Gilded Age Marines

The Stranding of USS MONONGAHELA November 18, 1867 Frederiksted, St. Croix   On November 20, 1867, Commodore S.B. Bissell, USN, wrote Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells the following;   Sir: I have to state with deep regret that the Monongahela, under my command, is now lying on the beach, in front of the town of Frederiksted, St. Croix, where she was thrown on the 18 th  instant by an influx of the sea, the effect of the most fatal earthquake ever known here.    USS MONONGAHELA was built in 1862, and commissioned in January of 1863. Barkentine rigged, she was 2078 long tonnes, 227 ft long, 38 ft broad, and drew 17 ft. Built in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, at the foot of Broad Street, MONONGAHELA served as Farragut’s flag ship for a short time, and rammed CSS TENNESSEE at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Like many of the ships of the era, MONONGAHELA had a steam plant for auxiliary propulsion, but in keeping with post war Navy policy, spent most of her time under sail t...

During a recent search for Marine Corps related Spanish American War photos, I found this.   It shows a M-1895 Colt Machine Gun at Guantanamo in June of 1898. Upon further review, it may be of more significance than I first thought. My conjecture is that the gun and 0331 sitting on the chassis seat are reinforcements from USS TEXAS, and that the other men in the photo are Marines from Huntington’s Battalion, and Cuban rebel forces wearing Navy whites.    IMHO, this is the assembly area for the attack on Cuzco Wells on the 14 th  of June, 1898. Cuzco Wells was the pivotal battle in the After the Marines drove the Spanish from Cuzco, fighting for Guantanamo ceased.  Analysis : Location: Fisherman’s Point. Guantanamo, Cuba.  Date: 14 June, 1898.   Description: Staging area, Captain George Elliott’s attack on Cuzco Well.   Searching the internet a few years back, I found this photo from the Marines battle for Guantanamo in June of ‘98 interesting. Fur...