USRC Hudson, known for her service during the Battle of Cárdenas, was the United States Revenue Cutter Service's first vessel to have a steel hull and triple-expansion steam engine. The Hudson was assigned to New York harbor before coming under naval direction for the Spanish–American War. On 11 May 1898 the cutter Hudson, along with the navy warships USS Winslow (TB-5), USS Machias (PG-5), and USS Wilmington (PG-8), had pursued three Spanish gunboats into the bay of Cardenas, Cuba. There, shore batteries fired on the U.S. vessels and disabled the Winslow, knocking out her steering and a boiler, thereby putting Winslow adrift. The accurate Spanish fire wounded the Winslow's commanding officer and killed another officer and many of the crew.