Infanta María Teresa
Armored Cruiser · Spain · Lost 1898 · Cuba & the Greater Antilles
Admiral Cervera's flagship, run ashore and burned east of Santiago harbor during the climactic naval battle of 1898.
The Vessel and Her Loss
Infanta María Teresa was the flagship of Spain's Caribbean squadron under Admiral Pascual Cervera. Blockaded in Santiago de Cuba, she sortied with the rest of the squadron on 3 July 1898 and was quickly disabled by U.S. gunfire. Her captain beached and set her afire to avoid capture. She was the first Spanish ship lost in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.
Vessel
- 1890
- Not established
- Bilbao, Spain
- Steel
- 364 ft
- 65 ft
- 6890
- Steam, twin screw
- Spanish Navy
Loss
- July 3, 1898
- Enemy action
- Off Punta Cabrera, near Santiago de Cuba
- Caribbean Sea
- Santiago de Cuba
- Not established
- Not established
- Casualty figures for the Spanish squadron as a whole are documented; per-ship totals for María Teresa are not established with confidence in the sources reviewed.
- Víctor María Concas y Palau
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Beached and burned; largely broken up by salvors and surf in the years after the battle
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- Not established
- Position not established
- Punta Cabrera, near Santiago de Cuba
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (78/100)
Precise present-day condition and extent of remains are not established in the sources reviewed.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Battle account, dates, and outcome.
Spanish-American War Centennial Website
Squadron composition and battle narrative.
