c) Rapid-fire capability

The Gatling gun revolutionized Civil War battles with its rapid-fire capability. Invented by Richard Gatling in 1861, this early machine gun could fire multiple rounds per minute, a significant increase over the single-shot rifles used at the time. Although not widely used during the Civil War, its demonstration showed the potential for changing the nature of warfare. The Gatling gun’s design paved the way for future advancements in automatic weapons and represented a significant technological leap in military armaments.