Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 43053:  USS Vicksburg under sail, circa 1897-1898

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11), 1897-1921

USS Vicksburg, a 1010-ton Annapolis class gunboat built at Bath, Maine, was commissioned in October 1897. She served briefly in the Caribbean early in 1898 and in May, soon after war began with Spain, took station off Cuba to enforce the blockade. This duty lasted until August, when the conflict ended, and included the capture of three sailing vessels. Vicksburg operated in the Caribbean and off the U.S. East Coast for nearly nine more months. After being out of commission from May 1899 until May 1900, the gunboat began a long voyage through the Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal and Indian Ocean to the Philippines, where she arrived early in February 1901. She played an active role in the pacification of the islands, and later cruised to China and Japan. In early 1904, as the Russo-Japanese War commenced, she protected American interests at Chemulpo, Korea.

Vicksburg left Asian waters in June 1904 and, after crossing the Pacific, was decommissioned at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California. Returning to active service in May 1909, she operated off Mexico, Central America and California until June 1912. She then became a training ship for the Washington Naval Militia, a job lasting, with a short interruption in 1914 for service off Mexico, until the United States entered World War I in April 1917. During much of that year and the first part of 1918 Vicksburg patrolled off the Mexican coast, keeping watch for possible hostile undertakings there. Among her activities was the capture, in March 1918, of the schooner Alexander Agassiz with five Germans on board. The gunboat spent the rest of the war and most of 1919 in California waters. In October 1919 she was assigned to the Washington State Nautical School for training service.

Designated PG-11 in July 1920, Vicksburg was stricken from the Navy list in May 1921 and transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard. Her name was changed to Alexander Hamilton August 1922. Employed as a Coast Guard Academy training ship until 1930, she then became station ship at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay, Maryland. Renamed Beta during the mid-1930s, the old ship was used as a machinery training facility during much of World War II. She was placed out of service at the end of 1944 and disposed of in March 1946.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11).

For other pictures related to this ship, see:

  • USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11) -- Views on Board; and
  • USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11) -- Miscellaneous Views.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

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

    Photo #: NH 42053

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    Under sail, circa 1897-1898.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42053-A

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    Under sail, circa 1897-1898.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 84KB; 580 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 44258

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    At anchor, circa the early 1900s.

    Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 560 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42054

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    Coaling at Isabella, Basilan Island, Philippines, 1901.

    Courtesy of Captain Fletcher L. Sheffield, USN.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 135KB; 670 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 42055

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    On the marine railway at Canacao, near Cavite Navy Yard, Philippines, 1901.

    Courtesy of Captain Fletcher L. Sheffield, USN.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 75176

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, circa June 1904, upon her return to the United States from Asiatic waters.
    Note the "homeward bound" pennant flying from her mainmast peak.

    Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, 1971. The original print is in the Union Iron Works scrapbook, Volume II, page 178.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 485 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 100915

    Mare Island Navy Yard, California


    An early U.S. Navy submarine (probably Grampus or Pike) underway off the yard, circa early 1905.
    Gunboats Petrel and Princeton are in the center background. At left are the decommissioned gunboats Annapolis and Vicksburg.

    Courtesy of Ted Stone, 1986.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 530 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98334

    USS Vicksburg
    (Gunboat # 11)

    In a Pacific coast harbor, during World War I.

    Collection of William Crawford, who served in Vicksburg at the time. Donated by his daughter, Mrs. Ann Jordan, 1976.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 525 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 83221

    USCGC Alexander Hamilton


    Under sail, circa 1922-1930, while serving as U.S. Coast Guard Academy training ship.
    She was formerly USS Vicksburg (PG-11).

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 500 pixels

     

    For a view concerning a USS Vicksburg crew member who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during a 29 May 1901 boiler accident on board the ship, see:

  • Chief Water Tender John King, USN (1865-1938).

    For other pictures related to this ship, see:

  • USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11) -- Views on Board; and
  • USS Vicksburg (Gunboat # 11, later PG-11) -- Miscellaneous Views.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 13 October 1998
    Link added 16 March 2008