Battle of Nipe Bay

{{no footnotes|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox military conflict |image = USS Annapolis (PG-10).jpg |image_size = 300px |caption = USS ''Annapolis'' circa 1898 |partof = the Spanish–American War |date = July 21, 1898 |place = Nipe Bay, Cuba |result = American victory |conflict = Battle of Nipe Bay |combatant2 = {{flagdeco|Spain|1785}} Spain |combatant1 = {{flagcountry|United States|1896}} |commander2 = {{flagdeco|Spain|1785}} Unknown |commander1 = {{flagdeco|US|1896}} John J. Hunker |strength2 = 1 sloop <br> 3 gunboats |strength1 = 1 auxiliary cruiser <br> 2 gunboats <br> 1 tug |casualties2 = 1 sloop sunk <br> 1 gunboat scuttled |casualties1 = None }} {{Campaignbox Spanish-American War: Cuba}} thumb|left|''Jorge Juan'' sinking on 21 July 1898, photographed from {{USS|Leyden|1865|6}}. The '''Battle of Nipe Bay''' on July 21, 1898, was an engagement of the Spanish–American War. The battle was fought in Nipe Bay, Cuba, by four United States Navy warships against the Spanish sloop-of-war ''Jorge Juan'' and three gunboats which were supported by forts guarding the harbor.

==Battle==

Nipe Bay had been designated as a rendezvous point for American naval forces delegated to attack Puerto Rico. Upon finding the harbor still occupied by Spanish forces, the American squadron, consisting of the gunboats USS ''Annapolis'' and USS ''Topeka'', the armed tug USS ''Leyden'' and the armed yacht {{USS|Wasp|1893|6}}, maneuvered through a minefield to engage the Spanish forces. ''Jorge Juan'' opened fire on ''Wasp'' and ''Leyden'', but they quickly sank her with help from ''Annapolis''. While the other three ships were engaging ''Jorge Juan'', ''Topeka'' silenced the harbor forts and fired on other Spanish works in the harbor.

==Aftermath== Seeing the hopelessness of the situation, the Spanish sailed the small gunboat ''Baracoa'' upriver and scuttled her to prevent her capture by the superior American force. Just as the fighting came to an end, U.S. Navy personnel boarded ''Jorge Juan''{{'}}s sinking hulk, stripping several items from it as trophies. One such trophy was the ''Jorge Juan''{{'}}s battle-flag, which was taken by one of the sailors from ''Annapolis'' and now resides in the United States Navy Trophy Flag Collection. The Americans suffered few, if any, casualties and a few days after the battle the small squadron received orders to depart. The United States later decided that the bay was not necessary for U.S. operations in Puerto Rico, but the battle did cause significant damage to the Spanish Navy and denied the Spanish the use of the port for the remainder of the war.

==Sources== * {{cite news |author= |date=24 July 1898 |title=The Fight in Nipe Harbor |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1898/07/24/102075192.pdf |work=New York Times |location=New York |publisher= |access-date=27 December 2025}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/wasp-vii.html |title=Wasp VII (Armed Yacht) 1898-1919 |author= |date=3 August 2021 |work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=27 December 2025 |ref={{sfnref|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''Wasp'' VII}}}} * {{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Herbert Wrigley |date=1900 |title=The Downfall of Spain: Naval History of the Spanish–American War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7Xvrxki3lMC&dq=battle+of+nipe+bay&pg=PA399 |location=London |publisher=Richard Clay & Sons, Limited |isbn= |page=399}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nipe Bay}} Category:Naval battles of the Spanish–American War Category:Battles involving Cuba Battle of Nipe Bay Battle of Nipe Bay Category:Conflicts in 1898 Battle of Nipe Bay