The second USS ''Charleston'' (C-2) was a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
protected cruiser
Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...
— the fourth US protected cruiser to be built. Lacking experience in building
steel cruisers, the design was purchased from the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
company
Armstrong, Mitchell and Co. of
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
, the construction to be by an American shipyard. In design, she succeeded the "ABC" cruisers , , and with better protection, higher speed, and similar armament.
[Gardiner and Chesneau, p. 151][Bauer and Roberts, pp. 142-143]
She was launched on 19 July 1888 by
Union Iron Works
Union Iron Works, located in San Francisco, California, on the southeast waterfront, was a central business within the large industrial zone of Potrero Point, for four decades at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries ...
,
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, California, sponsored by Mrs. A. S. Smith, and commissioned on 26 December 1889, Captain
George C. Remey in command.
Design and construction
''Charleston'' was built with plans purchased from
Armstrong, a British manufacturer, which were similar to the Armstrong-built and
launched in 1885. was also built to Armstrong plans. Building ''Charleston''s propulsion machinery proved troublesome; apparently it was a combination of components of several different plants.
Union Iron Works
Union Iron Works, located in San Francisco, California, on the southeast waterfront, was a central business within the large industrial zone of Potrero Point, for four decades at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries ...
had to make costly changes in order to build the ship.
[Friedman, pp. 23-25, 458-459]
''Charleston'' was armed with two
/35 caliber Mark 3 guns, one each in bow and stern
barbette
Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships.
In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protectio ...
s, and six
/30 caliber Mark 3 guns
[DiGiulian, Tony, US 6"/30, 6"/35, and 6"/40 guns at Navweaps.com]
/ref> in sponsons along the sides. The 8-inch guns were initially unavailable, so from her commissioning in 1889 until a refit in 1891 they were replaced by four additional 6-inch guns.[ Secondary armament was four 6-pounder () guns, two 3-pounder () Hotchkiss revolving cannon, two 1-pounder () Hotchkiss revolving cannon, and two ].45 caliber
This is a list of firearm cartridges which have bullets in the to caliber range.
*''Length'' refers to the cartridge case
Case or CASE may refer to:
Containers
* Case (goods)
A case of some merchandise
Merchandising is any practic ...
(11.4 mm) Gatling guns.[ Four ]torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a cylindrical device for launching torpedoes.
There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units (also referred to as torpedo launchers) installed aboa ...
s were included in the design but never mounted.[
''Charleston'' had gun shields, barbettes, and a conning tower. The complete armored deck was up to on its sloped sides and in the middle.][
The engineering plant included six coal-fired cylindrical ]boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, centr ...
s producing steam for two horizontal compound engine
A compound engine is an engine that has more than one stage for recovering energy from the same working fluid, with the exhaust from the first stage passing through the second stage, and in some cases then on to another subsequent stage or even st ...
s totaling for a speed of on trials.[ ''Charleston'' was the last US Navy ship with the older compound engine design; later ships had more powerful and efficient ]triple expansion engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be tr ...
s. Unlike some contemporary designs, no sails were fitted. ''Charleston'' carried 328 tons of coal for a range of at ; this could be increased to 682 tons for .[
]
Service history
Pacific, 1890–96
''Charleston'' cleared Mare Island Navy Yard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates t ...
on 10 April 1890 to join the Pacific Squadron
The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...
as flagship, cruising in the eastern Pacific. She carried the remains of King David Kalakaua of Hawaii to Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
after his death in San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, and between 8 May and 4 June 1891, took part in the search for the Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
an steamer ''Itata
''Itata'' is a genus of spiders in the jumping spider family, Salticidae.
Name
The genus name is derived from the Itata River in southern Chile.
Species
* '' Itata completa'' (Banks, 1929) – Panama
* '' Itata isabellina'' ( Taczanowski, 1878) ...
'' which had fled San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
in violation of the American neutrality laws, enforced strictly during the 1891 Chilean Civil War. Between 19 August and 31 December 1891, ''Charleston'' cruised in the Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
as flagship of the Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century. It was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded. Vessels of the squadron were primarily inv ...
, rejoining the Pacific Squadron in 1892 until 7 October, when she departed for the east coast, calling at a number of South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
n ports en route.
''Charleston'' arrived in Hampton Roads on 23 February 1893. From here she sailed with other American and foreign ships to the International Naval Review conducted at New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
on 26 April 1893 as part of the Columbian Exposition. Taking the review was President Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
in despatch vessel USS ''Dolphin''. In the fall of 1893, ''Charleston'' turned south to join the strong force patrolling the east coast of South America to protect American interests and shipping from disturbance during the Brazilian Revolution. After a leisurely cruise from Montevideo, Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, she arrived in San Francisco on 8 July 1894 to prepare for a return to the Asiatic Station. She cruised in the Far East until 6 June 1896, when she steamed from Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...
for San Francisco where she was placed out of commission on 27 July 1896.
Spanish–American War, 1898–99
Upon the outbreak of the Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (cloc ...
, ''Charleston'' was quickly made ready for service, and was recommissioned on 5 May 1898, Captain Henry Glass, Commanding. Sixteen days later, she sailed for Honolulu, where she was joined by three chartered steamers transporting troops, including '' City of Peking''.
''Charleston'' was sent to raise the American flag over Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
, then a Spanish possession. At daybreak on 20 June, the little convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
arrived off the north end of Guam. ''Charleston'' investigated the harbor at Agana, then proceeded to Apra Harbor. Leaving the transports safely anchored outside, ''Charleston'' sailed boldly into the harbor, firing a challenge at Fort Santa Cruz. Almost at once, a boatload of Spanish authorities came out to apologize for having no gunpowder with which to return the presumed salute. They were astounded to learn that a state of war existed, and that the American ships had come to take the island. The next day the surrender was received by a landing party sent ashore from ''Charleston''. With the Spanish governor and the island's garrison of 69 as prisoners in one of the transports, ''Charleston'' then sailed to join Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...
's fleet in Manila Bay
Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phi ...
.
She arrived Manila on 30 June 1898 to reinforce the victors of the previous month's great naval battle in their close blockade of the Bay. ''Charleston'' joined in the final bombardment of 13 August, which brought about the surrender of the city of Manila. She remained in the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
through 1898 and 1899, bombarding insurgent positions to aid Army forces advancing ashore, and taking part in the naval expedition that captured Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about northwest of Manila Bay. An extension of the South China Sea, its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility, U.S. Naval Base Sub ...
in September 1899.
Loss by wrecking, November 1899
''Charleston'' grounded on Guinápac Rocks (), about 10 miles East by South of Camiguin Island north of Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
at 5:30am on 2 November 1899.[Bureau of Insular Affairs, U.S. War Department, ''Pronouncing Gazetteer and Geographical Dictionary of the Philippine Islands''. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1902, p.524.] Wrecked beyond salvage, she was abandoned by all her crew, who made camp on a nearby island, later moving on to Camiguin while the ship's sailing launch was sent for help. On 12 November, gunboat arrived to rescue the shipwrecked men. ''Charleston'' was the first steel-hulled ship lost by the US Navy.[
]
See also
* Capture of Guam
The Capture of Guam was a bloodless engagement between the United States and Spain during the Spanish–American War. The U.S. Navy sent a single cruiser, , to capture the island of Guam, then under Spanish control. However, the Spanish garri ...
References
*
*''The White Squadron''. Toledo, Ohio: Woolson Spice Co., 1891.
Bibliography
*
* Beach, Edward L. ''The United States Navy: 200 Years''. New York: H. Holt, 1986.
* Burr, Lawrence. ''US Cruisers 1883–1904: The Birth of the Steel Navy''. Oxford: Osprey, 2008.
*
*
* Mannix, Daniel P. ''The Old Navy''. New York: Macmillan, 1983.
* Silverstone, Paul H. ''The New Navy, 1883–1922''. New York: Routledge, 2006.
* Spears, John Randolph
''The American Navy in the War with Spain''
London: Bickers & Son, 1899.
External links
*
* ttp://www.spanamwar.com/charleston.htm U.S.S. ''Charleston'' at SpanAmWar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charleston (C-2)
Protected cruisers of the United States Navy
Ships built in San Francisco
Spanish–American War cruisers of the United States
Philippine–American War ships of the United States
1888 ships
Shipwrecks of the Philippines
Maritime incidents in 1899
Ships built by Union Iron Works