc=808492529}}</ref>

Gatling guns were imported by some states in Nigeria. They were used during the Kalabari Civil war of 1879-83,<ref name="Nigeria2" /> the Abbi House bought one from King Jaja of Opobo and it may have been used in canoe warfare.<ref name=Nigeria1>< /ref> The Ijesha used a Gatling gun against the Ibadan during the early 1880s.<ref name=Nigeria2>< /ref> In 1882 the Bonny used a Gatling gun during an attack on New Calabar.<ref name=Nigeria3>< /ref>

By 1880 [[Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932)|Siam]] had imported an unknown number of Gatlings. By 1885 the kingdom had a Gatling Gun regiment of 600 men; those weapons were possibly used in the [[Haw wars|Haw Wars]]. They were also seen among Prince Bigit's escort in 1886.<ref>{{cite book |last=Heath |first=Ian |title=Armies of the Nineteenth Century: Burma and Indo-China |publisher=Foundry Books |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-90154-306-3 |pages=155 |orig-year=1998}}</ref>

The [[Korean Empire]] possessed a number of Gatlings. Six had been imported in 1884, by 1891 it had a battery of fourteen guns and in 1894 the army's two American drilled regiments had as many as 40 Gatlings and practiced regurlarlyregularly (Supposedly because the noise pleased [[Gojong of Korea|Emperor Gojong]]). Some of them were deployed to defend the approaches of the capital during the [[Donghak Peasant Revolution|Donghak Rebellion]], but there is no evidence they saw combat.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heath |first=Ian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50089869 |title=Armies of the nineteenth century. Asia : organisation, warfare, dress, and weapons |year=1998 |publisher=Foundry Books |isbn=1-901543-01-3 |location=St. Peter Port, Guernsey |oclc=50089869}}</ref>

After the Gatling gun was replaced in service by newer recoil or gas-operated weapons, the approach of using multiple externally powered rotating barrels fell into disuse for many decades. However, some examples were developed during the interwar years, but only existed as prototypes or were rarely used. The concept resurfaced after World War II with the development of the [[Minigun]] and the [[M61 Vulcan]]. Many otherOther versions of the Gatling gun were built from the late 20th century to the present, the largest of these being the 30mm [[GAU-8 Avenger]] autocannon as used on the [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II]].{{cncitation needed|date=October 2022}}

*[[Bolivia]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://issuu.com/camilapesse/docs/jornada_antofagasta | title=Jornada de Historia Militar en Antofagasta. Guerra del Pacifico| date=August 30, 2019}}</ref>

*[[Kingdom of Bonny]]<ref name=Nigeria3>{{cite web | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18820708.2.40.26 |title=Fighting in New Calabar. Auckland Star, Volume XV, Issue 3716, 8 July 1882, Page 4 (Supplement)}}</ref>

*[[France]]

*[[Ijesha|Ijesha Kingdom]]<ref name=Nigeria2>{{cite web | url=https://dra.american.edu/islandora/object/thesesdissertations%3A3270/datastream/PDF/view | title=THE PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN INTERNAL CONFLICT: THE CHALLENGE OF HUMAN SECURITY IN NIGERIA|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20220905214802/https://dra.american.edu/islandora/object/thesesdissertations%3A3270/datastream/PDF/view |archive-date= September 5, 2022}}</ref>

*[[Nicaragua]]<ref name=":0">Jowett, Phillip, Latin American Wars 1900-1941: Osprey Publishing (2018)</ref>

*[[Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932)|Siam Empire]]

*[[Beylik of Tunis]]<ref>Longstaff, F. V. "The Book of the Machine Gun 1917'' (2003)</ref>

*[[United States]]

* [https://bookspatents.google.com/patentspatent/US1328230]