Griffen Cannon

1862 Griffen Cannon

This 6 pounder Griffen wrought iron cannon is one of 12 presented to the Commonwealth in 1862 by the Philadelphia Committee of Safety at the time of the threatened Confederate invasion, which was thwarted at Antietam. Manufactured by the Phoenix Ironworks of Phoenixville, Pa., in 1861, the guns stayed in Philadelphia until the "new" State Arsenal was built in 1872. The guns were then moved to Harrisburg, Pa.

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3" Ordnance Rifle

The 3" Ordnance Rifle, originally called the "Griffin Gun" (after its designer, John Griffen) was superior to even the Parrott Rifle.  "Made of toughened wrought iron, it had no need for a breech reinforcement, and so it tapered evenly from breech to muzzle in a sleek line. "  The 3" Ordnance Rifle, considered a work of martial art by many, has a 3" bore that is capable of firing both the ammunition designed for it as well as the ammunition designed for the Parrott Rifle.

Wrought iron had been used before in the manufacture of cannons, but it had been deemed too expensive and far too difficult to work with to be practical, and was a bit too brittle to give the sort of service and have the kind of lifespan so important to the army.  That changed in 1854, though, when John Griffen modified a wrought iron production procedure that had been used to make wrought iron for lighthouses.  The modification resulted in a vastly stronger wrought iron that could be worked much more readily.  The cost issue became a minor one from that point forward.

Not only did it relegate the cost issue to a minor consideration, but the strength of the new wrought iron made the tube remarkable. Representatives of the Ordnance Department came to see the Griffen Gun tested in 1856.

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