Pre-Dreadnought Preservation
The Infanta Maria Teresa

The Infanta Maria Teresa - about 1895.
Source: The Naval Historical Center
The Spanish cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa was Admiral Cervera's flagship at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898. Coming out of the harbor first, she took a great pounding from the American squadron and caught fire before she was beached. See the United States Naval and Shipbuilding Museum's web page on the Battle of Santiago - Spanish Wrecks After the Battle for some amazing photographs of the wreck of the Infanta Maria Teresa and other ships belonging to Admiral Cervera's squadron which were photographed shortly after the battle. These photographs show what remains of the Infanta Maria Teresa's bridge and starboard spar deck including a good view of the breech of a 5.5-inch Hontoria gun.

See the Spanish American War Centennial Web Site to view a chart of hits taken by the Infanta Maria Teresa.

The wreck of the Infanta Maria Teresa in shallow waters off the coast of Cuba has become a diving spot of some interest of late. The below are photographs taken on the ship in 1999, courtesy of John Seabury and Greenwood Resort, Cat Island, Bahamas:


Diver on one of the Infanta Maria Teresa's secondary guns. This is a good view of one of the ship's two barbettes in the background.
Click on the above image for a larger version of the same photograph.

Machinery lying about on the wreck of Infanta Maria Teresa.
Click on the above image for a larger version of the same photograph.

Anchor chain and more machinery lying about on the wreck of Infanta Maria Teresa.
Click on the above image for a larger version of the same photograph.

View of gun and side of barbette on the wreck of Infanta Maria Teresa.
Click on the above image for a larger version of the same photograph.
One of the domed barbettes holding an 11-inch main gun of either the Infanta Maria Teresa or from one of her sister ships the Almirante Oquendo or the Vizcaya remains above the surf off the southern coast of Cuba where its ship beached. Film of this barbette was recently included in the PBS documentary Crucible of Empire about the Spanish American War. If anyone knows of still photos of this rusting barbette available on the Internet or can identify to which of the three ships it belongs, please e-mail me at [email protected]

For centuries, guns taken from a vanquished foe have been displayed as victory trophies. The Spanish American War was no exception to this tradition. A 5.5-inch Hontoria gun from the Infanta Maria Teresa survives today as a trophy of a war fought over 100 years ago.


A picture postcard of the Infanta Maria Teresa's gun in Ottumwa, Iowa - 1907.
Source: The Ottumwa Iowa Historic Preservation Commission
After being salvaged from the Infanta Maria Teresa, this 5.5-inch gun found its way to Ottumwa, Iowa. Originally displayed in Ottumwa's Central Park as shown in the postcard above, the gun is now sits at the entrance to the Greater Ottumwa Park's campground at the intersection of South Wapello Street and Highway 34. The plaque on the gun reads: "This cannon was taken from the Battleship, the Maria Theresa, flag ship of Admiral Cervera's fleet in the war with Spain in 1898."

A current picture of the Infanta Maria Teresa's gun in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Source: The Ottumwa Iowa Historic Preservation Commission
Note that the gun in Ottumwa has shell damage on its upper right shielding. A look at the chart of hits for the Infanta Maria Teresa shows that the upper right shielding of the 5.5-inch gun just below the forward funnel sustained a hit from an American 6-pounder. This is probably the Ottumwa gun.

Special thanks to Tom Quinn of the The Ottumwa Iowa Historic Preservation Commission for supplying the images of the Ottumwa gun. I'd love to hear how and why the gun came to rest in Ottumwa. No doubt some connection to the U.S.S. Iowa's participation in the battle. If you have information on the how and why this relic of the the Infanta Maria Teresa rests in Ottumwa, please e-mail me at [email protected]

A additional prize seized from the Infanta Maria Teresa is her bow barbette lantern as shown on the Spanish American War Centennial Web Site.

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