103rd Field Artillery Regiment
The 103rd Field Artillery Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. The only currently existing component is the 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery Regiment, a unit of the Rhode Island National Guard. The regiment was originally constituted in 1917, but it descends from predecessor units dating back to 1801.
103rd FA Regiment insignia
The Benefit Street Arsenal
Image: 103rd Field A Rtillery Regiment
James rifle is a generic term to describe any artillery gun rifled to the James pattern for use in the American Civil War, as used in some period documentation. Charles T. James developed a rifled projectile and rifling system. Modern authorities such as Warren Ripley and James Hazlett have suggested that the term "James rifle" only properly applies to 3.8 in (97 mm) bore field artillery pieces rifled to fire James' projectiles. They contend that the term does not apply to smoothbores that were later rifled to take the James projectiles in 3.67 in (93 mm) caliber or other calibers, and that those should instead be referred to as "Rifled 6 pounder", etc.
The rifle was created in 1861.
A 14-pounder (6.35 kg) (3.8 in (97 mm)) James rifle on the First Bull Run battlefield, the only weapon entirely designed by James adopted by the US Army.
Two Model 1829 32-pounder (14.5 kg) seacoast guns, rifled by the James method (sometimes called 64-pdr (29 kg) James rifles). The one in the foreground is on a siege carriage. The one behind is on an iron, front pintle, barbette carriage.
A James pattern solid shot. The “birdcage” at the base would have been covered by sheet lead which, upon firing the gun, would have expanded into the grooves of the rifling.
