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Naval History and Heritage Command

NHF-010 USS Trenton, Vandalia and Nipsic Collection

This collection was put together as a potpourri of views of these three ships which were all lost or damaged During the Samoan Hurricane, 16-17 March, 1889. TRENTON and VANDALIA were lost, NIPSIC damaged. The majority of this collection has been assigned NH numbers or removed to the NH collection.
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Caption: Collection photo# NH 63083: USS Nipsic (1879-1913) In the floating drydock at Honolulu, Hawaii, circa August 1889, after arriving from Samoa for repair of damage received during the 15-16 March 1889 Apia hurricane. Not only was the propeller bent beyond repair, but the rudder and rudderpost were torn away, as were the keel and deadwood below the propeller. Note the sailors (including two Chief Petty Officers wearing enlisted white hats), sanitary discharge chute running from the port quarter to the water, and rudder post bracket. The words corn meal are written on the lower right propeller blade.
Description: This collection was put together as a potpourri of views of these three ships which were all lost or damaged during the Samoan Hurricane, 16-17 March, 1889. TRENTON and VANDALIA were lost, NIPSIC damaged. The majority of this collection has been assigned NH numbers or removed to the NH collection.
Accession #: NHF
Catalog #: NHF-010
Donor: Naval Historical Foundation
Circa this Year: 1889
Related Content

NHF-010-A
5 USS NIPSIC views. 5 taken at Honolulu, T.H., after the Samoan disaster, showing damage to screw and rudder, 1889. 1 additional photo has been removed and replaced by the printout of its NHC online library page.

 

NHF-010-B
1 USS TRENTON image taken before the Samoan disaster. Additionally, 2 images of USS TRENTON and 2 taken on board have been removed and replaced by their NHC Online Library pages.

 

NHF-010-C
4 USS VANDALIA images, including 2 images of the ship itself,
1 of interior of the Captain’s cabin (from the collection of R.F. BRADFORD, who commanded the Navy Yard at Porstmouth, NH 1887-1890).
1 of the ship’s officers on board. Personnel include: Captain H.L. HOWLINSON, USN; Lieutenant Commander J.E. CRAIG, USN; Lieutenant John GARVIN, USN; Passed Assistant Surgeon Robert WHITING; Ensign John HOOD, USN; Ensign G.F. COOPER, USN; Ensign T.M. BRUMBY, USN; Ensign Horace M. WITZEL, USN; Naval Cadet W.G.MMILLAN, USN; Assistant Engineer J.M. PICKERELL, USN; Assistant Engineer G.J.C. BURNAP, USN; Surgeon WEAVER; Surgeon Hosea J. BABBIN; 1st Lieutenant George F. ELLIOT, USMC. 1887. Photograph presented to NHF by MR. W. B. DUNCAN, in 1930.
1 mistakenly labelled image of a different ship, not the Vandalia
1 image of the interior of the Captain’s cabin has been removed and replaced by a printout of its NHC Online Library page

 

NHF-010-D
3 images of the Samoan Hurricane disaster, 16-17 March 1889.
1 of the German ship ADLER
2 of survivors from USS VANDALIA
1 image of a group of men at the grave of Captain C.M. SCHOOMAKER, USN who drowned in the storm, has been removed and replaced by a printout of its NHC online library page.
Also included is a letter from Captain D.W. KNOX to Lieutenant La Mertha thanking him for his donation and identifying people and ships in the photographs. (6 June, 1934).

Topic
  • Disasters and Phenomena
Document Type
  • Photograph
Wars & Conflicts
Navy Communities
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials
Author Name
Place of Event
Recipient Name