USS Marcellus (1879)

Marcellus coaling the cruiser New York at sea in 1899

During the Spanish–American War, following a brief cruise along the east coast, Marcellus sailed from Lambert's Point, Virginia on 4 January 1899 to carry coal and supplies to American forces at Havana, Cuba.[1]

At the end of the war, she returned to the Norfolk Navy Yard and her guns were removed. She was subsequently placed in reserve on 8 March 1899.[7]

In November 1899, outside Sandy Hook,[8] the first real recorded underway replenishment (UNREP) at sea was performed by the U.S. Navy using the Marcellus and the battleship Massachusetts. This was achieved by the Massachusetts taking Marcellus under tow 300–400 feet astern while steaming along at six knots. The system, devised by Spencer Miller and the Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company of New York, allowed the crew to deliver one 800 pound bag of coal per minute via a cableway strung above the tow cable. While this provided for around 20–24 tons of coal to be transferred per hour, that amount still fell short of the Navy's requirement for 40 tons per hour.[9] For the next 15 years, the U.S. Navy continued to experiment with coaling at sea, eventually developing a rig that could reliably complete this mission.[10][11][12]

From 1900 to 1910, with her homeport near Newport News, Virginia area coal piers, she transported coal along the east and gulf coasts, between New Orleans and Maine, and to ports in the Caribbean, in support of the Atlantic Fleet.[1]

Beginning in January 1900, she operated for five months along the Atlantic coast, carrying coal to Norfolk, Virginia until being placed in ordinary on 4 May 1900[13] for a 30-day repair period.[14] Upon completion of repair on 11 June, Marcellus accompanied the fleet to Newport, Rhode Island.[15]

In November 1900, her cargo of coal caught fire due to spontaneous combustion.[16] After 1500 tons were removed, it was thought to be extinguished. However, it rekindled later in December. In order to ensure it did not reignite, workmen removed the remaining 600 tons.[17] The Navy initially authorized the necessary work to restore Marcellus to serviceable condition. However, this work was suspended to allow important work on other ships to be completed.[7] Marcellus remained in reserve until 25 November 1902, when repairs were finally completed and she again returned to transporting coal along the Atlantic seaboard, the Gulf Coast and ports in the Caribbean.[1]

Marcellus put into port at Norfolk on 2 March 1904, after long service in tropical waters, for refitting and overhaul. Her crew of merchantmen was discharged at that time and she was placed out of commission. Recommissioned in August, this time with a full complement of U.S. Navy officers and enlisted men under the command of Lieutenant Commander George H. Stafford, she again resumed transporting coal along the east coast.[18][19]

In May 1905, Marcellus was again used to test an improved method for coaling at sea. The experiment, this time near Cape Henry, involved refueling the battleship Illinois. While the coaling tests at sea achieved a record of thirty five tons an hour steaming at a seven knot speed, the new rig still fell short of Navy expectations.[20][21]

In December 1907, along with USS Hannibal, USS Sterling, and USS Nanshan, Marcellus accompanied the Great White Fleet from Hampton Roads, Virginia to Port of Spain, Trinidad, the first refueling stop along the fleet's circumnavigation of the world.[22]

Placed out of service, 25 January 1908 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,[23] she was back in service by 3 April 1909 with her Navy crew replaced by merchantmen.[24] For the next 16 months, she served both as a collier and as a training ship for deck and engineering personnel.