Spanish gunboat Callao

"Callao" was a "Samar"-class gunboat of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1888 to 1898 and fought in the Spanish-American War.

"Callao" was captured by the U.S. Navy in 1898 and commissioned into U.S. service. For her characteristics and career in U.S. service, see USS "Callao" (YFB-11).

Technical Characteristics

"Callao" was built at Cavite, the Philippines, by the Manila Ship Company [ "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905", p. 167] , intended for colonial duty in the Philippines. She was both launched and completed in 1888. She had two masts and a steel hull, and was unarmored. [ [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"] and [http://www.spanamwar.com/span2ndclassgunboats.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Spanish 2nd-Class Gunboats] ]

Operational History

"Callao" spent her Spanish Navy career on colonial duties in the Philippine Islands. When the Spanish-American War began in April 1898, she was at sea on a cruise around the island of Luzon. Her crew was unaware that war had been declared or that the Spanish Navy squadron of Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasaron had been destroyed by the U.S. Navy's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey in the Battle of Manila Bay eleven days earlier when, on 12 May 1898, "Callao" steamed into Manila Bayen route the harbor. [ [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"] and [http://www.spanamwar.com/span2ndclassgunboats.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Spanish 2nd-Class Gunboats] ]

When Dewey's ships sighted the inbound gunboat, cruiser USS "Raleigh" got underway to investigate. When it became apparent that "Callao" was a Spanish ship, "Raleigh", cruiser USS "Baltimore", and protected cruiser USS "Olympia" opened fire on her. [ [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"] ]

Taken utterly by surprise, "Callao's" crew at first mistook the American ships for Montojo's squadron and the gunfire for target practice by Montojo's ships, but quickly realized that they were under attack and hopelessly outgunned. They struck their colors and surrendered to "Raleigh". They were quickly paroled ashore at Cavite, and it was later rumored that the commanding officer of "Callao" was sentenced to death by Spanish authorities for not fighting back against the American ships. [ [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"] and [http://www.spanamwar.com/span2ndclassgunboats.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Spanish 2nd-Class Gunboats] ]

"Callao" was immediately put into American service, and was officially commissioned into the U.S. Navy on 17 July 1898 [ Per [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"] and the "Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships", although "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905", p. 167, and [http://www.spanamwar.com/span2ndclassgunboats.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Spanish 2nd-Class Gunboats] both claim the commissioning date was 2 July 1898] as gunboat USS "Callao".

Notes

References

*Chesneau, Roger, and Eugene M. Kolesnik, Eds. "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905." New York, New York: Mayflower Books Inc., 1979. ISBN 0831703024.
*Gray, Randal, Ed. "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870219073.

External links

* [http://www.spanamwar.com/callao.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Gunboat "Callao"]
* [http://www.spanamwar.com/span2ndclassgunboats.htm The Spanish-American War Centennial Website: Spanish 2nd-Class Gunboats]