The Navy Department Library
Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, USN
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN A. DAHLGREN COLLECTION, 1843-1867
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
Biographical Note
Scope and Contents
Arrangement of the Records
Detailed Description of the Collection
Restrictions
Index Terms
Overview of the Collection
Repository: Navy Department Library
Title: Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren Collection
Dates: 1843-1867
Quantity: 2 boxes
Abstract: Technical drawings, letters, books, a photograph and other ephemera collected by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren during the years of 1843 to 1867.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of technical drawings, letters, books, a photograph and other ephemera collected by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren during the years of 1843 to 1867. Box 1 contains a folder containing letters written from 1843 to 1864. The bulk of these letters are personal, written to Admiral Dahlgren's first wife, Mary Dahlgren during his service aboard frigate USS Cumberland and to his sister Martha Dahlgren at the end of the Civil War. Additional Civil War-era letters were composed in an official capacity during his service at the Washington Navy Yard and aboard the Side-wheel Steamer Philadelphia as commander of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The folder also includes an undated photograph of Rear Admiral Dahlgren, a two personalized book plates. Furthermore, the collection includes four volumes of books authored by him between 1850 and 1856: "Boat armament of the U.S. Navy", "Shells and shell-guns", and two copies of "Report on the thirty-two pounder of thirty-two cwt. to Commodore Warrington, Chief of Bureau of Ordnance & Hydrography. Both "Report on the thirty-two pounder of thirty-two cwt. to Commodore Warrington, chief of Bureau of Ordnance & Hydrography" and "Boat armament of the U.S. Navy" contain presentation notes to Ulric Dahlgren, his grandson, written by his son Charles Bunker Dahlgren. Box 2: contains three sets of full color gun carriage technical drawings drafted from 1855 to 1867 and signed by John Dahlgren. Set 1: contains 3 sheets of carriage plans for an 9 inch shell-gun specifically designed for use on the Steam frigate Merrimack in 1855; Set 2: contains 53 sheets of carriage plans for an 11 inch pivot carriage designed for the Screw Steamer Pensacola, Screw Sloop Narragansett, and Screw Sloop Seminole in 1859; Set 3: contains 16 sheets of 18 inch port sill carriage plans. Handwritten notes suggest that these plans were considered as a later addition to the frigate USS Sabine between 1865 and 1866.
Arrangement of the Records
Materials are arranged into two boxes:
Box 1: contains 1 folder of letters written from 1843 to 1864, 1 undated photograph, 2 book plates, and 4 volumes of books.
Box 2: contains three sets of full color technical drawings arranged by set.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Letters, 1843-1864; Box 1 (folder 1)
- Letter to Mary Dahlgren from John Dahlgren onboard the frigate Cumberland. [4 October, 1843], 2 pages.
- Letter to Mary Dahlgren from John Dahlgren onboard the frigate Cumberland. [26 October, 1843], 3 pages.
- Letter to Mary Dahlgren from John Dahlgren onboard the frigate Cumberland. [26 December, 1843], 3 pages.
- Letter to Flag Officer Louis M. Goldsborough from John Dahlgren, Navy Yard Washington. [27 February, 1862], 4 pages (photocopy with transcript).
- Orders from John Dahlgren onboard the side-wheel steamer Philadelphia. [15 September, 1863], 1 leaf.
- Request for supplies to Commodore C.K. Stribling from John Dahlgren onboard the side-wheel steamer Philadelphia. [12 September, 1863], 1 leaf.
- Letter to Martha Dahlgren from John Dahlgren. [27 October, 1864], 4 pages.
Undated photograph of John Dahlgren; Box 1 (folder 1)
Pair of personalized bookplates; Box 1 (folder 1)
Dahlgren authored materials; Box 1
- “Boat armament of the U.S. Navy” [1856].
- "Shells and shell-guns" [1856].
- "Report on the thirty-two pounder of thirty-two cwt. to Commodore Warrington, chief of Bureau of Ordnance & Hydrography.” 2 copies, [1850].
1 copy contains presentation notes to Ulric Dahlgren, the grandson of John Dahlgren, written by his son Charles Bunker Dahlgren.
Gun Carriage Plans, 1855; Box 2 (Set 1)
- “Carriage for U.S. Naval IX in. shell-gun, adapted to it for the main deck of Steam frigate Merrimack & c., From the Marsilly Carriage, commonly known as the French Affit A Echantignoles.” Signed by John Dahlgren. [April 28, 1855. Corrected December 1860], 3 leaves.
Gun Carriage Plans, 1859; Box 2 (Set 2)
- “Carriage of XI in. gun pivot for all uncovered decks.” Copy sent to Bureau [of Ordnance and Hydrography]. Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 1. [January 27, 1859], 5 leaves.
These drawings depict the pivot carriage for the 11-inch Dahlgren gun, used on spar decks of warships.
- “Details. Carriage of XI in. pivot gun. For all uncovered decks. 1859.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 2. [1859], 5 leaves.
These drawing depict the hardware used on the pivot carriage for the 11-inch Dahlgren gun.
- “XI in. pivot carriage. Slide for light draft with two pivot guns. 1859.” Copy on tracing cloth sent to Bureau of Ordnance. Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 3A. [February 22, 1859], 5 leaves.
These drawings depict top and bottom views of the unit, mounted on the deck, atop which the carriage rested, allowing the gun to be fire from either side of the ship.
- “XI in. pivot carriage. Slide for gun sloops. With two pivot guns.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 3B. [1859], 5 leaves.
These drawings depict side views of the slide unit.
- “Details of slide for XI in. pivot carriage, for the two-pivot gun-sloops. Light draft.” Trace copy sent to Bureau. Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 4. [March 11, 1859], 8 leaves.
These drawings depict the hardware used on the slide unit.
- “XI in. pivot carriage. Slide for Gun sloops, with one pivot gun.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 5A. [1859], 5 leaves.
These drawings depict top and bottom views of the carriage slide unit.
- “XI in. pivot carriage slide for Gun sloops with one pivot gun.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 5B. [1859], 5 leaves.
Side views of the slide unit.
- “Details of slide for XI in. pivot carriage of Sloop of war Pensacola, Gun sloops Narragansett & Seminole.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 6. [1859], 7 leaves.
Hardware for slide unit.
- “Circles, Circlets & Clevis-Bolts for deck of Gun-sloops, Wyoming & C.” Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 7. [1859], 4 leaves.
These drawings depict the hardware fitted to the decks of warships to receive the slides. The circle was mounted on the deck, the slide on the circle, the carriage on the slide, and the barrel on the carriage. Included in these drawings are depictions of the slide, carriage, and the barrel, as mounted.
- “Circles, Circlets & Clevis-Bolts for deck of Gun-sloops Seminole, & C.” Copy on tracing cloth, sent to Bureau. Signed by John A. Dahlgren. Sheet 8. [April 18, 1859], 4 leaves.
Drawings depicting hardware fitted to the decks of warships to receive the slide
Gun Carriage Plans, 1865-1867; Box 2 (Set 3)
- Iron carriage plans that were drawn after designs by Captain William Jeffers for 32-pounder and 8-inch Dahlgren guns. These plans include a manuscript list of modifications made to the original design in 1867, as well as a hand-made drawing of the modifications. Signed by Captain Henry A. Wise and Captain Kidder R. Breese. [November, 1867], 13 leaves.
Restrictions on Use
Manuscript materials are unavailable for loan and must be consulted in the library. Photocopying of manuscripts, as well as fragile items, is generally prohibited, though the use of digital cameras by researchers to reproduce non-copyrighted materials is permitted. The use of personal scanners by non-library staff personnel must be approved by the library staff on a document-by-document basis. (Reference: Naval History and Heritage Command Instruction [NAVHISTCENTINST] 5070.1C.).
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Subject terms
Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard—1809-1870.
Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard—1809-1870—Correspondence.
Ordnance—Design and construction.
Ordinance, naval—Design and construction.
United States—Navy—Ordnance and ordnance store.
United States—Navy—Records and correspondence.
Gun-carriages—Drawings.
Naval gunnery—Drawings.
United States—Navy—Sea life.
United States—Navy—History—19th century.
United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Naval operations.
United States—Navy—South Atlantic Squadron.
Cumberland (Frigate)
Philadelphia (Side-wheel steamer)
Merrimack (Frigate)
Pensacola (Screw steamer)
Narragansett (Screw sloop)
Seminole (Screw sloop)
Wyoming (Sloop-of-war)
Sabine (Frigate)
