peashooter85:

The Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon,

Designed by the American born Benjamin Hotchkiss, who conducted business out of France, the Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon was a multibarrel cannon that was operated similarly to the Gatling Gun. While the Hotchkiss revolving cannon looks similar to the Gatling gun, the Hotchkiss utilized a different design which proved more reliable than the earlier gatling. Also unlike the Gatling Gun the Hotchkiss was not a machine gun, but a cannon which fired large 37mm explosive rounds with 16oz projectiles.  The gun used five revolving barrels and was top fed with ten round clips. If adequately operated by the loader and gunner, the Hotchkiss could maintain a rate of fire around 70-80 shots per minute.  They were also produced in 40 mm, 47mm, and 57mm.

The cannon performed admirably in testing around 1876-77, and was adopted many nations for naval service.  Originally it was mounted on warships as a defense against torpedo boats and other small, speedy craft.  However some nations, in particular the United States, saw the advantages of using such a weapon in land combat.  At the Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War a couple of Hotchkiss guns mounted on wagons provided suppression fire as US troops such as Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” stormed the Spanish fortifications.  The most prolific user of the Hotchkiss revolving cannon was the French Navy, which purchased 10,000 guns with over 4 million rounds of ammunition. Other users included Britain, Denmark, Austria, Turkey, Russia, and Japan.