The Gatling gun belonged to a much older search for faster projectile delivery. Roman and Chinese experiments with mechanized or rapid-fire weapons preceded the medieval European longbow and crossbow. The longbow combined a high firing rate with a comparatively simple weapon, while the crossbow could be easier to learn and, depending on its power, offer greater range at a slower cadence. Musket-era forces continued to pursue volume by loading cannon with large numbers of musket balls. The Gatling gun was an industrial step in an old trade-off among rate, range, training, and projectile effect.
Notable Point · 9:12-10:59
Rapid fire before the Gatling gun
Roman and Chinese mechanisms, medieval bows, and musket-era massed shot show that firing speed was a long-running military problem.