Edward Wilson Very

Who was Edward Wilson Very?

Edward Wilson Very was an American naval officer who developed and popularized a single-shot breech-loading snub-nosed flare gun that fired flares that bear his name. He was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy at the age of 16 and graduated in 1867 after voluntary service during the Civil War. Records indicate that Edward W. Very served very briefly as a midshipman on the USS Agawam in 1864, as a deck officer in the Asian Squadron from 1867 to 1871 and the European Squadron from 1871 to 1874 and on the USS Constitution in 1878. During his naval career he captained a gunboat off the shores of Japan, held and engineer's position in ordnance, artillery and signal staff postings and saw diplomatic service with the U.S. Legation in Paris. Beginning in February, 1878, he was in charge of naval ordnance matters placing him with top European military and armaments officials while in Paris until 1881. In 1881 Very served on the Naval Advisory Board. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1885, and took positions at Hotchkiss Company and late at American Ordnance Company.