Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard, 1809-1870

U.S. naval officer and inventor of ordnance.

From the description of Reports to Commodore L. Warrington on ordnance, 1848-1849. (New York University, Group Batchload). WorldCat record id: 58671341

John A. Dahlgren, naval officer, attained the rank of rear admiral. An expert in ordnance, he invented an 11" gun and other devices useful to the Navy. From 1868-70, he was Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance.

From the description of Letter, January 28, 1848. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 742345857

American naval officer and inventor, founder of the Navy Ordnance Yard in Washington.

From the description of ALS, 1855 June 29, Washington, D.C., to Andrew H. Foote. (Rosenbach Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122633582

John A. Dahlgren, U.S. naval officer, was born in 1809 and entered the Navy in 1826. He was involved in the development of ordnance and in 1851 invented an 11" gun called the Dahlgren Gun. During the Civil War, he commanded the South Atlantic Squadron and aided in the capture of Savannah. From 1868 to 1870, he was Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. He died in 1870.

From the description of Letter, May 27, 1867. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 729742684

Commander, South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, U.S. Navy, 1863- 1865.

From the description of John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1864 July 30-1963 Jan. (University of South Carolina). WorldCat record id: 34791187

John A. Dahlgren, naval officer, attained the rank of rear admiral. An expert in ordnance, he invented an 11" gun and other devices useful to the Navy. From 1868-70, he was Chief of the Ordnance.

From the description of Letter, March 25, 1861. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 45622172

U.S. naval officer and inventor of ordnance, of Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1858-1870. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 60353218

Epithet: Rear-Admiral US Navy

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001219.0x0003a7

American Naval Officer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Washington, to D. Van Nostrand, 1866 May 3. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270531016

From the description of Autograph letter signed : [Washington], to General Hooker, [1862] Mar. 9. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270530777

From the description of Autograph letters signed (2) : Washington, to A. Hart in Philadelphia, 1853 Feb. 22 and May 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270532801

From the description of Autograph note signed : [Washington], 1861 Sept. 2. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270534142

From the description of Autograph telegram signed : "Navy Department," to an unidentified recipient, [1861] Jul. 3. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270535909

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, to "Respected Sir," [F.R. Hassler?], 1835 Apr. 8. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270527040

From the description of Autograph note signed : [Washington, D.C.], to G.V. Fox, [1862] Feb. 19. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270534145

From the description of Autograph telegram signed : [Washington], to Capt. John Ericsson, 1862 Aug. 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270535916

Naval officer, inventor, and author.

From the description of John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1794-1889 (bulk 1826-1870). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79449166

Naval officer.

From the description of John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1843-1870. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81804913

Naval officer, of Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of Correspondence, 1848-1870; (bulk 1864-1870). (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 19491138

John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren (1809-1870), a United States naval officer, was commandant of the Washington Naval Yard.

From the description of John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1829-1885. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122378690

From the guide to the John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren papers, 1829-1885, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

American admiral.

From the description of Autograph telegram signed, 1865 May 17, to General Edward Hatch. (Rosenbach Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122625885

Rear Admiral John Adolphus Dahlgren was born in Philadelphia, PA, on November 13, 1809. During his naval career, Dahlgren was put on ordnance duty. In this capacity, he invented an 11-inch gun named for him and devised a method for arming gunboats with howitzers. He also was commanding officer of the naval yard in Washington, DC, and Chief of the Ordnance Bureau during his career.

From the description of Letter, May 19, 1848. (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46357762

Biographical Note

• 1809, Nov. 13: Born, Philadelphia, Pa.
• 1826: Appointed acting midshipman, United States Navy
• 1833: Assigned to naval station, Philadelphia, Pa.
• 1834: Ordered to duty, United States Coast Survey
• 1839: Married Mary C. Bunker
• 1847: Ordered to Washington, D.C., for ordnance duty, United States Navy
• 1861: Took command of the Washington Navy Yard
• 1862: Appointed chief, Bureau of Ordnance, United States Navy
• 1863: Relieved Samuel Francis Du Pont in command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron
• 1866: Assigned command of the South Pacific Squadron
• 1869: Returned as chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
• 1870, July 12: Died, Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren Papers, 1794-1889, (bulk 1826-1870), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

John A. Dahlgren (1809-1870) was an American naval officer and inventor of ordnance. Dahlgren, of Swedish ancestry, grew up in Philadelphia, where he showed considerable intellectual ability in the school work of his youth. His early enthusiasm led him to enter the Navy. He made several cruises, and in 1834 worked on a survey of the United States coastline. He was promoted to lieutenant and, following a short period of ill health, began ordnance duty in Washington.

That year, 1847, was the beginning of an association with the Naval Bureau of Ordnance that was to last sixteen years. Over those years Dahlgren became Chief of Ordnance and received worldwide recognition as a man of great inventive intelligence in the fields of weaponry and ammunition. He developed a number of inventions and techniques, and wrote several books on boat howitzers, percussion locks, shells and shell guns and similar subjects. Dahlgren became famous for his invention of two new guns, smoothbores which took nine and eleven inch shells. These guns, popularly called "Dahlgrens," contributed decisively to the firepower that gave naval supremacy to the Union in the Civil War.

The Civil War brought Dahlgren's naval career into prominence. He was appointed by Abraham Lincoln as Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, an extremely important post both for ordnance and for defense of the city of Washington. Dahlgren worked in close contact with Lincoln and many of his cabinet, including Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells and others. Dahlgren already knew or would meet in the course of the war most of the prominent figures in the Union army and navy. He was soon promoted to captain and in 1863 to rear admiral in command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. This position took him away from Washington and into the field of action. He commanded a naval assault on Charleston, an attack which because of its only partial success, provoked some criticism. He also led an expedition up the St. John's River in Florida, co-operated with Sherman in the capture of Savannah, and participated in the final occupation of Charleston. After the war, Dahlgren spent some years as commander of the South Pacific Squadron, and later returned to his old positions as Chief of Ordnance and Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard. He died in 1870.

Dahlgren married Mary Bunker in 1839, and they had seven children before her death in 1855. The most famous of these was Ulric, who rose to the rank of colonel in the Union army distinguishing himself at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Second Bull Run and Gettysburg. When he died at the age of twenty-one in 1864, Ulric Dahlgren was a well-known Union war hero. Dahlgren married his second wife, Madeleine Vinton in 1865. They had three children. She wrote a biography of her husband, Memoir of John A. Dahlgren, after his death, as well as a number of other books. In her later years, Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren was a prominent figure in Washington literary circles.

A genealogical chart of the Dahlgren family appears at the end of this finding aid. This is an incomplete chart, meant only as a general guideline. The individuals represented in this collection are noted in capital lettering.

From the guide to the John A. Dahlgren Collection, 1823-1945, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)