What Happened to the Guns?

[richard]

During the War, many states purchased cannon for the use of batterys that were formed in there respective states. In researching the history of the 18th Indiana Light Artillery, I have been unable to locate where there 3 inch rifles were turned in. The Battery was mustered out In Nashville, Tn. but there are no Quarter master records that indicate that these guns were returned. Now that is not to say that they were not returned but to whom. Foundry records indicate that two of these guns are at Chickamauga. But they are not there. There are at another memorial so they were returned to some one.

If the states purchased the guns, would they have been returned to the state?

[johan_steele]

Most were retained by the Federal govt and from there they disapear quickly. Many were sold abroad, melted down & reforged into something more modern etc. Only a relatively few were retained for monuments.

The last reported use of the 3" Rifle was by the Japanese against the US in the Phillipines... man of those fine 3" guns were converted into breach loaders and soldiered on well after the ACW in various armies across the world.

THe French became so enamored w/ the 3" Rifle that it would become the influence for the famous "French 75" and 75mm was a pretty standard caliber world wide until well after WW2.

This book has some fine details on CW arty:
Hazlett, James C., Olmstead, Edwin, Parks, M. Hume, Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War, University of Illinois Press, 2004.

[samgrant]

That's Lilly's battery of Wilder's Lightning Brigade!

Is that one?




This is definitely one.

[richard]

Thanks Sam, it may well be. I have the serial numbers of his guns so I will check the next time I get to Chickamauga. At least one gun that is listed at Chickamauga is not there. It is in Indianapolis. That gun has a serial nmber of 503. It was placed in the Vinard field on the far left of Wilder's line and was used to rake the small revine between them and the LaFayette Road. There are two concrete slabs at that site but no guns. I have a photo taken at the dedication on the Park that shows Lilly standing by that gun viewing the battle site.