Online Library of Selected Images
Ships of the Spanish-American War

U.S. NAVY SHIPS - Torpedo Boats

Ten torpedo boats served in the Spanish-American War. They were of six basic designs. Cushing (Torpedo Boat # 1) was the oldest, having been completed in 1890. The others had been commissioned in 1896-98. They included Ericsson(Torpedo Boat # 2); Foote, Rodgers and Winslow (Torpedo Boat #s 3 through 5); Porter and Du Pont (Torpedo Boat #s 6 and 7); plus the very small Talbot, Gwin (Torpedo Boat #s 15 and 16) and McKee (Torpedo Boat # 18).

All these little ships served in the Atlantic area, most of them operating off Cuba at some point during the war. Winslow received battle damage and casualties in an engagement at Cardenas, Cuba, on 11 May. Ericsson took part in the 3 July battle off Santiago. Three of the torpedo boats saw active service as late as World War I, but the others were reduced to auxiliary roles or disposed of prior to that time.

This page features views of several of these torpedo boats.

Click on the image for a larger view

Photo #: NH 63743-A USS Cushing (TB-1) Photographed during the 1890s. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 56,412 bytes; 740 x 625 pixels
Photo #: NH 63744 USS Ericcson (TB-2) Photographed circa 1897-98, with either USS Cincinnati or USS Raleigh in the left background. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 60,840 bytes; 740 x 560 pixels
Photo #: NH 64065 USS Foote (TB-3) Photographed circa 1896-97. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 69,897 bytes; 740 x 620 pixels
Photo #: NH 63745 USS Rodgers (TB-4) Photographed circa 1897-98. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 65,326 bytes; 740 x 560 pixels
Photo #: NH 63746 USS Winslow (TB-5) Off Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1898. The Neafie & Levy shipyard is in the background. The original photograph was copyrighted by William H. Rau, 1898. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 68,319 bytes; 740 x 415 pixels
Photo #: NH 100415 USS Winslow (TB-5) Photographed circa 1898, with a small "water taxi" rowing past her bow. Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1985. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 74,142 bytes; 740 x 595 pixels
Photo #: NH 63749 USS Porter (TB-6) Photographed circa 1897-98. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 70,024 bytes; 740 x 625 pixels
Photo #: NH 101245-KN (Color) USS Porter (TB-6) Running trials in 1897. The original photograph was published on a color-tinted postcard by the Hugh C. Leighton Co., Portland, Maine, during the early 1900s. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(Ret), 1986. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 74,706 bytes; 740 x 505 pixels
Photo #: NH 63748 USS Du Pont (TB-7) In a floating drydock at the Ollinger, Bruce Dry Dock Co., Mobile, Alabama, 18 February 1898. Photographed by Harbor Photo. The original photograph was received from the Office of Naval Intelligence in November 1898. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 67,584 bytes; 740 x 580 pixels
Photo #: NH 63733 USS Talbot (TB-15) Photographed circa 1898. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 47,077 bytes; 740 x 575 pixels

For higher resolution images see: Obtaining Photographic Reproductions

To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.