802 



UNITED STATES WAR RECORD. 



very efficient service in rescuing prisoners from the 

 " Vizcaya." 



Fern. Wooden steam vessel. Built in 1871. 5 

 officers, 45 men. Lieut.-Cornmander W. S. Cowles 

 commanding until April 27, 1898: Lieut.-Com- 

 mander Herbert Winslow from that date to close of 

 war. Served in Cuban waters and at Key West. 



Fish Hawk. Fish Commission vessel. Lieut.- 

 Coinmander P. H. Delano. Served chiefly at Key 

 West and Havana. Xow out of commission. 



Foote. Torpedo boat. 4 officers, 20 men. Cost, 

 $97,500. Launched Oct. 1, 1896. First commis- 

 sion, Aug. 7, 1897. Lieut. William L. Rodgers. 



Frolic. Converted yacht. 7 officers, 87 men. 

 First commission in United States navy July 6, 

 1898. Commander E. H.Gheen. Served chiefly in 

 Puerto Rican waters. 



Glacier. Special class. Refrigerator ship. Com- 

 missioned in United States navy July 5, 1898. 

 Commander J. P. Merrell. Assigned to Eastern 

 squadron. Employed chiefly as supply ship for 

 United States vessels in eastern Cuban and Puerto 

 Rican waters. 



Gloucester. Converted yacht. 9 officers, 85 men. 

 First commission in United States navy, May 20, 

 1898. Lieut.-Commander Richard Wainwright. 

 Joined blockading squadron off Santiago chiefly to 

 carry dispatches. Bombarded fort at Aquadores re- 

 peatedly, and also took part in a number of the bom- 

 bardments of Morro Castle. On July 3, when the 

 Spanish fleet issued from the harbor, the "Glouces- 

 ter" was lying at the extreme easterly point of the 

 blockading line, about two miles to the south and 

 cast of Morro Castle. She fired upon all the Span- 

 ish ships in turn, but her efforts were soon con- 

 fined to the two torpedo-boat destroyers " Furor " 

 and " Pluton," which were the last to leave the 

 harbor. 



This battle, distinct from the general engagement, 

 continued for more than an hour, when the " Pluton," 

 the leading destroyer, ran ashore three miles west of 

 Morro Castle and exploded, and the " Furor " sank in 

 deep water. The few survivors, however, aboard the 

 " Furor " were rescued before the boat sank, and 

 also those from the "Pluton." The "Gloucester" 

 rescued those aboard the burning, exploding cruisers 

 " .Maria Teresa" and "Oquendo." Nearly 500 men 

 were taken ashore through the surf from these ships. 

 Admiral Cervera and his staff were brought aboard 

 the " Gloucester " with many other prisoners. 



Joined Puerto Rican expedition. On reaching 

 Guanica Commander Wainwright obtained permis- 

 sion to enter the harbor in advance. The entrance 

 was made and the town taken after a sharp skir- 

 mish by the infantry company of the "Gloucester," 

 under the command of Lieut. II use-, and held until 

 other troops were landed. Was present at the sur- 

 render of Ponce. Proceeding then to Arroya, the 

 infantry company was again landed, and held the 

 place in the face of the enemy for two days, until 

 United States troops arrived. 



Gwin. Torpedo boat. Cost, $39,000. Launched 

 Nov. 15, 1897. First commission, April 4, 1898. 

 Lieut. C. S. Williams. Served chiefly in Southern 

 ;uid Cuban waters. 



Hamilton. Revenue cutter. Capt. W. D. Roath, 

 R. C. S. Details of service not available. 



Hannibal. Steamer converted into collier. Com- 

 missioned in United States navy June 7, 1898. On 

 North Atlantic squadron from July 1, 1898, to 

 close of war. Commander II. G. 0. Colby. Served 

 chiefly in Puerto Kican waters. 



Ilmi'k. Converted yacht. 4 officers, 46 men. 

 First commission in United States navy, April 5, 

 1898. Lieut. J. Hood. Served chiefly between Key 

 West and Havana and at Cuban ports. On night 

 of July 4, 1898, chased and destroyed a large steamer 



of about 6.000 tons when attempting to run the 

 blockade off Mariel. Name of steamer not known. 



Helena. Light-draught gunboat. 10 officers. 

 165 men. Cost, -$280,000. Launched Jan. 30, 1890. 

 First commission, July 8, 1897. Commander W. T. 

 Swinburne. Captured Spanish steamer, April 23. 

 1898. On convoy duty in Gen. Shafter's army lo 

 Santiago. Bombarded Siboney prior to landing <>i 

 army, June 22. Served on Cienfuegos-Batabaim 

 blockade from June 27 to end of war. 



On July 2 engaged earth battery of 5 guns, '2 

 field guns, and intrenched infantry at Tunas. 

 Enemy's fire silenced in twenty-eight minutes. 

 Under cover of this demonstration the Cuban expedi- 

 tion moved to Palo Alto, 40 miles to eastward, and 

 successfully landed men. arms, and supplies for Gen. 

 Gomez. On July 18, with " Wilmington," " Scor- 

 pion." " Osceola," " Hornet," " Hist," and " Wompa- 

 tuck," destroyed 3 transports and 5 small gunboats 

 at Manzanillo. Bombarded Santa Cruz, raised and 

 cut cables from Jucaro to Tunas and from Tunas 

 to Trinidad. On July 26, with " Osceola," engaged 

 batteries at Tunas to test enemy's strength. 



Hist. Converted yacht. 6 officers, 50 men. 

 First commission in United States navy. May i:l, 

 1898. Lieut. Lucien Young. On patrol duty until 

 June 5 on Atlantic coast, then ordered to Cuba. 

 On June 30, at Manzanillo, destroyed an armed 

 pontoon containing soldiers, injured a torpedo boat 

 and several other vessels of the enemy, silenced a 

 shore battery and fort, and inflicted great loss of 

 life. Also on the same day destroyed a gunboat in 

 the harbor of Niguero and forced ashore a transport 

 filled with soldiers. Took part in the chase and the 

 destruction of Cervera's fleet at Santiago, running 

 close under the shore batteries. Remained near the 

 "Vizcaya" for several hours, taking from that 

 vessel many prisoners, including wounded, in- the 

 midst of fire and explosions. 



On July 11 aided in cutting the cable between Ha- 

 vana, Manzanillo, and Santiago. On July 18 pilots " 

 the squadron through the inland water to Manzanilk 

 and took part in bombardment and destruction of 

 5 gunboats, a storeship, and 3 large transports. 

 On July 20 took part in bombardment of Sant;i 

 Cruz and in cutting cable loops. From Aug. (5 1< 

 10 made reconnoissance of inland waters south of 

 Cuba, running through mine fields in main channel 

 and engaging shore batteries and troops. Di<~ 

 effective blockade duty in Cuban waters. Assist < 

 in capture of several blockade runners and als 

 captured a number of smaller vessels, afterwar 

 released. The "Hist" was schooner rigged, 17-1 

 feet long, with a breadth of 26 feet, and a tonm 

 of 312. She carried 1 3-pounder, 4 1-pounder-. a in 

 1 Colt. 



Hornet. Converted yacht. 4 officers, 51 met 

 First commission in United Stntes navy, April 1' 

 1898. Lieut. J. M. Helm. Assisted in bombardin; 

 blockhouses and batteries off Matanzas. May (!, 189 

 On the next day entirely destroyed these structures. 

 Two days later shelled and broke up cavalry and 

 infantry encampment and destroyed fort near 

 Sabinilla Point. Proceeded with convoy of (i<-n. 

 Shafter's expedition from Tampa to Santiago. On 

 June 22 assisted in the bombardment of Siboney. 

 On June 25 captured Spanish schooner loaded witli 

 provisions. On June 27 captured Spanish steamer 

 coming out of Manzanillo. On June 30 captured 

 schooner entering Manzanillo with supplies. <>i 

 same date joined in reconnoisance toward Man/n 

 nillo and repelled attack by gunboat and troops. < 

 abling the former and dispersing the latter. Bom- 

 barded forts and engaged batteries, artillery, am 

 9 armed batteries in the harbor (with ' Hist " ami 

 " Wompatuck"). In this fight one Spanish gunboat 

 and another armed vessel were sunk and others 





