Today's classic warship, USS Montgomery (C-9)
Montgomery class cruiser
Displacement: 2,094 t.
Length: 269’6”
Beam: 37’
Draft: 14’7”
Speed: 17 k.
Complement: 274
Armament: 9 5”; 6 6-pdrs.; 2 1-pdrs.; 3 18” torpedo tubes
The USS MONTGOMERY (C-9), named for Montgomery, Ala., was launched 5 December 1891 by Columbia Iron Works, Baltimore, Md.; sponsored by Miss Sophia Smith and commissioned at Norfolk Navy Yard 21 June 1894, Comdr. Charles W. Davis is command.
Assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron, the new cruiser operated along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean. During the Spanish-American War, she cruised near Cuba and Haiti in April 1898 and in May joined the blockade of Havana. She took two prizes, LORENZO and FRASQUITO, 5 May, and shelled the Spanish forts a week later.
In April 1899, MONTGOMERY transferred to the South Atlantic Squadron and operated along the Atlantic coast of South America until returning to the United States and decommissioning at New York 15 September 1900. Recommissioned 15 May 1902, she was assigned to the Caribbean Division, North Atlantic Squadron, and operated in the West Indies until decommissioning at Philadelphia 15 September 1904.
MONTGOMERY recommissioned 2 January 1908 and operated in the 5th Naval District as a torpedo experimental ship. From 1914 to 1918, she served with the Maryland Naval Militia. Renamed ANNISTON 14 March 1918, she was assigned to Division 2, American Patrol Detachment, for patrol and escort duty along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. Decommissioning at Charleston, S.C., 16 May 1918, ANNISTON was struck from the Navy list 25 August 1919 and sold 14 November 1919.