Throwback Thursday 10 MAR 2022 – Coffee Mill Gun

Coffee Mill Gun?

Ordnance Innovation During the Civil War

The Civil War marked a tipping point to new innovations to fight a war.

One of those was the Agar gun developed by Wilson Agar from its appearance, it resembled a coffee mill. The bullets were inserted into steel sleeves which were reusable.

by Brian Bergin (Author), Erin Bergin Voorheis (Editor), Michael R. Ph.D. Fritsch (Afterword), Steve Hammond (Foreword)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1864, residents of Washington, D.C., mourned together at the largest funeral the district had ever seen. In the midst of the Civil War, the poor Irish neighborhood of the Island lost twenty-one mothers, sisters, and daughters. On June 17, dangerous working conditions and a series of unfortunate events led to the deadly explosion of a Federal arsenal at Fort McNair, where the young women made cartridges to assist the war effort. In the wake of the horrific event, a monument was erected at Congressional Cemetery to honor those who were lost. Author Brian Bergin similarly memorializes these women through his book, detailing the poor working conditions, the investigation into the avoidable events leading to the tragedy, and the reaction of a community already battered by the Civil War.

The Washington Arsenal Explosion:

Civil War Disaster in the Capital

 Paperback

Washington Arsenal Demonstration

President Abraham Lincoln attended a demonstration of what some consider one of the first machine guns at Washington Arsenal. Lincoln was so impressed with the gun, that he bought ten of them on the spot.  Several Union Generals also purchased the gun, but it was hardly used since the Ordnance Department thought it used too much ammunition.

Coffee Mill Gun Replica  in action

Use During the Civil War

Ager “Coffee Mill” gun in the hands of the 96th Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment, Camp Northumberland, northern Virginia, February 1862

OVER 200 HISTORICAL IMAGES, MAPS & ILLUSTRATIONS

The book, Images of America – Fort Lesley J. McNair contains over two hundred historical photographs, images, and illustrations that chronicle the two hundred plus years of history among the acres of this US Army Post.

The book “Images of America – Fort Lesley J McNair”  is “a walk down memory lane” as one reader called it after he turned the last page.  Go beyond