USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 2: The Battle of Cardenas

As the United States and Spain got closer to war after the USS Maine blew up mysteriously in Havana Harbor, the Winslow went to Key West to be closer to where the action was expected to happen.  After war was declared, the Winslow patrolled the  north coast of Cuba near Havana, Cardenas and Mantanzas.

On 8 May 1898, she forced three Spanish gunboats back into Cardenas Harbor.   On 11 May, the Winslow, USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington steamed into Cardenas Harbor looking for those three Spanish gunboats.  A battle erupted.

The Spanish concentrated their fire on the Winslow, which was the smallest of the three American ships, and she soon started getting hit.  Shots all but disabled the Winslow.  The other two American ships joined the battle and  soon put the Spanish warship out of action.

A request went out to be towed to safety.  As the Hudson was towing the Winslow, one last Spanish shot struck the torpedo boat near her starboard gun and killed Ensign Worth Bagley.  He was the first and only naval officer killed in action in the war.

In memory of his sacrifice and devotion, four ships in the U.S. Navy have carried his name.

There were temporary repairs at Key West and Mobile before sailing to New York Navy Yard, put out of commission and then extensive repairs were carried out.

--Cooter

A Civil War Connection with the USS Winslow

In the last post, I wrote that Ensign Worth Bagley, brother of David Bagley, USN, was the only naval officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War when his ship, the torpedo boat USS Winslow was hit by a shell from a Spanish warship.

The USS Winslow (TB-5) was named after the famed CivilWar naval officer John Ancrum Winslow who commanded the USS Kearsarge when it sank the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama.

There was also a World War I destroyer, the USS Winslow (DD--53), an O'Brien-class destroyer which was decommissioned in 1922.

The destroyer USS Winslow  (DD-359), a Porter-class destroyer commissioned in 1937 that served in World War II  It was named for John Ancrum Winslow and his second cousin, Admiral Cameron Winslow.

Cameron Winslow served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Looks like I'll have to be doing some RoadTrippin' Through History.

--Cooter

Ensign Worth Bagley, USN (Brother of David Bagley)

From Wikipedia.

Ensign Worth Bagley (April 6, 1774-May 11, 1898) was the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War.  He is also the brother of David Bagley who rose to the rank of admiral and commanded the USS Jacob Jones, sunk in WW I.

He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1895.  After serving two years on the USS Montgomery (C-9), USS Texas and USS Maine, he was made ensign on July 1, 1897.  In November he was appointed inspector of the new torpedo boat USS Winslow. and when she was commissioned on  December 28, he was assigned the ship's executive officer under Lt.  John Baptiste Bernadou.

In April 1898, the Winslow was with the fleet when it mobilized for action in Cuba  On the morning of May 11 the Winslow went with the USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington (PG-8) to force the entrance to the harbor of Cardenas.

She was fired upon by the Spanish gunboat Antonio Lopez and immediately there was a general engagement.  The Winslow was soon disabled and with difficulty was hauled out of range of Spanish guns by the  Hudson.

Just as the engagement ended, Ensign Bagley and four sailors were killed by a shell.

--Cooter

Adm. David W. Bagley

From Find A Grave.

ADM DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

BIRTH:  8 Jan 1883, Raleigh, North Carolina

DEATH:  24 May 1960, San Diego, California

BURIAL:  Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

His military years spanned World War I and World War II.  He served in command positions  in the Pacific Theater during WW II.

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War.

Adm. David Bagley-- Part 7: A Long Career and Namesakes

He was releived of all duties on March 12, 1946, and placed on the retired list with the rank of admiral on April 7, 1947 after 42 years of continuous service.  Admiral Bagley died at  the Naval Hospital, San Diego, California, on May 24, 1960.

Admiral Bagley is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

************************

The first three vessels named USS Bagley:  Torpedo Boat  No. 24, DD-185 and DD--386 were named for  Ensign Worth Bailey (the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War).  The fourth, DE-1069, was named for both  Worth Bagley and his brother, Admiral David W. Bagley.

Bagley Amphitheater at Barbers Point, Hawaii, was completed 1 April 1945 with seating capacity for 7,200.  

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley, USN (Commander of the USS Jacob Jones)-- Part 1: From a Naval Family

He was the commander of the USS Jacob Jones  (DD-61) which was sunk by a German U-boat in World War I.  I have been writing about this ship in the last several blogs.  The wreck of this ship has just recently been found.

From Wikipedia.

DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

(January 8, 1883 to May 24, 1960)

Was an admiral in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  (I will be writing about him in this blog and not my World War II one because of his command of the Jacob Jones.)

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only  United States Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War and the father of admirals  David H. Bagley and Worth H. Bagley.  So this is another one of those big-time Navy families.

His father, William Henry Bagley, was a Confederate officer from North Carolina.

Looks like I'll have to do some more RoadTrippin' Through History with this family.

--Cooter