The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-12
OBITUARY.
Rear-AdmIral John A. Dahlsren.


despatch from Washington announces the
death of Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, which
took place at the Navy Yard in that city this
morning.
The deceased officer was a native of Phiia-
delphia, and he was appointed q midshipman
from the State of Pennsylvania on the LIST
of February, 1926. He made his first cruise in
the frigate Macedonian, attached to the Brazil
squadron, in the years 1929. He afterwards
visited the Mediterranean, in 1880 32, on board
the sloop- Ontario. On the Goth of April,
1882, he was made passed midshipman, and
was employed on coast survey duty from 1886
to 1S42. His commission as lieutenant
was dated March Sth 1887, and in
1s44-45 he served on board the frigate Cumber-
land, in the Mediterranean squadron. From
1874 to 1857 he was employed on ordnance duty,
and in conducting numerous important expert
ments for the improvement of naval cannon aud
ammunition his talents found their proper field
of exercise. 1t was at this period that he in
vented the celebrated Dahlgren smooth-bore and
rifed guns, and perfected system of naval
ordnance that has demonstrated its efficiency
on many important and trying occasions. He
received his commission as commander in Sep
tember, 1885, and in 1858 SO he was in command
of the ordnance ship Plymouth. This vessel
was armed, according to his views, with few
heavy shell guns, and he went upon a
short experimental cruise for the purpose to
testing their efficiency afioat. After being de-
tached from the Plymouth, he was again placed
upon ordnance duty at the navy yard at Wash
ington, where he conducted q number of i'm
portaut experiments under the direction of the
Bureau of Ordnance and photography.
The labors of Dahlgren resulted in many
changes in our naval ordnance, and there is no
greatly improved the efficiency of the navy.
The most important of the changes made
through his influence was the adoption of the
heavy shell guns of the Dahlgren pattern, and
also of the bronze howitzers for boats invented
by him. These howitzers, of 24-pound and 12-
pound calibre, were light, easy of transporta-
tion, and as they were as available
on land as well as afoat, being mounted
when required for shore service on light field
carriages also invented by Commander Dahl
gren, they performed great deal of very effec-
I've service during the Rebellion. Ia the course
of his ordnance experiments Commander Dahl
gren published the following works, part of
them under the direction of the Bureau of Ord
nance:-"Report on the 32-pounders of 32 cwt."
in 1850; System of Boat Armament in the U. s.
Navy" two edition in 1852 and 1856 NAVAL
Percussion Locks and Primers" in 1852, and
'Shells and shell Guns" in 1856.
On the breaking out of the Rebellion, most of
the officers of the Washington Navy Yard,
including the commandant, joined the South
Commander Dahlgren was appointed by Presi-
dent Lincoln to take command of this important
post, that more than almost any other in the
country required officer of undoubted
loyalty. This appointment was a high proof of
the Presidents confidence and regard for Com
mander Dahlgren, and he performed important
and valuable services in aiding the rapid arma-
ment of vessels fitting out for hostile vrerations
against the Southern ports. His commission as
captain was issued on the 10th of july 1862, and
shortly after he was appointed Chief of the Bu-
reau of Ordnance
CeI tain Dahlgren was promoted to rear
admiral on the 7th of February 1868, and the
Secretary of the Navy expressly declared that
this honor was intended as a recognition of his
eminent services as an ordnance ofIicer-ser-
vices which were more valuable and important
to the country than those of many
officers who had won fame by their deeds in the
face of the enemy. In the next summer he was
ordered to take command of the South Atlantic
Blockading Squadron, in place of Rear-Admiral
Dupont. He assumed the command of the
squadron on the 9th of July, 1868, and soon
after combined effort was made on the part of
the navy and army, the latter under
the command of General G. A.
Gilmore to obtain possession of
Morris Island and the Rebel works on the south
side of Charleston harbor. Neither in the ope-
rations against Morris Island, or afterwards, did
Admiral Dahlgren give any evidence of possess
ing the military talents necessary for the work in
which he was engaged. He was extremely unpop-
ular with the officers and men of his fleet while
General Gilmore openly charged him with
incapacity and total want of military know
ledge. In fact, the appointment of Admiral
Dahlgren to this command was a serious mis-
take, and it would have been well for his repu-
tation if he had been recalled and again placed
upon the duty for which he was suited in tue
Ordnance Bureau.
In February, 1864, Admiral Dahlgren led an
expedition which assembled the st. Johns river,
Florida, to aid military force which intended
TO occupy that State. The battle of Olustee, in
which the Union forces were defeated, was the
chief incident of this campaign, and the most
important service rendered by the navy was in
protecting the city of Jacksonville after the
army had fallen back to itfrom Olustee.
When information of Sherman's army having
started upon its march through Georgia was
communicated to him. Admiral Dahlgren
adopted measures for rendering him all possible
assistance as he approached the coast. So soon
asH Sherman reached Savannah he commu-
nicated with the Admiral, and the latter dis
posed his vessels to aid in reducing the city.
After the fall of Savannah the capture of
Charleston was only question of time, and on
the morning of the 18th of February, 1865, no
one was greatly surprised to learn that the place