John A. Dahlgren
| John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren | |
|---|---|
John A. Dahlgren
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Father of American naval ordnance" |
| Born |
November 13, 1809 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 12, 1870 (aged 60) |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1826–1870 |
| Rank |
 Rear Admiral
|
| Commands held |
South Atlantic Blockading Squadron South Pacific Squadron Bureau of Ordnance Washington Navy Yard |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Spouse(s) | Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren |
John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren (November 13, 1809 – July 12, 1870) was a United States Navy officer who founded his service's Ordnance Department and launched major advances in gunnery.
Dahlgren devised a smoothbore howitzer, adaptable for many sizes of craft as well as shore installations. He then introduced a cast-iron muzzle-loading cannon with vastly increased range and accuracy, known as the Dahlgren gun, that became the Navy's standard armament.
In the Civil War, Dahlgren was made Commander of the Washington Navy Yard, where he established the Bureau of Ordnance. In 1863, he took command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron at the rank of Rear Admiral, and helped William Tecumseh Sherman secure Savannah, Georgia.
Dahlgren was born on November 13, 1809, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Bernhard Ulrik Dahlgren, a merchant and Swedish Consul in the city.
Dahlgren joined the United States Navy in 1826 as a midshipman and was promoted to the coastal survey in 1834. By 1847, he was an ordnance officer, and at the Washington Navy Yard began to improve and systematize the procurement and supply system for weapons.
He was assigned to the Washington Navy Yard in 1847. While there, Dahlgren established the U.S. Navy's Ordnance Department; became an ordnance expert; developed a percussion lock; and wrote a number of books, including The System of Boat Armaments in the United States Navy, Shells and Shell Guns, and Naval Percussion Locks and Primers. Under his command, the Navy established its own foundry to manufacture new equipment, and its first product was the boat howitzer, designed for use aboard ship and in landings.
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