8-Inch US Navy Bureau of Ordnance Shellgun of 6,500 pounds near Yorktown, Virginia

Jul 3

An 8-Inch US Navy Bureau of Ordnance Shellgun of 6,500 pounds (sometimes called an “8-Inch Dahlgren” or a “Model 1864 8-Inch”) is displayed by the side of the road near Historic Endview Plantation near Yorktown, Virginia. It is marked Registry Number 341. It was caried aboard the sailing sloop of war USS Jamestown from 1879 to 1892. It was cast by Builders Foundry in 1867. As manufactured it weighed 6,465 pounds.

This type of cannon, along with a similar 32-pounder of 4,500 pounds, had been developed by the Bureau of Ordnance in 1864 under the direction of Henry Wise. The shape is very much like Dahlgren’s other cannon. However, the elongated cascabel with provision for an elevating screw of the larger Dahlgrens has been replaced by a simple ring cascabel for a breeching rope. Elevation on the 8-inch and 32-pounder would have to be by quoin.

A single photograph of this particular cannon appeared in the Facebook Group “Big Cannon Project” without further identification. There was some discussion among those commenting about its type and caliber and even whether it was a real cannon or a concrete substitute. I was confused by what appeared to be long trunnions (like the 9-Inch Dahlgren has). It is quite real, though heavily pitted. The trunnions have been visually extended by wooden blocks placed over the presumably short trunnions. The bore measures 8 inches. In order to settle any discussion that the piece might be concrete, I briefly attached a magnet to it.

USS Jamestown was a sailing sloop of war which was built in the 1840s. Her initial service in 1845 was on the Anti-Slavery patrol. In 1847 she carried a cargo of famine relief to Ireland. She returned to the Africa Station in the 1850s. After initial service as part of the Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1861-1862, she was transferred to the Pacific. She was present at the hoisting of the US Flag in Sitka, Alaska in 1867. Her armament varied over her career according to need, but she was usually armed with a mix of 32-Pounders and 8-Inch shell guns. She spent the early 1870s in ordinary and the late 1870s as a training ship for the State Public Marine School in California.

In 1879 USS Jamestown was returned to the US Navy and recommissioned for service in Alaskan waters. It is at this time that she was rearmed with ten 8-Inch Shell Guns of 6,500 Pounds and two 30-Pounder Parrott Rifles. Number 341 came aboard at this time. Her service in Alaska under the command of Captain Lester A. Beardslee involved extensive exploration of Alaskan waters. Captain Beardslee submitted an extensive report on his operations.

In 1882 USS Jamestown was sent to the Atlantic. Her armament at this time was reduced to four 8-inch shell guns, Number 341 among them. She would spend the next ten years as a training ship. Her battery increased to ten 8-Inch shell guns, still including Number 341.