The USS Ericsson (TB-2) carried a shadow of misfortune from the moment it left the shipyard. This early torpedo boat, launched in 1894, would become entangled in mysterious mechanical failures, devastating lawsuits, and acts of heroism that defied all logic. Named after John Ericsson, the brilliant designer of the ironclad USS Monitor, this vessel seemed cursed from its very conception.
Built at Iowa Iron Works in Dubuque, Iowa, the ship’s construction was plagued by strange setbacks. The company had been thriving, launching twenty-two iron and steel vessels by 1890. Yet something went terribly wrong with Torpedo Boat No. 2. During trial runs, a catastrophic shaft failure occurred under mysterious circumstances. The failure wasn’t just mechanical,it was financially devastating.
The shaft disaster triggered a lawsuit that levied a crushing $17,000 fine against Iowa Iron Works. This enormous sum temporarily shuttered the facility and nearly destroyed the company. Workers whispered about the cursed nature of the project. How could experienced shipbuilders, who had successfully launched dozens of vessels, suddenly face such a bizarre and costly failure? The timing seemed almost supernatural, as if the ship itself resisted completion.
Only political intervention by Senator William Allison saved the company from complete ruin. He attached an amendment to a Navy Appropriations bill, securing repayment for Iowa Iron Works. This financial lifeline allowed the company to reorganize as Dubuque Boat and Boiler Works in 1904. Yet questions lingered about what really caused that fateful shaft failure.
The USS Ericsson (TB-2) Enters Service Under Dark Omens
Despite its troubled birth, the USS Ericsson (TB-2) was finally commissioned on February 18, 1897. The 149-foot torpedo boat displaced 120 tons and could reach 24 knots. Armed with four 1-pounder guns and three torpedo tubes, it represented cutting-edge naval technology. Yet crew members reported strange occurrences from the beginning.
The ship arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, its home port, on May 18, 1897. Throughout the summer, it conducted trials and training exercises in New England waters. Officers noted unusual mechanical problems that seemed to have no logical explanation. Equipment would malfunction without warning, then mysteriously function perfectly during inspections.
In September 1897, the vessel began a cruise to various Atlantic ports. It visited Annapolis, Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston, and Savannah before arriving at Key West on New Year’s Eve. This Florida base would become crucial during the approaching conflict with Spain. Sailors reported unsettling dreams and strange noises during night watches, though official logs made no mention of these incidents.
The ship’s reputation for mechanical problems continued throughout its early service. Yet somehow, when crisis struck, the USS Ericsson (TB-2) would perform beyond all expectations. This pattern of mysterious failures followed by heroic success would define its entire career.
Battle of Santiago: When USS Ericsson (TB-2) Defied Death
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As war with Spain erupted in 1898, the USS Ericsson (TB-2) patrolled the Florida Keys and carried messages between fleet units. The vessel’s crew had grown accustomed to its unpredictable nature. Equipment failures had become routine, yet the ship always managed to complete its missions.
On July 3, 1898, during the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, something extraordinary happened. The Spanish fleet attempted to break through the American blockade, leading to a devastating naval engagement. American ships pounded the Spanish vessels, setting them ablaze and threatening massive explosions.
As Spanish ships burned with their ammunition exploding, most vessels kept their distance. The USS Ericsson (TB-2) did the opposite. In an act that defied all naval logic, the small torpedo boat sailed directly alongside the burning Spanish cruiser Vizcaya. Flames were already detonating loaded guns on the Spanish ship. Any rational commander would have stayed away.
Instead, the crew of the USS Ericsson (TB-2) ignored the mortal danger. They pulled more than 100 Spanish officers and men from the blazing wreck. The torpedo boat then moved to rescue survivors from the flagship Maria Teresa and the Oquendo. The vessel that had been plagued by mechanical failures suddenly performed flawlessly under the most dangerous conditions imaginable.
The Final Mystery and Disappearance
After the war, the USS Ericsson (TB-2) returned to routine patrol duties off Cuba through August 1898. It arrived in New York on August 23 and was decommissioned on September 21. The vessel was laid up, seemingly forgotten after its moment of glory.
In December 1900, the ship returned to commission but remained in reserve status. It sailed to Norfolk, Virginia, where it joined the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla on March 6, 1901. The vessel spent its remaining years in relative obscurity, a stark contrast to its dramatic wartime service.
By October 1908, the USS Ericsson (TB-2) was moved to Charleston Navy Yard. The ship that had survived burning Spanish vessels and exploding ammunition was finally decommissioned on April 5, 1912. Its fate seemed almost anticlimactic,sunk as a target during ordnance tests.
Yet even in death, the vessel maintained its mysterious nature. No detailed records survive of exactly when or how the final sinking occurred. The ship that had defied logic during the Battle of Santiago simply vanished from history. Some naval historians wonder if the USS Ericsson (TB-2) was deliberately destroyed to end whatever curse seemed to follow it.
The legacy of this troubled torpedo boat remains puzzling. How could a vessel plagued by mechanical failures and construction disasters perform such heroic rescues when lives were at stake? The contrast between its cursed beginning and its moment of glory continues to baffle maritime historians. Perhaps some ships, like some people, are destined for greatness despite,or because of,their troubled origins.
The story of the USS Ericsson (TB-2) serves as a reminder that even the most troubled vessels can rise to extraordinary heights when humanity demands it. From its mysterious shaft failure to its heroic rescue mission, this torpedo boat’s brief career encompassed both the darkest and brightest aspects of naval service.
