Page "Machine gun" Paragraph 41

The Agar Gun, otherwise known as a " coffee-mill gun " because of its resemblance to a coffee mill, was invented by Wilson Agar at the beginning of the US Civil War.

The weapon featured automatic loading through ammunition being loaded in a hopper above the weapon.

The weapon featured a single barrel and fired through the turning of a hand crank.

The weapon was demonstrated to President Lincoln in 1861.

He was so impressed with the weapon that he purchased 10 on the spot for $ 1, 500 apiece.

The Union Army eventually purchased a total of 54 of the weapons.

However, due to antiquated views of the Ordnance Department the weapons, like its more famous counterpart the Gatling Gun, saw only limited use.