USS ''Gloucester'' was a

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. She was built in 1891 as the yacht ''Corsair II'' for

J. P. Morgan John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. As the head of the banking firm that ...

Neafie & Levy Neafie, Levy & Co., commonly known as Neafie & Levy, was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania shipbuilding and engineering firm that existed from the middle of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century. Described as United States, America's "first spe ...

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, to a design by

John Beavor-Webb John Beavor-Webb (c. 1849 - March 11, 1927) was a British and American naval architect. He was a designer of sailing yachts, including Partridge 1885, a UK National Historic Ship and the America's Cup challengers ''Genesta'' (1884) and ''Galate ...

. The yacht was acquired by the Navy on 23 April 1898 and commissioned ''Gloucester'' on 16 May 1898 with Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright in command.

Service history

''Gloucester'' served in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n waters in 1898 with the

North Atlantic Fleet The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European Squadron, European and South Atlantic Squadron, South Atlantic squadr ...

, Blockading Station. She participated in the

Battle of Santiago de Cuba The Battle of Santiago de Cuba was a decisive naval engagement that occurred on July 3, 1898 between an United States, American fleet, led by William T. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley, against a Restoration (Spain), Spanish fleet led by Pascu ...

on 3 July against Cervera's fleet. While the main fleets were engaged ''Gloucester'' closed with the Spanish torpedo-boat destroyers and driving them ashore as wrecks with her 6-pounder guns. The victory came with no casualties, which was attributed to "The accuracy and rapidity of her fire, making the proper service of the guns on the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

ships impossible." On 25 July, she entered the harbor before the fleet at

Guánica, Puerto Rico Guánica (, ) is a Guánica barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in southern Puerto Rico, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, Sabana Grande, east of Lajas, Puerto Rico, Lajas, and west ...

, and captured the place for the

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in what is known as the Puerto Rican Campaign. The handling and fighting of ''Gloucester'' merited the commendation of the Navy Department. As the Army was anxious to transfer the place of disembarkation to the harbor of Ponce, the Fleet was directed to proceed to Ponce to reconnoiter; capture all lighters found there; and occupy such positions necessary for holding the port until the arrival of the Army. On 1 August, with assistance from , ''Gloucester'' took possession of Arroyo, and hoisting the U.S. flag, Wainwright held it until arrival of the Army, a day later. Jsj-504a-corsair

Subsequently ''Gloucester'' cruised along the Eastern seaboard from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Provincetown, Massachusetts Provincetown () is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A small coastal resort town with a year-round population of 3,664 as of the 2020 United States census, Provi ...

in the fall of 1898, and from 1899–1902 served as a schoolship at

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. Recommissioned at

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on 15 November 1902, she served as tender to the Commander in Chief,

South Atlantic Squadron The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina. When t ...

, and cruised to ports in the

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and along the east coast of

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. Decommissioned on 8 February 1905, at

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

, the ship was on duty with the

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

and

New York Naval Militia The New York Naval Militia is the naval militia of the state of New York, and is under the authority of the Governor of New York as Commander-In-Chief of the state's military forces. With the New York Guard, the New York Army National Guard and ...

s at

until recommissioned on 7 April 1917 at the

Brooklyn Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York (state), New York, U.S. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a se ...

. On 16 October 1909 she collided with tow steamer in the

East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...

off One Hundred and Thirty Fifth Street causing some damage to the tow steamer. Charles J. Johnson is listed as master at the time of the accident. ''Gloucester'' conducted harbor patrols at New York City until her name was struck from the

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

on 12 August 1919, and she was sold on 21 November.

Awards

Sampson Medal The Sampson Medal was a U.S. Navy campaign medal. The medal was authorized by an Act of Congress in 1901. The medal was awarded to those personnel who served on ships in the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson during combat operations in t ...

Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those men of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish–American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish ...

* World War I Victory Medal

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gloucester Gunboats of the United States Navy Ships built by Neafie and Levy 1891 ships Spanish–American War gunboats of the United States