John H. Russell, Jr., 16th Commandant USMC-- Part 1: Son of Navy Mexican and Civil War Officer

From Wikipedia.

Earlier this month, I was writing about the USS Russell (DDG-59) which was the November featured U.S. warship in the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.

This ship was named after John H. Russell, Sr. and John H. Russell, Jr..  John H. Russell, Sr. was a U.S. Navy officer in the Mexican War and Civil War.  I wrote about him in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog thus month.

John Jr., followed his father into military service, only with the U.S. Marines.

Born November 14, 1872.  Died March 6, 1947.

He was born at Mare Island, California, and the son of Rear Admiral John Henry Russell (1827-1897) and appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by President Grover Cleveland in May 1888.  Graduated in June 1892, spent two years at sea, passed his final examinations and transferred to the USMC as a second lieutenant  on July 1, 1894.

In 1896, he joined the USS Massachusetts of the North Atlantic Squadron and served on that ship until after the end of the Spanish-American War.  The Massachusetts operated in waters off Cuba and Puerto Rico during the conflict, but was not at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.

--Cooter

The Dewey Medal-- Part 3: Very Few Were Made

The Dewey Medal was a one-time only decoration.  It consists of a circular medallion inscribed front and back, with a profile if Dewey on the front and a sailor sitting on a gun on the back.  It is suspended by a blue and gold ribbon.

Admiral Dewey also received one, but through modesty always wore it with the sailor's picture on it.  Dewey is one of only four Americans entitled to wear a medal with their mage on it.  The other three are Rear Admiral William T. Sampson (Sampson Medal for his victory at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba in the Spanish-American War), Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1st and 2nd Byrd Expeditions to Antarctica) and General of the Armies John J. Pershing.

The Dewey Medal is one of the few  United States military awards to have fewer recipients than the Medal of Honor..  Only 1,825 medals were struck, each machine engraved to the recipient with his name, rate(enlisted) or rank (officer).

--Cooter

USS Oregon (BB-3)-- Part 3: The Battle of Santiago de Cuba

 The USS Oregon arrived off the port of Santiago de Cuba on June 1st and joined the blockading fleet.

At 8:45 am on July 1, Admiral Cervera sortied with his fleet on his flagship, the Infanta Maria Teresa.  Luckily for the Spanish, the Oregon was out of its usual position and another battleship, the USS Massachusetts was recoaling at Guantanamo Bay at the time.

Lookouts aboard the armored cruiser USS Brooklyn discovered the approach of the Spanish fleet and fired a gun as a warning and the battle was underway.  The goal of the Spaniards was to escape and put out to sea.  Cervera went after the Brooklyn

The Oregon took the lead in the ensuing chase as it was the only ship with its steam up.  It was followed by the Brooklyn.  American gunfire son set the Infanta Maria Teresa afire and fearing an explosion, Cervera ordered the ship run aground.  The Almirante Oquendo did likewise a short time later.  The Vizcaya was also forced aground and surrendered.  The two destroyers were particularly savaged by American gunfire.

Only the Cristobol Colon had a good six-mile lead and was still running west.  The American ships slowly caught up with her and struck its flag, running ashore and scuttling the ship.  Thus ended the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.

The Oregon was not hit in the action owing to the poor quality of the Spanish gunfire.

With the American success here and in Cuba and the Philippines, Spain sued for peace on 17 July and the Spanish-American War ended 12 August 1898 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

It Wasn't Much of a Battle, Actually.   --Cooter

Plattsburgh Barracks-- Part 1: The War of 1812 and "The President's Own"

From Wikipedia "The Old Stone Barracks"

I have been writing about these barracks for the past week in my War of 1812 blog "Not So Forgotten."

These barracks were constructed at Plattsburgh, New York in 1838 to replace barracks that had been in use since the War of 1812.  The famous Battle of Lake Champlain/Battle of Plattsburgh took place here.

In the 1890s, the Barracks were the home of the 21st U.S. Infantry, known as "The President's Own."

President William McKinley gave them that nickname because he frequently summered at the nearby Hotel Champlain and would often visit the post to review the troops.

The 21st Infantry left here to participate in the Spanish-American War where on 22 June 1898, they fought at the Battle of Santiago and on July 1, they were in on the attack on San Juan Hill.  They were then withdrawn from Cuba in August because of disease.

--Cooter

Slave Ship Amistad to Pay Visit to Cuba

March 18th Goldsboro News Argus, AP. "A Symbol of the slave trade joins US and Cuba."

The ten-year-old Freedom Schooner Amistad, the official tall ship of Connecticut is scheduled to sail into Havana, Cuba, tomorrow in part of a ten-day, two city trip to that island country. It was from Cuba that the Amistad sailed in 1839 with a cargo of African slaves where it entered into history and became an abolitionist rallying cry.

What is surprising even more is that the US still has its 47-year-old embargo going on against Cuba. But, the retelling of the story of the African slave trade trumps the embargo.

The ship has already visited West Africa, and in particular Sierra Leone where many of the slaves came from.

Definitely a Case of History Trumping Current Events. --Cooter

Spanish Cruiser Vizcaya-- Part 1

I have been writing about the 11-inch gun from the Vizcaya, which was sunk at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba July 3, 1898, in a very one-sided battle between the Spanish and American fleets.

Some stats and history on the Vizcaya from Wikipedia.

The Vizcaya was an Infanta Maria Teresa-class armored cruiser, launched June 1891: 6,890 tons, 364 feet long, beam of 65.3 feet. Main armament: 2 X 11-inch guns and ten 5.5 inch guns.

Of interest, the Vizcaya was in New York City on a reciprocal visit while the USS Maine was in Havana Harbor. The Vizcaya left quickly when the USS Maine blew up. I didn't know that.

The Vizcaya needed dry docking badly as its bottom was befouled. Plus, some of its 5.5-inch guns had defective breach mechanisms and probably 80% of the shells for these guns were also defective.

The Spanish fleet sailed to Santago de Cuba harbor in Cuba because it had not yet been blockaded by the US fleet. However, once inside, the American fleet arrived and bottled them up. An attempt by the crew of the USS Merrimac to scuttle their ship and block the entrance failed.

Under bombardment and with an American Army approaching the harbor, it was decided that the Spanish fleet make a run for it which led to the battle.

A Very One-Sided Battle. --Cooter