Commodore Arent S. Crowninshield, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation to Captain William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Squadron
April 5
Sampson -
Key West, Fla
Increase of compliment of vessels of Squadron authorized temporarily to [account] with recommendations of Board1 of first instant there are no men north available for transfer to you squadron2 Enlist men at Keywest for one year unless sooner discharged to fill vacancies Also instruct Wilmington at Jacksonville to make enlistments informing Castine to do same
Crowninshield
[bunav]
Source Note: CbCyS, DNA, RG 45, Entry 29, p. 203. Document reference no.: “100270”.
Footnote 1: The Naval War Board.
Footnote 2: The U.S. Navy suffered from a serious manpower shortage at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Commo. Crowninshield was forced to utilize Naval Reservists to man coastal monitors and the auxiliary cruisers. Dixie, Yosemite, Yankee and Prairie were staffed almost exclusively by state Naval Militias. See, Crowninshield to Commo. John A. Howell, 26 March 1898, Ibid; and Crowninshield to Commo. Francis M. Bunce, 15 April, Ibid.
