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This ship has the distinction of having been commanded by a rather noteworthy writer. What ship and who was her famous commander?

USS Chicago about 1890 something?

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

USS Chicago about 1890 something?

Correct! Now who was her famous commander?

USS Chicago (1889-1936, later CA-14 & IX-5). Renamed Alton, 1928

USS Chicago, a 4500-ton protected cruiser, was built at Chester, Pennsylvania. Commissioned in April 1889, she served in the North and South Atlantic and in European waters until 1904, when she was sent to the Pacific. Returning to the east coast in 1908, Chicago was used mainly as a training ship for the next nine years. In 1917, she became flagship of the Atlantic Submarine Force, remaining in that role through World War I. She went to the Pacific in 1919 and soon was assigned to support submarines at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Chicago was classified as CA-14 in 1920, decommissioned in September 1923, but remained at Pearl Harbor as a barracks ship under the classification IX-5. Renamed Alton in 1928, she was sold in May 1936. The following July, the old cruiser foundered while under tow from Hawaii to California.

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan

one could hazard a guess... Alfred Thayer Mahan??? or did he ever command a ship?

Source "says" he took command on 11 May 1893.

ORIGINAL: RevRick

one could hazard a guess... Alfred Thayer Mahan??? or did he ever command a ship?

Correct! The Chicago was his last command before retiring from the Navy. [&o]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan

Oops.. and congratulations to RBWhite too! [&o]