3-inch Ordnance Rifle No. 884 - Sharpsburg, MD - Static Artillery Displays on Waymarking.com

This cannon looks restored or freshly painted, dark and new looking. The wheels and hitch are in good shape. The wheels sit about 5 feet high or so. The muzzle is stamped thusly: No 884 PICo 1865 816 lbs. SCL . No. 884 is the registry number, PICo refers to the foundry, Phoenix Iron Company out of Phoenixville PA. 1865 is the manufacture date. 816 lbs. refers to the weight of the tube. Steven Carr Lyford (S.C.L.) was the inspector who gave it the once over before it was shipped out for business. The 3-inch designation in the name refers to the size of the bore in inches. You can visit this SITE for very specific specifications for the weapons and the munitions is used.

My SOURCE for all things weapons at Antietam provided me with the following line of information about this weapon:
Phoenix - Reg# 884 - INSP SCL - FDY# *946 - YR 65 - WT 816 - GRVS 7RH - Visitors' Center

The FRY# *946 refers to the Foundry internal control number. WT 816 refers to the weight of the cannon or tube. Incidentally, the gun carriage weighed in at about 900 pounds. Finally, GRVS 7RH refers to Number of rifling grooves, left or right twist.

There is a small identification marker sticking out of the ground which reads:

3-INCH ORDNANCE RIFLE

This was one of the most accurate weapons used here. It
was preferred over the heavier 10-pounder Parrott which fired the same size ammunition.

The artillery display includes examples of common weapons used during the Civil War. From right to left are this gun, a 6-pounder Field Gun Model 1841, next to it a 12-pounder Field Gun Model 1857 "Napoleon", next to that a 3-inch Ordnance Rifle Model 1861 and finally on the far left, a 3-inch Parrott Rifle Model 1863. All are in excellent condition and all have little identification plaques to the rear of them.

The second most common rifled field artillery in both Armies generally, and the most common on the Maryland Campaign, the 3 inch Ordnance gun was made of hammer-welded, formed, machined iron. It was popular because of its accuracy and reliability, at least those examples built in Federal shops. Less precise machining and lower-grade iron gave their Confederate counterparts more trouble. Those built by the firm of Burton and Archer were know to be problematic.

There were probably 87 3" Ordnance Rifles in Federal Service on the Maryland Campaign, and at least 48 in Confederate batteries. The 3-inch rifle normally fired Hotchkiss or Schenkel shells that weighed between 8 and 9 pounds. In an emergency it could use 10-pounder Parrot ammunition. It could also be used to fire cannister but, as a rifle, was not as effective with this as howitzers or Napoleons. SOURCE

What type of artillery is this?: Cannon/Field Gun Where is this artillery located?: Monument grounds What military of the world used this device?: Federal Army of the Potomac Date artillery was in use: 09/17/1862 Cost?: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Artillery is no longer operational: yes Still may work: no Are there any geocaches at this location?: No. This is National Park Service-administered land. Date artillery was placed on display: Not listed Parking location to view this Waymark: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Two pictures are required for this Waymark. Please take a close up picture of the artillery. Take a second with the artillery in the distance and capture as much of the surroundings as possible. Name the Waymark with first the name of the area and second what the artillery is. An example would be if it were a cannon in front of the Montgomery Armory you would name the Waymark: Montgomery Armory Cannon.

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