“Remember the Maine!”
Voices from the Past
A Primary Source Activity on the causes of
the Spanish-American War
Card 1:
For many years Cubans living
under Spanish rule had been
mistreated by their government. In
1892 Jose Marti led the “Cuban
Revolutionary Party” which sought to
free Cuba from Spanish rule. Many
Cuban rebels started to fight for
independence only to be forced into
jail, work camps, have their homes
and lands taken away, and see their
families starve to death.
Card 2:
In 1895, the revolution’s leader
Marti was joined by Maximo Gomez
who was a skilled military leader.
Along with band of guerrilla forces,
they planned to rid the island of
brutal Spanish rule. Jose Marti said
the “revolution should bring new
economic life to Cuba,” but it
seemed to only bring death.
General Maximo Gomez
Card 3:
Spain would not willingly let go of this profitable territory.
Over the next three years, over 300,000 troops would be sent to
fight to maintain Spanish rule.
Thousands died…including Jose Marti. However, instead of
squashing the spirit of revolution, Martí’s death inspired the
rebel cause and sent ripples of nationalism throughout the
island.
Plan of the Battleship Maine
Six–inch gun on USS Newark (C–1).
The USS Maine mounted six of these.
Card 4:
The Cuban revolution held the interest of citizens all over the
United States who saw themselves in the triumphs and struggles of
the Cuban revolutionaries. After all, we too fought to gain
independence from England when we were just a collection of
colonies.
Americans could not read enough about the atrocities Cubans
suffered under and the exploits of what Hearst the "courageous
freedom fighters." The editorial writers knew no bounds and Joseph
Pulitzer's New York World and William Randolph Hearst's New
York Journal were happy to give it to them…even if that meant
making up some stories along the way.
Card 5:
On January 24 1898, President William McKinley
sent the USS Maine to Havana to "protect American
lives and property."
Three weeks later, on the evening of February 15,
1898, the USS MAINE exploded at 9:40 pm and sank in
Havana Harbor. More than five tons of powder charges
for the vessel's six and ten-inch guns ignited, virtually
obliterating the forward third of the ship.
What caused the sinking has been a subject of debate
ever since. What is known is that, in the tragedy, 260
American naval personnel were killed or wounded.
Here are some accounts from that fateful day…
Card 6:
"We are going to stay down south here, I think a good while. The whole
fleet of ships is maneuvering and drilling at sea. I don't believe we will have
any trouble down here with Spain. We are within about 80 miles of Havana.
There was a rumor aboard one of the ships a couple of weeks ago that we
were to proceed to Havana, but the order was postponed. I was thinking of
making out a will when I heard that.
We are watching for filibusters here in Key West since we came here-I
mean ships that were smuggling arms and ammunition down to Cuba."
Thomas Troy
A USS MAINE coal passer
Card 7:
Dear Father,
I received your loving letter a few days ago and was pleased to hear from you. I would have
written sooner but owing to us having to been ordered to sea so soon, I didn't have any
chance. We are now in Havana Cuba. We arrived here yesterday after a five hour run
around a place called Dry Tartogos, a small Florida reef. We were out to sea when the
orders came for us to proceed at once to Havana. We are the first American ship that has
been here in six years. We are now cleared for action with every gun in the ship loaded and
men stationed around the ship all night. We are also ready to land a battalion at any
moment. By the looks of things now I think we will have some trouble before we leave. We
steamed the whole length of Cuba and about every mile you can see puffs of smoke and the
Spaniards firing on the rebels...
…This is a landlocked harbor but I think we could get out of it all right although we are in
a pretty dangerous position at the present time and we hardly know when we are safe. Well
dear Father I will now have to close sending my best love and wishes to all and hoping that I
may be alive to see you all again. I remain you loving son. Charles U.S.S. Maine in the
charge of Council General of the United States, Havana, Cuba.”
Charles Hamilton,
Apprentice, 1st Class, Battleship Maine
Written, 10 days before Charles died when the Maine exploded.
Card 8:
"I was just closing a letter to my family when I felt the crash of the explosion. It was a
bursting, rending, and crashing sound, or roar of immense volume, largely metallic in
character. It was succeed by a metallic sound - probably of falling debris - a trembling and
lurching motion of the vessel…attended by an eclipse of the electric lights and intense
darkness within the cabin. I knew immediately that the MAINE had been blown up and that
she was sinking.…
….I was informed that the forward magazine was already under water, and after inquiring
about the after magazine was told that it was also under water, as shown by the condition
below, reported by those coming from the ward room and steerage."
"About this time fire broke out in the mass forward, over the central superstructure…. At this
time, I observed, among the shouts or noises apparently on shore, that faint cries were coming
from the water, and I could see dimly white, floating bodies, which gave me a better knowledge
of the real situation than anything else. I at once ordered all boats to be lowered…
… Lt. Commander Wainwright whispered to me that he thought the 10-inch magazine had
been thrown up into the burning mass, and might explode in time. I directed him the to get
everything into the boats over the stern, and this was done, although there was some little delay
in curbing the extreme politeness of the officers, who wanted to help me into the boat. I
directed them to go first…and I followed…
Captain Charles D. Sigsbee,
Commanding Officer U.S.S. MAINE
Card 9:
"I turned into my hammock at eight
o'clock, and heard three bells strike. I
don't remember anything more until I
felt myself turning over and over, falling
heavily upon the deck through a mass of
smoke. I got on my feet and worked my
way on deck. When I got there the
superstructure deck was dipping under
water, and I jumped overboard to keep
from being drawn down in the suction. I
was picked up by a boat from the
Spanish man-of-war. Four more were
picked up by the same boat."
Jim Rowe
Ship's Cook U.S.S. MAINE
Card 10:
"I was on watch, …Everything was absolutely normal. …I was feeling a bit glum, and in fact was so quiet that
Lieutenant J. Hood came up and asked laughingly if I was asleep. I said "No, I am on watch." Scarcely had I
spoken when there came a dull, sullen roar. Would to God that I could blot out the sound and the scenes that
followed. Then came a sharp explosion - some say numerous detonations. I remember only one. It seemed to me that
the sound came from the port side forward. Then came a perfect rain of missiles of all descriptions, from huge
pieces of cement to blocks of wood, steel railings, fragments of gratings, and all the debris that would be detachable
in an explosion." "I was struck on the head by a piece of cement and knocked down, but I was not hurt, and got to
my feet in a moment…”
“… though scarce a minute could have elapsed, I had to wade in water up to my knees, and almost instantly the
quarter deck was awash…
“…Captain Sigsbee ordered the launch and gig lowered, … and rescued a number in the water. Captain Sigsbee
ordered Lieutenant Commander Wainwright forward to see the extent of the damage and if anything could be done
to rescue those forward or to extinguish the flames,… and gave the last sad order, "Abandon Ship,"…
…"I have no theories as to the cause of the explosion. I cannot form any. I, with others, had heard the Havana
harbor was full of (mines), but the officers whose duty it was to examine into that reported that they found no signs
of any. Personally, I do not believe that the Spanish had anything to do with the disaster. Time may tell. I hope
so…”
John J. Blandin, Lieutenant U.S.S. MAINE
Lt. Blandin was considered a survivor of the Maine explosion. However, he later died as a result of his injuries.
Card 11:
Dearest,
I sent you two cablegrams last night telling you of my safety, and before they both reached you before
the morning papers, and that you were spared the agony of suspense and uncertainty.
It seems almost selfish to speak of ourselves even when so many hundreds are mourning lost dear
ones. Still I could only give you the brief statement that I was safe and unhurt.
I cannot tell you now of my miraculous escape, as the scene is still too terrible to recall, even had I
the time. I will only say that I was in my room, writing to you when the ship blew up, and that when I
rushed for the ladder leading on deck I found the door closed. In pitch darkness, with explosion
following explosion, and expecting each second to be blown into the air, or drowned by the inrushing
water, I found the other door and reached the ladder - probably the last.
The whole ship was blown into the air, except the officer’s quarters - which explains why so
many of them were saved… Among the men all were blown up, but we saved about 50, leaving about 250
dead. I cannot write of the horrors now. Each man lived a lifetime of horror in a few seconds and all
would like to forget it if possible.
Whether we were torpedoed by the Spanish, blown up by a mine, or whither the Cubans did it
to bring on a war - or whether it was one of these spontaneous explosions, we do not know. I hate to
suspect the Spanish, and their actions and sympathy seems to indicate that they are ignorant of the
cause. For the present we must withhold our (judgment).
Lt. George Blow
Written to his wife the day after the USS MAINE was lost.
Crewmen of the U.S.S. Maine
Card 12:
“It was horrible!…As I descended into the death-ship the dead rose up to meet me. They floated
toward me with outstretched arms, as if to welcome their shipmate. Their faces for the most part were
bloated with decay or burned beyond recognition, but here and there the light of my lamp flashed
upon a stony face I knew, which when I last saw it had smiled a merry greeting, but now returned my
gaze with staring eyes and fallen jaw. The dead choked the hatchways and blocked my passage from
stateroom to cabin. I had to elbow my way through them, as you do in a crowd. While I examined
twisted iron and broken timbers they brushed against my helmet and touched my shoulders with rigid
hands, as if they sought to tell me the tale of the disaster. I often had to push them aside to make my
examinations of the interior of the wreck. I felt like a live man in command of the dead. From every
part of the ship came sighs and groans. I knew it was the gurgling of the water through the shattered
beams and battered sides of the vessel, but it made me shudder; it sounded so much like echoes of that
awful February night of death. The water swayed the bodies to and fro, and kept them constantly
moving with a hideous semblance of life. Turn which way I would, I was confronted by a corpse.”
Charles Morgan
A gun captain on the USS NEW YORK who spent about two weeks clearing the wreckage of the MAINE.
February 16
Card 13:
My darling,
You have read of our wreck, and I suppose Dr. Greer has informed you that I am all right. I was on watch when
the explosion took place. A more complete and sudden wreck one can’t imagine. All of us left alive climbed onto
the poop (deck), and then looked around to see in anything could be done. We pulled out the wounded where we
could. The wreck sunk and rested on the bottom, and was soon burning fiercely. When the Captain saw that
nothing more could be done, he gave the order to abandon ship. We had two boats left that would float, and the
Spanish man-of-war sent 5 boats, the steamer Washington sent 2 boats, and we got all who were alive into them,
80 men and officers were saved, out of 340. So we lost 260 men, or near that. About half of those saved are badly
injured, and some will die. We all went to the American Steamship “City of Washington”, of the Ward Line, and
were treated with every courtesy. I have just learned that we are to go to Key West this afternoon, and suppose I
will get home soon…Thank God, my darling that my live was spared again.
No one can tell what caused the explosion. I don’t believe the Spanish had anything to do with it.
Lots of love to my darlings from your own,
Jack.
Written the day after the sinking of the MAINE by Lt. John ”Jack” Blandin of the Battleship MAINE.
Card 14:
A formal investigation conducted by U.S. officials would take over 4 weeks
and yielded few conclusive results. Captain Singsbee, who survived the explosion, said
that "Public opinion should be suspended until further report." However, newspaper
reporters, eager to sell a sensational story, came up with their own conclusions.
William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal became the first newspaper in
history to sell over one million copies. Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World printed what
would become the war’s slogan “Remember The Maine!” They competed to write the
most fantastic stories which fuelled American anger and made many citizens eager to
go to war with Spain.
Card 15:
Just over a month after the Maine
explosion, the U.S. Congress
overwhelmingly voted to go to war. Lt.
Secretary of the navy, Theodore
Roosevelt sent word to our Pacific fleet
to blockade the Spanish fleet at the
Philippines and prepare for possible
hostilities. Finally, on April 25, 1898,
the U.S. congress formally declared war
on Spain.
Card 16:
In 1911 the Navy Department ordered a second board of inquiry after Congress
voted funds for the removal of the wreck of Maine from Havana Harbor.
U.S. Army engineers built a cofferdam around the sunken battleship, thus
exposing it, and giving naval investigators an opportunity to examine and
photograph the wreckage in detail. Finding the bottom hull plates in the area of
the reserve six-inch magazine bent inward and back, the 1911 board concluded
that a mine had detonated under the magazine, causing the explosion that
destroyed the ship.
Card 17:
In 1974 Navy Admiral Hyman
Rickover conducted a study that
concluded the explosion had
started by spontaneous
combustion in some accumulated
coal dust in one of the ship's coal
storage bunkers. The heat from
this fire, Rickover says, ignited the
ammunition magazine and blew
up the ship.
Card 18:
Recent studies have shown that a
boiler explosion may have caused
the demise of the USS Maine, not
sabotage from Cuban or Spanish
interests. Despite the best efforts
of experts and historians in
investigating this complex and
technical subject, a definitive
explanation for the destruction of
Maine remains a mystery to this
day…
U.S.S. Maine
Memorial in
Havana, Cuba