36" L

USS Austin was the first ship named for Steven F. Austin, a Texas patriot.  After her, there are two more ships bearing that name. 
                                            

36" L

After the destruction of the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor and the likelihood of war, the US Navy began scurrying about for a navy.  Looking for fast yachts that could be armed and serve as gunboats, the Corsair II was one of the Navy's first choices.  Morgan tried to stave off the Navy by promising to build another yacht for them but the Navy was adamant.  In 1989, she was armed with 3 and 6-pounder guns, two machine guns, and renamed the USS Gloucester. 

She joined the Blockading Squadron of the North Atlantic Fleet. At the Battle of Santiago Bay on July 3, she helped sink the Spanish torpedo boats Pluton and Furor. She was later credited with the single-handed capture of Guanica, Puerto Rico, and aided in the capture of Arroyo. Following the war, Gloucester served as a Naval Academy training ship, and between 1902 and 1905 sailed in the West Indies and South America as tender to the Commander in Chief, South Atlantic Squadron. After service with the New York and Massachusetts state militias, Gloucester was recommissioned in 1917. Sold out of the service in 1919, she was wrecked in a hurricane off Pensacola, Florida.

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This armored cruiser was used as a battleship under the command of Rear-Admiral Sampson. It was the ship from which the first shot was fired; on April 27, 1898, the vessel bombarded Matanzas.  

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The USS Brooklyn was the flagship of "Flying Squadron" under the command of Commodore Winfield Scott Schley. The USS BROOKLYN took a very active role in the Battle of Santiago, being struck twenty times by enemy shells. Amazingly, she only suffered one man killed in the engagement. She is credited with actions against Almirante Oquendo, Infanta Maria Teresa, Viscaya, Cristobal Colon, Pluton, Furor at the Battle of Santiago and Alvarada, Reina De Los Angeles, Tomas Brooks, Mexico , San Juan, and Mortero on July 17, 1898.

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USS New Orleans

One of a once-numerous type of British-constructed protected cruisers, USS New Orleans (1898-1929) was purchased from the Brazilian Navy in March 1898 when nearly completed. After receiving quick modifications to fit her for U.S. Navy service, she was actively employed in the Cuba and Caribbean areas during the Spanish-American War.

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The USS Indiana was one of the new fleet of battleships promoted a special board created in 1890 to recommend the manner in which to update the U.S. Navy so that it could defend adequately against the imperial world powers, as well as by the nations of South America (several of which had larger vessels than any in the U.S. Navy). The board realized the need for battleships with a long-range cruising capability. Three ships were authorized for construction, INDIANA BB-1, MASSACHUSETTS BB-2, and OREGON BB-3, making the INDIANA one of the United States' first true battleships. The three ships were authorized on June 30, 1890. The USS INDIANA took part in the destruction of the Spanish Fleet at the Battle of Santiago off Cuba on July 3, one of the two major naval engagements of the war.

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The USS Massachusetts was one of the new fleet of battleships promoted a special board created in 1890 to recommend the manner in which to update the U.S. Navy so that it could defend adequately against the imperial world powers, as well as by the nations of South America (several of which had larger vessels than any in the U.S. Navy). The board realized the need for battleships with a long-range cruising capability. Three ships were authorized for construction, INDIANA BB-1, MASSACHUSETTS BB-2, and OREGON BB-3, making the INDIANA one of the United States' first true battleships. The three ships were authorized on June 30, 1890. The USS MASSACHUSETTS took part in the destruction of the Spanish Fleet at the Battle of Santiago off Cuba on July 3, one of the two major naval engagements of the war.

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The USS Oregon was one of the newest American battleships in 1898. Her run from the Pacific to the Atlantic at the outbreak of hostilities was a highlight of the conflict. Oregon took part in the destruction of the Spanish Fleet at Santiago, Cuba, and is credited for actions against the Spanish vessels Infata, Maria, Teresa, Viscaya, Almirante, Oquendo, Pluton, and Furor in that engagement.

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The USS Iowa was the very newest American battleship in the Spanish-American War. Like the INDIANA class, IOWA was classified as a "Seagoing Coastline Battleship", but she was a better sea boat than the earlier battleships. She took part in the Battle of Santiago on July 3, 1898.

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The USS Texas was the United States' first battleship, being commissioned a month earlier than USS MAINE. USS TEXAS took part in the bombardment of the fortress on Cayo del Tore, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in concert with USS MARBLEHEAD. She also took a very active part in the Battle of Santiago.

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USS Ericsson, a 120-ton torpedo boat, was built in Dubuque, Iowa, and commissioned in February 1897. She spent her entire service career in the Atlantic area, operating off Cuba during the Spanish-American War. On 3 July 1898, she was very active in the Battle of Santiago, rescuing many crewmen of the defeated Spanish cruisers. Ericsson decommissioned in April 1912, and later was expended as a target.

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The oldest steel-hulled American warship afloat, Olympia served as Commodore George Dewey's flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. In that engagement, Spanish naval forces in the Philippines were handed a smashing defeat, securing the Philippines for the United States and embarking the nation on an expanded role as a major force in not only the Pacific, but also world affairs.

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The USS Maine was one of the first United States battleships to be constructed. The vessel's destruction in the Cuba Harbor of Havana was a catalyst in bringing war between the United States and Spain. The loss of the ship was tremendous shock to the United States since it represented virtually the state of the art of naval shipbuilding in the United States, only recently eclipsed by newer vessels. "Remember the Maine" became the battlelecry of the United States Military Forces in 1898.

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USS Chicago, a 4500-ton protected cruiser, was built at Chester, Pennsylvania. Commissioned in April 1889, she served in the North and South Atlantic and in European waters until 1904, when she was sent to the Pacific. Returning to the east coast in 1908, Chicago was used mainly as a training ship for the next nine years. In 1917, she became flagship of the Atlantic Submarine Force, remaining in that role through World War I. She went to the Pacific in 1919 and soon was assigned to support submarines at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Chicago was classified as CA-14 in 1920, decommissioned in September 1923, but remained at Pearl Harbor as a barracks ship under the classification IX-5.

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U.S.S. MONTEREY was among the last monitors constructed for use by the U.S. Navy. The vessel made the incredible (for a monitor) journey from the American west coast to the Philippines. The vessel was present for the final assault upon Manila.

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