Third Battle of Manzanillo
Encyclopedia
The Third Battle of Manzanillo was fought in the harbor of Manzanillo
, Cuba
on July 18, 1898. A large squadron of the United States
Navy
consisting of gunboat
s and auxiliaries
attacked and cleared the harbor of a comparable force of Spanish vessels in the third largest naval battle of the Spanish American War.
s and gunboats since the beginning of the war, and the United States navy had sent two reconnaissance expeditions to the harbor to determine its defenses. An expedition made up of the gunboat USS Hist
, USS Hornet
, and USS Wompatuck attempted to clear
the harbor on June 30 and a second force made up of USS Osceola
and USS Scorpion
was sent and repulsed
on July 1. Both attacks on the harbor were failed due to superior numbers of Spanish Naval forces. What few ships were sunk in these attacks were refloated and repaired leaving the largest remaining Spanish naval force in Cuba relatively intact. As a result of the failure of the two previous squadrons to eliminate the Spanish gunboats at Manzanillo, Commander Marix requested for armoured vessels to be sent in order to ensure the next assault would be successful. Although Marix had requested heavier units the Navy sent him the gunboats USS Wilmington
and USS Helena
. The American squadron now under command of C. C. Todd, captain of the Wilmington, set off on July 18 to clear Manzanillo harbor of Spanish presence once and for all. One fort and one shore battery with ten guns protected the harbor and about 1,000 riflemen were at these positions and were in sight of American forces.
El Gloria and Jose Garcia as well as the blockade runner
El Purissima Concepcion. Several of the Spanish gunboats in the harbor sailed out to challenge the American fleet but were repulsed by heavy fire. Hist, Hornet, and Wompatuck pursued the gunboats to their moorings and engaged them.
The American vessels continued to advance on the harbor but were hampered because of the shallow depth of Manzillio's bay forcing them to reconnoiter passages so that the deeper draft
ed gunboats would not beach themselves. Advancing upon the Spanish positions, Commander Todd realized that his forces were focusing to much of their fire upon transports taking refuge in the harbor as well as the hulk Maria which had been converted to an armed immobile pontoon, he ordered the Helena to engage the more dangerous gunboats instead of assisting the Wilmington in engaging the targets of lesser importance. Helena then changed targets and began to systematically engage the Spanish gunboats. Three of these caught fire and exploded while one grounded on the beach and sunk while another grounded and was thought to have been disabled, she was later scuttled. By the end of the battle the entire Spanish flotilla at Manzanillo had been destroyed or disabled. At 10:22 Todd gave the order for the American forces to withdraw and had the Helena lay down suppressing fire while the rest of the squadron sailed out of the harbor.
Manzanillo, Cuba
Manzanillo is a municipality and city in the Granma Province of Cuba.It is a port city in the Granma Province in eastern Cuba on the Gulf of Guacanayabo, near the delta of the Cauto River...
, 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...
on July 18, 1898. A large squadron of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
consisting of gunboat
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:...
s and auxiliaries
Auxiliary ship
An auxiliary ship is a naval ship which is designed to operate in any number of roles supporting combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliaries are not primary combatants, although they may have some limited combat capacity, usually of a self defensive nature.Auxiliaries are extremely...
attacked and cleared the harbor of a comparable force of Spanish vessels in the third largest naval battle of the Spanish American War.
Background
Manzanillo had been a refuge for blockade runnerBlockade runner
A blockade runner is usually a lighter weight ship used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait, as opposed to confronting the blockaders to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to transport cargo, for example to bring food or arms to a blockaded city...
s and gunboats since the beginning of the war, and the United States navy had sent two reconnaissance expeditions to the harbor to determine its defenses. An expedition made up of the gunboat USS Hist
USS Hist (1895)
USS Hist, formerly Thespia, was built in 1895. She was purchased at Norfolk from David Dows, Jr., on 22 April 1898 for use in the Spanish-American War. Hist commissioned 13 May at New York, Lt. Lucien Young in command....
, USS Hornet
USS Hornet (1898)
The sixth USS Hornet was a gunboat in the United States Navy. Hornet, the former yacht Alicia, was built by Harlan and Hollingsworth, Wilmington, Delaware, in 1890; purchased from Henry Morrison Flagler on 6 April 1898; and commissioned at New York 12 April 1898, Lieutenant James Meredith Helm in...
, and USS Wompatuck attempted to clear
First Battle of Manzanillo
The First Battle of Manzanillo was a series of naval engagements during the Spanish American War on 30 June 1898 in and outside of the harbor of Manzanillo, Cuba...
the harbor on June 30 and a second force made up of USS Osceola
USS Osceola (AT-47)
The second USS Osceola, later AT-47, was a United States Navy armed tug in commission in 1898 and in combat in the Spanish-American War, and from 1911 to 1922....
and USS Scorpion
USS Scorpion (PY-3)
The fourth USS Scorpion was a steam yacht in commission in the United States Navy from 1898-1899, 1899-1901, and 1902-1927.-Construction and acquisition:...
was sent and repulsed
Second Battle of Manzanillo
The Second Battle of Manzanillo was a naval engagement of the Spanish American War on 1 July 1898. Two American gunboats attempted unsuccessfully to destroy the shipping present in the harbor of Manzanillo, Cuba.-The battle:...
on July 1. Both attacks on the harbor were failed due to superior numbers of Spanish Naval forces. What few ships were sunk in these attacks were refloated and repaired leaving the largest remaining Spanish naval force in Cuba relatively intact. As a result of the failure of the two previous squadrons to eliminate the Spanish gunboats at Manzanillo, Commander Marix requested for armoured vessels to be sent in order to ensure the next assault would be successful. Although Marix had requested heavier units the Navy sent him the gunboats USS Wilmington
USS Wilmington (PG-8)
USS Wilmington was laid down on 8 October 1894 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company; launched on 19 October 1895; sponsored by Mrs. Anne B. Gray; and commissioned on 13 May 1897 with Commander Chapman C...
and USS Helena
USS Helena (PG-9)
USS Helena was a gunboat of the United States Navy that participated in the Spanish-American War and was later stationed in the Far East for many years....
. The American squadron now under command of C. C. Todd, captain of the Wilmington, set off on July 18 to clear Manzanillo harbor of Spanish presence once and for all. One fort and one shore battery with ten guns protected the harbor and about 1,000 riflemen were at these positions and were in sight of American forces.
Battle
The American commander split his force into three sections so as to prevent any Spanish forces from escaping the harbor. The two gunboats Wilmington and Helena entered via a channel on the northern side of the bay attacking from the left, Osceola and Scorpion attacked from a channel directly opposite the city, and the other three American vessels moved in from the right through one of the bays southern channels. All three of the American squadrons timed their passages through the channels to enter the bay concurrently. At 7:04 the battle began when Spanish batteries in the city sighted the Americans and opened fire, some 15 minutes later Scorpion and Osceola replied by attacking the shore batteries. As soon as they were in range Wilmington and Helena began attacking the merchant steamersSteamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
El Gloria and Jose Garcia as well as the blockade runner
Blockade runner
A blockade runner is usually a lighter weight ship used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait, as opposed to confronting the blockaders to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to transport cargo, for example to bring food or arms to a blockaded city...
El Purissima Concepcion. Several of the Spanish gunboats in the harbor sailed out to challenge the American fleet but were repulsed by heavy fire. Hist, Hornet, and Wompatuck pursued the gunboats to their moorings and engaged them.
The American vessels continued to advance on the harbor but were hampered because of the shallow depth of Manzillio's bay forcing them to reconnoiter passages so that the deeper draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
ed gunboats would not beach themselves. Advancing upon the Spanish positions, Commander Todd realized that his forces were focusing to much of their fire upon transports taking refuge in the harbor as well as the hulk Maria which had been converted to an armed immobile pontoon, he ordered the Helena to engage the more dangerous gunboats instead of assisting the Wilmington in engaging the targets of lesser importance. Helena then changed targets and began to systematically engage the Spanish gunboats. Three of these caught fire and exploded while one grounded on the beach and sunk while another grounded and was thought to have been disabled, she was later scuttled. By the end of the battle the entire Spanish flotilla at Manzanillo had been destroyed or disabled. At 10:22 Todd gave the order for the American forces to withdraw and had the Helena lay down suppressing fire while the rest of the squadron sailed out of the harbor.