The Amphitrite-class monitors were a class of four U.S. Navy monitors ordered in the aftermath of the Virginius affair with Spain in 1873. The four ships of the class included Amphitrite, Monadnock, Terror, and Miantonomoh. A fifth ship originally of the same design, Puritan, was later fitted with extra armor and designated as a unique class.
USS Monadnock, a monitor of the Amphitrite class, crossing the Pacific Ocean during the Spanish–American War.
USS Monadnock prior to her launch at the Burgess shipyard, Vallejo, California, 19 September 1883. Monadnock is the only known ship to have been built by Burgess.
Fitting the main guns to a turret of USS Miantonomoh at the New York Navy Yard, circa 1890
USS Amphitrite, lead ship of the Amphitrite class, at the Boston Navy Yard, 1890s
The Virginius Affair was a diplomatic dispute that occurred from October 1873 to February 1875 between the United States, Great Britain, and Spain during the Ten Years' War. Virginius was a fast American ship hired by Cuban insurrectionists to land men and munitions in Cuba to attack the Spanish regime there. It was captured by the Spanish, who wanted to try the men onboard as pirates and execute them. The Spanish executed 53 men but stopped when the British government intervened.
The "Virginius", with portraits of General Barnabe de Varona and General Washington Ryan, executed by Cuban volunteers at Santiago de Cuba. The Graphic, 1873.
Joseph Fry, captain of Virginius, whom Spain executed for bringing arms to Cuban rebels
Captain Fry takes leave of his companions
Hamilton Fish, US Secretary of State
