USS Hist ( 1895 ) USS " Hist " , formerly " Thespia " , was built in 1895 . She was purchased at Norfolk from David Dows , Jr . , on 22 April 1898 for use in the Spanish - American War . " Hist " commissioned 13 May at New York , Lt . Lucien Young in command . History . Arriving at Guantánamo Bay via Charleston 25 June , " Hist " joined the blockading fleet off Santiago de Cuba on the 29th . The following day was a memorable one . That morning , in company with " Hornet " , " Hist " captured the Spanish schooner " Nickerson " . Their prize in tow , the two ships were joined by " Wompatuck " and the column headed for Manzanillo Bay . On their way . they engaged a Spanish gunboat , which they sank , and were fired on by shore troops at Niguero . Reaching Manzanillo , the intrepid flotilla took on an enemy torpedo boat , four gunboats , four pontoons , a battery of field artillery , enemy troops firing from the shore , and a Spanish - held fort . When the smoke and fire lifted after an hour and 40 minutes of sharp fighting , " Hornet " had been disabled but towed to safety by " Wompatuck " , " Hist " had been hit 11 times ; the Spanish had received the worst of the battle , losing a gunboat , a pontoon , and a sloop loaded with troops as well as suffering serious damage to the gun and torpedo boats . No American casualties resulted . " Hist " returned to Manzanillo Bay twice more during the war , 15 July and 12 August . In the first of these return engagements , 10 Spanish ships were sent to the bottom and many others seriously damaged . For her part in this action " Hist " received commendation from General S . H . Rios , commanding the Cuban troops rebelling against Spanish rule . The second engagement at Manzanillo Bay was no less successful . On 3 July " Hist " followed up her early success by joining the fleet in battle off Santiago as the Spanish attempted to break the blockade . Under constant enemy fire , Hist rescued 142 Spanish sailors from their disabled and burning ship , " Viscaya " . Eight days after this engagement , she and " Wompatuck " cut the important cable connecting Media Luna and Quizaro Islands . " Hist " also cut the cable between Punta Carapacho and Cayo Obispo on 21 July , the day after she had participated effectively in the bombardment of Santa Cruz del Sur . When not in combat , " Hist " patrolled the Cuban coast , searching ships , and also served as a dispatch boat between the blockading fleet at Santiago and Guantanamo . With the end of the war " Hist " headed north , reaching Key West 22 January 1899 and decommissioning there two weeks later , 2 February 1899 . While out of commission , " Hist " traveled up the coast to Newport , R . I . , where she recommissioned 18 July 1902 , Lt . Victor Blue commanding . " Hist " sailed to the Caribbean on 16 November 1902 and served there as a patrol and dispatch ship , returning to Newport 4 February 1903 . On 4 March she was assigned duty with new submarine s being tested in Long Island Sound . After this , on 27 June " Hist " was attached to the First Naval District as a tender , continuing to operate out of Newport . On 28 September 1905 she was assigned to the Training Station at Newport as tender to the famed frigate " Constellation " and remained on this duty until decommissioning 3 May 1907 . " Hist " recommissioned 16 October 1907 at Newport , Lt . C . E . Courtney commanding , and became tender to the 2d Submarine Division . On 6 October 1908 , she was assigned to the Cape Cruz – Casilda surveying expedition under Comdr . Armistead Rust . Returning to the Caribbean once more , " Hist " served the expedition as a supply and dispatch vessel for almost 3 years . Putting in at Portsmouth , Virginia on 18 May 1911 , she decommissioned there 24 July . " Hist " was stricken from the Navy Register on 27 July 1911 and sold 20 November of that year .