US Navy 9-Inch Dahlgren Number 451 of USS Wabash and USS Worcester
US Navy 9-Inch Dahlgren Number 451 is displayed on “Cannon Row” at the National Civil War Naval Museum.
US Navy 9-Inch Dahlgren Number 451 is seen at the National Civil War Naval Museum. Number 451 was manufactured by West Point Foundry in 1862. In July of 1862 USS Wabash exchanged her spar deck battery of fourteen 8-Inch shell guns of 63cwt for a like number of 9-Inch Dahlgrens (Numbers 444 to 453 and 602-605). This brought her total battery to a total of forty-two 9-Inch Dahglrens and two 10-Inch Dahglrens (one of which would later be replaced by a 150-Pounder Parrott). Following the war, Number 451 was removed from Wabash. In December of 1871 it was mounted on USS Worcester upon which it served until 1877 when it was removed at Norfolk following Worcester's decommissioning.
Unlike the other 9-Inch Dahlgrens at Columbus, it doesn't show the obvious scars of a former bollard. It also does not appear in the 1997 registry in Olmstead. If anyone is aware of its history since 1877 when it was at Norfolk, I'd be glad to hear it.
Curiously it has two flattened sections on its right upper side. I can’t account for theses flatted sections other than by damage possibly while being moved (dragged?).
Alone among the 9-Inch Dahlgrens at Columbus, Number 451 alone has the original “long trunnions”. The other four of the type (displayed separately) had their trunnions shortened in 1871 for use on iron carriages.
Information on the service history of this Dahlgren is taken from Bureau of Ordnance Records.
US Navy 9-Inch Dahlgren Number 451 at the National Civil War Naval Museum. Note the flattened spots on the tube.
“Cannon Row” at the National Civil War Naval Museum
