Civil War US Navy Model 1861 Plymouth 'Dahlgren' Bowie Knife Bayonet - Original

Description

This is a rare and original Pattern 1861 Dahlgren bowie knife, often referred to as the Plymouth / Whitneyville Bowie Knife Bayonet. It was originally designed in 1856 by US Navy Admiral John A. B. Dahlgren for use aboard his ship, the USS Plymouth. This knife replaced the saber-style bayonet. Admiral Dahlgren designed this bayonet specifically for the hand-to-hand combat that sailors faced during boarding.
Produced for the US Navy by arms maker Ames of Chicopee, Mass., this bayonet features a bowie-shaped, spear-point blade about 11 7/8 inches long, and 1 5/8 inches wide.. The heavy 5/16 inch thick steel blade is in good condition, with some spotty discoloration as shown in the photos. The blade has been cleaned at some point in the past.
The knife hilt has a one-piece pommel, guard and a back strap of heavy brass with a one-piece walnut grip fitted between the pommel back strap and the guard. The bottom of the walnut grip has four finger grooves for a positive grasp. There is a small crack in the brass back strap as shown in the photo.
Both sides of the blade are marked.  One side of the blade is marked with "USN" and an anchor, along with the year "1864"..  It also has a "P" and a "G.G." which designates Commander Guert Gansevoort, U.S.N.  The other side has the maker's stamp of "Ames Mfg & Co. / Chicopee/ Mass".  The "Ames Mfg & Co." mark is mostly worn off as shown in the photos, although the "Chicopee Mass." mark is clear.  There is also a "DR" in script letters on the pommel flat, which designates Navy Inspector Daniel Reynolds.
This is a beautiful example of a first-of-its-kind Navy bayonet for your collection!