Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin
Historically i do not beleive that the implications of any sort of rapid fire weapon were sinking in to anyone until late in 1914.
|
If you allow "rapid fire" to include "several accurate shots per trooper before the enemy can close to contact" the idea goes back at least to ACW General John Watts de Peyster, who was among the first to advocate the adoption of an all-skirmish-line formation. And the fighting around Petersburg, VA was as good a preview of 1914 as any.