Which U.S. cruiser sailed to Guam during its 1898 capture from Spain?

The USS Charleston sailed to Guam during its capture from Spain in 1898.

The protected cruiser Charleston left San Francisco in May 1898 as part of a U.S. expedition bound for the Philippines. After joining troop transports at Honolulu, Captain Henry Glass opened sealed orders directing him to stop at Guam, a Spanish possession in the Mariana Islands, and seize the port if necessary.

Charleston reached Guam on June 20 and fired thirteen rounds at an old Spanish fort. The local Spanish authorities mistakenly believed the shots were a ceremonial salute and initially tried to respond, even though they lacked enough gunpowder. They had not yet received reliable news that war had begun between the United States and Spain.

The next day, American officers accepted Guam’s surrender. Fifty-four Spanish regulars and two officers were taken prisoner, and the occupation occurred without casualties. Charleston then continued toward Manila. The ship’s role is sometimes confused with vessels involved in the Philippine campaign, but Charleston was the lone U.S. cruiser assigned to seize Guam.