Princeton sailed for the Pacific in early 1899 She passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on 2 February and the Suez Canal from 13–17 February, joining the Asiatic Fleet on 16 April at Cavite, Philippines. Princeton cruised throughout the Philippines from 4–15 May with the gunboat Petrel, distributing the proclamation of peace with Spain. Later, she carried SenatorAlbert J. Beveridge on a tour of the newly acquired Philippine Territory.[citation needed]
USS Princeton in Manila Bay, about 1903
In late May, Princeton commenced blockading the Lingayen Gulf ports of St. Vincent and Musa and extended the blockade to the entire Gulf from 18–26 June. During the various local disturbances on Luzon, she landed troops at San Fabian on 2–7 November, transported cavalrymen from Vigan to Lingayen, conveyed dispatches, received surrendered arms and carried stores to the Marines at Subic Bay. She met the expedition led by Col. Luther Hare and Col. Robert Howze on 2 Jan. 1900 at Abulug, which rescued American prisoners, including Lt. Gillmore's men from the Siege of Baler.[1]: 217 Princeton took formal possession of the Babuyan and the Batan Islands on 10–13 January 1900 and continued to patrol off Luzon on 10 February. Princeton was later station ship at Iloilo and Cebu from 5 March until 21 June.[citation needed]
She returned on 4 December to operations in the Philippine–American War, principally in the Sulu Archipelago, and remained on duty there until 20 July 1902. Princeton was stationed at Cavite beginning 23 July and called at Uraga, Japan (9 October–18 December). She rescued the crew of the disabled schooner Otelia Pedersen (United States) on 6 October off Formosa.[2][3] While at Cavite, she participated in large-scale maneuvers off the Philippines (29 December–3 February 1903). Afterwards, Princeton acted as a survey ship (13 February–5 April) at Malabug Bay, Zamboanga and Dumanquilas Bay until she departed on 13 April for California. Princeton decommissioned on 12 June 1903 at Mare Island Navy Yard.[citation needed]
Princeton proceeded to Corinto, Nicaragua, arriving 17 March for the purpose of protecting American interests there. She transported troops from Ampala, Honduras, to La Unión, (12 April) and brought General Bonilla back to Salina Cruz, Mexico (13 April). She returned to San Diego on 30 May and decommissioned on 3 July 1907 at Bremerton, Washington.[citation needed]
Nicaraguan Expedition, 1909–1911
A bell presented to USS Princeton by the alumni of Princeton University in December 1898.
From late 1911 until 1915 she was used as a station ship at Tutuila, American Samoa. Returning to San Francisco on 18 September 1915, Princeton decommissioned and was laid up until 20 February 1917 when she proceeded to Puget Sound for repairs. She commissioned in ordinary there on 16 January 1918 for use as a training ship at Seattle from 9 May 1918 to 25 April 1919 when she decommissioned. Princeton was struck from the Navy List on 23 June 1919 and sold to Farrell, Kane and Stratton, Seattle, Washington, on 13 November 1919.[citation needed]
References
^Westfall, M., 2012, The Devil's Causeway, Guilford: Lyons Press, ISBN9780762780297