Dimensions / Weight

Dimensions: 19" H x 64" W x 1.5" D

Physical Description

Part of the metal nameplate and a bugle from the wreck of the USS Maine.

Specific History

USS Maine was a second-class battleship built between 1888 and 1895. She was sent to Havana in January 1898 to protect American interests during the Cubans revolt against the Spanish government. In the evening of 15 February 1898, the Maine sank when her forward gunpowder magazines exploded. Nearly three-quarters of the battleship's crew died as a result of the explosion. The cause of this tragedy was unknown. American popular opinion, however, blamed the Spanish for the sinking of the Maine and war followed within a few months. In 1912 the Maine's wreck was raised to clear the harbor and to facilitate an investigation into the cause of her sinking. Her remains were subsequently scuttled in deep waters north of Havana.