Gatling Gun
Battleford Saskatchewan

The two Gatling guns which accompanied the North West Field Force were brought to Canada by Captain Arthur L. Howard, A United States Union Army Veteran of the American Civil War. He personally manned the gun which accompanied General Middleton's column. Howard later served in the Boer War with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles and was killed in action on 17 February 1901.

When Colonel Otter's column engaged Poundmaker's warrior's at Cut Knife Hill, a Gatling gun was manned by gunners of "B" Battery, Canadian Artillery. Shortly after the battle began, an attempt was made to rush the gun was repulsed by a group of Mounted Police and Gunners. During the Militia's withdrawal, the Gatling gun provided covering fire.

The Gatling Gun was the invention of an American, Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling. A multi-barrelled hand-cranked, rapid fire weapon, the Gatling gun saw limited use in the American Civil War. The model used in Canada during the North West Rebellion could fire up to 1200 rounds per minute.

A plaque affixed to the gun reads as follows:

GATLING'S BATTERY GUN
PAT.NOV 4.1862
MAY 9.1865
FEB 28.1871
APR 9.1872
MADE BY COLT'S
PT. FIRE ARMS
MFG CO
HARTFORD, CONN,
U.S.A

Please note: The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is seeking additional enhancements to this article. If you have higher quality photographs or additional historic facts, please do not hesitate to contact us through the Heritage board on our discussion forum.

Text from Parks Canada. Photos by LCol L. Jensen