US Navy 24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer at Shiloh
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US Navy 24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer at Shiloh

US Navy 24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer Number 656 is displayed at Shiloh National Military Park. (Many thanks to James Murray for sharing these photos with us!) It was cast in 1864 by Ames. As manufactured it weighed 1305 pounds. This boat howitzer has a portion of its hammer still in place - and a something (a projectile?) lodged in the tube.

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12-Pounder Boat Howitzer of USS Pittsburg at Vicksburg
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12-Pounder Boat Howitzer of USS Pittsburg at Vicksburg

US Navy 12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 96 is displayed in the museum beside USS Cairo at Vicksburg. As the sign attests, the boat howitzer served aboard USS Cairo’s sister ship USS Pittsburgh. The markings on the tube show a weight of 759 pounds with 65 pounds preponderance (the howitzer is breech-heavy by this amount when placed on its carriage). It was manufactured at the Washington Navy Yard in 1862, and it was inspected and approved for service by John A. Dahlgren himself.

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24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer at Petersburg, Virginia
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24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer at Petersburg, Virginia

24-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer Number 388 is displayed at the Petersburg National Battlefield. According to the research reflected in Olmstead et al., this particular boat howitzer was aboard USS Granite City when that ship was captured by Confederate infantry and artillery at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana. I do not know what subsequent Confederate service the howitzer saw nor what brought it to Petersburg.

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The Cannons at Fort Fisher
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The Cannons at Fort Fisher

The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was fought from January 13th - 15th, 1865. This post gives an overview of the major types of heavy cannons present in the fort and aboard the fleet. The cannons pictured include Columbiads, Brooke Rifles, Dahlgren Cannons, and Parrott Rifles.

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The Dahlgren Boat Howitzers of Hanover, Massachusetts
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The Dahlgren Boat Howitzers of Hanover, Massachusetts

Two US Navy 12-Pounder Bronze Dahlgren Boat Howitzers are displayed in Hanover, Massachusetts flanking an 1878 Monument "Erected by the people of Hanover in grateful memory of her sons who died in the War for the Preservation of the Union."

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The Dahlgrens of the Washington Navy Yard
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The Dahlgrens of the Washington Navy Yard

Dahlgren’s shell gun and boat howitzer designs formed the core of US Naval armament during the American Civil War. It is fitting that three of his designs are displayed at the Washington Navy Yard: a 9-Inch Dahlgren Shell Gun, a 12-Pounder Boat Howitzer, and a 20-Pounder Bronze Rifle.

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The Cannons of Trophy Park
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The Cannons of Trophy Park

Norfolk Navy Yard Trophy Park in Portsmouth, Virginia displays a number of Dahlgrens and Parrott Rifles from the mid 19th Century US Navy. Some are displayed as they were manufactured. Others received modifications and conversions in the 1870s. Many thanks to Flickr user Jimmy for the permission to use these photos.

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