Frank Lesher

Before the Cruise

Visiting Havana, Cuba

The crew of the USS Virginia while in Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Frank joined the crew after the commissioning of the USS Virginia and began training with the shake-down cruises. Early pictures from his collection show the ship in Norfolk Naval Shipyard and living in tents while training. On the island of Cuba, in August of 1906, a revolution had broken out against the government of President T. Estrada Palma. The disaffection, which had started in Pinar del Rio province, grew in the early autumn to the point where President Palma had no recourse but to appeal to the United states for intervention.

By mid-September, it had become apparent that the small Cuban constabulary (8,000 rural guards) was unable to protect foreign interests, and intervention would be necessary. Accordingly, Virginia departed Newport on 15 September 1906, bound for Cuba, and reached Havana on the 21st, ready to protect the city from attack if necessary. The battleship remained at Havana until 18 October, when she sailed for Sewall's Point, Virginia.

This postcard was mailed at the end of USS Virginia's trip to Havana. Frank indicates that the ship arrived Havana on September 20, 1906 and departed October 13, 1906. The card is canceled on October 13th and is addressed is his Mother Mrs. Isaac Lesher.

The card is a Cuban card showing postal stamps of the period in a fan around the flags of Cuba.

Recent history of the Spanish American War provided sites for the crew of Virginia. At left, the USS Maine, at right the Harbor of Havana.

Frank Lesher mailed these two cards home showing the remains of the Spanish American War, a bone yard and a funeral procession.

Sailors visiting Havana in 1906 were tourist of the last war eager to see the monuments and sites of the previous campaign.

This is an interesting card that Frank received from a fellow sailor, CCS, mailed on October 27th after he had left Havana. The card is from the Canal Zone and has an early cancellation from Canal Zone with a stamp from the Antillas with an overprint "Canal Zone". This is certainly an early use given the Canal was not completed until 1915.

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