philadelphianavyyard

According to the official military historians: "1912 Cuba A negro uprising, organized by the “Independientes de Color”, occurred in Cuba during May, 1912, assumed such proportions that on the 23rd of May the Navy Department ordered marines to the U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. U.S.S. Prairie and U.S.S. Paducah A provisional brigade of marines consisting of 69 officers and 2,008 enlisted men, under the command of Colonel Lincoln Karmany, U.S.M.C., was assembled at Philadelphia, Pa., and Norfolk, Va., for temporary foreign tropical shore service. The First Regiment, consisting of 29 officers and 756 men under the command of Colonel George Barnett, U.S.M.C., embarked on board the U.S.S. Prairie, at Philadelphia, Pa., and sailed on May 23, 1912, for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the U.S.S. Praire arrived on May 28, 1912, and the regiment disembarked, less Company A, and went into camp." www.history.navy.mil/library/online/haiti_list_exp.htm#1911

If this is from the same photo shoot as the LoC photo titled "Boston Marines going on PRAIRIE" (photo dated 3/11), then the following excerpt from "A History of the 1st Marines," by Maj John H Johnstone, probably tells us what's going on: "The 1st Regiment, 1st Provisional Brigade, was organized aboard the USS PRAIRIE on 8 March 1911 for temporary foreign shore service in Cuba. Actually, this maneuver was designed as a show of force to dissuade Mexican rebel activities near the border of the United States. The Marine Corps, having demonstrated its readiness and ability to move quickly from either coast to troubled areas, returned the regiment to Philadelphia by 22 June with the knowledge that it could be readily mobilized if again needed." A reader of Brainiac (my column/blog in/for the Boston Globe's Ideas section) sent the excerpt. Here's a blog entry dedicated to guesses about the other photo.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Prairie_(AD-5)

originally ss City of Berlin of the Inman line. Maiden voyage 29th April 1875 Liverpool/Queenstown/New York. Made several record breaking passages. Of which the best was 7 days 15 hours and 28 minutes from Sandy Hook to Queenstown. She was the first North Atlantic liner to be fitted with internal electric lighting, in 1879 Purchased by US Army Quartermaster Corps as a transport in Spanish~American War as USS MEADE. Scrapped - 1921 www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=15236 www.greatships.net/cityofberlin.html

cool