9-Inch Dahlgrens of the Mariners’ Museum

Jul 6

9-Inch Dahlgren cast by Cyrus Alger and Company in 1859 - Registry number 243 - on display at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia

9-Inch Dahlgren cast by Tredegar Iron Works in 1859 - Registry number 277 - on display at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport New, Virginia.

The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia has two 9-Inch Dahlgrens on display. One is Cyrus Alger Registry Number 243 and was cast in 1859. It is marked as weighing 9,020 pounds. The other is Tredegar registry Number 277 and was also cast in 1859. It is marked as weighing 9,164 pounds as cast. Originally these two Dahlgrens would have been nearly identical. The 9-Inch Dahlgren was intended to be the primary broadside armament of the new generation of steam frigates and sloops built for the US Navy in the mid to late 1850s.

The Cyrus Alger Dahlgren is recorded to have served on USS Richmond and USS Sabine. USS Richmond saw a very active career at New Orleans, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Mobile Bay. Thirty-three of her crew received the Medal of Honor for actions during the American Civil War. USS Sabine, a sailing frigate and sister of USS Santee, was actively employed as a blockading vessel for much of the war. This Dahlgren may have seen extensive service during the war.

The Tredegar Dahlgren is displayed at the entrance to the USS Monitor Center. As I described in my earlier post, it bears scars from the attempt of US Navy personnel to render the cannon unusable as they prepared to abandon and burn the Gosport Navy Yard in April of 1861. Sledge hammer blows largely destroyed the mounting blocks for the sights and firing hammer and the portion of the cascabel used for the breeching rope. The attempt to damage the trunnions was less successful, but the cannon was likely still more difficult to use aboard ship.

Despite this damage, this cannon was placed aboard CSS Virginia. The fact that such a damaged cannon was used aboard CSS Virginia says something of the resource limitations of the CSN. Aboard the CSS Virginia, this Dahlgren was struck on the muzzle by a shot fired by USS Cumberland during the short, sharp, and terrible action with that ship. The shot removed a large piece of the chase from the Dahlgren. The Dahlgren was taken later as a trophy and bears official and unofficial engravings as a trophy.

Mariners’ Museum Catalogue Entry about the USS Richmond Dahlgren: https://catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/CL1209