US Agar Gun

By Crusader1307

An early innovative rapid firing weapon used by Federal Forces during The American Civil War (1861-1865), The Agar was invented by Wilson Agar. When the prototype was first shown to The US Army, they were not too impressed  (having seen numerous versions of "new" rapid fire weapons, all of which their respective Inventors had hoped for "sales" Contracts). But luckily for Agar, President Abraham Lincoln sat in the test, and was impressed. He ordered that 64 be procured. The Agar Gun was referred to as "The Army in A Box", The "Devil's Gun" and it's more common nickname, The "Coffee Grinder" (due to it's ammunition holders resemblance to a traditional Coffee Grinder). Firing aluminum tubes filled with 10 rounds of .58 Cal. Lead rounds, The Agar had an effective range of 800 yards. Mounted on a modified Artillery Cassion, it could be deployed very quickly, and required only one man to operate. The Agar was deployed in first combat during a skirmish between Federal and Confederate Cavalry outside of Harper's Ferry, Virginia in 1862. It was very effective at dispersing the Rebel Horsemen. It was again used during The Peninsula Campaign later that same year. Unfortunately, The Agar suffered from problems with overheating. As they were fixed barrel units, this slowed their full integration into The Union Army. Production and deployment ended with the end of The War in 1865.