View source for U.S.S. Cushing (1890)

<div name=fredbot:career>{{ShipCareer|fullname=U.S.S. ''Cushing'' (1890)|fate2=Target ship
|hullno=TB-1
|comm=22 Apr, 1890
|cat=TorpedoBoat
|launch=23 Jan, 1890
|builder=[[Herreshoff Manufacturing Company|Herreshoff]]
|type=torpedo boat
|fate=Expended
|fatedate=24 Sep, 1920
|order=3 August, 1886
|chain=Torpedo Boats
|prefix=U.S.S.
|name=Cushing
|nat=US
|pend=
|fg=gold|bg=navy}}</div name=fredbot:career>'''U.S.S. ''Cushing''''' was the [[U.S. Navy]]'s first steel-hulled torpedo boat.

==Construction==
{{UsesDANFSText}}
The Act of August 3, 1886 authorized the construction of a first-class torpedo boat, and two proposals were received and opened on 1 November, 1887: an $84,800 bid from Vulcan Iron Works of Chicago and the winning $82,750 bid from [[Herreshoff Manufacturing Company]] of Bristol, Rhode Island.{{USSecNavReport1887|p. IX}}

''Cushing'' was launched on 23 January, 1890 by  sponsored by Miss K. B. Herreshoff; and commissioned 22 April, 1890, Lieutenant [[Cameron McRae Winslow|Cameron McR. Winslow]] in command.

==Service==
The first modern steel-hulled torpedo boat built for the Navy, ''Cushing'' was attached to the [[Squadron of Evolution]] and equipped for experimental work to complete the development of torpedo outfits and to gather data for the service. On 8 September, 1891 she reported to Newport for duty at the Naval Torpedo Station, and except for a brief period out of commission, from 11 November 1891 to 11 January, 1892, ''Cushing'' continued her torpedo experiments in this area until 1893.

On 1 September 1892 in Peconic Bay, ''Cushing'' tested Bliss torpedos with two members of the Government Torpedo Board in attendance.  The 18-in torpedoes could carry a 120-pound warhead 800 yards at 28 knots, but in this test only the discharge mechanism from each of the three tubes was worked, reliably plopping the torpedoes into the water fifteen feet from the ship.  The contracted torpedoes were expected to cost $2000.{{NMI|Saturday, Sep 03, 1892; pg. 7; Issue 33734}}

''Cushing'' arrived at Hampton Roads 31 March, 1893 for temporary duty with the Naval Review Fleet, and in April she escorted the British protected cruiser {{UK-Blake}} and another ship (sometimes listed as the non-existent "H.M.S. ''Caravels''") to New York for the Columbian Naval Review. ''Cushing'' returned to duty at Newport 6 May, working with the Whitehead torpedo. Based on Key West from 31 December 1897, ''Cushing'' reported to the North Atlantic Fleet's Blockading Force for picket patrol in the Florida Straits and courier duty for the Force. On 11 February 1898 while making a passage to Havana, ''Cushing'' lost {{EnsUS}} [[Joseph Cabell Breckinridge|Joseph C. Breckinridge]] overboard in heavy seas. For their heroic efforts to save him, Gunner's Mate Third Class John Everetts and Ship's Cook First Class Daniel Atkins were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Upon the declaration of [[Spanish-American War|war between the United States and Spain]], ''Cushing'' was assigned to patrol the Cays, and on 7 August captured four small vessels and towed them to her anchorage at Piedras Cay. Four days later armed boats from ''Cushing'' and {{US-1Gwin}} captured and burned a 20-ton schooner. Returning north in August, 1898, ''Cushing'' resumed her operations at the Newport Torpedo Station 14 September until decommissioned 8 November, 1898. From 1901 to 1911 she was attached to the [[Reserve Torpedo Flotilla]] at Norfolk, and was sunk 24 September, 1920 after use as a target.

==Armament==
* two 6-pounder quick-firing guns
* three 18-inch torpedo tubes: two trainable tubes, one fixed bow tube. Three 18-inch Howell torpedoes were carried.

==Captains==
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
<div name=fredbot:officeCapt otitle="Captain of U.S.S. ''Cushing''">
{{Tenure|rank={{LieutUS}}|name=Cameron McRae Winslow|nick=Cameron McR. Winslow|appt=14 April, 1890{{USOfficerReg1891|p. 22}}|precBy=New Command}}
{{Tenure|rank={{LieutUS}}|name=Roy Campbell Smith|nick=Roy C. Smith|appt=1 August, 1895{{USOfficerReg1896|p. 22}}|end=November, 1895{{USOfficerReg1897|p. 18}}}}
{{Tenure|rank={{LieutUS}}|name=John Charles Fremont|nick=John C. Fremont|appt=20 November, 1895{{USOfficerReg1897|p. 18}}|end=February 1897}}
{{Tenure|rank={{LieutUS}}|name=Albert Gleaves|nick=Albert Gleaves|appt=February, 1897{{USOfficerReg1898|p. 20}}|end=August, 1898}}
{{Tenure|rank=Naval Cadet|name=David French Boyd, Jr.|nick=David F. Boyd, Jr.|appt=August, 1898<ref>''Record-Journal (Meridian, CT) 26 August, 1898 p. 8.</ref>|end=November, 1898<ref>''Baltimore Sun'' 1 November, 1898 p. 6.</ref>}}
</div name=fredbot:officeCapt>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/tb1.htm USN Ships – USS Cushing (TB-1)]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cushing_(TB-1)}}
{{refend}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Conways1860}}
* {{FriedmanUSDestroyers}}
* {{SilverstoneNewNavy}}
* {{SimpsonMosquito}}
{{refend}}

{{Footer USS Cushing (1890)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cushing}}

{{CatShipTorpedoBoat|US}}
{{CatClassTorpedoBoat|US}}

<!-- data

nat=US
cat=TorpedoBoat
type=torpedo boat
prefix=U.S.S.

chain=Torpedo Boats
sortdate=23 January, 1890

{ship
name=Cushing
hullno=TB-1
pend=
builder=[[Herreshoff Manufacturing Company|Herreshoff]]{{Conways1860|p. 159}}
order=Act of 3 August, 1886{{Conways1860|p. 159}}
laid=April 1888{{Conways1860|p. 159}}
launch=23 January, 1890{{Conways1860|p. 159}}
comm=22 April, 1890{{Conways1860|p. 159}}
fate2=Target ship
fate=Expended
fatedate=24 September, 1920
}



data -->