The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-11-19
REAR ApMIkAL pAHLoRnN. /.

REAR ADMIRAL DAHLGREN.*
Mrs. Dahlgrcn has crowned her literary
endeavors with this memoiro OF her late distinguished
husband, John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren 1sOo-
1900 We should not have found it an admirable
trait if she had been able to write cody and dspas
souatey OF his career aud services. She Is evidently
a warm sympathlger with her subject, but always
reinforces her narrative with references to original
data and materials for criticism ot its TRUTH and for
considerable part stands aside aud leaves the otig
nal documents to tell their own story. Admiral
Dahgren was born In Philadelphia, on tho site Of
the present Exchange Building, At Third aud walnut
streets, November i3 isOo His father, Bernhard
Ullrk Of the eminent Dr. Johan Adoph
Dahgrcn, left sweden In 1904 on account OF his re-
publican sympathios, married In Philadelphia Martha
Rowan, daughter ot a Revolutionary soldier and
settling there held the post Of swedish consul until
his death III 1924. lilo lett his widow and four
children In rather Stratcuod circumstances, and John
the eldest -oor fell chged to arry fnt adm'ttanCe to
the Navv aSa "n'ldShlpmitc There was then
Naval Academy In 1898, being then about sixteen
years Of age, the future Admiral began journal
diary which he maintained almost to tile end OF his
lifc and which 50 enrichcs these pages by frequent
extracts. The FIRST part NJ the volume Is devoted to
'Tho Navy Of the past," closing with the
first cruise ot the famous Cumberland In
the "Oriuhnco Record" which wrote the
u Dhgren high with that Of his tinsmau, Ercs-
son. and with those OF paiNhaus Armstrong, rasSer,
Uchatlus, and otherson the roll Vt great military nycn
tors most vt whom he surpassed In originality and
merit The third aud most absptblngly interesting
part Is devoted to ." The Rebellion ' particularly the
long Siege Of Charleston iS63-'8j.
The principal value Of the book Is III the oopious
extracts from the diary which Dahlgrcn Kept during
hp war. e. nfst read com an occurrences
IN Washington In 1891, when he was ordnance ON
Ger at the Navy Yard, where he made vigorous aud
timely preparations for tho Ccming struggle. In
January we nud Rim chatting for an hOhr with Miss
Laue ut of President HuChauau's receptions
lie witnessed the Inauguration OF Lincoln ",,lrh
went oil Quietly enough In spite Of ominous forebcd
ings.H At the end uf the same month he records
that he is visited by 'Mr. Russell the celebrated
respondent OF the London Times. - and nuds him
- very clever. llu makes brief but punEcnt notes
about the panic days when the Baltimore riots cut
Washington OFT from tho North, and when an effort
10y the seCedefs 10 capture It was hourly expected.
ON the 22i of April Commodore buchanan having
resigned, Dahlgrcn was placed In command OF the
Nayy Yard, where he worked mccS>intly to get the
steamers ready and prepare for defense lie notes
the arrival OF the siNtl, Massachusetts, aud his graft
catun at the arrival days lltcr OF THE seventy
first Sew Nutk, which wHS assigned to garrison the
Yard, a. up 80 that tme It bt1 beau usiIy defense
/ less.
Next comes Tue Ellsworth eNpeditoht I" A'rA'nura'
Dahlgren commanding the naval force, StcaminE
down before daylight with two NeSs Is, carrying the
Houaves, and back to Washington about \. NJ.
with the young Colones body aud news Of the
/ OF the expedition. In conference with Gen. Me
Dowell asked Tor by the latter before the advance to
Manassas Dalgren ''prOpoSed to land 10, 900 ON the
HANK OF the rebel position by steamers sent down the
river. Mcdowell said he liked the pllu but with
volunteers 1t would be too doubtful. The possibility
OF retreat was spoken Of lie remarked 1t was i'm
possible, As with volunteers 1t would become rcut
| For this once Mcdowell Seens to have been right.
but when we remember the temper the volunteers
! afterward showed, may we not doubt whether ii
was not rather tue Lack OF condolences and skin which
these words OF the General Showed than any fault oi
the "vountccrs that there was 4 rout At the first
| Bull Run? However. tile above curious entry Is
soon followed by the ncwS Of the defeat, and some
fresh glimpses Of the chaotic condition OF affairs In
Washington at the time. On August the diary
saysi
Prince Napoleon visited the Yard. | offered lim
rereshment at my house. Ills suite did not 20 to III,
,ip'e unti, ,e n'u leit w. ,ne Nr't",aty ol stare @
@ ,,'. % IT,, -, ,, '' q, ~ ,,i, i,i Hi ut Wv M ~ wv" 49,
like the pictures of his uncle he Napoleon hui thcf,
/ ends the resemblance. In tine evening dined with
MN AT the secretary oil SalS,a Atter hlnner III ihe
h,nr mill, ,h, sa,,o,,rr N, S,,,, ,l ,',o,,, ,,,,
| Ministers were standing ne,r-NI,s Sew,rd 1.ou',
witel of tho circle-and he puning at his cigar. tie
/ is ru"e anu o'etpeaflnH III h'S remarks
SIX weeks la'er ne must th' orleans tfihreN wei
informed
oh Tue ''h oi tepur'lS ula "'aiE 'hluh'teS n at'r'
reception ny 'he President at Which pahGreh was th
only haVal ohoer present. "hefe there Were lew OF h
Army below the rank oi general anu all the toreigi
ministers. - At nluh'ght the President led the wa.
TO the Supper-roon, which was sa'd TO be the most
superb thg oi the ktnd thit hl1 been seen IN Wash
s""' NC 'a''" "' :" " ""'e ''"' ="
IememoerS th'S supper Us 'ie 'host spiehuluproOa".
ever served at the Presidential Mansion, perhaps,
inlend I'm W,shtuuton at any fine A. ana r.,d
this the question naturally arises whether this mag
nincence due tho Inspiration of the celebrate,
Chevalier WikoiT, who about these days iegardc
In Washington ''Court circles - as high authUritl
etiquette. At this reception Capt. Dahgren notice
the niece Of Mrs. Mcclellan with Gen. stone, VIII,
four days aferward arrested for treason and
TO Fort Lafayette. AMI the author notes that tn
Secretary Of War had ordered Mcclellan to arres
Stone nine days previous to the reception What ar
astonishing and ncompreh,n yrant that stanton
sti remains
Wenext hear of the destruction of the - Congress
and "CumbeTland by the " AIerrmac - vividll
brought before 1t sounded alarmed authorI
ties in Washington. Next come the movements I
the Peninsula. Many talks with Mcclellan Presi
dent Lincoln. Chase aud others, all OF which we mus
slide past for the diary is rich In fresh materiu
that one knows not where to leave of quotation u
comment. We have graphite views OF the weakness
and wOrrimeut Of MIR. Lincoln, OF the sclls
meddlesomcness Of politicians, the dissensions anon
generals, and of the pieyng rings of Inventors an
contractors. DJhgrGn is all the time anxious for So
I service where the fighting H.. Secretary Wellc
won't spare him from the Department aud he be
comes Chief Ut Ordnance. March ii. 1868, he re
ceves his commission rs Rear Admiral. April % Il
writes:
. No adventure ON the Treasury now standa ON #
merits. Projects fof new cannon. new powder an
devices "l an klhis are backed by the highest inhu
''''''
: Inc politicians aud lobherS were having thel
harvest pAhlgreh sun applying Tor sea service, an
no wonder he wanted TO get out of tue corrupt anO
!, phefc oil Washington In June lie Is IN cOnieren'
h win Admiral Foote and General Gilmore about a
attack on Charleston; does not think highly OF GIL
, more plan OF advancing along the marrow sand sp
nt MOTIFS Island, assaultihg successive lines OF eatl
r works, easily raised out OF tile sand IN night
closes hSehtry that night with the emphatic, prt
e phenc WORDS ihe attach VIII mol be what II Shou
v DE- Tue authorities entertain tue curious ldea
v sehuihg Doh Foole ana Dihgreh, not seeing what u
Iatler doeS mat thiS dnaty oi admlrhls VIII sure
. pfOducedlsc"id ana Weakness nut the plan WAS d
q te'ted pS me iatai Illness "I AdnIal Footc' III
before A q