First Battle of Manzanillo

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=USS "Hornet"
partof=the Spanish-American War
date=June 30, 1898
place= Manzanillo, Cuba
result=Indecisive
conflict=Battle of Manzanillo
combatant1=flagicon|Spain|1785 Kingdom of Spain
combatant2=flagicon|USA|1896 United States
commander1=José Rivero,
Joaquín Rivero,
Ubaldo Serís,
Carlos del Camino
commander2=Lucien Young
James Meredith Helm
C. W. Jungen
strength1=4 gunboats,
1 sailing vessel,
1 cruiser,
4 armed pontoons
strength2=3 gunboats
casualties1=1 gunboat sunk,
1 sloop sunk,
1 pontoon sunk,
2 dead,
4 wounded
casualties2=3 gunboats damaged,
3 wounded

The First Battle of Manzanillo was a series of naval engagements during the Spanish American War on June 30, 1898 in and outside of the harbor of Manzanillo, Cuba. Three American gunboats were forced to retire after attacking a squadron of Spanish gunboats and auxiliaries.

Background

After the blockade of Santiago, the Spanish attempted to resupply the city by taking in provisions from ports on the southern coast of Cuba that were not blockaded. Aware of the situation the American consul at Kingston sent word to the military that the Spanish were preparing to send a resupply convoy from that city to the southern coast. To thwart these efforts, on June 28th President McKinley extended the blockade to include the southern coast of Cuba as well as Puerto Rico. In order to enforce the blockade a flotilla of gunboats and auxiliaries including the USS|Hist, USS|Hornet|1898|6, and the USS|Wompatuck were sent to patrol the area. The three American vessels began operations by conducting reconnaissance of the area between Santa Cruz and Manzanillo.

First Action

While patrolling near the Niguero Bay a Spanish gunboat was sighted and the Americans decided to engage it. Since the "Wompatuck" had a heavy draft, the "Hornet" and "Hist" moved in close to engage the vessel. Upon nearing it, the Spanish gunboat opened fire with its 3- and 1-pound guns. Spanish troops from the shore also began firing on the Americans but were chased away when their fire was returned. The Spanish gunboat's rear gun was knocked out, and the vessel then attempted to escape by maneuvering behind a small cay out of the American's line of sight. This effort proved futile though, since the Americans still managed to hit the vessel and watch it explode.

Action at Manzanillo

The three gunboats then continued towards Manzanillo where they were spotted by a squadron of Spanish vessels including three gunboats, a torpedo boat, a sailing sloop, a cruiser, 4 pontoons, and other auxiliaries. There were many commercial vessels in port as well as a few other Spanish warships in need of repairs. The Americans opened fire at 3:20 pm, and the Spanish accurately responded, hitting all three of the ships several times. The "Hist" took several hits, including some near its engine room, and the "Hornet" took a disabling shot to its main steam pipe, severely scalding three men. The "Hist" sunk a Spanish gunboat as well as a sloop before the "Hornet" was towed out of action by "Wompatuck" which had only been damaged lightly by 3 hits compared to the other American vessels. As the "Wompatuck" began to tow the "Hornet", the Spanish began to fire on those vessels.

Aftermath

Starting to take damage and casualties the Americans decided to withdraw, since their gunboats' light armaments were not enough to destroy the rest of the Spanish squadron. Several Spanish gunboats had been sunk and many others damaged with heavy casualties. In comparison, even though the Americans were forced to withdraw' their only casualties were the three men wounded on the "Hist". Two vessels sent to rendezvous with the Americans arrived a day later and made another attempt at silencing the Spaniards but were also repulsed. The sunken Spanish vessels were later refloated and the damaged one repaired, leaving the squadron mostly intact. More reinforcements would arrive by mid-July, and on the 18th a third decisive engagement was fought, finally destroying the small Spanish fleet once and for all.

ources

*cite book | first=Herbert Wrigley | last=Wilson | authorlink= | title=The Downfall of Spain: Naval History of the Spanish-American War | link= | publisher= Low, Marston and company | edition= | location= | year=1900 | isbn=