THE CRUISE OF THE ATLANTIC FLEET

A Condensed Log of the Cruise

(What follows below is from The Navy, III:3, March 1909 pp 9 - 10. It is from a photocopy of the original article and is provided for those readers who cannot access the original documents. Because of the length of the document, I have split it into 3 parts for convenience on the web. Part I - From Hampton Roads to the Departure from San Francisco for Hawaii; Part II - From San Francisco to the Suez approach; Part III - January 1, 1909 to Hampton Roads return. There is a note in the article that The Navy had prepared an extended chronological record of the cruise which included many minor details, public receptions, etc. however, I have not seen it, nor do I have its exact citation.)

1907

December 16 - Departure of the fleet from Hampton Roads. The fleet passed the Mayflower, anchored at the Tail of the Horseshoe in Lower Chesapeake Bay, at 11:15, in review, each ship firing salute of 21 guns to President Roosevelt.

 

December 20 - The Missouri leaves squadron to take sick man to hospital in San Juan; Illinois leaves at 9 PM on similar mission.

 

December 21 - The Missouri and Illinois rejoin fleet.

 

December 22 - First death on the fleet reported, ordinary seaman Robert Eugenpipes of the Alabama.

 

December 23 - Fleet enters Port of Spain harbor.

 

December 25 - Torpedo flotilla, which had arrived at Port of Spain December 14, leaves for Port of Spain (two days late).

 

December 29 - Fleet leaves Port of Spain.

 

December 31 - Torpedo flotilla arrives at Para.

1908

January 3 - Torpedo flotilla leaves Para.

 

January 5 - Fleet crosses the equator at midnight.

 

January 10 - Torpedo flotilla arrives at Pernambuco.

 

January 12 - Three Brazilian warships join fleet, as escort to Rio. Battleship fleet enters Rio harbor and anchors.

 

January 13 - Reception by D. A. Moreira Penna, President of Brazil.

 

January 17 - Torpedo flotilla arrives at Rio de Janeiro.

 

January 21 - Flotilla leaves Rio for Buenos Ayres .

 

January 22 - Battleship fleet left Rio at 3PM, accompanied by the Glacier, Panther, and Yankton, the Alabama leading and three divisions of the Brazillian navy following, including seven cruisers and six destroyers. President Penna makes tour of American fleet, visiting flagship Minnesota; then goes to a position off Fort Villegagnon, to watch departure of the fleet.

 

January 22 - Frank Allen Tew, an oiler on the Maine, died and was buried at sea the following day.

 

January 26 - Torpedo flotilla, escorted by Argentine torpedo boats, enters port of Buenos Ayres. An Argentine squadron - cruisers San Martin, General Belgrano, Neuve de Julio, and Buenos Ayres-joins fleet as escort.

 

January 27 - The Argentine squadron escorts the American battleship fleet until 8:30 AM, when it leaves the fleet. President Alcorta receives officers of torpedo flotilla at Buenos Ayres.

 

January 30 - Flotilla leaves Buenos Ayres.

 

January 31 - Fleet enters Strait of Magellan and anchors in Possession Bay at 4:30 PM.

 

February 1 - Fleet gets under way from Possession Bay for Punta Arenas, where it anchors at 12:30 PM.

 

February 4 - Torpedo flotilla arrives, joining fleet.

 

February 6 - Reception by General Chaigneau, Governor of Magellan, at his residence.

 

February 7 - Fleet leaves Punta Arenas at 11 PM accompanied by the Glacier, Culgoa, Panther, Ajax, and the American torpedo flotilla, and escorted by the Chilean cruiser Chacabuco.

 

February 8 - At Smyth Channel, battleship fleet and torpedo flotilla separate, the latter taking the inside route for Talcahuano. At 8 PM, fleet passes The Evangelists - four barren rocks - and is through the Strait.

 

February 11 - At 4 PM the Chacabuco left the fleet for Talcahuano, to send despatches to President Montt of Chile.

 

February 12 - The Chacabuco rejoins fleet, accompanied by three Chilean torpedo boats - Capitan Thomson, Capitan Munoz Gamero, and Capitan O'Brien - all acting as escort to Valparaiso.

 

February 14 - Turning Curaumilla Point at 2:10 PM, the Chacabuco and other Chilean vessels leading, the fleet passed Valparaiso in review. President Montt, on the training ship General Baquedano, took up a position well out in the harbor, and was given presidential salute by passing vessels. One hour later the fleet was again in open sea en route to Callao.

 

February 15 - Flotilla arrives at Talcahuano.

 

February 19 - Peruvian cruiser Coronel Bolognesi joins fleet 250 miles south of Callao as escort.

 

February 20 - Fleet anchors at Callao. Rear-Admiral Evans appoints Rear-Admiral Thomas to represent him in the shore celebrations.

 

February 21 - President Pardo of Peru receives Rear-Admiral Thomas and other officers at Lima.

 

February 22 - President Pardo gives banquet to officers.

 

February 27 - President Pardo's farewell visit to Connecticut.

 

February 29 - Fleet leaves Callao for Magdalena Bay. Private Samuel Wagoner of Marine Corps dies and is buried at sea.

 

March 1 - Torpedo flotilla arrives at Callao.

 

March 4 - The fleet crosses the equator the second time.

 

March 6 - President of Peru receives flotilla officers at Callao.

 

March 12 - The fleet arrives at Magdalena Bay at 7 AM.

 

March 14 - Record target practice by the battleships at Magdalena Bay, and continued for 18 days. Torpedo flotilla arrives at Panama.

 

March 22 - Torpedo flotilla leaves Panama.

 

April 1 - Flagship Connecticut reaches San Diego with Rear-Admiral Evans, who leaves for the hot springs at Paso Robles.

 

April 4 - Rear-Admiral Thomas transfers his flag from the Minnesota to the Connecticut and Rear-Admiral Sperry becomes second in command. Announced at Washington that with the promotion of Captain Schroeder to command of the fourth division, Captain Alexander Sharp will command the Virginia.

 

April 5 - Torpedo flotilla arrives at Magdalena Bay for gun and torpedo practice.

 

April 11 - Fleet leaves Magdalena Bay for San Diego.

 

April 14 - Fleet arrives at San Diego.

 

April 18 - Fleet leaves San Diego at 6 AM for San Pedro, the Connecticut, Vermont, Louisiana, and Kansas anchoring inside the harbor, with the other three divisions in line outside.

 

April 19 - Separation of the fleet; the first division remains at San Pedro; second division goes to Long Beach; third division to Santa Monica; fourth division to Redondo Beach.

 

April 25 - Fleet reassembles at Santa Monica Bay and sails for Santa Barbara, anchoring there at 4:30 PM.

 

April 28 - Torpedo flotilla reaches San Diego.

 

April 30 - Fleet leaves Santa Barbara for Monterey.

 

May 1 - Fleet reaches Monterey.

 

May 2 - Second squadron of the fleet remains at Monterey, while the first squadron goes to Santa Cruz.

 

May 4 - The fleet reassembles at Santa Cruz, sails for San Francisco on May 5. Torpedo flotilla arrives at Santa Cruz. Rear-Admiral Evans rejoins flagship at Monterey.

 

May 6 - Battleship fleet arrives at San Francisco.

 

May 8 - Review of fleet of 42 warships at anchor in San Francisco Bay, by Secretary Metcalf.

 

May 9 - Rear-Admiral Evans turns fleet over to Rear-Admiral Thomas.

 

May 15 - Rear-Admiral Thomas relieved as commander-in-chief, Rear-Admiral Sperry taking command, and Captains Schroeder and Wainwright appointed acting rear-admirals.

 

May 18 - The Atlantic fleet left San Francisco for Bellingham Bay, Washington, with the Nebraska and Wisconsin in line, in place of the Maine and Alabama.

 

May 23 - Fleet goes from Bellingham Bay to Seattle, after which the ships visit Tacoma

May 27 and May 28, later going to the Pacific Coast navy yards for repairs.

 

June 25 - Announcement that the fleet will reach Hampton Roads February 22, 1909.

 

July 3 - Rear-Admiral C. M. Thomas dies at Del Monte, California.

 

July 7 - Fifteen battleships leave San Francisco, at 2 PM , for Hampton Roads, via the Orient; the Nebraska in quarantine on account of some cases of small-pox among her enlisted men.

 

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