The Dahlgren Guns of the United States Naval Academy
Circa 1865 photo of the Ordnance Proving Ground at Annapolis, Maryland. From front to rear my tentative identifications of the cannons are: the breech of a Dahlgren shell gun (unknown but possibly 11-inch), a 32-Pounder of 57cwt, a 150-Pounder (or 8-Inch) Armstrong Rifled Cannon from Fort Caswell, two Parrott Rifles (either 6.4-Inch or 8-Inch), and a 15-Inch Dahlgren smoothbore. Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/item/2013647352/
The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland displays several historic naval cannons. Unfortunately, none of the cannons depicted in the Civil War era photo above seem to survive into the present. The Armstrong Rifle seems to have disappeared sometime in the 20th Century, possibly as a result of scrap drives for the World Wars. However, several other historic cannons are on display. (Note the identical Armstrong Rifle captured at Fort Fisher is displayed as a Trophy at West Point. The tube on display at Fort Fisher at present is a replica.)
The two photos below are from Flickr User WallyG and are posted here under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 License. His photo stream in the April 2024 time period also shows many great photos of the museum at the Naval Academy.
The first photo is a 12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer. It was manufactured by Ames in 1863. (It is likely the piece listed as Number 356 in The Big Guns. If so, it’s weight is 754 pounds, and it saw service on USS Althea.) It is displayed on its original carriage with a collection of impliments including the firing lock and lanyard (on the breech), a shell on a sabot and a propellant charge, and a rammer, sponge and worm.
The second photo is a Dahlgren Rifle - one of two or three in the collection at Annapolis. (I believe that one or more of the Dahlgren Rifles are undergoing conservation, which may explain the empty pedestal in the background.) I believe that the photographed cannon is a rifle manufactured from a pattern otherwise intended for a 32-Pounder Dahlgren Shell Gun of 3,300 Pounds. Since this model of 32-Pounder has not otherwise been preserved, this is an interesting piece.
Also displayed at the United States Naval Academy is John Ericsson’s “Oregon Gun” of USS Princeton (which I have been thus far unable to find good photos of online). I look forward to visiting in the future.
12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer manufactured by Ames in 1863. Note the firing lock and lanyard at the breech and shell and implements bellow the carriage. Original image here (in full resolution) from Flickr User WallyG and is posted here under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 2.0License.
Dahlgren Rifle (possibly based on the design of the 32-Pounder Dahlgren Shell Gun of 3,300 Pounds) displayed at the United States Naval Academy. Original photo may be found here (at full resolution) from Flickr User WallyG and is posted here under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 2.0License.
Detail of Library of Congress Photo Above. I believe the cannon at rear to be a 15-Inch Dahlgren smoothbore.
Detail of Library of Congress Photo Above. I believe the cannon at center to be the 150-Pounder (8-Inch) Armstrong Rifle captured at Fort Caswell after Fort Fisher fell.
Replica 150-Pounder Armstrong at Fort Fisher near Wilmington, NC. (2013 Photo) The original 150-Pounder on which this display replica is based is displayed as a trophy at West Point.
Detail of Library of Congress Photo. I believe this cannon to be a 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight.
32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight displayed on a replica carriage in Hudson, New Hampshire
