The Gatling gun : 19th century machine gun to 21st century Vulcan

Here is the first complete 130-year history of what is a truly remarkable and timeless weapon. Author Joseph Berk traces the glorious career of this multibarreled, high-rate-of-fire gun from its inception during the Civil War to its current role as a state-of-the-art modern combat system of the U.S. military. When it was introduced in 1862, the Gatling gun was so far ahead of its time that the U.S. military didn't even know how to make use of such a powerful, high-rate-of-fire, multi-barreled gun. But today, more than 130 years later, the Gatling is a force to be reckoned with. After being declared obsolete in 1911, it staged an impressive comeback as the Vulcan in the 1950s, terrified the Vietcong in the jungles of Vietnam and contributed to the swift defeat of Iraqi troops in the liberation of Kuwait. With modern applications ranging from air defense to saturation fire to antitank gun systems and even portable infantry weapons, it will no doubt play a vital military role well into the 21st century. Here is the fascinating ongoing story of a truly timeless weapon, from its beginnings during the Civil War to its current role as a state-of-the-art modern combat system. Richard Jordan Gatling was born to Jordan and Mary Gatling on the family plantation in North Carolina on 12 September 1818.