USS Marblehead (C-11)
Encyclopedia
The second USS Marblehead (C-11/PG-27) was an unarmored
cruiser
in the United States Navy
which served in the Spanish-American War
and World War I
.
Marblehead was laid down in October 1890 by City Point Works, Boston, Massachusetts; launched
on 11 August 1892; sponsored by Mrs. C. F. Allen; and commissioned
on 2 April 1894, Commander
Charles O'Neil in command. She was named for the seaport Marblehead, Massachusetts
.
on 6 June 1894 for the Caribbean
in response to a change of government in Nicaragua
. Arriving Bluefields
on 19 June, the ship found that city to be the point of greatest danger. On 7 July, in response to dispatches from the American consul, she put ashore a landing party of Marines
and bluejackets
to protect American interests. Reinforced by a second party on 31 July, this force remained ashore until 7 August. Five days later, Marblehead departed Bluefields to continue cruising the Caribbean, showing the flag in Latin American waters until 26 November, when she departed Port Royal, Jamaica
, for Hampton Roads
, Virginia
, arriving on 6 December.
4 March 1895 for duty on the European Station. Sailing via the Azores
, the ship arrived Gibraltar
on the 31st. During April and May, she cruised the Mediterranean, spending much time on patrol in Syria
n waters, and then steamed for Germany
to represent the U.S. at the opening of the Kiel Canal
on 20 June. For the next five months, the ship cruised along the coast of western Europe
and in the Mediterranean steaming over 41 in 6 in (12.65 m)11,000 miles (18,000 km) and visiting more than 40 foreign ports. Marblehead then returned to the U.S., anchoring at Tompkinsville, New York, 23 November 1896. On 1 February 1897, the ship was again assigned to the North Atlantic Station, and for the remainder of the year cruised the east coast and the Caribbean in training.
, Marblehead was at Key West
, Florida
. Immediately sailing for Cuba
n waters, she arrived off Havana
on 23 April 1898 and then proceeded to Cienfuegos
where she shelled enemy vessels and fortifications on the 29th, in support of the invasion of Guantánamo Bay
. After joining the blockading squadron, she cut the cables off Cienfuegos
on 11 May, when many of her sailors and Marines won Medals of Honor
. She then patrolled off Santiago de Cuba
until the beginning of June. In company with the auxiliary cruiser , Marblehead captured the lower part of Guantánamo Bay as a base for the fleet 7 June, and on the 10th supported the landing of a battalion
of Marines there. Continuing operations in the bay, she helped the pre-dreadnought
battleship
destroy the Spanish
fort on Cayo del Toro on 15 June. The ship remained in Cuban waters until 2 September, when she sailed for the St. Lawrence River on 20 October to participate in ceremonies opening the Champlain monument in Quebec
.
from 2 November 1898-9 February 1899, and, following a brief cruise to the Caribbean, proceeded through the Straits of Magellan 16 June to join the Pacific Squadron
on 4 July. She cruised off the coast of South America
, Mexico
, and California
until she decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard on 30 April 1900.
Marblehead recommissioned on 10 November 1902 to devote the next four years to cruising along the west coast of North and South America, from Alaska
to Chile
on training and protocol missions. From October 1903-March 1904, she served as flagship
of Rear Admiral
Henry Glass
, Commander of the Pacific Squadron. The cruiser decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard on 1 October 1906 and remained at the yard until 31 March 1910, when she was loaned to the California Naval Militia
as a training ship. She was placed in commission in reserve on 22 July 1911, and in 1916 was turned over to the Oregon Naval Militia as training ship for that state.
raiders in the California area until 11 June 1918, when she proceeded via the Panama Canal
to Key West for duty with the American patrol detachment. Arriving Key West 22 June, the ship spent the remainder of World War I
in the Caribbean, engaged in escort and patrol duty. Detached from patrol duty on 4 December, the veteran cruiser steamed to join Division 2, Pacific Fleet
. She arrived Mare Island on 17 February 1919, and decommissioned on 21 August. Reclassified PG-27 in July 1920, Marblehead was sold on 5 August 1921.
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
which served in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Marblehead was laid down in October 1890 by City Point Works, Boston, Massachusetts; launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 11 August 1892; sponsored by Mrs. C. F. Allen; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 2 April 1894, Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Charles O'Neil in command. She was named for the seaport Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
.
North Atlantic Station, 1894
Assigned to the North Atlantic Station, Marblehead departed New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 6 June 1894 for the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
in response to a change of government in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. Arriving Bluefields
Bluefields
Bluefields is the capital of the municipality of the same name, and of Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur in Nicaragua. It was also capital of the former Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions...
on 19 June, the ship found that city to be the point of greatest danger. On 7 July, in response to dispatches from the American consul, she put ashore a landing party of Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and bluejackets
Sailors
Sailors is the plural form of Sailor, or mariner.Sailors may also refer to:*Sailors , a 1964 Swedish film*Ken Sailors , American basketball playerSports teams*Erie Sailors, baseball teams in Pennsylvania, USA...
to protect American interests. Reinforced by a second party on 31 July, this force remained ashore until 7 August. Five days later, Marblehead departed Bluefields to continue cruising the Caribbean, showing the flag in Latin American waters until 26 November, when she departed Port Royal, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, for Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, arriving on 6 December.
European Station, 1895-1897
The cruiser stood out from NorfolkNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
4 March 1895 for duty on the European Station. Sailing via the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, the ship arrived Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on the 31st. During April and May, she cruised the Mediterranean, spending much time on patrol in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n waters, and then steamed for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to represent the U.S. at the opening of the Kiel Canal
Kiel Canal
The Kiel Canal , known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal until 1948, is a long canal in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.The canal links the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau. An average of is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula....
on 20 June. For the next five months, the ship cruised along the coast of western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and in the Mediterranean steaming over 41 in 6 in (12.65 m)11,000 miles (18,000 km) and visiting more than 40 foreign ports. Marblehead then returned to the U.S., anchoring at Tompkinsville, New York, 23 November 1896. On 1 February 1897, the ship was again assigned to the North Atlantic Station, and for the remainder of the year cruised the east coast and the Caribbean in training.
Spanish-American War, 1898
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Marblehead was at Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Immediately sailing for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n waters, she arrived off Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
on 23 April 1898 and then proceeded to Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
where she shelled enemy vessels and fortifications on the 29th, in support of the invasion of Guantánamo Bay
1898 invasion of Guantánamo Bay
The Battle of Guantánamo Bay was fought from June 6 to June 10 in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, when American and Cuban forces seized the strategically and commercially important harbor of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Capturing the bay from the Spanish forces was instrumental in the following...
. After joining the blockading squadron, she cut the cables off Cienfuegos
Battle of Cienfuegos
The Battle of Cienfuegos, or the Raid on Cienfuegos, was an engagement of the Spanish-American War, intended by the United States Navy to tighten its blockade of Cuba.-Background:...
on 11 May, when many of her sailors and Marines won Medals of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. She then patrolled off Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
until the beginning of June. In company with the auxiliary cruiser , Marblehead captured the lower part of Guantánamo Bay as a base for the fleet 7 June, and on the 10th supported the landing of a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of Marines there. Continuing operations in the bay, she helped the pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
destroy the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fort on Cayo del Toro on 15 June. The ship remained in Cuban waters until 2 September, when she sailed for the St. Lawrence River on 20 October to participate in ceremonies opening the Champlain monument in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Pacific Squadron, 1899-1916
She repaired at Boston Navy YardBoston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
from 2 November 1898-9 February 1899, and, following a brief cruise to the Caribbean, proceeded through the Straits of Magellan 16 June to join the Pacific Squadron
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 supplies and purchased food and obtained water from local...
on 4 July. She cruised off the coast of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
until she decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard on 30 April 1900.
Marblehead recommissioned on 10 November 1902 to devote the next four years to cruising along the west coast of North and South America, from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
on training and protocol missions. From October 1903-March 1904, she served as flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Henry Glass
Henry Glass
Henry Glass was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, best remembered for his role in the bloodless capture of Guam in the Spanish-American War...
, Commander of the Pacific Squadron. The cruiser decommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard on 1 October 1906 and remained at the yard until 31 March 1910, when she was loaned to the California Naval Militia
Naval militia
A naval militia in the United States is a reserve military organization administered under the authority of a state government. It is often composed of Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard reservists, retirees and volunteers. They are distinguishable from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, which is a...
as a training ship. She was placed in commission in reserve on 22 July 1911, and in 1916 was turned over to the Oregon Naval Militia as training ship for that state.
World War I, 1917-1919
Marblehead was again placed in full commission 6 April 1917, at the navy yard, Puget Sound, Washington, and on 4 May was ordered to the Pacific Patrol Force. She was employed on convoy, patrol, and survey duty, operating off Mexico and in search of possible GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
raiders in the California area until 11 June 1918, when she proceeded via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to Key West for duty with the American patrol detachment. Arriving Key West 22 June, the ship spent the remainder of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in the Caribbean, engaged in escort and patrol duty. Detached from patrol duty on 4 December, the veteran cruiser steamed to join Division 2, Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
. She arrived Mare Island on 17 February 1919, and decommissioned on 21 August. Reclassified PG-27 in July 1920, Marblehead was sold on 5 August 1921.