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JOHN DAHLGREN ALS New Armaments of His Gun for Ship Niagara, Under Construction

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:800.00 USD Estimated At:1,200.00 - 1,800.00 USD
JOHN DAHLGREN ALS New Armaments of His Gun for Ship Niagara, Under Construction
Autographs
John Dahlgren Discusses Building Specifications of His Gun and the Ship “Niagara” Under Construction New Armaments
JOHN ADOLPH DAHLGREN (1809-1870). Union Admiral, Inventor of the “Dahlgren Gun,” a United States Navy officer who founded his service's Ordnance Department and launched significant advances in naval gunnery. A friend President Abraham Lincoln, Dahlgren devised a smoothbore howitzer, adaptable for many sizes of craft and shore installations, known as the "father of American naval ordnance”.
February 14, 1855-Dated, Autograph Letter Signed, “Jno A Dahlgren” as Assistant Inspector of Ordnance, 2 pages (1 sheet, front and back), measuring about 8" x 10”, at U.S. Navy Yard, Washington, Extremely Fine. This letter is written in easily readable rich brown ink on fine quality light blue “IRVING MILL” watermarked wove period paper to the shipbuilder “Naval Contractor” George Steers (1820-1856) regarding the armaments for the Ship “Niagara,” in its plans under construction.

John Dahlgren first proposed his famous innovative gun design in 1850. Because they were easily manufactured using iron-casting techniques, “Dahlgren guns” were standard United States weapons in use by 1856 on Union naval vessels. Dahlgren guns are chiefly smoothbores of nine-and eleven-inch caliber; but Dahlgren also invented a “rifled cannon,” and introduced boat-howitzers with iron carriages, which were unsurpassed for combined lightness and accuracy. In this fine letter, Dahlgren is at work, with master ship builder Speer, on the proposed new eleven caliber model. This letter reads, in part:

"I have the authority by the Navy Department...to confer with you directly in regard to the arrangement that may be required for arming the Ship built on your plan (Niagara) with the XI-inch Shell Guns proposed by me for that purpose - the number and general disposition of which were agreed upon by us...

"I have now advanced as far with the detailed drawings of the Carriages as it is possible for me to do, independently of the arrangement of the deck where they shall be placed.

"Before proceeding farther I should be pleased to learn...how far the points...with respect to the locality of the pivots, the surface of the deck and other matters...meet your views.

"The metal work of the Carriages has yet to be prepared and awaits the arrangements which will be made. It will require much exertion to have this ready for your vessel, as much other Ordnance work for all the frigates has also to be completed." .... (Signed) “Jno A Dahlgren” / Assistant Inspector of Ordnance, his historic signature measuring about 3.25” long. From our EAHA Auction of Feburary 8, 2003 Lot 56, where it sold for $1,495.

Provenance: Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II.
John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren (13 November 1809 - 12 July 1870):

Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren (1809-1870) was a naval ordnance innovator and commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Civil War. Dahlgren became a midshipman in 1826. Service on the U.S. Coast Survey (1834-37) distinguished his early career.

In 1847, Lieutenant Dahlgren was assigned to ordnance duty at the Washington Navy Yard. Over the next fifteen years, he invented and developed bronze boat guns, heavy smoothbore shell guns, and rifled ordnance. He also created the first sustained weapons R&D program and organization in U.S. naval history. For these achievements, Dahlgren became known as the "father of American naval ordnance."

His heavy smoothbores, characterized by their unusual bottle shape, were derived from scientific research in ballistics and metallurgy, manufactured and tested under the most comprehensive program of quality control in the Navy to that time, and were the Navy's standard shipboard armament during the Civil War. Promoted to Commander in 1855, Captain in 1862, and Rear Admiral in 1863, he became Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard in 1861 and Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance in 1862.

With help from his friend Abraham Lincoln, Dahlgren took command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in July 1863, and for the next two years led naval forces besieging Charleston in the Union navy's most frustrating campaign. Dahlgren cooperated magnificently with Army forces, but underhanded machinations by the ground force commander hindered the effort.

Dahlgren's courage remained beyond question during naval attacks on enemy fortifications, but he never figured out how to counter the enemy's underwater defenses. As a leader, he took good care of his enlisted men, but failed to inspire his officers. After the war he commanded respectively the South Pacific Squadron, the Bureau of Ordnance, and the Washington Navy Yard.