The Great White Fleet Battleship Kearsarge

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USS Kearsarge

The second Kearsarge, named by act of Congress to commemorate the famed steam sloop-of-war, was launched 24 March 1898 by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia; sponsored by Mrs. Herbert Winslow, daughter-in-law of Kearsarge's commander, Captain John A. Winslow, during her famous battle with CSS Alabama. This launch also afforded spectators the opportuninty to view the launch of sister ship Kentucky (BB-6) only one hour later in the neighboring berth. Kearsarge was commissioned 20 February 1900 with Captain William M. Folger in command.

Kearsarge became flagship of the North Atlantic Station, cruising down the Atlantic seaboard and in the Caribbean. From 3 June 1903 to 26 July 1903 she served briefly as flagship of the European Squadron while on a cruise that took her first to Kiel, Germany. She was visited by the German Emperor 25 June 1903 and by the Prince of Wales 13 July. She returned to Bar Harbor, Maine, 26 July 1903 and resumed duties as flagship of the North Atlantic Fleet. She sailed from New York 1 December 1903 for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where, on 10 December, the United States took formal possession of the Guantanamo Naval Reservation.

Following maneuvers in the Caribbean, she led the North Atlantic Battleship Squadron, departing Pensacola in company with Alabama (BB-8), Maine (BB-10), Iowa (BB-4), Olympia (C-6), Baltimore (C-3) and Cleveland (C-19) on a voyage to Portugal and the Mediterranean. After a ceremonial visit to Lisbon honoring the entrance of the Infante into the Portuguese naval school, she then cruised the Mediterranean with the three battleships paying goodwill calls at Corfu, Trieste and Fiumeuntil. She next steamed to Phaleron Bay, Greece, where she celebrated the Forth of July with the King, Prince Andrew and Princess Alice of Greece. From 3 August to 20 June the USS Abarenda filled the bunkers of the four battleships. Ending the Mediterranean cruise in mid-August, the squadron returned by way of the Azores arriving in Newport, Rhode Island, on 29 August.

Kearsarge remained flagship of the North Atlantic Fleet until relieved 31 March by battleship Maine, but continued operations with the fleet. During target practice off Cape Cruz, Cuba, 13 April 1906, an accidental ignition of a powder charge of a 13-inch gun killed two officers and eight men. Four men were seriously injured. Attached to the 2d Squadron, 4th Division, she sailed 16 December 1907 with the "Great White Fleet" of battleships, sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt. She sailed from Hampton Roads around the coasts of South America to the western seaboard, thence to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Japan. From there, Kearsarge proceeded to Ceylon, transited the Suez Canal, and visited ports of the Mediterranean, before returning to the eastern seaboard of the United Slates. President Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the Fleet as it passed into the Hampton Roads 22 February 1909, having completed a world cruise of overwhelming success, showing the flag and spreading good will. This dramatic gesture impressed the world with the power of the U.S. Navy.

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