INDIANA BB-1 

From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, James L. 
Mooney, ed., Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, 
Washington, DC., 1968

displacement. 10,288 n. 
length. 350'11" 
beam. 69'3" 
draft. 24' 
speed. 15 k. 
complement. 473 
armament. 4 13", 8 8", 4 6", 20 6-pdr., 6 1-pdr.)

The first INDIANA (BB-1) was laid down 7 May 1891 by William 
Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia; launched 28  February 1893; 
sponsored by Miss Jessie Miller, daughter of the Attorney 
General of the United States; and commissioned 20 November 1895, 
Captain Robley D. Evans in command.
Following fitting out at Philadelphia Nary Yard,  INDIANA 
trained off the coast of New England. This duty

continued until the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 
1898, when INDIANA formed part of Admiral Sampson's Squadron. 
The 10 ships sailed south to intercept  Cervera's Spanish 
squadron, known to be en route to the Caribbean. INDIANA took 
part in bombardment of San Juan 12 May 1898, and returned to Key 
West with the squadron to guard Havana 18 May. After it was  
discovered that Cervera was at Santiago, Sampson joined Schley 
there 1 June and took up the blockade.
In late June, Army units arrived and were landed for an assault 
on Santiago. Cervera saw that his situation was desperate and 
began his gallant dash out of Santiago 3 July 1898, hoping to 
outrun the American blockaders. INDIANA did not join in the 
initial chase because of her extreme eastern position on the 
blockade, but was near the harbor entrance when destroyers 
PLUTON and FUROR emerged. In a short time both ships were  
destroyed by INDIANA's guns and those of the other ships. 
Meanwhile the remaining Spanish vessels were sunk or run ashore, 
in one of the two major naval engagements of the war.
INDIANA returned to her previous pattern of training exercises 
and fleet maneuvers after the war, and made practice cruises for 
midshipmen of the Naval Academy  before decommissioning 29 
December 1903.
The battleship recommissioned at New York Navy Yard 9 January 
1906. During this phase of her career, INDIANA

served with the Naval Academy Practice Squadron, sailing to 
Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. At  Queenstown, Ireland, 
she fired a 21-gun salute 22 June 1911 In honor of the 
coronation of King George V. This  important work in training 
the Navy's future leaders ended in 1914 and she decommissioned 
at Philadelphia 23 May 1914.
INDIANA recommissioned a second time 24 May 1917, and served 
through World I as a training ship for gun crews off 
Tomkinsville, N.Y., and in the York River, Va. She 
decommissioned at Philadelphia 31 January 1919. The name INDIANA 
was canceled 29 March 1919 and she was reclassified Coast 
Battleship Number 1 so that the name could be assigned to a 
newly authorized battleship. She was used as a target in an 
important series of tests  designed to determine the 
effectiveness of aerial bombs and was sunk In November 1920. Her 
hulk was sold for scrap 19 March 1924.

Transcribed and edited by"
Larry W. Jewell
jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu