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USS Reina Mercedes (IX-25)
Encyclopedia
USS Reina Mercedes (IX-25) was an unprotected cruiser
of the Spanish Navy
which was captured in Cuba
in 1898 by the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War
. She was refurbished and used by the U.S. Navy as a non-self-propelled receiving ship at Newport
, Rhode Island
, and subsequently as a detention vessel
and barracks ship
for the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis
, Maryland
, until 1957.
For an article on the technical characteristics and operational history of Reina Mercedes as a Spanish cruiser, see Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
.
During the Spanish-American War
, the Spanish Navy
sank Reina Mercedes as a blockship in the entrance channel of the harbor at Santiago de Cuba
, on the southeast coast of Cuba
. The United States
captured Reina Mercedes on 17 July 1898 when the Spanish defenses at Santiago de Cuba surrendered. The U.S. Navy decided to salvage Reina Mercedes, and the Merritt-Chapman & Scott
company was engaged to raise her. Work began 2 January 1899 and she was again afloat on 1 March 1899.
Leaking considerably, Reina Mercedes was towed to Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk
, Virginia
, arriving 27 May 1899 for temporary repairs. Departing Norfolk on 25 August 1900, again in tow, Reina Mercedes arrived at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery
, Maine
, on 29 August 1900 for refitting.
, in tow 21 May 1905, Reina Mercedes was taken to Newport
, Rhode Island
, to be attached to the receiving ship USS Constellation
; and, but for a visit to Boston, Massachusetts
and to New York City
in 1908, served there until 1912.
, Virginia
, by the tug USS Patuxent
and collier
USS Lebanon
. After a major overhaul, she arrived at Annapolis
, Maryland
, on 30 September 1912 for duty there as station ship, replacing USS Hartford
in that role. Reina Mercedes was designated an unclassified auxiliary vessel with hull number IX-25 on 17 July 1920.
From 1912 until 1957, USS Reina Mercedes served as the station ship at Annapolis, Maryland, with the exception of brief periods in 1916, 1927, 1939, and 1951 when she was towed to the Norfolk Navy Yard for docking and overhaul.
Until 1940 it was customary for United States Naval Academy
midshipmen serving punishment to live and take their meals on board the old ship for up to two months at a time. She was never considered a "brig", as sometimes recalled, for the midshipmen continued to attend all drills and recitations afloat and ashore but were required to sleep in hammock
s in the ship and to take their meals on board. This practice was abolished on 5 September 1940, when restriction of midshipmen to their rooms in Bancroft Hall
was substituted as a disciplinary measure.
Her main function from 5 September 1940 was to serve as quarters for enlisted personnel assigned to the Naval Academy and for the Commander of the Naval Station, who was also captain of the ship. She also served as the headquarters for the Naval Academy's sailing activities and lookout and harbor control center. Until 1957, Reina Mercedes was humorously referred to as the "fastest ship in the fleet", as she remained tied fast to the Naval Academy seawall
.
Because her commanding officer
was provided with quarters on board for his entire family, Reina Mercedes was the only U.S. Navy ship on which dependents were permitted to live.
-- as a gesture of friendship when the Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
called at Annapolis.
6 September 1957, Reina Mercedes was decommissioned 6 November at Annapolis, and sold to Boston Metals Co., of Baltimore, Maryland
, for scrapping.
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...
of the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
which was captured in 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...
in 1898 by the U.S. Navy during 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...
. She was refurbished and used by the U.S. Navy as a non-self-propelled receiving ship at Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and subsequently as a detention vessel
Military prison
A military prison is a prison operated by the military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime...
and barracks ship
Barracks ship
Barracks ship or barracks barge are terms used to indicate a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sailors. A barracks ship may also be used as a "Receiving Unit" for sailors who need temporary residence prior to being...
for the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, until 1957.
For an article on the technical characteristics and operational history of Reina Mercedes as a Spanish cruiser, see Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
Reina Mercedes, was an Alfonso XII-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy.During the Spanish-American War, Reina Mercedes was captured by the United States and later salvaged and commissioned into the U.S. Navy. For information about her characteristics and operational history in U.S...
.
Captured by U.S. Navy forces
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...
, the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
sank Reina Mercedes as a blockship in the entrance channel of the harbor at 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....
, on the southeast coast of 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...
. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
captured Reina Mercedes on 17 July 1898 when the Spanish defenses at Santiago de Cuba surrendered. The U.S. Navy decided to salvage Reina Mercedes, and the Merritt-Chapman & Scott
Merritt-Chapman & Scott
Merritt-Chapman & Scott, nicknamed "The Black Horse of the Sea", was a noted marine salvage and construction firm of the United States, with worldwide operations. The chief predecessor company was founded in the 1860s by Israel Merritt, but a large number of other firms were merged in over the...
company was engaged to raise her. Work began 2 January 1899 and she was again afloat on 1 March 1899.
Leaking considerably, Reina Mercedes was towed to Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk
Norfolk, 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....
, 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 27 May 1899 for temporary repairs. Departing Norfolk on 25 August 1900, again in tow, Reina Mercedes arrived at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, on 29 August 1900 for refitting.
Conversion efforts
It was first planned to convert the old cruiser to a seagoing training ship; but, after much delay, the Navy Yard received orders on 10 December 1902 to complete her as a non-self-propelled receiving ship. Departing PortsmouthPortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, in tow 21 May 1905, Reina Mercedes was taken to Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, to be attached to the receiving ship USS Constellation
USS Constellation (1854)
USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. According to the US Naval Registry the original frigate was disassembled on 25 June 1853 in Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, and the sloop-of-war was constructed in the...
; and, but for a visit to Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and to New York City
New 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...
in 1908, served there until 1912.
Midshipmen service
In early September 1912, Reina Mercedes was towed to Norfolk Navy Yard in 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....
, 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...
, by the tug USS Patuxent
USS Patuxent (AT-11)
USS Patuxent was a sea-going tugboat in the U.S. Navy from 1909 to 1924. Her principal task was to come to the rescue of disabled ships at sea. She served the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and was decommissioned after World War I in 1924....
and collier
Collier (ship type)
Collier is a historical term used to describe a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal, especially for naval use by coal-fired warships. In the late 18th century a number of wooden-hulled sailing colliers gained fame after being adapted for use in voyages of exploration in the South Pacific, for...
USS Lebanon
USS Lebanon (AG-2)
USS Lebanon was a 3,285-long-ton collier, which the United States Navy acquired in 1898 from the Philadelphia and Reading RR. Company to provide coal for Navy warships during the Spanish-American War...
. After a major overhaul, she arrived at Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, on 30 September 1912 for duty there as station ship, replacing USS Hartford
USS Hartford (1858)
USS Hartford, a sloop-of-war, was the first ship of the United States Navy named for Hartford, the capital of Connecticut.Hartford was launched 22 November 1858 at the Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss Carrie Downes, Miss Lizzie Stringham, and Lieutenant G. J. H...
in that role. Reina Mercedes was designated an unclassified auxiliary vessel with hull number IX-25 on 17 July 1920.
From 1912 until 1957, USS Reina Mercedes served as the station ship at Annapolis, Maryland, with the exception of brief periods in 1916, 1927, 1939, and 1951 when she was towed to the Norfolk Navy Yard for docking and overhaul.
Until 1940 it was customary for United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
midshipmen serving punishment to live and take their meals on board the old ship for up to two months at a time. She was never considered a "brig", as sometimes recalled, for the midshipmen continued to attend all drills and recitations afloat and ashore but were required to sleep in hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
s in the ship and to take their meals on board. This practice was abolished on 5 September 1940, when restriction of midshipmen to their rooms in Bancroft Hall
Bancroft Hall
Bancroft Hall at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is the largest single dormitory in the world. Bancroft Hall, named after former Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, is home for the entire brigade of 4,000 midshipmen, and contains some 1,700 rooms, of corridors, and of...
was substituted as a disciplinary measure.
Her main function from 5 September 1940 was to serve as quarters for enlisted personnel assigned to the Naval Academy and for the Commander of the Naval Station, who was also captain of the ship. She also served as the headquarters for the Naval Academy's sailing activities and lookout and harbor control center. Until 1957, Reina Mercedes was humorously referred to as the "fastest ship in the fleet", as she remained tied fast to the Naval Academy seawall
Seawall
A seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
.
Because her commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
was provided with quarters on board for his entire family, Reina Mercedes was the only U.S. Navy ship on which dependents were permitted to live.
Flying the Spanish flag once again
For a brief moment in 1920, Reina Mercedes flew her former flag -- the flag of SpainFlag of Spain
The flag of Spain , as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe...
-- as a gesture of friendship when the Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1915 to 1937. She was renamed España in 1931 for her sister ship, an earlier battleship España that served in the Spanish fleet from 1913 to 1923.-Technical...
called at Annapolis.
Final disposition
Necessary repairs in 1957 were estimated to be so costly that she was ordered broken up. Struck from the Navy listNavy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
6 September 1957, Reina Mercedes was decommissioned 6 November at Annapolis, and sold to Boston Metals Co., of Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, for scrapping.
Honors
Because of the Academy’s pride when invoking the historic name Reina Mercedes, a newly designed and built Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) was named in her honor at Naval Station Annapolis.See also
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe 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...
- Armada Española
- Spanish cruiser Reina MercedesSpanish cruiser Reina MercedesReina Mercedes, was an Alfonso XII-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy.During the Spanish-American War, Reina Mercedes was captured by the United States and later salvaged and commissioned into the U.S. Navy. For information about her characteristics and operational history in U.S...
- Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe 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...
- United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...