Tenders - USS Mohican

United States Navy

Submarine Tenders

USS Mohican

U.S.S. Mohican, Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga Islands
From the George Handy Bates Samoan Papers Collection

(with special thanks to the Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library for their kind written permission to use this photo.)

Displacement (tons)	1,900	Built / Launched	9/4/1872/ 12/27/1883
Length	216'	Built By	Mare Island Navy Yard Vallejo, CA
Beam	37'	Class	Mohican
Draft	17' 6"	Commisioned	5/25/1885
Speed (rated)	10.65kts.	Decommissioned	10/21/1921
Compliment	230	Disposition	Sold

The second Mohician, also a steam sloop of war, was laid down by MareIsland Navy Yard, 4 September 1872, funded with the repair money allocated for the first Mohician; launched 27 December 1883; sponsored by Miss Eleanor W. Much; and commissioned 25 May 1885, Comdr. Benjamin F. Day in command.

U.S.S. Mohican from the hill behind Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga Islands
From the George Handy Bates Samoan Papers Collection

(with special thanks to the Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library for their kind written permission to use this photo.)

Assigned to the Pacific Squadron, Mohician departed San Francisco 27 June 1885 to patrol the coast of Mexico and South America. Steaming as far south as Callao, Peru, the sloop of war spent the winter at that port and then departed 6 March 1886 for the South Pacific. For the remainder of the year, the warship cruised in tropical waters, visiting the Marquessas, Tahiti, and the Tuamoto Archipelago, and patrolling Samoan waters to protect American interests from German political interference. In July she paid an official call in Auckland, New Zealand. She surveyed Easter Island in December for the Smithsonian Institution, and then sailed on the 31st for South America, arriving Valparaiso, Chile, 14 January 1887.

"The Old Navy"
Taken aboard the Mohican in 1888 - and documented in the January 1921 United States Naval Institute Proceedings - noting the passage of a generation of sailors "The fine type of old salt depicted here is now extinct so far as our navy is concerned. " {click on photo for more, larger photos and more info}

Mohician operated off the South American coast until sailing from Callao for Honolulu 10 September, and then following protocol activities and patrol in the islands through January 1888 cruised in the South Pacific until returning to Mare Island via Honolulu 1 August. The warship underwent an 11-month overhaul and then returned to Polynesian waters to patrol, in addition visiting Sydney, Australia, and Auckland. After a year-and-a-half cruise, she returned to San Francisco 9 April 1891.

Two months later, 19 June, Mohician stood out to assist the Bering Sea fishing fleet protecting the sealing plants and fisheries from trouble, remaining on patrol in northern waters until 19 October 1892. The sloop departed for another cruise to Hawaii 29 January 1893 and then sailed in June for Alaska to continue her Bering Sea patrols. Mohician ended her 22-month cruise at San Francisco 8 October 1884. The ship remained on the Pacific coast, visiting ports in the Northwest and patrolling until decommissioning at Mare Island 16 September 1895.

Mohician recommissioned 8 February 1898 because of imminent danger of war with Spain. She then made two voyages to Hawaii to protect American interests, March to May and June to September. Following the end of the Spanish-American War she was assigned duty as a school ship for landsmen at Mare Island. The venerable sloop cruised the Pacific coast into 1902 and then in January 1903 sailed across the Pacific, steaming via Honolulu, Christmas Island, Samoa, and Guam to Yokohama, Japan, on a goodwill visit. She returned to Mare Island in August following stops at Honolulu and Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, and then resumed cruising the Californian and Mexican coasts.

USS Mohican at Mare Island November, 1894

.Photograph by James G. Smith - From The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley, used with written permission.

On 8 April 1904, the ship was assigned as station ship at the NavalStation, Olongapo, Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippines, and 1 month later sailed via Honolulu, Guam, and Cavite for her new station, arriving 4 February 1905. Mohician served as station ship into 1910, being ordered to additional service as tender for Submarine Divisions, Asiatic Fleet, 30 December 1909. The veteran warship steamed to Cavite 30 March 1910 for duty as submarine tender there and 3 years later 17 March 1913 was designated receiving ship at Cavite and stationary tender, 1st Submarine Group, Torpedo Flotilla, Asiastic Fleet. Though relieved of this duty by monitor Monadnock 27 June 1914, she continued her tending duties through the end of 1915.

Mohican Sailors working on a boat - possibly the USS Adder. The man on the right is Victor L. Anderson, the other sailor is unidentified.

From the Collection of Victor L. Anderson USN