A FIGHTING INVENTOR REAR-ADMIRAL JOHN A. Dahlgren ON BOARD THE U. S. S. "PAWNEE" IN
CHARLESTON HARBOR
Over the admiral's right shoulder can be seen the ruins of the still unsurrendered Fort Sumter. It was for his services on land that Dahlgren was made rear-admiral, Feb. 7, 1863. He had been employed on ordnance duty between 1847-57. With the exception of a short cruise, he hail spent the ten years in perfecting the Dahlgren gun, his own invention. In ISd'i he was chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. From this he stepped into command of the South Atlantic blockading squadron, July 6, 1863. From that time on he showed the qualities of a great commander in active service. Not only did he bravely and wisely direct the naval activities in Charleston Harbor, but in February, 1864, he led the naval expedition up the St. John's River that was to cooperate with the troops in gaining a hold in Florida. In December, 1864, he cooperated with General Sherman in the capture of Savannah, and on Feb. 18, 1865, he had the satisfaction of moving his vessels up to Charleston, the evacuated city that he had striven so long to capture.