In 1856, a crank operated machine gun was patented by Charles Emerson Barnes of Lowell, Mass. (U.S. No. 15,315). It had a reciprocating plunger which both self-loaded a cartridge into the barrel and contained a hammer to explode the cap. A single crank turned gears and cams to activate the sequence of operations. What he called an “automatic cannon” was conceived ahead of its time, well before the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65). Similar machine guns were invented after his, that were used in the conflict. No evidence exists that either side used Barnes’ weapon. (Compare Richard Gatling patent No. 36,836, issued 4 Nov 1862.) Barnes later patented cord making machines (1880, 1883).«