USS Charleston, a 3730-ton protected cruiser, was built at San Francisco, California. Commissioned in December 1889, her first three years' service were spent in the Pacific. An Atlantic tour followed, after which Charleston returned to the Pacific in mid-1894 and spent the remainder of her career there.

During the Spanish-American War, she convoyed troop transports to the Philippines, capturing the island of Guam while en route, and took part in final operations against Manila. While operating north of Luzon on 2 November 1899, USS Charleston was wrecked on an uncharted reef.