UNITED STATES WAR RECORD. 



the ' Oquendo,' ' Maria Teresa,' and ' Colon,' fol- 

 lowed by two torpedo-boat destroyers. Upon see- 

 ing these two we immediately opened fire upon 

 them with our secondary battery, the main battery 

 at the time being engaged with the second and 

 third ships in line. Owing to our secondary bat- 

 tery, together with the ' Iowa ' and ' Gloucester,' 

 these two destroyers were forced to beach and sink. 



- While warmly engaged with the third in line, 

 which was abreast and engaging the 'Texas,' our 

 fire was blanketed for a short time by the ' Oregon ' 

 forging ahead and engaging the second ship. This 

 third ship, after a spirited fire, sheered inshore, and 

 at 10.35 ran up a white flag. We then ceased fire 

 on the third and opened tire with our forward guns 

 at long range (6,600 yards) on the second ship (which 

 was then engaged with the 'Oregon') until 11.5, 

 when she (enemy's second ship) sheered in to the 

 beach on fire. 



" At 11.10 she struck her colors. We ceased fire 

 and gave chase, with ' Brooklyn ' and ' Oregon,' 

 for the leading ship until 1.20, when the ' Colon ' 

 sheered in to beach and hauled down her colors, 

 leaving them on deck at foot of her flagstaff. We 

 shut off forced draught and proceeded at moderate 

 speed to close up." Participated in bombardment 

 of Santiago city, July 10. 



Topeka. Gunboat. Launched in 1881. Com- 

 mander W. S. Cowles. Served off Havana and at 

 Port Nipe, Cuba. Took part in the capture of Port 

 Nipe and in the destruction of a Spanish gunboat. 



Uncas. Converted tug. Commissioned in United 

 States navy April 6, 1898. Lieut. F. R. Brainard. 

 Served between Key West, Matanzas, Havana, and 

 Cardenas. 



Vesuvius. Dynamite gunboat. 6 officers, 63 

 men. Cost. $350,000. Launched April 28, 1888. 

 First commission, June 7. 1890. Lieut.-Commander 

 John E. Pillsbury. Participated in bombardment 

 of fortifications r.t Santiago. Ran into Santiago 

 channel after the sinking of the ' Merrimac," on a 

 tour of investigation. 



Vicksburg. Gunboat. 11 officers, 124 men. 

 Cost. $229,400. Launched Dec. 5. 1896. First com- 

 mission, Oct. 23, 1897. Commander A. B. H. Lillie. 

 Served between Havana and Key West ; also on 

 duty off Havana. Now in use as a training ship. 



Viking. Converted yacht. 3 officers, 40 men. 

 First commission in United States navy. May 11, 

 1898. Lieut.-Commander J. C. Wilson. Served on 

 blockade off the coast of Cuba from Matanzas to 

 Nuevitas. Captured a steamer off Cay Frances. 

 Convoyed and protected the landing of a Cuban 

 expedition at Cay Santa Maria. 



Ffoen. Converted yacht, 6 officers, 76 men. 

 First commission in United States navy, April 11, 

 1898. Lieut, A. Sharp. Aided in covering the 

 landing of marines from the "Panther," at Guan- 

 tanamo Bay. Took part in the pursuit and destruc- 

 tion of Cei-vera's fleet. Commodore Schley, in his 

 official report of the engagement on July U, 1898, 

 said: "Lieut. Sharp, commanding the 'Vixen,' 

 acted with conspicuous courage; although unable 

 to engage the heavier ships of the enemy with his 

 light guns, nevertheless he was close in to the bat- 

 tle line under heavy fire, and many of the enemy s 

 shot passed beyond his vessel." The ' Vixen,' dur- 

 ing the naval operations at Santiago, took part in 

 all the bombardments, had frequent communica- 

 tions with the insurgents, brought the Cuban gen- 

 erals to the commander in chief, carried flags of 

 truce, made reconnoissances for landing places for 

 the army, carried Cuban soldiers, was a general dis- 

 patch boat, and was the first vessel to enter Santia- 

 go harbor after the surrender of the SpUUM army. 



Vulcan. Special class. Repair ship. Commis- 

 sioned in United States navy May 22, 1898. 



II 'risf,. Converted yacht. 4 officers. 51 men. 

 First commission in I'mii-d Slate- navy, April 11, 

 1N98. Lieut. A. Ward. Served on Havana block- 

 ade. Participated in engagement off Cabanas on 

 .May 12. l*!l*. Ae.-Minpanie.l <;,.. Shatter's expedi- 

 tion to Santiago. Took part in Ix.mliardiiM-iit of 

 Daiquiri to cover the landing of tin- arm-, 

 as convoy to the transport "Catania" t 

 Took part in exploration of Nipe Hay in search of 

 torpedoes and mines. With the L.-y.'j. i, " attacked 

 Spanish cruiser "Don Jorge Juan'* and brought 

 about its destruction. Participated in attack .n 

 Ponce, Puerto Rico, July 27. nn Aug. 1. with the 

 "Gloucester," attacked Arroya. Wa- ) r. -.-nt when 

 the first hostile shots were fired at the army during 

 the "Gussie" expedition, and was also pre-ent at 

 Nipe when the la.st gun of the war was fired from a 

 Spanish war ship. 



Wilmington. Light-draught gunboat. 10 officers, 

 165 men. Cost, $280,000. Launched Oct. 19, 1895. 

 First commission, May 13, 1897. Commander < 

 Todd. Served on blockade duty around Cuba. 

 On May 3 shelled Spanish forces e'recting batteries 

 east of Havana. On May 4 covered landing 

 of ammunition for Cubans, bombarding a block- 

 house and driving off a regiment of cavalry. On 

 May 11 entered Cardenas Bay with the " Winslow" 

 and " Hudson,*' destroying 2 Spanish gunboats. On 

 July 18 entered Manzanillo harbor with other ves- 

 sels, destroyed 3 transports, 1 guard ship, and fi 

 gunboats. On July 20 bombarded and drove the 

 Spanish forces from Santa Cruz del Sud, and re- 

 peated this work on July 24. Cut the submarine ca- 

 ble south of Cuba in three places: July 16. between 

 Santa Cruz and Jucaro; between Jucaro and Tunis 

 on July 21 ; and between Tunas and Trinidad on 

 July 22 cutting all cable connections on the south 

 side. During hostilities the " Wilmington " was on 

 several occasions detailed to secretly land and take 

 from shore couriers between Gen. Maximo Gomez 

 and the national authorities. These missions were 

 successfully accomplished. 



Windom. Revenue cutter, ('apt. S. K. Maguire, 

 R. C. S. Convoyed the collier "Saturn" to Cien- 

 fuegos, May 8 to 10, 1898. Took part in firing on 

 fortified lighthouses, driving back a military force 

 from vicinity of Colorado Point, at entrance to 

 Cienfuegos harbor. Carried sick and wounded men 

 to Key West. Afterward served on blockade duly 

 off Havana. 



Winxlow. Torpedoboat. 4 officers, 20 men 

 $97,500. Launched Jan. 6, 1897. Fir>t commission, 

 Dec. 29, 1897. Lieut. J. B. Bernadou. On blockade 

 duty off Havana, Mantanzas, and Cardenas. On 

 May 11, 1898, with the " Wilmington " and " Hud- 

 son," took part in engagement at Cardenas with 

 Spanish gunboats and shore batteries. Was dis- 

 abled. Ensign Worth Bngley and 4 sailors beine 

 killed, and Lieut. Bernadou and 2 others wounded. 



\Yin fiat uck. Converted tug. Lieut. C. W. Jun- 

 gen. On blockade duty off Havana. Accompanied 

 Admiral Sampson's squadron on cruise to San Juan. 

 Co-operated with the "St. Louis" in cult 

 on the south side of Cuba. Engaged with Spam-h 

 gunboats and shore batteries, also Spanish tr 

 when on this duty. Served with convoy , f army 

 transports to Santiago. On dispatch duly, 

 in laiKiintr troops at Daiquiri. At Man/anillo. with 

 "Hist " and " Hornet." engaged f ur gunboats and 

 a cruiser, also shore bullet ie- and other artillery. 

 Took part in second engagement at .Man/anillo. in 

 which much damage was done to eiien. 

 Now out of commission. 



Woodbnry Revenue cutter. Capt. H. B. Rogers, 

 \\. C. S. No record available. 



}-/..,,,,._ Auxiliary erni- 

 men. First commission in I'nited States nav\. 



