The Gatling Gun (Weapon Book 40)

The Gatling gun ushered in a new era of rapid-fire weaponry during the Civil War, and went on to see combat service as far afield as Zululand, Texas, and Cuba. An authority on the weapon tells its story here, employing specially commissioned full-colour artwork, gripping first-hand accounts, and expert analysis.

A unique chapter in the history of firearms, the multibarrel, hand-cranked Gatling gun was one of the first practical rapid-fire weapons ever to be used in battle. It changed warfare by introducing the capability to project deadly, high-intensity fire on the battlefield, and portended the devastation that automatic weapons would wreak in World War I. During its 50-year career, it saw widespread service with US, British, and other forces on a host of battlefields through conflicts in Zululand and the American West, to the Spanish-American War.

Although it saw widespread use in the hands of industrialized nations against various groups of indigenous native warriors, it was famously left behind by Custer at the battle of the Little Bighorn, where some argue it could have made all the difference. Featuring full-colour artwork plus contemporary and close-up photographs, this engaging study investigates the origins, development, combat use, and lasting influence of the formidable Gatling gun.

More of the Royal Armouries Firearms collection can be found here Collection | Royal Armouries

• ASIN: ‎ 1472805976
• Publisher: ‎ Osprey Publishing; 1st edition (20 May 2015)
• Language: ‎ English
• Paperback
• 80 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 9781472805973
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1472805973
• Dimensions: ‎ 18.54 x 0.58 x 24.99 cm
  

About the author;

Peter G Smithurst graduated in Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1968 spending several years as a research chemist before pursuing his passion for industrial and technological history, moving in to museum work. Peter was appointed Assistant Curator of the Industry and Technology section of Sheffield City Museums in 1975 including the planning and opening of the Kelham Island Industrial Museum in 1982 leading to a promotion to Principal Keeper, Industry and Technology.

In 1994 Peter was appointed Assistant Curator of Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum at Fort Nelson before transferring to the Royal Armouries in Leeds for its opening in 1996.

In 2001, Peter became the Executive Director at the American Precision Museum in Windsor, Vermont housed in the Robbins & Lawrence factory where much of the technology for the mechanised manufacture of firearms, including the Enfield 1853 rifle, had been developed before finally returning to the Royal Armouries in 2002 retiring in 2009 as Senior Curator of Firearms. Just prior to retirement Peter was appointed Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield resulting in a PhD from the School of Engineering and Computing in 2020 for a study of the manufacture of the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket and was subsequently elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2021.