Page 224 - 4094-BOOK1

222
LOT 219
1864 Dated Civil War Phoenix Iron Co. U.S. 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle
with Carriage - Serial no. 702, 3 inch cal., 65 inch round bbl., black
finish. This Phoenix Iron Co. 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle was manufactured in
1864 per the date marking on the muzzle, and its registry number “702”
is listed as inspected by Union inspector Theodore Thadeus Sobieski
Laidley (TTSL) on February 5, 1864, according to Appendix 5A page
241 of “Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War” by Hazlett, Olmstead
and Parks. The company produced most (around 1,000) of the 3-Inch
Ordnance Rifles. Many of the roughly 350 surviving 3-Inch Ordnance
Rifles lie within national historic sites/military parks, per page 123 of
the aforementioned book. This model, invented by John Griffen, was
reported to be very accurate under a mile. These were the second most
common rifled field artillery pieces during the Civil War, and only one
burst in action. This cannon was manufactured by the Phoenix Iron
Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, just northwest of Philadelphia.
1864 Dated Phoenix Iron
Co. U.S. 3-Inch Rifle