The USS Miantonomoh, an iron-hulled, twin-screw, double-turreted monitor of the Amphitrite class, played a significant role during the Spanish-American War in 18981. Here’s a brief overview of its history during that period:
Recommissioning: Following the sinking of the armored cruiser Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, the Miantonomoh was recommissioned on March 10, 1898, under the command of Captain Mortimer L. Johnson.
Spanish–American War
Spanish-American War: On April 21, the United States and Spain severed diplomatic ties, leading to the Spanish–American War. After fitting out at Charleston, S.C., the Miantonomoh joined the blockading force on May 5 to serve until the blockade was lifted on August 14, the day after hostilities ceased.
Post-war
Post-War: Following the war, the Miantonomoh returned to Charleston on August 29 and to Philadelphia on October 1. She was decommissioned at League Island on March 8, 1899.
USS Miantonomoh (Monitor #5, later BM-5)
The iron-hulled, twin-screw, double-turreted Amphitrite-class monitor, USS Miantonomoh was built at Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned on October 6, 1882, though uncompleted. Transiting to the New York Navy Yard, she was decommissioned, completed, and recommissioned on October 27, 1891. For the next four years, she patrolled the east coast until decommissioned. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, Miantonomoh was brought back into service and joined the blockading force in May, patrolling off the east coast and Cuba. Following the war, she was decommissioned in March 1899 and remained in the reserve fleet at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was loaned to the Maryland Naval Militia. She was recommissioned in April 1907 for the Jamestown Exposition and was decomissioned for the last time that December. Miantonomoh was then laid-up at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until December 21, 1915, and her hulk was finally sold in January 1922.
A model of Miantonomoh used to be on display in the Spanish-American War section at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy until 2022.