Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Tags
Related Content
Topic
Document Type
  • Themed Collection
Wars & Conflicts
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC

USS Galena (1880-1892)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Galena (1880-1892)

USS Galena (1880-1892), a wooden steamer, was built by the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1879; and commissioned at Norfolk 26 August 1880, Comdr. James O'Kane in command.

USS Galena (1880-1892) departed Hampton Roads 19 December 1880 and reached Gibraltar 12 January 1881. She cruised between the ports of France, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, along the coast of Africa; and to the Canary, Cape Verde and Madeira Islands. USS Galena (1880-1892) departed Alexandria 11 July 1882 for operations along the eastern seaboard of South America out of Rio de Janeiro. On 30 March 1885 after a party of revolutionists had seized Pacific Mail Line steamer Colon, Galena regained the steamer and returned her the same day. The next day USS Galena (1880-1892)'s landing force went ashore to save a part of the town of Colon which had been set afire by the revolutionists.

USS Galena (1880-1892) departed Colon 9 June and reached Portsmouth, N.H., 26 June 1885 to begin several months cruising along the eastern seaboard. USS Galena (1880-1892) returned to Columbian waters 27 November 1885 for service in the Caribbean. USS Galena (1880-1892) returned to New York 23 May 1886 to join the squadron in battle practice along the New England coast. She then sailed to the Newfoundland fishing banks and back. She departed Portsmouth, N.H., 15 December 1886 to cruise among ports of the West Indies and off Colombia until 18 April 1887.

After a cruise that took her to Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, and Habitant's Bay, USS Galena (1880-1892) arrived at Philadelphia 12 September 1887 to join other ships of the Navy in celebrating the centennial of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. From 18 August to 15 September 1888 she watched over American interests during political disturbances at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, then proceeded to New York.

After repairs at New York, USS Galena (1880-1892) arrived at Cap Haitien 6 September 1889 and relieved Kearsarge as flagship. At the island of Navassa 6 October, she took on board nine ring-leaders of a riot, then proceeded to Baltimore, Md., where they were turned over to the custody of the United States marshal 25 October. She decommissioned 23 July 1890 and remained there until 12 March 1891 when she was towed by tug Nina toward the Portsmouth Navy Yard, N.H., to be fitted with new boilers. The following day, both ships ran aground on a beach about a mile south of Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Salvaged under a contract to the Boston Tow Boat Co., USS Galena (1880-1892) arrived at the Portsmouth Navy Yard 6 April 1891. However, it was decided that repairs would be too costly. USS Galena (1880-1892) was stricken from the Navy List 29 February 1892 and she was sold to E. J. Butler of Arlington, Mass., 9 May.

For a complete history of USS Galena (1880-1892) please see its DANFS page.