THE CRUISE OF THE ATLANTIC FLEET

A Condensed Log of the Cruise - Part III

(January 1, 1909 - the approach to Suez to February 22, 1909 return to Hampton Roads)

(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.)

TO SUEZ CANAL AND INTO MEDITERRANEAN

January 1 - Fleet has crossed the equator for the sixth time since leaving Hampton Roads.

 

January 3 - The fleet arrives at Suez.

 

January 4-7 - Fleet passing through the canal; the Connecticut, Kansas, Vermont, and Minnesota entering at Suez and reaching Port Said, January 4; the Louisiana, Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, and Kentucky entering January 5 and reaching Port Said January 5 and 6; the Georgia, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Kearsarge, Wisconsin and Illinois leaving Suez January 6 and reaching Port Said January 7.

 

January 5 - The Connecticut leaves Port Said for Messina, the Vermont, Kansas, and Minnesota for Villefranche.

 

January 6 - The Louisiana and Virginia leave Port Said for Beirut, Syria.

 

January 7 - Rear-Admiral W. P. Potter and his officers are received in audience by the Khedive and Sir Eldon Gorst, British diplomatic agent in Egypt; dinner by the Khedive at the Palace.

THE MEDITERRANEAN

January 8 - Louisiana and Virginia, under Rear-Admiral Schroeder, arrive at Beirut, but leave at once for Smyrna, Turkey. The Georgia and Nebraska leave Port Said for Marseilles; Missouri and Ohio for Athens; Kentucky leaves for Tripoli.

 

January 9 - Flagship Connecticut arrives at Messina and leaves at once for Naples. The New Jersey and Rhode Island leave Port Said for Marseilles.

 

January 10 - The Illinois, Kearsarge, and Wisconsin leave Port Said for Malta.

 

January 11 - The Illinois, while en route to Malta, receives wireless from Rear-Admiral Sperry ordering it to Messina to aid in relief work; the Connecticut arrives at Naples with Rear-Admiral Sperry; the Kansas, Vermont, and Minnesota arrive at Villefranche; the Louisiana and Virginia arrive at Smyrna, the Missouri and Ohio arrive at Athens.

 

January 13 - The Kentucky arrives at Tripoli from Port Said. Minnesota, Vermont and Kansas remain at Villefranche.

 

January 14 - Rear-Admiral Sperry and staff visit Quirinal at Rome for official audience with King of Italy, who extends thanks for aid rendered Messina by American navy. Officers of American ships at Athens granted audience by King George of Greece. The Kearsarge and Wisconsin arrive at British naval base at Malta; Georgia and Nebraska arrive at Marseilles; Illinois arrive at Messina; Kentucky leaves Tripoli for Algeria.

 

January 16 - The New Jersey and Rhode Island arrive at Marseilles, joining the Georgia and Nebraska; Illinois leaves Messina to join fourth division ships at Malta.

 

January 17 - The Illinois arrives at Malta. King George of Greece gives dinner at palace to officers of Ohio and Missouri.

 

January 18 - The Kentucky arrives at Algiers. The Missouri and Ohio leave Athens for Salonica, European Turkey.

 

January 19 - The Wisconsin, Kearsarge, and Illinois leave Malta. The Missouri and Ohio arrive at Salonica.

 

January 20 - Flagship Connecticut leaves Naples.

 

January 21 - The Missouri and Ohio leave Salonica. the Kearsarge, Wisconsin, and Illinois arrive at Algiers.

 

January 22 - The Connecticut joins the Kansas, Vermont, and Minnesota. The Missouri and Ohio arrive at Smyrna from Salonica, joining the Louisiana and Virginia.

 

January 25 - Third division leaves Smyrna for Gibraltar.

 

January 27 - Rear-Admiral Sperry leaves Villefranche, with the first division, for Tetuan Bay, on north coast of Morocco, for coaling, steaming past Nice, in response to request of its people.

 

January 27-28 - The Georgia and Nebraska leave Marseilles on the 27th , and the New Jersey and Rhode Island on the 28th.

 

January 30 - Georgia and Nebraska arrive at Tangier. The Illinois, Kearsarge, Wisconsin, and Kentucky leave Algiers.

 

January 31 - The Georgia and Nebraska leave Tangier for Gibraltar. The first division arrives at Gibraltar.

GIBRALTER TO HAMPTON ROADS

February 1 - The other ships of the Atlantic fleet arrive at Gibraltar, the New Jersey and Rhode Island from Marseilles; the Louisiana, Virginia, Missouri, and Ohio from Smyrna; and the Kearsarge, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Illinois from Algeria.

 

February 5 - Lieutenant-Commander George W. Kline placed in command of the Georgia, in place of Captain Qualtrough.

 

February 6 - Fleet leaves Gibraltar at 11 AM.

 

February 17 - Rear-Admiral Arnold's squadron, consisting of battleships Maine (flagship), New Hampshire, Mississippi, Idaho, and cruiser Salem, joins Rear-Admiral Sperry's fleet at noon.

 

February 18 - Scout cruiser Chester joins fleet at sea.

 

February 20 - Armored cruisers North Carolina and Montana join fleet at sea.

 

February 21 - The scout cruiser Birmingham joins fleet at sea, making 25 warships under command of Rear-Admiral Sperry.

 

February 22 - Fleet arrives at Hampton Roads, and is reviewed by President Roosevelt.

Return to Fleet Log I, Fleet Log II, and Individual Ship Pictures

Revised 28 March 2000