Hello Keith,
As you know, the 3" Ordnance Rifle, together with the 12 pdr Light Field Gun (Napoleon) were the work horses of the field artillery civil war in the civil war. The total production of the 3" Ordnance rifle was 1,002 contracted for and 957 accepted for service. The difference of 45 tubes were the rejects and were probably smelted down for new tubes. Of these totals, 188 were contracted for after July 1, 1864 including the two in question. The final Ordnance Dept. contract for any of these guns was placed on January 4, 1867. Many of these guns were manufactured very late in the civil war to see service. The batch your two guns were in was ordered by the Ordnance Department on February 1, 1865. This means it is doubtful these guns ever saw active action in the war. The guns not issued to the field army were placed in storage at the end of the war. This is why brand new unused 3" Ordnance Rifles were later available to the army in the period of peace in the 1870's to 1890's and for field service in the Spainish American war or were converted to saluting guns. This conversion ruined at least 46 of these fine 3" Ordnance Rifles.

Did you know that Ford Theater, the same were Lincoln was shot, was used after the civil war for storage of artillery tubes? I believe that Ford Theater was never opened again for performances and the Government took it over. The weight of these gun tubes was too much for the floor and the tubes were moved elsewhere.

Hope this helps
Ron