USS Montgomery (C-9)

USS Montgomery (C-9), port bow view, circa 1894–99.
History
United States
Name	Montgomery (1894–1918) Anniston (1918–1919)
Namesake	City of Montgomery, Alabama City of Anniston, Alabama
Ordered	7 September 1888
Awarded	2 November 1889
Builder	Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Co., Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,037,923 (hull and machinery)
Laid down	February 1890
Launched	5 December 1891
Sponsored by	Miss Sophia Smith
Commissioned	21 June 1894
Decommissioned	16 May 1918
Renamed	Anniston, 14 March 1918
Stricken	25 August 1919
Identification	Hull symbol:C-9
Fate	Sold for scrap, 14 November 1919
General characteristics (as built)[1][2]
Class and type	Montgomery-class cruiser
Type	unprotected cruiser
Displacement	2,072 long tons (2,105 t) (standard) 2,212 long tons (2,247 t) (full load)
Length	269 ft 10 in (82.25 m)
Beam	37 ft (11 m)
Draft	14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) (mean)
Installed power	6 × Almy Water tube boilers 5,400 ihp (4,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines 2 × screws
Sail plan	Schooner
Speed	17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) 19.06 kn (21.93 mph; 35.30 km/h) (Speed on Trial)
Complement	30 officers 249 enlisted
Armament	2 × 6 in (152 mm)/40 caliber guns 8 × 5 in (127 mm)/40 caliber guns 6 × 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) guns 2 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) guns 2 × Gatling guns 3 × 18 inch (450 mm) Torpedo tubes
Armor	Deck: 7⁄16 in (11 mm) (slope) 5⁄16 in (7.9 mm) (flat) Conning Tower: 2 in (51 mm)
General characteristics (1914)[1]
Armament	2 × 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) guns 1 × 21 inch (533 mm) submerged torpedo tube 1 × 18 in (457 mm) submerged torpedo tube 1 × 21 in (533 mm) above water torpedo tube 1 × 18 in (457 mm) above water torpedo tube

The fourth USS Montgomery (C-9), the lead ship of her class, was an unprotected cruiser in the United States Navy authorized in the Naval Appropriations Act of September 7, 1888.^[3] Montgomery served during the Spanish–American War and in World War I and was named for Montgomery, Alabama.

Montgomery was launched 5 December 1891 by Columbian Iron Works, Baltimore, Maryland; sponsored by Miss Sophia Smith; and commissioned at Norfolk Navy Yard 21 June 1894.^[4]

Assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron, the new cruiser operated along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean. During the Spanish–American War, she cruised near Cuba and Haiti in April 1898 and in May joined the blockade of Havana. She took two prizes, Lorenzo and Frasquito, 5 May, and shelled the Spanish forts a week later.^[4] On 13 June a 280mm Krupp gun at the Santa Clara Battery fired on Montgomery, at a range of 9,000 meters, apparently without effect.

In April 1899 Montgomery transferred to the South Atlantic Squadron and operated along the Atlantic coast of South America . In July 1900 she was import Urgaguy with CDR JohnMerrill as her Commanding Officer. (US Census 2 July 1900, lists crew members.) She returning to the United States and decommissioning at New York City 15 September 1900. Recommissioned 15 May 1902, she was assigned to the Caribbean Division, North Atlantic Squadron, and operated in the West Indies until decommissioning at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 15 September 1904.^[4]

Montgomery recommissioned 2 January 1908 and operated in the 5th Naval District as a torpedo experimental ship. From 1914 to 1918 she served with the Maryland Naval Militia. Renamed Anniston 14 March 1918, she was assigned to Division 2, American Patrol Detachment, for patrol and escort duty along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean.^[4]

Decommissioning at Charleston, South Carolina, 16 May 1918, Anniston was struck from the Navy list 25 August 1919 and sold 14 November 1919.^[4]

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Montgomery (C-9).

• Photo gallery of USS Montgomery at NavSource Naval History