'USS ''Nashville'' (PG-7)', a
gunboat, was the only ship of its class. It was the third ship of the
United States Navy to be hold the name ''Nashville''.
''Nashville'' (PG-7) was laid down
9 August 1894 by
Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company,
Newport News, VA; launched
19 October 1895; sponsored by Miss Maria Guild, and commissioned
19 August 1897,
Commander Washburn Maynard in command.
Upon commissioning ''Nashville'' joined the
North Atlantic Fleet; and, as
war with Spain became imminent after the sinking of
battlecruiser ''Maine'', she was ordered to the
Caribbean. She captured four
Spanish vessels during the period
22 April to
26 July 1898, and assisted in cutting the
undersea telegraph cable just off the shore of
Cienfuegos, where many of her sailors and Marines were honored with Medals of Honor. ''Nashville'' remained on duty off
Cuba until the war’s end.
The
gunboat departed the Caribbean for duty in the
Philippines 14 October 1899, arriving at
Manila 31 December via the
Suez Canal. ''Nashville'' provided gunfire support for American troops in campaigns against
Filipino insurgents until June 1900. When the
Boxer Rebellion erupted in
China, ''Nashville'' departed
Cavite 8 June for China with a
Marine detachment embarked. She arrived at
Taku 18 June, disembarked the Marines assigned to the International Relief Expedition, and remained until the allied forces lifted the siege of
Peking. After patrol duty off China, ''Nashville'' arrived at Cavite
3 February 1901, where she based until July. Transferred to the
Mediterranean, the gunboat arrived at
Genoa,
Italy,
22 September 1901.
After a year’s patrol duty, ''Nashville'' left
Gibraltar 1 November 1902, arriving at
Boston, MA 16 January 1903. On the Caribbean Station from
26 May 1903 until
4 March 1904, she returned to Boston
18 June and decommissioned
30 June.
Recommissioned
8 August 1905 at
Boston Navy Yard, ''Nashville'' sailed
8 September for
Santo Domingo, operating off Cuba,
Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo until
26 June 1906, when she returned to Boston to decommission
23 July.
After three years in
reserve, ''Nashville'' was assigned to the Illinois Naval Militia
29 April 1909. From May 1909 to July 1911 she trained militiamen on the
Great Lakes, homeported at
Chicago. After extensive overhaul and sea trials, she departed Boston
7 January 1912, arriving Santo Domingo
31 January to begin five years of patrol operations in the West Indies and off
Central America, protecting
United States interests. The ship participated in the
blockade of
Mexico, proclaimed in April 1914 by
President Woodrow Wilson, after the overthrow of the Mexican government by
Victoriano Huerta. After a shore period of reduced commission status from
10 May to
8 July 1916 in
New Orleans, LA, the gunboat returned to
Tampico, Mexico, where she remained until the United States entered
World War I,
6 April 1917.
After temporary duty off Tampico ''Nashville'' sailed from Norfolk
2 August 1917, arriving Gibraltar
18 August to patrol off the
Moroccan coast. After serving as convoy escort off
North Africa and in the western Mediterranean until
15 July 1918, ''Nashville'' departed Gibraltar, arriving
1 August at
Charleston, SC. The ship decommissioned
21 October 1918 at Charleston and was sold
20 October 1921 to J. L. Bernard and Company,
Washington, DC.
See also
See
USS ''Nashville'' for other ships of this name.
References
External links
★
history.navy.mil: USS ''Nashville''
★
navsource.org: ''Nashville'' (PG 7)
★
hazegray.org: USS ''Nashville''