Civil War

Civil War. . , This 3” ordnance rifle is a model 1861 and was cast in 1863 at the Phoenix Iron Company in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. This style of rifle was popular during the American Civil War due to the ease of transportation and safety while firing. The rifle weighs a total of 816 pounds. It was sold to the New Jersey Militia and saw action at the Battle of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1863. , Phoenix Iron Company , This 3” ordnance rifle was cast in 1863 at the Phoenix Iron Company in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Iron working in this area of Pennsylvania has a long history, dating back nearly 200 years. After it's casting, the ordnance rifle was sent to the New Jersey Militia. , 1855 Griffen Patent , The first 3” wrought iron ordnance rifle was patented by John Griffen, superintendent of Safe Harbor Iron Works. These rifles were revolutionary in wartime as they were less likely to burst while firing and had very few failures. , 1862 Reeves Patent , Patented in December 1862, Samuel J. Reeves, the superintendent of the Phoenix Iron Company, made the final modification to the 3” ordnance rifle. Instead of a cold mandrel, Reeves used a heated mandrel and formed the breech using a block screwed into the piece. , 1862 Yeakel Patent , Patented in April 1862, David T. Yeakel improved upon structural issues of the Griffen patent. Yeakel’s patent added sheets of hot iron around the outside of a cold mandrel that would be removed to leave the interior hollow and ready to be fired. , [other photo captions] , . It is reported that this ordnance rifle saw action at the Battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. As artillery in the Army of the Cumberland, the rifle helped the US Army secure victory. , . The US Army was equipped with 1,100 of these 3” ordnance rifles during the Civil War. Each were marked on the muzzle with the inspector's initials, the serial number (No. 651 P.I.C.) the weight (816 lbs.), and date of manufacture (1863). , . This 3” ordnance rifle is only one of three marked with “N.J.” rather than the “U.S.”