The USS San Francisco (C-5), later designated CM-2 and ultimately renamed Yosemite, was a steel protected cruiser built for the United States Navy and launched on October 26, 1889, at Union Iron Works in San Francisco. Commissioned on November 15, 1890, under Captain William T. Sampson, the vessel showcased a classic design resembling her predecessor Newark, with a main armament of twelve 6-inch/30 caliber guns. These guns were distributed with two each on the bow and stern and the rest mounted in sponsons along the sides. Her secondary armament included four 6-pounder guns, four 3-pounder Hotchkiss revolving cannons, two 1-pounder Hotchkiss guns, and two Gatling guns, reflecting the ship’s multi-layered offensive capabilities. Constructed with an armored deck up to 3 inches thick on the sides and 2 inches in the middle, San Francisco was powered by four coal-fired double-ended cylindrical boilers supplying steam at 135 psi to two horizontal triple expansion engines, producing 10,500 indicated horsepower—just shy of the trial's maximum—allowing her to reach a speed of approximately 19 knots. She carried 350 tons of coal for a range of 3,432 nautical miles at 10 knots, which could be extended with additional fuel capacity. Notably, she was the last US Navy cruiser fitted with sails, which were later removed. Throughout her service, San Francisco participated in various deployments, including the South Pacific Squadron, North Atlantic Squadron, and the European Squadron, engaging in diplomatic missions and supporting U.S. interests along the South American coast, the Caribbean, and Europe. She also played a role in the Spanish-American War, patrolling off Cuba and along the Florida coast. Recommissioned multiple times, she was later converted into a minelayer between 1908 and 1911, with her armament modernized to include eight 5-inch/40 caliber guns and a capacity of 300 mines. During World War I, San Francisco participated in laying the North Sea Mine Barrage, deploying over 9,000 mines to restrict German U-boat activity. After the war, she continued service in the Atlantic and Caribbean until decommissioned in 1921. Renamed Yosemite in 1931 to free the name San Francisco for a new vessel, she remained in reserve until struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1937 and was sold for scrapping in 1939. Her varied career highlights her significance as a versatile and active American cruiser spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.