Naval Gun from the Spanish Armored Cruiser Vizcaya

Naval Gun from the Spanish Armored Cruiser Vizcaya. . , This naval gun was taken from the wreck of the Spanish armored cruiser Vizcaya, which was built in Bilbao, Spain and launched in 1891. Vizcaya was on a goodwill tour in New York, when the U.S.S. Maine exploded mysteriously in Havana, Cuba, launching the Spanish-American War. After refitting in Spain, Vizcaya steamed to Cuba, where she, along with numerous other Spanish ships were trapped by the blockading U.S. fleet in the harbor at Santiago de Cuba. Vizcaya and the rest of the trapped fleet attempted a breakout on July 3, 1898. After just over two hours of naval action between the American and Spanish navies, the entire Spanish fleet was lost in what was to become known as the Naval Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Vizcaya exploded when the cruiser U.S.S. Brooklyn scored a hit that detonated a torpedo., Reverse Side , Following the battle, the Spanish ships were striped of their flags, pennants, armaments and sent back to the United States. This 140mm Hontoria gun was one of ten mounted on the deck of Vizcaya. U.S. Congressman Lemuel Padgett, who was from Columbia, was instrumental in having the gun donated to the City of Columbia, Tennessee in 1902.