USS Atlanta ( 1884 ) The second USS " Atlanta " was a protected cruiser and one of the first steel warships of the " New Navy " of the 1880s . " Atlanta " was laid down on 8 November 1883 at Chester , Pennsylvania by John Roach & Sons ; launched on 9 October 1884 ; sponsored by Miss Jessie Lincoln , the daughter of Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln and granddaughter of President Abraham Lincoln ; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 19 July 1886 , Capt . Francis M . Bunce in command . Service history . North Atlantic and Squadron of Evolution , 1886 — 1895 . " Atlanta " remained at New York fitting out and undergoing modifications until July 1887 , when she joined the North Atlantic Squadron . For a little over two years , she cruised the Atlantic coast , the Gulf of Mexico , and the West Indies . On 30 September 1889 , she was reassigned to the Squadron of Evolution with which she voyaged to Europe and the Mediterranean that winter . On the return voyage the protected cruiser paid a friendship visit to the Republic of Brazil before returning to New York at the end of July 1890 . There , she resumed duty along the east coast and in the West Indies . Between February and April 1891 , she cruised the Gulf of Mexico . From May – October , the ship operated along the Atlantic coast and participated in exercises and maneuvers at Boston and New York , training members of the Naval Militia . Between October 1891 and July 1892 , she served successively along the east coast , in the West Indies , and in South American waters . On 2 September 1892 , the cruiser was transferred from the Squadron of Evolution back to the North Atlantic Squadron . Between December 1892 and February 1893 , she operated in the West Indies protecting American interests . From March – May , the warship participated in the Naval Review held at Hampton Roads , Virginia . In May – June , she returned to the Gulf of Mexico . On 18 July 1893 , " Atlanta " was placed out of commission at Norfolk , Virginia . There , she remained until recommissioned on 2 April 1894 . She returned to duty on the North Atlantic station for the next 17 months . During that assignment , she put a landing party ashore at Boca del Toro , Colombia , on 8 March 1895 to protect American lives and property threatened by a Liberal Party revolt and the activity of filibusters . In September 1895 , she was placed out of commission at the New York Navy Yard where she was laid up for the next five years . South Atlantic and Caribbean Squadrons , 1900 — 1905 . On 15 September 1900 , she was placed back in commission at New York , Comdr . E . C . Pendleton in command . Late in October , the ship put to sea to join the South Atlantic Squadron off the coast of Brazil . She cruised those waters until November 1902 when she was transferred to the Caribbean Squadron . During the latter tour of duty , she again landed shore parties to protect American interests ; first at Santo Domingo in April 1903 and then at Porto Bello , Panama , the following December . She made a voyage to the Mediterranean in 1904 and returned in October , via the western coast of Africa and Cape Town , to the South Atlantic station . She arrived back at Hampton Roads on 26 December and , in January 1905 , moved to Annapolis , Maryland , where she was placed in reserve on 12 January . " Atlanta " remained inactive only until 8 May , at which time she was returned to full commission for service in the Coast Squadron to participate in midshipman training missions . Barracks ship , 1905 — 1912 . In November 1905 , the warship moved to Norfolk where she served as a barracks ship for sailors of the Torpedo Flotilla until 1909 . At that time , she moved to Charleston , South Carolina , where she resumed duty as a barracks ship . Decommissioning and sale . On 23 March 1912 , " Atlanta " was relieved of duty , and on 24 April her name was struck from the Navy List . The ship was sold at Charleston on 10 June to Frank Rijsdyk ' s Scheepsslooperij .