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USS Nashville (PG-7)
Encyclopedia
USS Nashville (PG-7), a gunboat
, was the only ship of its class. It was the third ship of the United States Navy
to hold the name Nashville.
Nashville (PG-7) was laid down on 9 August 1894 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, VA; launched on 19 October 1895; sponsored by Miss Maria Guild, and commissioned on 19 August 1897, Commander
Washburn Maynard in command.
became imminent after the sinking of the armored cruiser
, she was ordered to the Caribbean
. She captured four Spanish
vessels from 22 April-26 July 1898, and assisted in cutting the undersea telegraph cable just off the shore of Cienfuegos
, where many of her sailors and Marines were honored with Medals of Honor. Nashville remained on duty off Cuba
until the war's end.
departed the Caribbean for duty in the Philippines
on 14 October 1899, arriving at Manila
on 31 December via the Suez Canal
. Nashville provided gunfire support for American troops in campaigns against Filipino insurgents
until June 1900. When the Boxer Rebellion
erupted in China
, Nashville departed Cavite
on 8 June for China with a Marine
detachment embarked. She arrived at Taku
on 18 June, disembarked the Marines assigned to the International Relief Expedition, and remained until the allied forces lifted the siege of Peking. After patrol duty off China, Nashville arrived at Cavite on 3 February 1901, where she based until July.
Transferred to the Mediterranean
, the gunboat arrived at Genoa
, Italy
on 22 September. After a year's patrol duty, Nashville left Gibraltar
on 1 November 1902, arriving at Boston, MA
on 16 January 1903. On the Caribbean Station from 26 May 1903-4 March 1904, she returned to Boston on 18 June and decommissioned on 30 June.
Recommissioned on 8 August 1905 at Boston Navy Yard
, Nashville sailed on 8 September for Santo Domingo
, operating off Cuba, Puerto Rico
, and Santo Domingo until 26 June 1906, when she returned to Boston to decommission on 23 July.
Nashville caused an incident in 1907 when she was sent to the Great Lakes through the St. Lawerence Seaway without Canadian permission.
After three years in reserve
, Nashville was assigned to the Illinois Naval Militia
on 29 April 1909. From May 1909-July 1911, she trained militiamen on the Great Lakes
, homeported at Chicago
.
After extensive overhaul and sea trials, she departed Boston on 7 January 1912, arriving Santo Domingo on 31 January to begin five years of patrol operations in the West Indies and off Central America
, protecting nitedS. interests. The ship participated in the blockade
of Mexico
, proclaimed in April 1914 by President
Woodrow Wilson
, after the overthrow of the Mexican government by Victoriano Huerta
. After a short period of reduced commission status from 10 May-8 July 1916 in New Orleans, LA, the gunboat returned to Tampico, Mexico, where she remained until the U.S. entered World War I
on 6 April 1917.
coast. After serving as convoy escort off North Africa
and in the western Mediterranean until 15 July 1918, Nashville departed Gibraltar, arriving on 1 August at Charleston, South Carolina
.
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:...
, was the only ship of its class. It was the third ship of 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...
to hold the name Nashville.
Nashville (PG-7) was laid down on 9 August 1894 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, VA; launched on 19 October 1895; sponsored by Miss Maria Guild, and commissioned on 19 August 1897, 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...
Washburn Maynard in command.
Spanish-American War
Upon commissioning, Nashville joined the North Atlantic Fleet; and, as war with SpainSpanish-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...
became imminent after the sinking of the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
, she was ordered to 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...
. She captured four 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...
vessels from 22 April-26 July 1898, and assisted in cutting the undersea telegraph cable just off the shore of 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:...
, where many of her sailors and Marines were honored with Medals of Honor. Nashville remained on duty off 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...
until the war's end.
Pre-World War I
The gunboatGunboat
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:...
departed the Caribbean for duty in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on 14 October 1899, arriving at Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on 31 December via the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Nashville provided gunfire support for American troops in campaigns against Filipino insurgents
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
until June 1900. When the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
erupted in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Nashville departed Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
on 8 June for China with a Marine
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...
detachment embarked. She arrived at Taku
Taku Forts
The Dagu Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Jiajing...
on 18 June, disembarked the Marines assigned to the International Relief Expedition, and remained until the allied forces lifted the siege of Peking. After patrol duty off China, Nashville arrived at Cavite on 3 February 1901, where she based until July.
Transferred to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, the gunboat arrived at Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 22 September. After a year's patrol duty, Nashville left 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 1 November 1902, arriving at Boston, MA
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on 16 January 1903. On the Caribbean Station from 26 May 1903-4 March 1904, she returned to Boston on 18 June and decommissioned on 30 June.
Recommissioned on 8 August 1905 at Boston Navy Yard
Boston 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...
, Nashville sailed on 8 September for Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, operating off Cuba, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and Santo Domingo until 26 June 1906, when she returned to Boston to decommission on 23 July.
Nashville caused an incident in 1907 when she was sent to the Great Lakes through the St. Lawerence Seaway without Canadian permission.
After three years in reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
, Nashville was assigned to the Illinois Naval Militia
Illinois Naval Militia
The Illinois Naval Militia is a state defense force created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1893. In 1896, it had five divisions: three in Chicago, one in Moline, and one in Alton, of approximately 250, 100, and 50 men respectively. At that time, it received $25,000 in federal money...
on 29 April 1909. From May 1909-July 1911, she trained militiamen on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, homeported at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
After extensive overhaul and sea trials, she departed Boston on 7 January 1912, arriving Santo Domingo on 31 January to begin five years of patrol operations in the West Indies and off Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, protecting nitedS. interests. The ship participated in the blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of 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...
, proclaimed in April 1914 by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, after the overthrow of the Mexican government by Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
. After a short period of reduced commission status from 10 May-8 July 1916 in New Orleans, LA, the gunboat returned to Tampico, Mexico, where she remained until the U.S. entered 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...
on 6 April 1917.
World War I
After temporary duty off Tampico, Nashville sailed from Norfolk on 2 August 1917, arriving Gibraltar on 18 August to patrol off the MoroccanMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
coast. After serving as convoy escort off North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and in the western Mediterranean until 15 July 1918, Nashville departed Gibraltar, arriving on 1 August at Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Fate
Nashville decommissioned on 21 October 1918 at Charleston, and was sold on 20 October 1921 to J. L. Bernard and Company, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....