53:
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Two coal heated boilers provided steam to a triple expansion engine driving a single shaft. Coal capacity of 210 tons gave a design range of 6,000 miles (nm/statute not stated) without refueling. The yacht was supported by five boats, including a steam launch. Up to fifty 16 candle power incandescent
422:
waters on 7 May and arrived off the coast of Cuba nine days later. For the duration of the "splendid little war", the graceful armed yacht performed a variety of duties, blockading and patrolling, carrying mail and flags of truce, ferrying prisoners, establishing communications with Cuban insurgents
701:, and later herself held the assignment of station ship there. Her diligent service was often rewarded with commendations for the excellence of her surveying activities. She often carried out her duties in completely uncharted waters and under a variety of weather conditions.
482:. At about 0940, a messenger reported to the captain, Lt. Sharp, that there had been an explosion inside the entrance to the harbor. Rushing on deck, Sharp almost immediately sighted the first Spanish vessel to sortie—the armored cruiser
622:
witnessed the battle as it unfolded, but, as her commanding officer observed, ". . . seeing that the
Spanish vessels were out of range of our guns while we were well within range of theirs, we reserved our fire." In fact,
690:, conducting surveys, carrying mail, stores, and passengers for the fleet, interspersing those miscellaneous duties with annual voyages to Norfolk for overhauls. During that time, she also briefly served as tender for
1046:
369:. The first frame was raised in October, 1895 and the hull launched on 4 March 1896 with the owner's granddaughter, Ealonor Widner, christening the yacht. The completed yacht was delivered in June, 1896.
571:
port bow. The yacht then steered west by south, as Sharp wanted to steer a course parallel to that of the
Spanish fleet that was then under fire from the other American ships. Unfortunately, the
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flag came down at 1107, and Lt. Sharp ordered cease fire. The yacht remained underway to participate in the chase of the last remaining heavy unit of the
Spanish fleet,
594:. One splashed "close ahead" and another splashed astern on the yacht's starboard beam. Several others passed directly overhead, a piece of bursting shell going through
729:
was recommissioned on 2 April 1917. She patrolled off the eastern seaboard and, following the establishment of United States naval activities in the recently acquired
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Sharp ordered full speed ahead and hard-a-port, a move taken in the nick of time because shells from his own ships—alerted to the sortie of
478:
was patrolling off
Santiago between 0935 and 0945 and was at a point some four miles to the westward of the distinctive landmark, the
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had engaged the leading ships of the
Spanish fleet and was trading shell for shell in a spirited exchange of fire. Shells from
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was classified as a converted yacht, PY-4, on 17 July 1920. Ultimately decommissioned on 15 November 1922,
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on 9 January 1923. She was subsequently sold on 22 June 1923 to the Fair Oaks
Steamship Corp., of
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acknowledged the presence of the yacht in the vicinity when she sent a salvo toward her with her
428:
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On the latter occasion, the highlight of the ship's operations during the
Spanish–American War,
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662:, arriving there on 19 October. Subsequently placed in reserve there on 18 January 1899,
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did not fire upon the enemy ships until 1105, when she opened fire on the badly battered
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parties. Among her passengers embarked during that time was
Colonel (later President)
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The United States Navy purchased the yacht for $ 150,000 on 9 April 1898. Renamed
393:, the erstwhile pleasure craft was armed and fitted out for naval service at the
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381:
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remained there until 6 December 1907, when she was turned over on loan to the
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was a steel-hulled, schooner-rigged, steam yacht built at
Crescent Shipyard,
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671:
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320:
30:
20:
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201:
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gathered speed, she steered south by east, clearing the armored cruiser
734:
503:, during the Spanish–American War. Ships in the background include USS
575:
erred and steered southwest by south—a mistake not discovered until
941:
A Different Kind of
Victory: A Biography of Admiral Thomas C. Hart
650:
After the conclusion of hostilities with Spain later that summer,
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fleet—splashed in the water astern in the yacht's frothing wake.
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Between 13 and 17 June 1898, she took part in the bombardment of
419:
554:, the shells passed overhead, "all being aimed too high."
39:, photographed in 1898, with sails hoisted on both masts.
1047:
Spanish–American War naval ships of the United States
631:, which had gone aground, listing heavily to port.
907:Journal of the American Society of Naval Engineers
658:, on 22 September. She then shifted southward to
1037:World War I auxiliary ships of the United States
327:, where she served with distinction during the
811:Jester, David Jr. (1970). "The Sixth Vixen".
397:where she was commissioned on 11 April 1898.
331:. She was commissioned again for duty during
8:
666:was recommissioned on 17 March, sailing for
974:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
874:"Bethlehem Steel Company, Elizabethport NJ"
435:". Also aboard during that time period was
377:Commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard
1042:Training ships of the United States Navy
1012:Dispatch boats of the United States Navy
1007:Patrol vessels of the United States Navy
968:This article incorporates text from the
893:
891:
654:returned to the United States, reaching
467:, and, on 3 July 1898, took part in the
373:lights and a search light were planned.
19:For other ships with the same name, see
834:
832:
790:
137:Eleanor Widner (granddaughter of owner)
16:Patrol vessel of the United States Navy
25:
806:
804:
802:
800:
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579:had steered farther from the action.
49:
7:
1027:Ships built in Elizabeth, New Jersey
721:. Serving with that force until the
335:when she was assigned to patrol the
745:Subsequent decommissioning and sale
567:field of fire, about two points on
919:10.1111/j.1559-3584.1896.tb04109.x
872:Colton, Tim (September 30, 2014).
14:
1017:Tenders of the United States Navy
992:USS Vixen (1898–1923, later PY-4)
961:
51:
29:
723:American entry into World War I
455:during the Battle of Santiago.
519:A large-bore Maxim on the USS
1:
977:. The entry can be found
823:United States Naval Institute
737:), served as station ship at
643:, until that Spanish warship
459:The Battle of Santiago, Cuba
401:Spanish–American War service
1063:
682:For the next seven years,
550:bow guns. Fortunately for
367:Peter Arrell Brown Widener
266:5 officers and 74 enlisted
215:806 long tons (819 t)
96:Peter Arrell Brown Widener
90:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
18:
943:. Naval Institute Press.
635:fire was short-lived for
355:Elizabethport, New Jersey
192:
112:Elizabethport, New Jersey
44:
28:
749:During her tour at that
719:New Jersey Naval Militia
647:early in the afternoon.
385:USS Vixen, circa unknown
686:operated in waters off
656:Staten Island, New York
193:General characteristics
939:Leutze, James (1981).
697:, the station ship at
524:
512:
451:'s brother, served on
412:North Atlantic Station
406:A ship of many talents
395:Philadelphia Navy Yard
386:
361:as hull number 16 for
323:for operations in the
155:Philadelphia Navy Yard
876:. ShipbuildingHistory
518:
494:
384:
153:11 April 1898 at the
779:Arthur MacArthur III
761:was struck from the
713:, on 30 March 1906,
445:Arthur MacArthur III
423:ashore, and landing
325:Spanish–American War
188:Sold on 22 June 1923
705:World War I service
851:The New York Times
711:Pensacola, Florida
709:Decommissioned at
525:
513:
495:Photograph of USS
469:Battle of Santiago
429:Theodore Roosevelt
387:
329:Battle of Santiago
950:978-1-59114-261-4
913:: 211–212. 1896.
668:Key West, Florida
660:Norfolk, Virginia
540:Admiral Cervera's
449:Douglas MacArthur
439:, later Admiral,
431:, of the famous "
306:
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250:and schooner sail
239:12 ft 8 in (mean)
134:Sponsored by
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733:(purchased from
678:Post-war service
410:Assigned to the
319:acquired by the
172:15 November 1922
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853:. March 5, 1896
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840:"Launch of the
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695:(Monitor No. 2)
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641:Cristobal Colon
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588:Cristobal Colon
536:
507:(left) and USS
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337:U.S. East Coast
204:-rigged, steam
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986:External links
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465:Santiago, Cuba
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441:Thomas C. Hart
425:reconnaissance
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1022:Steam yachts
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934:
922:. Retrieved
910:
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878:. Retrieved
867:
855:. Retrieved
850:
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825:: 94&95.
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590:passed over
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484:
480:Morro Castle
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433:Rough Riders
415:
409:
390:
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371:
363:Philadelphia
350:
349:
344:
310:
308:
307:
295:steel-hulled
248:steam engine
212:Displacement
164:2 April 1917
150:Commissioned
145:9 April 1898
129:4 March 1896
121:October 1895
67:
36:
814:Proceedings
751:West Indian
688:Puerto Rico
674:on 21 May.
599:battle flag
582:Meanwhile,
418:sailed for
359:Lewis Nixon
333:World War I
223:182 ft 3 in
108:Lewis Nixon
92:, financier
1032:1896 ships
1001:Categories
785:References
739:St. Thomas
693:Amphitrite
670:, and the
564:Brooklyn's
447:, General
437:Midshipman
365:financier
263:Complement
258:16.0 knots
244:Propulsion
231:28 ft 0 in
901:Josephine
842:Josephine
763:Navy list
672:Caribbean
637:Vizcaya's
612:fires on
548:starboard
531:fires on
505:St. Louis
351:Josephine
345:Josephine
321:U.S. Navy
118:Laid down
21:USS Vixen
899:"Yachts—
773:See also
603:mainmast
592:Brooklyn
584:Brooklyn
573:helmsman
511:(right).
271:Armament
202:schooner
177:Stricken
142:Acquired
126:Launched
74:Namesake
735:Denmark
633:Vixen's
629:Vizcaya
614:Vizcaya
601:at her
596:Vixen's
569:Vixen's
544:Vizcaya
529:Vizcaya
523:c. 1898
497:Suwanee
485:Vizcaya
104:Builder
45:History
966:
947:
924:17 May
880:17 May
857:17 May
753:port,
645:struck
343:Yacht
315:was a
313:(PY-4)
220:Length
847:(PDF)
821:(6).
759:Vixen
755:Vixen
727:Vixen
715:Vixen
684:Vixen
664:Vixen
652:Vixen
625:Vixen
620:Vixen
610:Vixen
577:Vixen
559:Vixen
552:Vixen
533:Vixen
521:Vixen
509:Vixen
476:Vixen
453:Vixen
420:Cuban
416:Vixen
391:Vixen
357:, by
317:yacht
311:Vixen
300:Notes
292:Armor
276:four
255:Speed
236:Draft
206:yacht
84:Owner
78:Vixen
68:Vixen
37:Vixen
979:here
945:ISBN
926:2019
882:2019
859:2019
309:USS
282:two
228:Beam
198:Type
185:Fate
64:Name
35:USS
915:doi
557:As
1003::
909:.
905:.
890:^
849:.
831:^
819:96
817:.
793:^
769:.
741:.
725:,
605:.
488:.
471:.
443:.
414:,
339:.
110:,
981:.
953:.
928:.
917::
911:8
903:"
884:.
861:.
844:"
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
