Spanish American War

U.S.S. Olympia, New York Harbor, blue patriotic design showing ship on blue cover bearing 2¢ red (279B) tied by "New York N.Y., Oct 4, 1899" matching cancel with "Station I" flag to Lisbon Ohio, original "At Home U.S.S. Olympia" illustrated matching letterhead enclosure with interesting content " …There has been no regular liberty for the men…They don't like the idea of being kept on a foreign station for years and then being bought home and showed round like a lot of prize cattle… ", Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $150 - 200.

U.S.S. Resolute, cover free franked with " U.S.S. Resolute, J.G. Eu…, Cmdg. " and "Port Tampa & Key West, R.P.O., Sep 14, 1898" duplex to Thompson Conn., Very Fine.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

The U.S. Navy purchased Yorktown from the Old Dominion Steamship Company on April 21, 1898, for Spanish-American War service commissioning the ship as USS Resolute on May 11, 1898.

Resolute departed New York City on May 25, 1898, assigned to cruise between Môle-Saint-Nicolas, Haiti, and Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, in search of the Spanish Navy squadron commanded by Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete. After calling at Key West, Florida, on June 8, Resolute returned to the southeast Cuban coast to assist the U.S. fleet in scouting, relying on her high speed for protection. She was present on July 3 at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, steaming eastward to warn United States Army transports of the Spanish squadron's emergence from the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. Subsequently, Resolute transported Spanish prisoners-of-war to the United States, departing the Cuban coast on July 8 for Charleston, South Carolina; Newport News, Virginia; Tompkinsville, New York; and New York City.

Resolute returned to the Cuban war zone late in July engaging Spanish shore batteries at Manzanillo, Cuba, on August 13, but sailed for the United States carrying returning Marines from the First Battalion who had made the first assault landing at Guantánamo Bay. The ship reached New York on August 23 and after inspection continued to Portsmouth Harbor the next day, where the First Marine Battalion was disembarked.

(U.S.S. New Orleans) Cruzador Amazonas, cross anchor corner card on 1898 cover bearing 2¢ rose carmine (279Bc) tied by "Key West, Fla. Jun 19 '98" duplex to Lt. Commander J.C. McLean U.S Navy, In Charge Naval Torpedo Station, Newport R.I.; cover creasing, F.-V.F. appearance.

Estimate  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦  $100 - 150.

The Cruzador Amazonas was the fifth ship to bear this name in honor of the Rio and State of the same name, in the Brazilian Navy. She was built by Armstrong, Mitchell & Co., in Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne, United Kingdom, with her keel laid in 1895 and launched on December 4, 1896. On March 9, 1898, she was acquired by the North American Government as a consequence of the Spanish-American War, and was incorporated into the US Navy on March 18, 1898 as USS New Orleans. On that occasion, Corvette Captain (USN) Arthur P. Naxro took command.

The USS New Orleans (ex-Amazonas), and the USS Albany (ex-Almirante Abreu) belonged to the same class as the cruiser Barroso (1896 - 1931).

In 1898, she participated in the Spanish-American War, joining Commodore (USN) George Dewey's Squadron.