One of the 1st Public notices of the Gatling Gun

[indy1919a4]

Dr Gatling will start to work on His Gatling gun invention in April of 1861 with a patent being granted at the end of 1862.
Earlier in 1862 there will be a public demonstration in the streets of Indianapolis showing off the new Confangled device.

This July 2nd 1862 Indianapolis Daily Journal Newspaper has one of the 1st public announcements of the gun and the upcoming demonstration.

 

[SSGSAD]

The "old" Gatling gun club, downtown Indy, was, or is for sale ..... Too expensive for the City to upkeep .....

Wish I had the money .....

 

[indyjohn]

The "old" Gatling gun club, downtown Indy, was, or is for sale ..... Too expensive for the City to upkeep .....

Wish I had the money .....

That's a lot of dinero. Gatling Gun Club building proving to be tough sell

I have a friend that owns one, in .45LC. Waiting patiently for my chance to fire it.

 

[SSGSAD]

That's a lot of dinero. Gatling Gun Club building proving to be tough sell

I have a friend that owns one, in .45LC. Waiting patiently for my chance to fire it.

You're ok in my book, thanks .....

 

[poweraddict]

I never knew that the gatling gun was developed in Indianapolis. Thanks for sharing!

 

[indyjohn]

You're ok in my book, thanks .....

Just writing that sentence makes me laugh. He just bought it, has it on display in his living room. Story goes he went to Cabela's with the intent to buy a BAR he'd seen there on a previous trip. The BAR was gone but the Gatling gun was new. So he bought it instead. Can't for the life of me figure out how he got it past his wife. Don't know what he gave for it. Comes from this company: Gatling gun pictures by Battery Gun Co. Lapeer county Metamora, Michigan

 

[Trigger Time]

A guy that worked at Arsenal high school? Told me many years ago that a janitor or staff member was cleaning out a storage area and found one of the very first prototypes of the gatlinggun that has been tucked away for many many years. Last I heard the US govt rushed in to confiscate it as their property. Maybe one of you internet wizards could find proof somewhere?

 

[indy1919a4]

Comes from this company: Gatling gun pictures by Battery Gun Co. Lapeer county Metamora, Michigan

The Battery Gun Company is run by one of the nicest guys on the face of the earth, He is one of those guys that mixes top notch design skills, with Business savvy and personality.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Dr. Gatling is buried in Indianapolis. Something of the gun culture to check out.

Here's the inside of the Gatling Gun Club. Mom and Dad say it was a great time in the early '60s.

 

[indy1919a4]

Dr. Gatling is buried in Indianapolis. Something of the gun culture to check out.

Here's the inside of the Gatling Gun Club. Mom and Dad say it was a great time in the early '60s.

In Crown Hill Cemetery no Less..

I went to the Gatling Gun Club Auction, when they were auctioning the buildings contents a few years back... There was little to any grandeur left even if you squinted your eyes very tightly..

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Interesting stuff.

 

[spencer rifle]

Gatling's gun was never officially issued during the CW, due to two main reasons: his operations burnt down in 1862, and he was suspected of being a Confederate sympathizer, a misconception that also nearly derailed the career of D.G. Farragut, the US Navy hero of the war. General Butler and Admiral Porter both bought their own. Might have made a significant dirrerence if adopted officially. I have fired one before (black powder blanks).

 

[fullauto 45]

I never knew that the gatling gun was developed in Indianapolis. Thanks for sharing!

The Thompson submachine gun was developed and designed by Indianapolis residents. Theodore Eickhoff was from the SE side (Wanamaker area), a Purdue grad and his family is buried in the cemetery at the Marion County fairgrounds. I think Theodore is buried in Cleveland. John Thompson had the idea, Eickhoff and Oscar Payne were the real brains behind it.
US Naval Commander John Blish is from Indianapolis as well. Born in Seymour and raised in Indianapolis I was informed. He is buried in Arlington National. He invented the Blish lock also used in my beloved Tommy guns at least the 1921 and 1928 models.

 

[indy1919a4]

Gatling's gun was never officially issued during the CW, due to two main reasons: his operations burnt down in 1862, and he was suspected of being a Confederate sympathizer,

Those reasons are many times bandied about by writers that saw working Gatling gun from the 1880s and later and wondered why the gun was not used in the Civil War. And rather then taking the time to look into the guns development problems they focuses on more documented issues.

In truth the Gatling Gun was just not ready for prime time during the Civil War

-- The 1862 gun design will suffer feed issues problems that will not be corrected till the Army test guns of 1865

-- It was probably a good thing that the 1st 6 guns were destroyed in the fire because they were still going to use the original Percussion cap firing tubes. After the loss of the guns, Gatling was able to order new guns that used the newer Rimfire bullets. (Of course I am sure Mr Gatling was not that happy about it at the time)

-- The Army including General Butler did not really know how to use the new guns tactically. They mounted them as artillery and aimed them the same way. It will almost be the 1880s before the carriage and hand yolk designs will develop to allow the gatling guns to start becoming "Machine guns" and not fast shooting artillery. There are no real recorded accounts of Butlers Gatlings really making a difference during the war. Butler in his own war memoirs will make no reference to them. The only really decisive use of the Gatling gun during the Civil War years was in their protection of the New York Times building during the Draft Riots. And they probably were not even there except in printed rants by the Times editors (The New York Times was making up stuff even then)

 

[indyjohn]

fa 45

I've been spending a lot of time recently looking at local history. There are many buildings in Indy that were constructed in the late 1800s - turn of the century that still stand today. Quite fascinating.

For all you Westsiders: check this out - It?s 1921, and you?re taking a pleasure drive on the Dandy Trail | Down the Road

Total highjack, I know. Sorry.

 

[spencer rifle]

Those reasons are many times bandied about by writers that saw working Gatling gun from the 1880s and later and wondered why the gun was not used in the Civil War. And rather then taking the time to look into the guns development problems they focuses on more documented issues.

In truth the Gatling Gun was just not ready for prime time during the Civil War

-- The 1862 gun design will suffer feed issues problems that will not be corrected till the Army test guns of 1865

-- It was probably a good thing that the 1st 6 guns were destroyed in the fire because they were still going to use the original Percussion cap firing tubes. After the loss of the guns, Gatling was able to order new guns that used the newer Rimfire bullets. (Of course I am sure Mr Gatling was not that happy about it at the time)

-- The Army including General Butler did not really know how to use the new guns tactically. They mounted them as artillery and aimed them the same way. It will almost be the 1880s before the carriage and hand yolk designs will develop to allow the gatling guns to start becoming "Machine guns" and not fast shooting artillery. There are no real recorded accounts of Butlers Gatlings really making a difference during the war. Butler in his own war memoirs will make no reference to them. The only really decisive use of the Gatling gun during the Civil War years was in their protection of the New York Times building during the Draft Riots. And they probably were not even there except in printed rants by the Times editors (The New York Times was making up stuff even then)

Learn something new every day...
The only Gatling I ever fired was a percussion tube model. The owner may have had the time and inclination to work the bugs out of it, but it operated reliably. Getting reloads ready is a whole 'nother thing, though.

 

[Thor]

Looks like it's gone...

Meridian mansion saved, but Gatling Gun Club soon will be gone=#

 

[indy1919a4]

Learn something new every day...
The only Gatling I ever fired was a percussion tube model.

The Percussion tube is a wonderfully inexpensive way to shoot a Gatling Gun.. and a great nod back to the original gun design..

 

[indy1919a4]

When something is lost, we always think back fondly of them.. But these guys must have been a hoot in their day

From the story..

"The Gatling Gun Club had roots dating to the 1890s when a professional drill team known as the “Boys in Blue” performed on the national vaudeville circuit. Wearing the exotic Zouave uniforms of the Civil War era, the team incorporated Gatling guns into their show. Richard Jordan Gatling of Indianapolis invented these rapid-fire weapons that had limited use during the Civil War. One shudders at the thought of using hand-cranked machine guns in stage performances, but the group performed for over a decade with little a problem until one evening in Canada a stagehand mixed up the trick blanks with live pistol cartridges containing fine bird shot, resulting in lawsuits when the audience was peppered during the climactic moment of the performance. This, along with the decline in popularity of vaudeville acts, resulted in the dissolution of the drill team in 1910. Former drill team member William Law, who was also a Shriner, decided to form a Shrine Zouave drill team using the “Boys in Blue” stage equipment and guns, thus the Gatling Gun Squad was formed in 1910. The group moved around and continued growing in number and by 1918 the rifle squad had 24 members with a 35 piece drum corps."


Indianapolis Then and Now: The Gatling Gun Club, 707-709 N. Illinois Street | Historic Indianapolis | All Things Indianapolis History

 

[indy1919a4]

Finally a photo of the Gatling Gun Squad

You have to love the Custom truck mounts for the Gatlings... Are those GRAS rifles?????

Gatling Gun Squad on the steps of the Indiana State Capitol at Indianapolis :: Panoramic Photograph Images