3.2-inch gun M1897

This series of weapons was designed to provide a modern alternative to breech loading conversions of the Civil War-era 3-inch Ordnance rifle. It was constructed of steel and was of built-up construction with a central rifled tube, and reinforcing hoops from the trunnions to the breech. Its steel was stronger than the wrought iron of preceding weapons. The guns had an interrupted screw breech with either a de Bange plastic obturator or (on the earlier modifications) a conceptually similar design by Spaniard Luis Freyre y Góngora with a metallic ring, and fired separate-loading, bagged charges and projectiles. The projectiles weighed approximately and common, shrapnel, or canister types available. In the Spanish–American War, difficulties were encountered in ramping up production of smokeless powder, so the M1885 and M1890 weapons were deployed to use the available black powder. The M1890 was a simplification of the M1885, with the barrel made from two forgings instead of eight. The guns had a box trail carriage built from bolted steel plates with two large wooden spoked wheels. The guns did not have a recoil mechanism or a gun shield but the carriage's wheel brakes provided some recoil absorption. Due to its low angle of elevation +20° it was a direct fire weapon. For transport, the gun was attached to a limber for towing by a horse team and there were seats attached to the axle of the carriage for the crew. The limber also had seats for crew members plus ammunition and supplies. ==Service history==

This weapon was the workhorse light artillery piece of the Spanish–American War and the Philippine–American War from 1898 to 1902. At least 16 were deployed to Cuba in the former conflict. It was also used in the China Relief Expedition in 1900. Beginning in 1902 the 3.2-inch gun was largely replaced in combat units by the 3-inch M1902 field gun. However, 3.2-inch guns lingered in reserve and training roles. During World War I, the Army primarily used the French 75 mm gun instead of its own designs, which were mostly kept in the United States for training. The 3.2-inch guns were declared obsolete and almost all were scrapped beginning in 1919. ==Surviving examples==

At least 38 of these weapons survive, six in private hands. • One M1885 at Memorial Triangle Park in Brookhaven, New York • One M1897 in Burlington, Wisconsin • One M1885 in Waterford, Wisconsin • One M1897 in Veterans' Memorial Park, Hull, Massachusetts • One M1890, Main Street, Flemington, New Jersey • One M1897 in Montgomery, Illinois • Three M1897 at San Juan Hill, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba • One M1897 #225 with clean bore, Casper municipal cemetery, Casper, WY in Veterans section. Limber & ammunition carriages located at Fort Caspar entrance, Casper Wyoming. • Two M1890s at Frank Marston American Legion Post 33, Pensacola, Florida ==See also==

File:Cannons being loaded on transport preparing to sail to Cuba for the Spanish-American war- Tampa, Florida (3465709198).jpg|3.2-inch guns being loaded at Tampa FL during the Spanish–American War. File:WHI.2014.65 (13967806952).jpg|3.2-inch guns of the 6th US Artillery in the Spanish–American War. File:Manila646 1899.jpg|3.2-inch guns in the Philippines. ==References==