America’s first battleships were sketched in this Indianapolis Victorian mansion

Harrison’s Four-Year Naval Revolution from Last to Seventh

When Benjamin Harrison took office in 1889, America’s navy was a joke. Just 19 harbor ships, no battleships, and ranked below 11 other nations.

Harrison and his Navy Secretary Benjamin Tracy had a bold plan to fix this mess.

By June 1890, Congress agreed to fund three modern battleships – Indiana, Massachusetts, and Oregon. Each massive ship cost $6 million and packed serious firepower with thirteen-inch guns.

The USS Indiana launched in 1893 with 10,000 people watching. In just four years, Harrison lifted the U.S. Navy to seventh in the world.

These steel giants later helped win the Spanish-American War and set the stage for America’s rise as a naval power. The Benjamin Harrison Home in Indianapolis holds treasures from this naval revolution.

America’s Navy Was a Mess When Harrison Took Office

In 1889, the U.S. Navy looked like junk. The fleet had only 19 harbor defense ships, 2 rams, 2 armored cruisers, and 38 unarmored cruisers.

Not one battleship flew the American flag. Years of neglect after the Civil War left the once-strong Union Navy in ruins.

Navy Secretary Benjamin Tracy reported that 11 countries had stronger navies than America. With thousands of miles of open coastline, the U.S. stood wide open to any real naval attack.

Harrison Promised New Warships in His First Speech

From day one, President Benjamin Harrison made his naval goals clear.

In his March 4, 1889 speech, he called for building modern warships “as fast as possible while keeping quality high. ”

Harrison picked Benjamin F. Tracy as Navy Secretary just two days later. Both men worried about America’s weak position.

The country had over 13,000 miles of coastline but not enough ships to guard it. Tracy, a Civil War veteran with a Medal of Honor, knew about military threats.

Harrison let him rebuild the outdated fleet.

Tracy Wanted Twenty Battleships For Both Coasts

Navy Secretary Tracy stunned Congress in November 1889 with his bold plan.

He asked for 20 battleships – 12 to protect the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, plus 8 more for the Pacific. Tracy pushed for “sea-going battle-ships” instead of just coastal defense boats that couldn’t travel far.

His plan broke new ground by calling for a major Pacific fleet, something America never had before. Tracy wanted ships that could attack enemies rather than just defend the coast.

Congress Fought Over Money But Finally Said Yes

The fight for battleships moved to Congress in spring 1890. The House approved funds for three 8,000-ton warships that April.

The Senate agreed, though many old-school politicians worried about giving up America’s usual isolation. On June 30, 1890, the Naval Appropriations Act (nicknamed the “Battleship Act”) became law.

It approved “three sea-going coast-line battle ships built to carry the heaviest armor and most powerful guns. ” Congress funded true battleships for the first time.

The New Battleships Packed Serious Firepower

The three new warships got patriotic names: USS Indiana (BB-1), USS Massachusetts (BB-2), and USS Oregon (BB-3). Each weighed 10,288 tons – huge for their time.

Their main guns included four 13-inch cannons in twin turrets that could fire shells weighing over half a ton. They also had eight 8-inch guns and four 6-inch guns.

Naval engineers used cutting-edge technology, making them match European battleships for the first time.

Shipyards Started Building America’s First Real Battleships

Work started on USS Indiana on May 7, 1891, at the William Cramp & Sons shipyard in Philadelphia. Massachusetts began construction at the same place around the same time.

Workers laid USS Oregon’s keel on November 19, 1891, at Union Iron Works in San Francisco. This marked the first battleship built on the West Coast.

Thousands of workers cut and shaped steel plates, installed engines, and mounted weapons.

Thousands Watched Indiana Hit The Water

The launch of USS Indiana on February 28, 1893, turned into a big national event.

President Harrison joined 10,000 people who packed the Philadelphia shipyard to watch America’s first modern battleship touch water.

Alice Tracy Wilmerding, Navy Secretary Tracy’s granddaughter, broke the traditional champagne bottle on the bow. As the massive ship slid into the Delaware River, America joined the ranks of modern naval powers.

Harrison left office just days later.

These Ships Had Armor That Could Stop Any Shell

The Indiana-class battleships had protection as good as their guns. They carried 18-inch thick armor around key areas like ammo storage and engine rooms.

Their main gun turrets had 17-inch thick armor plating to block enemy fire.

These ships brought the “intermediate battery” idea to American design, with medium-sized guns backing up the main weapons.

Each battleship cost about $6 million (around $180 million today), with about half spent on the hull.

Harrison’s Navy Climbed To Seventh Place Worldwide

By the time Harrison left office in January 1893, the U. S.

Navy jumped to seventh place globally. Ten modern steel-hulled warships joined the fleet during his four years as president.

Seven major vessels started construction under Harrison’s watch. The Navy gained ships, know-how, facilities, and factory capacity.

Naval bases grew to support the bigger fleet. American shipyards learned to work with steel and build complex warships.

The New Ships Proved Their Worth Against Spain

The Spanish-American War of 1898 put Harrison’s naval vision to the test.

Indiana and Massachusetts both fought in the Battle of Santiago on July 3, helping destroy the Spanish fleet.

Oregon made a famous 14,000-mile dash around South America, arriving in time for the battle despite the grueling journey. The American squadron sank every Spanish ship without losing a single U.S. vessel.

This lopsided victory showed the quality of the new American ships and the training of their crews. Harrison’s battleships performed exactly as he and Tracy had hoped when they started the program years earlier.

Harrison’s Ships Launched A Century Of Naval Power

The naval program Harrison started grew far beyond those first three battleships. His administration created the foundation for America’s rise to naval superpower status in the 20th century.

The shipyards, training programs, and industrial base established under Harrison supported the massive fleet expansions during both World Wars.

Naval officers gained experience commanding modern warships and planning fleet operations. The U.S. Navy transformed from a neglected coastal defense force into a global power projection tool.

Every American aircraft carrier and missile cruiser sailing today owes something to Harrison’s decision to rebuild the fleet from scratch.

Visiting Benjamin Harrison Home, Indiana

The Benjamin Harrison Home at 1230 North Delaware Street in Indianapolis offers guided tours covering ten rooms with over 10,000 artifacts from the president who modernized America’s navy.

Tours cost $12 for adults ($7 for students and kids 5-17) and run every two hours Monday-Thursday 10am-2pm, hourly Friday-Saturday 10am-3pm, and Sunday 12pm-3pm.

Each 70-90 minute tour requires advance tickets, but you can save $2 per ticket with code POTUS23.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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