Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-06
THE GATLING GUN.
The Inventor of the Celebrated Instru-
mept of Warfare Former Pupil OF
well Known Savannah Teacher.

The Inventor of the Celebrated Instru-
ment of Warfare a Former Pupil of a
We'll Known Savannah Teacher.
A pleasant day at Rose Dhu yesterday
in the hospitable home of Major Bertody,
and with the Chatham Artillery in their an
nual Fourth of July celebration, Isworth
recording and remembering. But to me,
who have enjoyed such days before, there
was a special attraction in this visit, for
the corps had for the first time, in prac-
tice, their handsome Calling gun, just pre-
sented to them by the State. Though this
was the first gun of this kind that have
seen handled outside of exhibitions, and
assisted in firing, yet it was not its nov
city that interested me so much as 1t was
the name that stirred old memories, for 1t
carried me back to an early period OF life,
several decades ago, when the world
wide name of Calling was unknown out
of the neighbOrhood where he was porn,
and where the inventor Of this gun, then
an obscure lad, was model pupil IN the
first school / ever taught.
AS looked upon this elegant machine,
the finest tirearm the world has ever seen,
nv thoughts hurried me back TO the re-
tired country spot, even now no nearer 10
a railroad than it was in those days, ana
all its pleasant memories, as OF a HE now
gone. came again to me as l recalled the
fine face and good manners of the manly
youth, Richard j. Calling, who was then
one of my brightest pupils. 1t was hap
DIV wear that / spent there, and love to
recall nv life in that school, for 1t was
the foundation of all my after experience.
1t was away back in the thlrtles that L
was the principal of the 'Buckhorn Acad-
emv.v in Hartford county, n. c., in the
- +ha M0harrin
toWav rivers. Among my patrons was
the Calling family, of moderate means,
and living on modest farm three miles
from the log school house, in which DIS
pensed nv daily doses of learning. The TWO
brothers and their sister willingly trod
these three miles every school day, through
winters cold and wet, and summers heat
and dust, and were excellent pupils.
Their parents good traits were rejected
in them, and their daily round of school
duties was well performed. The sister
died young, but the boys, years ago, be
came rich and famous, the older as the IN
ventor of the Calling gun, in Indiana; the
other as an engineer in the Northwest, ana
the inventor of mining machinery.
Long years passed after my leaving that
school when l saw these guns in the Cen
tennial Exposition at Philadelphia IN
1876. | remembered my former friend
and pupil. and had some correspondence
with him. | was gratified to know that
his many years of engrossing Thought ana
active life had not Obliterated his remem-
brance of me, nor changed the esteem
which he was good enough to say he then
entertained for me,
Aside from these "reminiscences, | wish
to state the interesting fact that the Cat
ling gun is a Southern invention. The M
yentOr was born in the South, and grew
up to manhood and passed years sub
sequently there, emigrating to the North
west In his mature life. Nor is it a less
pleasing fact that the Calling gun was
not used against the South in the late war
by the armies OF the United states. ii so,
it had not been officially adopted by tne
United States Government; Tor though IL
was invented at Indianapolis in the winter
of 1861 and 1862. the United States Gov
eminent did not adopt it as military
arm until after the war ended, when III
1866 one hundred guns were ordered by
the War Department, which were maze
i'm Hartford, and were delivered TO the
government in 1867.
This perhaps should close this paper,
which, if interesting at all, is most inter-
esting to me, but | wish to remind people
now-a-days who live on salaries, OF what
they have missed by not living in those
ancient times. In my school in that year
| was guaranteed salary of 5000 and all
surplus income, the tuition fees being $40
and $50 per year, according to studies,
and no expense for school room rent The
income came to near 500. My home was
in genteel and pleasant family, where we
lived on the fat of the land; where ] had
comfortable room to myself, with fuel,
lights, washing and service included, and
as if there was some other want unsup-
pIied. the accommodation was made COM
pIete by a horse to ride at my pleasure.
The scholastic year was elegen months,
and when came to settle with my excel
lent host, he presented the following
bill;
MANNING's NECK, December 81 ---
Mr.. w. 5. b..
To , DR.;
To board of self for II months, at 81 per
CIR. %
By tuition fee of brother .........,...... 30 OO
$37 90
Received payment in FULL