Asiatic Squadron

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Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron defeating the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay on 1 May 1898.
Active1868–1902
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Navy
TypeNaval squadron

The Asiatic Squadron was a

Asiatic Fleet
in 1902.

History

Korean Expedition

Main article:
Korean Expedition
Korean Expedition
in 1871.

In May 1871,

Joseon
government that shipwrecked American sailors would be safely treated should they become stranded in Korea.

On 1 June 1871, while Rear Admiral Rodgers was negotiating in

following engagement, Palos and Monocacy bombarded the fort until it was silenced and on 10 June 1871, the expedition attacked
in force. Five of the six hostile forts were captured and destroyed, over 200 Koreans were killed and dozens of cannons were captured. Although the Americans won a military victory, the Koreans refused to sign a trade treaty until 1882.

Spanish–American War

Main article: Spanish–American War
USS Olympia leading a column of cruisers, painting by Francis Muller.

On 27 April 1898, the squadron, composed of the

Philippine Islands to participate in the Spanish–American War
.

In the

Manila Bay. Eight Spanish ships were sunk and over 150 killed while the Americans suffered only slight damage. Vessels of the squadron also fought the Spanish in the battle to capture Manila
. Naval gunfire on the Spaniards' left flank helped American troops take the city without severe losses. The Philippines became an American possession.

USS Charleston taking possession of Guam in June 1898 during the Spanish–American War.

On 20 June 1898, the Asiatic Squadron protected cruiser USS Charleston captured Guam from the Spanish without resistance, beginning the American possession of the island.

Philippine–American War

Main article: Philippine–American War

The Asiatic Squadron participated in the Philippine–American War from 1899 until its disbandment in 1902. American naval forces operated by sending landing parties ashore and by providing them with naval gunfire support. From 1899 to 1902, the squadron conducted several missions against the Filipinos.

Dewey's squadron engaged in naval operation against the Filipinos during and after the 1898 Battle of Manila against the Spanish. At the beginning of the Philippine–American War in February 1899, several American warships supported the occupation of the Philippine Islands. At the same time, the

Panay Island on 11 February 1899, and, on 22 February 1899, a landing party from Petrel occupied Cebu. In October 1899, Petrel joined Callao in supporting American troops in the Battle of Noveleta by bombarding Filipino troop concentrations at Noveleta
before a shore party made its assault.

USS Concord off San Francisco, in the 1890s.

Many of the captured Spanish gunboats used in the Philippine–American War were manned by

cascoes and three gunboats to a place near Santa Cruz to find another former Spanish gunboat which was being used by the Filipinos; during the ensuing Battle of Santa Cruz, the American force captured six steam launches
along with two cascoes, and later took the Filipino gunboat, which the Filipinos reportedly had disarmed so that they could use her guns on land, without a fight.

Baltimore and Petrel served at the

United States Marines
and sailors ashore. Only minor skirmishing occurred on land because the Filipinos retreated and burned the town as they left.

On 7 May 1899, Laguna de Bay and another gunboat

Sexmoan and routed the Filipinos there. Later that day, the gunboats fought at Guagua
, where they bombarded Filipino positions in the town and sent men ashore to fight on the ground. Again the Filipinos retreated and set several buildings on fire as they went.

In June 1899, American gunboats silenced an artillery piece during the Battle of Zapote River, which ended with an American victory.

USS Vicksburg in 1898.

In the summer of 1899, American gunboats started patrolling

shore battery protecting Olongapo. Zafiro withdrew to Cavite and reported the incident to headquarters. In response, Charleston engaged the battery. On 23 September 1899, Charleston, Concord, the monitor USS Monterey, and Zafiro steamed into Subic Bay and destroyed the battery in the Battle of Olongapo. Then, a company
of U.S. Marines and sailors landed and took control.

Charleston grounded on an uncharted reef off

Camiguin Island on 2 November 1899. She sustained heavy damage, and her crew abandoned ship and escaped to the nearby island where they made camp. Charleston's launch was sent out for help and, after ten days of being marooned, the American sailors were rescued by the gunboat USS Helena
.

On 7 November 1899, Helena

bombarded San Fabian in Lingayen Gulf
and covered the landing of 2,500 American troops there.

Asiatic Squadron gunboats took part in the Battle of Mabitac in June 1900, where they bombarded Filipino forces while U.S. Army troops attacked their fortifications. In a bloody frontal assault the American troops were repulsed and the Filipinos won the battle.

In November 1900, the Asiatic Squadron

auxiliary cruiser USS Yosemite was heavily damaged in a typhoon while in Apra Harbor, Guam. Due to damage to her screw, her crew scuttled her. They were picked up later by the collier USS Justin
.

The gunboat

Palawan Island. Later the gunboat USS Isla de Luzon supported the operation which led to the capture of the Filipino general Vicente Lukbán on Samar
in November 1901.

Boxer Rebellion

China during the Boxer Rebellion
.
Main article: China Relief Expedition

During the Boxer Rebellion, the Asiatic Squadron participated in the China Relief Expedition in 1900. At the time, Peking was home to many foreigners who were under siege by Boxer rebels. An international force including U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy sailors of the Asiatic Squadron slowly fought their way to take control of Tientsin away from the Boxers in order to relieve the Siege of the International Legations at Peking.

Asiatic Fleet

Main article: United States Asiatic Fleet

In 1902, the Asiatic Squadron was upgraded in status, becoming the United States Asiatic Fleet. Except for a period from early 1907 until 28 January 1910 when it was downgraded to the status of First Squadron, United States Pacific Fleet, the Asiatic Fleet replaced the Asiatic Squadron in defending American interests in East Asia from 1902 until February 1942.

Commanders

Illustration of RADM Joseph S. Skerrett from The San Francisco Call, 2 January 1897
Admiral George Dewey, commander of the squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay, as he appears at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Successive Commanders-in-Chief of the Asiatic Squadron were as follows:[1]

Gallery

  • A posed photograph of Asiatic Squadron officers holding a council of war aboard USS Colorado off Korea in June 1871 prior to the Korean Expedition. Squadron commander Rear Admiral John Rodgers leans over the table at right.
    A posed photograph of Asiatic Squadron officers holding a council of war aboard
    John Rodgers
    leans over the table at right.
  • USS Olympia at the Independence Seaport Museum in 2007
    USS Olympia at the Independence Seaport Museum in 2007
  • USS Olympia in 1902
    USS Olympia in 1902
  • USS Baltimore in 1891
    USS Baltimore in 1891

See also

References

  1. ISBN 1-55750-883-6
    , pp. 317–318.


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