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Photo # NH 100349:  USS Connecticut leading the Atlantic Fleet's battleships out of Hampton Roads, December 1907

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1900s

World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Departure, December 1907

Months of preparation came to fruition soon after dawn on the bright, sunny morning of 16 December 1907. Sixteen great combat ships, every modern battleship in the Atlantic Fleet, lay at anchor off Old Point Comfort, on the northern side of Hampton Roads, Virginia. During the previous two weeks, their crew members had coaled ship and loaded stores while Fleet Commander in Chief Robley D. Evans and his staff completed the extensive planning and paperwork that is an inescapable part of any major Navy operation. Ashore the ships' officers and men did their Christmas shopping, participated in a round of Fleet Championship football games, and enjoyed an active social life. President Theodore Roosevelt, whose vision had set the entire process in motion, was embarked in the yacht Mayflower, steaming down Chesapeake Bay from Washington, D.C. His arrival would set in motion the largest Naval deployment of the steam and steel warship era.

Midshipman Harold M. Bemis, an officer in USS Maine, described the day's events:

"Monday. December 16, 1907 ... Each ship was full dressed at 8:00 A.M. Soon after the Mayflower flying the Presidents flag stood in and at 8:14 each ship broke loose with a 21 gun salute. She anchored between the Missouri and Vermont at 8:34. Immediately all flag & cmd'g officers repaired on board to pay their respects to the President. The Mayflower got underway and reviewed fleet at 9:35. At 9:55 the ships were undressed. At a signal from the Connecticut we began to heave in and at 10:00 got underway and stood out in exact column, Mayflower leading. The first two divisions executed the evolution perfectly but the 3d slipped up, the Minnesota trying to get in too soon, while the old Ohio, a 'menace to navigation' backed all over the lot. All the available steam, gasoline and horse power craft for miles around escorted us out. On Old Point wharf and along the water front was black with people, must have been 5,000 and they did their best to give us a good send off. At 11:50 the Mayflower sheered out to port near the Tail of the Horseshoe light and the fleet passed in review. The rail was manned and as each ship passed the Mayflower it fired another 21 gun salute. At 11:49 Cape Henry light was abeam. Thousands of people were lined along the shore here. A moving picture machine took a picture of the fleet as it passed. During the entire performance I was on the port side of the forecastle with the 2d division. So had a good view of all that happened. ..."
"... We started out with 1584 tons of coal ... At 12:30 P.M. I went on watch as Jr. Off. of the deck ... With the stadimeter I kept the distance of the Maine from the ship ahead. At one o'clock we changed to column, open order and about 2:00 P.M. were out of sight of the good old U.S.A. ... At 3:15 formed line of divisions. This prove(d) to be a very easy and safe crusing formation. The fourth div. kept the best distance. The Minnesota leading ours would forge ahead & then drop back suddenly so that we were kept busy with the engines to keep our distance. ... It was a beautiful day, fairly warm with almost a following wind. ..."
"During the evening this order was sent around 'The President has authorized the Commander in Chief to inform the officers and men of the fleet that after a short stay on the Pacific Coast, it is the present intention of the Dept. to have the fleet return to the Atlantic Coast by way of the Mediterranean.' Great jubilation was the result of publishing this. Everyone seemed in high spirits and it did not seem much like a few hours after saying tearful farewells."
-- Extracted from the scrapbook and diary of Midshipman Harold M. Bemis. (Lot NHF-037 in the Naval Historical Foundation's Collection, held by the Photographic Section of the Naval Historical Center).

Thus began a voyage that would not be concluded for more than fourteen months, would cover some 44,000 nautical miles and bring the Atlantic Fleet into more than two-dozen ports of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, plus the Mediterranean Sea. During its fourteen months, some 14,000 men would gain the right to say that they had truly "Joined the Navy and seen the World". In turn, much of the World would have seen them, and also the biggest battle fleet ever to circumnavigate the Globe.

This page features views concerning the "Great White Fleet"'s departure from Hampton Roads, Virginia on 16 December 1907, at the beginning of its cruise around the World.

For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 100349

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    Leading the Atlantic Fleet's battleships out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, probably at the start of the "Great White Fleet" cruise around the World in December 1907.
    Photo printed on a stereograph card, copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood.

    Donation of Louis Smaus, 1985

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 635 x 675 pixels

    A stereo pair version of this image is available as Photo # NH 100349-A

    Online Image of stereo pair: 60KB; 675 x 350 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106192

    "Great White Fleet" World Cruise, 1907-1909


    Fine screen halftone reproduction of a photograph showing the Atlantic Fleet flagship, USS Connecticut (Battleship # 18), leading the "Great White Fleet"'s other fifteen battleships out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, at the beginning of the cruise around the World, 16 December 1907.
    Copied from "The New Navy of the United States", by N.L. Stebbins, (New York, 1912).

    Donation of David Shadell, 1987.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 132KB; 900 x 655 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 78238

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18), at right

    Leads the Atlantic Fleet out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, at the start of the "Great White Fleet" World cruise, December 1907.
    Photographed by O.W. Waterman.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 111KB; 900 x 545 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 1572

    "Great White Fleet" World Cruise
    ,
    December 1907 -- February 1909

    Atlantic Fleet battleships steaming out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, at the start of their World cruise, 16 December 1907.
    The nearest ship is USS Maine (Battleship # 10). Next astern is USS Missouri (Battleship # 11).

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41650

    Old Point Comfort, Hampton Roads, Virginia


    A crowd watches from a pier near the Chamberlin Hotel, as the Atlantic Fleet departs for its World cruise, December 1907.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, 1928.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 112KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106193

    "Great White Fleet" World Cruise, 1907-1909


    President Theodore Roosevelt (right) shakes hands with Lieutenant Walter R. Gherardi, Commanding Officer of USS Yankton.
    Photographed during the President's visit to Yankton on 16 December 1907, as the Atlantic Fleet departed Hampton Roads, Virginia, to begin its cruise around the World.
    Commander William S. Sims is partially visible at the far right.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Donation of Captain Marion Eppley, 1945.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 66KB; 585 x 675 pixels

     


    The following two photographs (one a cropped version of the other) were probably NOT taken when the "Great White Fleet" steamed out of Hampton Roads on 16 December 1907, and may well date from some months earlier. However, they have long been identified with the Fleet's departure and so are presented here:

    Photo #: NH 59537

    U.S. Atlantic Fleet Battleships steaming in column


    USS Connecticut (Battleship # 18), at right, leads Atlantic Fleet battleships, circa 1907-1908. She is followed by USS Kansas (Battleship # 21), in center, and USS Vermont (Battleship # 20), next astern of Kansas.
    Panoramic photograph by C.E. Waterman, 215 55th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
    Note: Individual copies of this image bear conflicting identifications. One (written in pencil on its reverse side) states that the photograph shows the Fleet entering San Francisco Bay, California, on 6 May 1908. Another is captioned (printed in ink on the mounting mat): "The Atlantic Fleet standing into Hampton Roads at the conclusion of preliminary maneuvers, August 30th, 1907". Given the Waterman Family's long association with the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area, the latter identification may be more credible.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 169KB; 2000 x 640 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 92091

    U.S. Atlantic Fleet Battleships


    Steaming in column, probably while departing Hampton Roads, Virginia, at the start of their cruise around the World, December 1907.
    Photographed by C.E. Waterman, Hampton, Va.
    USS Kansas (Battleship # 21) is at left, followed by USS Vermont (Battleship # 20).

    Collection of Roy D. France.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     

    Note: for comments concerning alternative dates and locations for this photograph, see: Photo #: NH 59537 (NH 92091 is a cropped version of NH 59537).


    For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 21 October 2008
    Coding updated 13 April 2009