3-inch Ordnance Rifle M1861

Service notes

The most common rifled artillery model used during the Maryland Campaign, and second most common model used during the Civil War. Its popularity came from the reliability and accuracy of the guns, made from wrought iron. Confederate versions were of lower quality, leading to more problems and lower popularity in the Confederate Army. The guns were of such high quality that there is only 1 reported bursting of the gun during the war, when a Pennsylvania battery loaded double canister during the Battle of the Wilderness. There were an estimated 83 guns used by the Union, and 49 used by Confederate batteries during the Maryland Campaign. The gun remained the main rifled artillery piece of the US Army until 1879-81 when the remaining guns were modernized.