US Navy Protected and Peace Cruisers: (C-7) Cincinnati, (C-8) Raleigh, (C-9) Montgomery, (C-10) Detroit, (C-11) Marblehead, (C-12) Columbia, (C-13) Minneapolis
In the pre-1920 period abbreviations were informal and not standardized; officially these ships were, e.g., “Cruiser No. 1”. Only the Montgomery class were unprotected cruisers, all the rest were protected cruisers. The Navy often referred to unprotected cruisers and obsolete protected cruisers (and some large gunboats without cruiser features) as peace cruisers due to their use in major policing and diplomatic roles. (Wikipedia)
Cincinnati class
(C-7) Cincinnati (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1
(C-8) Raleigh (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1
Montgomery class
(C-9) Montgomery (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1 as Anniston
(C-10) Detroit (1893) – Spanish–American War
(C-11) Marblehead (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1, later PG-27
Columbia class
(C-12) Columbia (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1, later CA-16
(C-13) Minneapolis (1894) – Spanish–American War, WW1, later CA-17
(C-7) Cincinnati
(USN Photo, 1919)
USS Cincinnati (C-7) was a protected cruiser and the lead ship of the Cincinnati-class cruiser for the United States Navy. She was launched on 10 November 1892 by New York Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss S. Mosby; and commissioned on 16 June 1894. She was the second ship to be named after Cincinnati, Ohio. (Wikipedia)
(Library of Congress Photo)
USS Cincinnati (C-7), 1894.
(Library of Congress Photo)
USS Cincinnati (C-7), 1894.
(C-8) Raleigh
(U.S. National Archives Photo)
USS Raleigh (C-8) was a United States Navy protected cruiser of the Cincinnati class, commissioned in 1894 and in periodic service until 1919. The second ship named Raleigh, was laid down on 19 December 1889 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched 31 March 1892; sponsored by Mrs. Alfred W. Haywood; and commissioned on 17 April 1894. The ship was named after the City of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. (Wikipedia)
(Naval History and Heritage Command Photo)
USS Raleigh (C-8) in action, 1898.
(Library of Congress Photo)
USS Raleigh (C-8) 5-inch gun.
(C-9) Montgomery
(USN Photo)
The fourth USS Montgomery (C-9), the lead ship of her class, was an unprotected cruiser in the United States Navy authorized in the Naval Appropriations Act of September 7, 1888. Montgomery served during the Spanish–American War and in World War I and was named for Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery was launched 5 December 1891 by Columbian Iron Works, Baltimore, Maryland; sponsored by Miss Sophia Smith; and commissioned at Norfolk Navy Yard 21 June 1894. (Wikipedia)
(USN Photo)
USS Montgomery (C-9), 1 Feb, 1918. Norfolk Navy Yard showing angular Dazzle camouflage on her port side (an circular pattern was used on her starboard side) as used during the First World War.
(Mechanical Curator Collection Photo)
USS Montgomery (C-9) firing a salute, 1899.
(C-10) Detroit
(U.S. Naval Historical Center Photo)
USS Detroit (C-10) was a Montgomery-class unprotected cruiser of the United States Navy which was authorized by an Act of Congress in September 1888.[2] Detroit was launched on 28 October 1891 at Columbian Iron Works, Baltimore, Maryland, sponsored by Miss F. Malster. The cruiser was commissioned on 20 July 1893. It was the third ship to be named for Detroit, Michigan. (Wikipedia)
(U.S. Naval Historical Center Photo)
USS Detroit (C-10) at anchor.
(C-11) Marblehead
(USN Photo)
The second USS Marblehead (C-11/PG-27) was a Montgomery-class unprotected cruiser in the United States Navy, authorized in the naval appropriations bill of 7 Sep 1888. Marblehead served in the Spanish–American War and the First World War, and was the last ship of her class in service.
Marblehead was laid down in October 1890 by City Point Iron Works, Boston, Massachusetts; launched 11 August 1892; sponsored by Mrs. C. F. Allen; and commissioned 2 April 1894, Commander Charles O’Neil in command. She was named for the seaport Marblehead, Massachusetts. (Wikipedia)
(National Park Service Photo)
USS Marblehead (C-11/PG-27).
(Newman Post Card Co. Photo)
USS Marblehead (C-11/PG-27), 1910.
(C-12) Columbia
(Detroit Photographic Company Photo)
The fourth USS Columbia (C-12/CA-16) was a protected cruiser in the United States Navy during the Spanish–American War and the First World War. She was the lead ship of her class of two cruisers; her sister ship was Minneapolis (C-13). The class was originally designed with three funnels; however, Columbia was built with four and Minneapolis with two. This may have been to make them resemble specific passenger liners.
Columbia was launched 26 July 1892 by William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Company, Philadelphia; sponsored and christened by Miss Edith H. Morton, daughter of Vice President Levi P. Morton;[5] and commissioned 23 April 1894, Captain George Watson Sumner in command. (Wikipedia)
(USN Photo)
USS Columbia (C-12) in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, January 1920.
(Bliss Magazine Photo)
USS Columbia (C-12), Pensacola harbour, Florida, 1904. Reclassified CA-16 on 17 July 1920, she was renamed Old Columbia, 17 November 1921, and sold 26 January 1922. With a speed of 23 knots, at the time they were completed these two cruisers were the fastest warships in the world. However, they were designed specifically for independent commerce-raiding, as was done by the sloops and frigates of the Revolutionary War and the war of 1912 as well as by the Confederate commerce raiders during the Civil War. By the end of the 19th Century the Navy was becoming more of a fleet-oriented force rather than being involved in single-ship commerce raiding, and the Columbia and Minneapolis did not fit in with that concept. In addition, they were expensive to operate for their size, making them restively inefficient. Consequently, despite their high speed, they were soon laid up. (Klaatu Boradanicto)
(C-13) Minneapolis
(USN Photo, 1898)
The first USS Minneapolis (C-13/CA-17) was a United States Navy Columbia-class protected cruiser. She was named for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Minneapolis was laid down 16 December 1891 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia; launched 12 August 1893, sponsored by Miss Elizabeth Washburn, daughter of Senator William D. Washburn of Minnesota; and commissioned at Philadelphia, 13 December 1894, Captain George H. Wadleigh, in command. The class was originally designed with three funnels; however, Columbia was built with four and Minneapolis with two. This may have been to make them resemble specific passenger liners. (Wikipedia)