On this episode of Our American Stories, during the American Civil War, inventor Richard Gatling set out to solve a problem he believed defined modern warfare: too many soldiers were dying not only in battle, but from disease in overcrowded armies. His solution was the Gatling gun, a hand-cranked, rapid-fire weapon capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. It would reshape how wars would be fought in the decades to come.

Gun expert and Our American Stories regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of how a weapon intended to reduce the size of armies and limit suffering ultimately changed warfare forever.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)