The Protected Cruiser Baltimore

[Don Boyer]

I have been working on a book on the old protected cruiser Baltimore. This ship was one of the ships of America's "new steel navy" of the 1880's and was one of the best if not the best of the U.S navy's protected cruisers of the era. For one thing, her hull design and some features were from plans purchased from Sir W.G. Armstrong's firm...one of the famous "Elswick" cruiser designs.

Baltimore had a long and unique career afloat, although a considerable portion of her life was spent anchored to a buoy, ignored and almost forgotten. She was the second ship in the battle line on May 1, 1898, when Commodore Dewey's small fleet of cruisers and gunboats assaulted the Spanish fleet at anchor in harbor on a bright Sunday morning. Her gunnery was considered the best of all the ships that participated, largely due to the proficiency of her commanding officer, Nehemiah Mayo "Hotfoot" Dyer, a long-time merchant captain and Civil War combat veteran.

Baltimore served in WWI as a minelayer, 1917-1918 laying mines out of Lamlash and for the Northern Barrage with HMS London and the British minelaying fleet. Her mines probably accounted for a few U-boats, making her the only American cruiser with victories in two wars.

Following the war she was assigned as a minelayer to the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, where she was placed in reserve in 1922, a coal-fired relic in an oil-fired navy. She was moored to Buoy X-5, just north of Ford Island on December 7th, 1941 when the Kido Butai attacked an anchored fleet in harbor on a bright Sunday morning. Baltimore therefore became the only ship to have been present at the opening and closing battles of the traditional American "battleship era."

After the devastation of Dec. 7, Baltimore was sold, towed out of Pearl Harbor and scrapped in Honolulu, the remains of her hull being sunk 15 miles south of Honolulu in 1944. A sad end for a proud lady, like so many in wartime.

The photographs show Baltimore as commissioned in 1890, as she appeared in 1903 before conversion to a minelayer, and in 1942, awaiting the scrappers torch. The 1942 shot has parts of the hospital ship Solace appearing behind Baltimore, confusing her appearance somewhat. The last photograph is of Baltimore as a minelayer, taken in British waters.

[Gone Asiatic]

A nice ship; I built a 1/700 scale kit of her.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks for the photos of the fleet.

I've enjoyed writing about Baltimore, a project I started because she was in Pearl Harbor on 07/12/41, but didn't get credit for it for many years as her name (having been stricken from the Naval Register by that time) did not appear on the "ship's in harbor" list for that day. The unique factor that makes her story a real naval story is the fact of fighting at Manila Bay and being present in Pearl Harbor, both battles being attacks on an anchored fleet in harbor on a Sunday morning and the two battles are the end-pieces of America's Battleship/Battleline era.

The fact that, after a quick conversion to a minelayer, she served with the Royal Navy on minelaying duties is little known as well.

Enjoyed your ships -- I could not work in that scale, getting to where the old eyes and fingers just don't do well on small stuff!

Sad to say, Olympia, which has been a memorial in Philadelphia for many years is badly deteriorated, not maintained well, and is probably doomed to be sold out and scrapped from what I hear. A shame she cannot be preserved with the level of effort given Aurora or Mikasa.

[astraltrader]

That is indeed a great shame about Olympia Don.

I am surprised that in your country enough money cannot be raised to save her.

I enjoyed reading about Baltimore as well. I didn`t know about her serving with us as a minelayer in WW2.

[Don Boyer]

Olympia may yet be returned to battery, but most articles I read are pretty bleak, although I haven't checked in on the situation recently. There is always the hope that funds can be raised, but we are facing bitter times monetarily, like most of the world, eyes are focused elsewhere, and our abysmal educational system is geared to the lowest common denominator, apparently, judging by the products I see coming into the business world. Little knowledge of history seems to come through the mindless hordes on the Boards of Education.

World history, military history and naval history are unknown terms to most...I wish I had tape recorded my tour as Public Affairs Officer at the Arizona Memorial so I could publish the incredibly stupid comments I heard. Problem would be you and I would recognize them for what they were and the rest of the world wouldn't have a clue...including the educational system the commenters came out of.

A sad commentary. I see trouble ahead for major memorials as well. The Arizona Memorial is constantly underfunded as to people and the day to day needs, the "big ships" cost millions to keep painted, a fact overlooked by many with heart who proposed the ships as memorials in the first place.

I hope Victory, Warrior and Belfast are kept in top form. I feel they will be -- you Brits haven't hit the rock bottom of educational stupidity like we have here. I would give a lot to see those three ships...in fact they would be the only reason for me to ever think of the "European Tour" like in the days of old!

and, by the way, I loaded the chapter on Baltimore on the Battles Forum today.

Respectfully,

[astraltrader]

Don sadly I would not bet on the fact that here in Britain we haven't hit the rock bottom of educational stupidity. It would appear that in our schools here we have a similar avoidance of the truth when it comes down to our military and naval history. We might as well never had an Empire as it is only briefly hinted at as a bad smell in our past!:(

[Don Boyer]

Gone Asiatic:

Well, after looking at your Baltimore model on the website and forum, I've decided to see if I can work in that scale. Need to get the glass for my battleship case, then I can reorganize my memorabilia case where there will be just enough room to slip in a Baltimore in that scale. I have a description of how Baltimore was set up on deck prior to the Battle of Manila Bay (boats stacked inboard and covered, anchor chain wrapped around base of masts, etc., in addition to the dark gray paint. I might see if I can set the model up the same way.

I've seen Combrig models before, but hadn't bothered to track down their whole list. Glad I ran across your posts. Will put some pictures up when I finish the model, which will no doubt be awhile.

Thanks!

[Gone Asiatic]

Gone Asiatic:

Well, after looking at your Baltimore model on the website and forum, I've decided to see if I can work in that scale. Need to get the glass for my battleship case, then I can reorganize my memorabilia case where there will be just enough room to slip in a Baltimore in that scale. I have a description of how Baltimore was set up on deck prior to the Battle of Manila Bay (boats stacked inboard and covered, anchor chain wrapped around base of masts, etc., in addition to the dark gray paint. I might see if I can set the model up the same way.

I've seen Combrig models before, but hadn't bothered to track down their whole list. Glad I ran across your posts. Will put some pictures up when I finish the model, which will no doubt be awhile.

Thanks!

Good luck - get tweezers and a magnifying glass!

The Combrig kit is pretty well detailed. You`ll want to get some photo-etch
to enhance detail. I recommend the anchors and chains photo-etch. You can then use anchor chain around the masts.

I`ve uploaded another pic of Baltimore alongside my scratch build USS Boston. Combrig relased their Boston kit after I had scratch built her.

[Don Boyer]

Gone Asiatic:

Thanks for the extra photo. She looks just like her glory days in her original livery in the 1890s. Downloaded your pics so I'll have some extra guides for building the model, of course. (I've seen Combrig's instruction sheet!)

I've ordered the ships and the anchor and chain set and some other brass detail parts, as you recommended. I have two or three finishing details on the KG V and Missouri...such as an actual glass or acrylic casing and a close-up look see for those annoying little boo-boos, and then I will give Baltimore a start while I am finishing the book as well and starting that lovely hunt for a publisher.

Got the tweezers. Got the magnifying glass. Shot o' whiskey and I'll be set!

[Gone Asiatic]

Good luck with the publisher!

You`ve quite a well organized work bench; mine is a stark contrast!

USRC McCulloch and HMAS SYdney in the works.

[Don Boyer]

Yeah, but I could no more work from scratch like you do than fly to the moon. I envey your skills there...I need plans and parts!! Good luck with the rest of the Asiatic fleet --- you could finish up with the Monocacy, the old side-wheeler that got left behind in Hong Kong! (Just what you need...more projects.)

[Don Boyer]

Now that I have some time, here are some more of the photographs of the tough little protected cruiser Baltimore. Most photos are National Archives or Naval Historical Center photos.
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The first photo shows the USS Arizona on December 10, 1941 after her fires had finally burned out. One of the ship's mooring quays is visible directly above the gun barrels of B turret, and just above the quay is the upper hull and stacks of the Baltimore, tied up at Buoy X-5. Actually, having been stricken from the Navy List in 1937, she is by this time more properly called the ex-Baltimore. She had been in reserve in Pearl Harbor since 1922 -- (replaced by her famous consort Oglala (ex-Shawmut) -- and had been used mainly as a mooring point for other ships and harbor craft and was awaiting disposal and scrapping when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and environs. She was part of the mooring group that included the re-activated destroyers Allen, Chew and Schley (Schley was named for Baltimore's first commanding officer, CPT William S. Schley.)

Baltimore had been second in the battle line at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 31, 1998. This battle was an attack on an anchored fleet, in harbor, early on a clear Sunday morning. Baltimore survived afloat just long enough to witness the attack on an anchored fleet, in harbor, on a clear Sunday morning that opened World War II for the United States. The only ship present at both the opening and closing battles of the traditional steel navy "battle line" era in the United States navy. (Yes, battleships survived beyond Pearl Harbor, but they had ceded the crown, and therefore the lead in battle, to a new queen of the seas by then.)

To the left of the ex-Baltimore in the background is the light cruiser USS Phoenix, destined to be a survivor as well. The Phoenix survived World War II and lasted long enough to become the last active warship survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack. Sold to Argentina and renamed General Belgrano, she later was sunk by HMS Conqueror in the Falklands war, so far the only victim of a combat attack by a nuclear submarine.

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The second photograph was taken around 1894, and is a good view of the ship basically as she was fitted four years later at Manila Bay. For that battle, however, all her boats had been stowed inboard and covered with matting and the handling gear dismounted. Her mast bases were wrapped in anchor chain as well, and she was painted entirely in dark gray (except masts, which were dark enough not to matter from stack staining).

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The third photo shows Baltimore in Japan around 1906 on one of her many tours as Asiatic Fleet flagship. Future Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz served aboard Baltimore in 1906-07 as a passed midshipman and later ensign. Another young passed midshipman on the Baltimore at the time was John S. McCain Sr., destined to serve under Nimitz as one of the fast carrier task force commanders in WW II. Being used as a fleet flagship explains the need for nice windows for the admiral's cabin right aft.

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The fourth photo is of Baltimore in her first long period in reserve. She would be revived, first as a receiving ship (temporary barracks ship at Charleston) and then she would be selected for conversion into the US navy's first purpose-designated minelayer.

---------------------------------------- 5 ----------------------------
The fifth photo is of Baltimore in her minelayer configuration. All but the four fore and aft guns have been removed. Originally 8" inch guns, they had been replaced in 1903 by 6" rifles and those guns were switched from 6" to 5" 51 cal. guns (lighter round, easier to handle) when the ship became a minelayer. Baltimore had been heavily converted internally, with mine magazines, passageways and handling rooms as well as lifts to the main deck where the usual fit of mine rails led aft to the holding detents. One does note that the ship acquired a large, enclosed bridge, probably heated, very shortly after starting service in British waters.Her other ship's equipment...handling cranes and davits had not been much improved, and this proved a handicap when actually minelaying and also during loading operations.

As usual, however, the sweat of the deck sailors prevailed over the lack of foresight of those with loftier station and more weight on their shoulders and Baltimore was commended by the RN for her minelaying operations in British waters late in WW I. American sailors earning a commendatory comment from Commander, Mines in WWI is indicative of just how hard they did work!

It was, after all, a most worthy cause.