124 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



family at Wilmington, Delaware. With restored sight, 

 Lieutenant Dahlgren, in 1843, returned to active duty in the 

 Navy and made a cruise of two years' duration in the Mediter- 

 ranean in the ship Cumber-land. 



In 1847, being ordered to Washington on ordnance duty. 

 Lieutenant Dahlgren began the studies and labors which in 

 16 years placed him at the head of the Ordnance Department 

 of the Navy. In 1850 he announced the principles which he had 

 evolved and after many discouragements and difficulties in 

 protecting his inventions, and securing recognition for his 

 ordnance system, on August 13, 1856, he was given command 

 of the sloop-of-war Plymouth, with which to introduce his 

 new weapons of naval warfare and especially his ii-inch 

 gun. After a year's cruise, the ship returned, all objections to 

 the heavy guns having been overcome, and their inventor after 

 his II years of labor, having obtained a complete victory for 

 his ordnance principles. At the outbreak of the Civil War, 

 Commander Dahlgren was placed in charge of the Washington 

 Navy Yard and made Chief of the Ordnance Bureau. 



In July, 1862, he took command of the South Atlantic 

 Squadron and the following year he was placed in charge of the 

 fleet stationed before Charleston, S. C, succeeding Admiral 

 Foote. For gallant conduct he received the thanks of Congress 

 and was made a rear-admiral. At the close of the war, 

 Admiral Dahlgren returned to Washington and subsequently 

 was placed in charge of the South Pacific Squadron. Returning 

 from the cruise, he took up his duties as Chief of the Bureau of 

 Ordnance at Washington, continuing in this position until his 

 death, July 12, 1870. He was the author of some important 

 works on gunnery, including " Thirty-two pound Practice for 

 Ranges," " Naval Percussion Locks and Primers," and " Shells 

 and Shell Guns." During a period of 44 years he kept a journal 

 which gives vivid pictures of his life and times. 



(See Madeleine V. Dahlgren, "Memoir of John A. Dahlgren," Boston, 

 1882.) 



