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

Online Library of Selected Images
Ships of the Spanish-American War--
Cruisers--USS Columbia and USS Minneapolis

Columbia (Cruiser # 12) and Minneapolis (Cruiser # 13) were large, very fast protected cruisers built during the early 1890s as high seas commerce raiders. In the Spanish-American War, they were initially assigned to Commodore Schley's "Flying Squadron" and spent the war patrolling in the Atlantic and Caribbean theatres.

These cruisers were of very similar design, but could be easily distinguished by their smokestacks: Columbia had four; Minneapolis, two. Both were actively employed during World War I and were disposed of in the early 1920s.

This page features views of Columbia and Minneapolis.

If better quality reproductions than these digital images are desired, see "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

In all cases, clicking on the small photograph will prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 82657

USS Columbia (C-12)

Photograph taken in 1898 and printed on a stereograph card.

Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1975

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

A stereo pair version of this image is available as Photo # NH 82657-A

Online Image: 72,516 bytes; 590 x 635 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55286

USS Columbia (C-12)

Photographed during the Spanish-American War, 1898.

Courtesy of John S. Rowe

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 81,120 bytes; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55287

USS Columbia (C-12)

Saluting during the naval review, off New York City, August 1898.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 48,297 bytes; 740 x 420 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 46173

USS Minneapolis (C-13)

Halftone photograph, taken while running builder's trials in 1894, and published in Uncle Sam's Navy, 1898. She is flying the flag of her builder, William Cramp & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68,858 bytes; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 46172

USS Minneapolis (C-13)

Photographed circa August 1898 by C.E. Bolles, Brooklyn, New York. USS Columbia (C-12) is in the right distance.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 60,359 bytes; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 63591

USS Minneapolis (C-13)

Photographed in 1898.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 67,021 bytes; 740 x 650 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 100346

USS Minneapolis (C-13)

Photographed in 1898, with USS Texas coaling in the left distance. The original photograph was copyright by J.F. Jarvis, Washington, DC, and published on a stereograph card.
Note the ship's bow decoration, anchor and chain.

Courtesy of Louis Smaus, 1985

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

A stereo pair version of this image is available as Photo # NH 100346-A

Online Image: 62,106 bytes; 590 x 630 pixels

 

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28 February 1998