All vessels of this series are distinguished by very low freeboard, low superstructure, a tall funnel, and a single military mast. Their seakeeping abilities were poor, and they were quite wet even in moderate seas, as demonstrated by this photo of Monadnock crossing the Pacific in 1898. These ships are almost always seen in white-and-buff paint, except in Spanish-American war photos.
Prior to 1920, these monitors had no formal designations assigned, but were identified as "Monitor No. X" (abbreviated M-X in this list), i.e. Monadnock was "Monitor No. 3". On 17 July 1920 new designations in the BM-X series were assigned, with each ship keeping its former number, i.e. Monadnock was designated "BM 3". The monitors that had been stricken prior to this date, and those that had been redesignated as miscellaneous auxiliaries (IX-series) on this date, were never officially assigned BM-series designations. However, all of these ships are commonly identified with BM-series numbers, regardless of whether these numbers was ever carried in service.
The first five monitors of this type were nominally "repaired" or "rebuilt" from Civil War monitors of the same names. However, this designation was a falsehood, intended to allow construction of new ships with ship repair funds at a time when Congress had refused to fund new construction. In reality the five old Civil War monitors, plus a number of smaller monitors of similar vintage, were given to the shipbuilders as partial payment for construction of new monitors. The old monitors were broken up for scrap, and entirely new vessels were built.
Concept/Program: Largest of the "New Navy" monitors; nominally a "repair" of a Civil War monitor of the same name. Had an extremely protracted building period, and was quite obsolete by the time she was finally completed. Well armed and armored for her size, but had very low freeboard and minimal seagoing ability.
Design: Generally typical of monitors; dual turrets fore and aft, with superstructure midships. Iron hulled.
Operated around Cuba during the Spanish-American War, in blockade and bombardment duties. Served as a training ship at the Naval Academy 1899-1902. Decommissioned to reserve 16 April 1903; recommissioned 3 June 1903 as a receiving ship at Philadelphia.
Loaned to the Washington DC Naval Militia from 1904 to 14 September 1909. Decommissioned to reserve 23 April 1910. Served as a target ship, designated Target B, 1910-1917. Stricken for disposal 27 February 1918; sold for scrapping 22 January 1922.
Concept/Program: This class has been divided into two groups in this list, due to major differences between the ships. Nominal "repairs" of Civil War-era Miantonomoh class monitors. All had extremely protracted building periods, and were quite obsolete when they were finally completed. There were numerous differences between the ships, and no two were identical.
Design: Overall similar to Puritan in arrangement and appearance, but much smaller. Very limited seagoing capability. Suffered from extremely poor ventilation in the engine and boiler rooms.
Operated mainly in training roles; decommissioned to reserve mid-1897. Recommissioned 2 October 1897 but saw little activity. Operated around Cuba, Puerto Rico and Key West during the Spanish-American War; bombarded San Juan 12 May 1898. Postwar operated as a gunnery training ship.
Decommissioned to reserve 30 November 1901 for repairs. Recommissioned 1 December 1902 as a training ship; served as station ship in Cuba 1904-1907. Decommissioned to reserve 3 August 1907. Placed in commission in reserve for reservist training 14 June 1910. Loaned to the Connecticut Naval Militia 1916-1917.
Served as a guardship at New York 1917-1919. Decommissioned 31 May 1919, stricken for disposal 24 July 1919, sold 3 January 1920. Used as a floating hotel and gambling casino; then chartered to the government in 1943 for use as a barracks at Elizabeth City, NC. Towed to Maryland for use as a floating restaurant and hotel in 1950, but sold in 1951. Planned refit for use as an oil exploration support ship cancelled; sold for scrapping; scrapping completed early 1952.
Sent to the Philippines for Spanish-American War service, 1898; never returned to the continental US. Served on China Station, primarily at Shanghai, 1899-1905; then in the Philippines 1905-1909. Decommissioned to reserve 10 March 1909. Recommissioned to commissioned reserve 20 April 1911; recommissioned to full commission 31 January 1912 as a submarine tender and target tug.
Decommissioned to reserve 24 March 1919. Designation BM 3 assigned 17 July 1920; redesignated IX 17 1 July 1921. Stricken for disposal 2 February 1923; sold for scrapping 24 August 1923.
Concept/Program: This class has been divided into two groups in this list, due to major differences between the ships. Nominal "repairs" of Civil War-era Miantonomoh class monitors. All had extremely protracted building periods, and were quite obsolete when they were finally completed. There were numerous differences between the ships, and no two were identical.
Design: Overall similar to Puritan in arrangement and appearance, but much smaller. Very limited seagoing capability. The main difference between these ships and the first two of the class was the lack of barbettes in this pair. Terror's turrets were pneumatically operated. Suffered from extremely poor ventilation in the engine and boiler rooms.
Operated in the north Atlantic, then around Cuba and Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War; bombarded San Juan 12 May 1898. Reduced to commissioned reserve 18 October 1898; decommissioned to reserve 25 February 1899. Recommissioned late 1901 as a training ship at the Naval Academy. Reduced to commissioned reserve 11 September 1905; decommissioned to reserve 8 May 1906.
Stricken for use as a target ship 31 December 1915, designated Target D. Sold 10 March 1921 but sank off Shooter's Island, NY; raised and scrapped 1930.
Operated along the east coast 1891-1892; decommissioned to reserve late 1892. Recommissioned 1892 and operated with the fleet and was briefly loaned to the Massachusetts Naval Militia and the Rhode Island Naval Militia. Decommissioned to reserve 20 November 1895.
Recommissioned for Spanish-American War service 10 March 1898; operated in blockade service but saw no action. Decommissioned to reserve 9 March 1899. Loaned to the Maryland Naval Militia 1906. Recommissioned 9 April 1907 for the Jamestown Exposition; decommissioned to reserve 21 December 1907.
Stricken for use as a target 31 December 1915, designated Target C. Sold for scrapping 26 January 1922.
Concept/Program: The first completely "clean sheet" monitor of the "New Navy" program. In general similar to the previous class, but built much more quickly. Little combat value.
Design: Originally designed with one 16 inch gun, one 12 inch gun, and one 15 inch pneumatic gun. As built was similar to the previous ships. The 12 inch guns were forward; the 10 inch guns aft. Could ballast down to reduce freeboard in battle. Design speed was 14 knots; this was not reached.
Operated along the west coast, then sent to the Philippines for Spanish-American War service, 1898. Reboilered at Hong Kong, 1900. Served on China Station, primarily at Shanghai, 1900-1903. Decommissioned to reserve in the Philippines 15 December 1904.
Recommissioned to commissioned reserve 28 September 1907; decommissioned to reserve 7 May 1908 but was again placed in commissioned reserve. Recommissioned to full commission 9 November 1911 and served on China Station through 1913. Decommissioned to reserve 11 February 1913; recommissioned for WWI service mid-1914 but remained mostly inactive.
Towed to Pearl Harbor 1917 and served as station ship and submarine tender at Pearl Harbor until decommissioned for disposal 27 August 1921. Designation BM 6 assigned 17 July 1920. Sold 25 February 1922; towed to California and scrapped.
Concept/Program: A class of somewhat smaller monitors intended for harbor defense. These ships were totally obsolete when completed; they filled no useful role in the battleship world. They turned out to be most useful in experimental work and as submarine tenders. All were renamed in 1908-1909 to give the state names to new battleships.
Design: Similar in arrangement to previous classes, but built with more modern and powerful guns; the single turret was forward.
Briefly served as a training ship at the Naval Academy, then operated with the fleet while making summer training cruises; assigned to the Naval Academy as a training ship starting 1906. Renamed Ozark 2 March 1909.
Loaned to the Washington DC Naval Militia 26 June 1910 to 6 March 1913. Outfitted as a submarine tender 1913 and thereafter operated as a part-time submarine tender, while also cruising with the fleet. Decommissioned for disposal 20 August 1919 Designation BM 7 assigned 17 July 1920. Sold for scrapping 26 January 1922.
Renamed Tonopah 2 March 1909. Operated as a submarine tender, probably starting circa 1913-1914; was based at Bermuda, Azores and Lisbon, Portugal at various times. Decommissioned for disposal 1/1919. Designation BM 8 assigned 17 July 1920. Sold for scrapping 26 January 1922.
Operated as a training ship during the summers, then assigned to the Naval Academy as a full-time training ship in 1906. Decommissioned to reserve 11 September 1906; recommissioned for a training cruise 7 June 1907; decommissioned to reserve 30 August 1907. Recommissioned for use in experiments with superfiring guns 21 May 1908; decommissioned to reserve 19 June 1908.
Renamed Tallahassee 1 July 1908. Recommissioned to commissioned reserve 1 August 1910 as a gunnery test ship and submarine tender. Sank target ship San Marcos 22 March 1911. Operated as a submarine tender during WWI. Decommissioned to reserve 3 December 1918.
Assigned as a reserve training ship 19 February 1920 but not recommissioned; recommissioned as a training ship 3 August 1920. Designation BM 9 assigned 17 July 1920; redesignated IX (no number) 1 July 1921. Decommissioned for disposal 24 March 1922; sold for scrapping 25 July 1922.
Operated off the west coast and Panama 1902-1904. Overhauled at Puget Sound Navy Yard 22 October 1904 to January 1905. Decommissioned to reserve 29 August 1905. Recommissioned 8 October 1909 to test use of oil-fired boilers. Renamed Cheyenne 1 Jan 1909. Reduced to commissioned reserve 8 June 1909; decommissioned to reserve 13 November 1909.
Recommissioned to commissioned reserve 11 July 1910 and loaned to the Washington State Naval Militia. Returned to the Navy 1913 and fitted as a submarine tender; recommissioned to full commission 20 August 1913. Decommissioned to reserve 3 January 1920.
Designation BM 10 assigned 17 July 1920. Recommissioned 22 September 1920 as a station ship at Baltimore. Redesignated IX 4 1 July 1921. Decommissioned to reserve 1 June 1926. Stricken for disposal 25 January 1937; sold for scrapping 20 April 1939.
