DAHLGREN HEAVY 12-POUNDER BOAT HOWITZER ON ORIGINAL CARRIAGE.

SN 52. This is the best heavy Dahlgren boat howitzer extant. Its specific service in the Civil War is thoroughly documented. Its provenance is impeccable, and it combines numerous rarities. There are only 6 of this model known in private hands, vs. 20 of the light model. The hand-wrought iron carriage is orig and correctly marked, including inspector’s initials. It has an orig, properly marked percussion lock, and the wheels are of wood. Surviving carriages are few, and wheels are fewer. Most are all iron, like those of old farm implements. The wheels of this specimen are newly restored to exacting orig specifications. Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, 1858, No. 52 of 761 LBS, manufactured at Washington Navy Yard and inspected by inventor Dahlgren himself (“J.A.D”). Muzzle face is marked as can be seen in photos with Washington Navy Foundry number and “CT” in diamond. Orig wrought iron carriage stamped “No. 385 OF 573 [pounds] and inspected with numerous assembly codes. Hammer is stamped “DAHLGREN/12 PDR of 761 [pounds]/No 39”, the result of a post-war switch at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The weapon was first assigned to WATER WITCH, a sidewheel steamer that saw much service in the Union Navy early in the Civil War, primarily as a dispatch boat. The gun was removed from WATER WITCH prior to her capture by the Rebs, having served aboard that vessel from about 1959-1863. WATER WITCH was a very well-known vessel especially in the waters off the southern and southeastern US where she was involved in many naval actions including the capture of Southern shipping such as the Confederate schooner WILLIAM MALLORY. The howitzer was transferred to E.B. HALE in May-June1863 where it served for the duration of the war, along with four 32 pounders and a 30 pound Parrott. HALE was a 220 ton screw steamer stationed at St. Johns River, Florida and Port Royal, SC where her duties, with No. 52 on deck, including being fired on by a Confederate battery April 8, 1865 and taking direct hit, knocking out the rudder. The next shot hit the magazine and set the ship afire. With no means of navigation and his vessel burning, Capt. Briggs struck his flag. The Confederates immediately ceased fire, but without boats they had no way of actually taking possession of the surrendered steamer. The vessel drifted in the fast moving tide, grounded itself in the marsh and the crew was able to escape to friendly territory. Seeing their prisoners escape through what they considered “ungentleman like conduct”, the Confederates danced in frustration and reopened fire on the fleeing Yankees. Records in the National Archives document each round of No. 52’s firing. Dahlgren designed the boat howitzers as a result of the Navy’s lack of an efficient artillery system for amphibious landings during the Mexican War, in which they used old fashioned split trail carriages to avoid the cumbersome limbers of the new 1841 stock trail system. Boat howitzers were handled by men, not horses, and each of the crew carried one round of fixed ammunition in a leather pass box slung over the shoulder. For land transport, Dahlgren’s unique trail wheel was lowered. This replaced the entire limber. For firing, it was raised so the trail dragged on the ground to absorb recoil. Boat howitzers typically served on deck as anti-personnel weapons. They were especially prized by the inland navy, and often fired canister or shrapnel against Rebs on the river banks. Farragut, in defiance of Navy regulations existing since the War of 1812, mounted boat howitzers in the tops of his fleet when it ascended the Mississippi River past New Orleans. Dahlgren boat howitzers also served on land, at First Bull Run, in the Peninsular Campaign (5th NJ Volunteers), and at Roanoke Island (Feb 7, 1862), where 6 boat howitzers were commanded by the famed Benjamin Porter (killed in action at Ft. Fisher). Porter’s battery made a classic amphibious assault, and when the entire crew of one of his guns was killed or wounded, Porter worked the piece single-handed until the battle ended in victory. The Bull Run howitzers were hastily acquired from the Washington Navy yard where this cannon was manufactured. Orig Navy “Quarterly Ordnance Returns” listing this howitzer on both vessels mentioned, were found in the National Archives, Washington, DC. PROVENANCE: Howard K. Brown Cannon House, Ambler, PA. Robert Abels, New York City, NY 1961. Dr. Charles Thayer. Springfield Arsenal, LLC Artillery Collection. CONDITION: Smooth yellow brass patina, crisp markings. Carriage is sound and solid. Bore is crisp and well discerned. 4-54099 JS135 (60,000-90,000) – Lot 1389

Click here to view provenance

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2014

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1389	$92,000.00	DAHLGREN HEAVY 12-POUNDER BOAT HOWITZER ON ORIGINAL CARRIAGE. SN 52. This is the best heavy Dahlgren boat howitzer extant. Its specific service in the Civil War is thoroughly documented. Its provenance is impeccable, and it combines numerous rarities. There are only 6 of this model known in private hands, vs. 20 of the light model. The hand-wrought iron carriage is orig and correctly marked, including inspector’s initials. It has an orig, properly marked percussion lock, and the wheels are of wood. Surviving carriages are few, and wheels are fewer. Most are all iron, like those of old farm implements. The wheels of this specimen are newly restored to exacting orig specifications. Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, 1858, No. 52 of 761 LBS, manufactured at Washington Navy Yard and inspected by inventor Dahlgren himself (“J.A.D”). Muzzle face is marked as can be seen in photos with Washington Navy Foundry number and “CT” in diamond. Orig wrought iron carriage stamped “No. 385 OF 573 [pounds] and inspected with numerous assembly codes. Hammer is stamped “DAHLGREN/12 PDR of 761 [pounds]/No 39”, the result of a post-war switch at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The weapon was first assigned to WATER WITCH, a sidewheel steamer that saw much service in the Union Navy early in the Civil War, primarily as a dispatch boat. The gun was removed from WATER WITCH prior to her capture by the Rebs, having served aboard that vessel from about 1959-1863. WATER WITCH was a very well-known vessel especially in the waters off the southern and southeastern US where she was involved in many naval actions including the capture of Southern shipping such as the Confederate schooner WILLIAM MALLORY. The howitzer was transferred to E.B. HALE in May-June1863 where it served for the duration of the war, along with four 32 pounders and a 30 pound Parrott. HALE was a 220 ton screw steamer stationed at St. Johns River, Florida and Port Royal, SC where her duties, with No. 52 on deck, including being fired on by a Confederate battery April 8, 1865 and taking direct hit, knocking out the rudder. The next shot hit the magazine and set the ship afire. With no means of navigation and his vessel burning, Capt. Briggs struck his flag. The Confederates immediately ceased fire, but without boats they had no way of actually taking possession of the surrendered steamer. The vessel drifted in the fast moving tide, grounded itself in the marsh and the crew was able to escape to friendly territory. Seeing their prisoners escape through what they considered “ungentleman like conduct”, the Confederates danced in frustration and reopened fire on the fleeing Yankees. Records in the National Archives document each round of No. 52’s firing. Dahlgren designed the boat howitzers as a result of the Navy’s lack of an efficient artillery system for amphibious landings during the Mexican War, in which they used old fashioned split trail carriages to avoid the cumbersome limbers of the new 1841 stock trail system. Boat howitzers were handled by men, not horses, and each of the crew carried one round of fixed ammunition in a leather pass box slung over the shoulder. For land transport, Dahlgren’s unique trail wheel was lowered. This replaced the entire limber. For firing, it was raised so the trail dragged on the ground to absorb recoil. Boat howitzers typically served on deck as anti-personnel weapons. They were especially prized by the inland navy, and often fired canister or shrapnel against Rebs on the river banks. Farragut, in defiance of Navy regulations existing since the War of 1812, mounted boat howitzers in the tops of his fleet when it ascended the Mississippi River past New Orleans. Dahlgren boat howitzers also served on land, at First Bull Run, in the Peninsular Campaign (5th NJ Volunteers), and at Roanoke Island (Feb 7, 1862), where 6 boat howitzers were commanded by the famed Benjamin Porter (killed in action at Ft. Fisher). Porter’s battery made a classic amphibious assault, and when the entire crew of one of his guns was killed or wounded, Porter worked the piece single-handed until the battle ended in victory. The Bull Run howitzers were hastily acquired from the Washington Navy yard where this cannon was manufactured. Orig Navy “Quarterly Ordnance Returns” listing this howitzer on both vessels mentioned, were found in the National Archives, Washington, DC. PROVENANCE: Howard K. Brown Cannon House, Ambler, PA. Robert Abels, New York City, NY 1961. Dr. Charles Thayer. Springfield Arsenal, LLC Artillery Collection. CONDITION: Smooth yellow brass patina, crisp markings. Carriage is sound and solid. Bore is crisp and well discerned. 4-54099 JS135 (60,000-90,000) – Lot 1389 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - Fall 2014 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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DAHLGREN HEAVY 12-POUNDER BOAT HOWITZER ON ORIGINAL CARRIAGE.