Civil War Firsts:
By: Sam Smith
Practical Machine Gun: The Gatling Gun
The Gatlin Gun was invented by Richard J. Gatlin during the American Civil War. It was the first weapon to solve the problems of reloading, reliability and firing in sustained bursts. The Gatlin Gun consisted of multiple barrels that revolved around a central axis and was capable of being fired at an extremely fast rate. The gatlin played a very important role during the civil war giving small groups of American troops enormous fire power over their enemies.
The Repeating Rifle
Repeating rifles were a huge advancement in the means of weaponry during the American Civil War. The very first ever repeating rifle to see military service was the Windbusche Rifle. The repeating rifles were capable of housing more than 1 bullet.the ammunition was held in a clip which allowed the gun a much faster rate of fire compared to the standard single-shot breech-loading muskets.
Manned military balloon
Manned military balloons were used by the Union Army to perform reconnaissance on the Confederate Army. These balloons are what led up to the advances in technology used for reconnaissance which include drones.
The Telegraph
The telegraph was a major jump forward in terms of technology. This device allowed communication over long distances. The people who were communicating with each other communicated with morse code, a secret language consisting of dots, lines, and dashes
The Medal of Honor
The medal of honor was the highest U.S military decoration. This medal was only awarded to people who went above and beyond what they were asked to do. Earning this metal was considered a blessing and thousands of men risked their lives just to try to earn this metal.