During the Spanish-American war Rear-Admiral (then Captain) Cotton, commanded the United States auxiliary cruiser Harvard, which was employed as scout, in connection with the United States auxiliary cruiser St. Louis, east of the Windward Islands, to watch for and report the approach of Admiral Cervera's Spanish squadron. The Harvard preceded the arrival of that squadron at the Island of Martinique, West Indies, on May 11, 1898, by a few hours, and the cablegram from her commander, reporting to the navy department the presence of Admiral Cervera's fleet off Fort de France, was the earliest official information touching those facts. On June 26, of the same year, the Harvard successfully transported the 9th Massachusetts and two battalions of the 34th Michigan regiments from Newport News to Siboney, Cuba, to reinforce General Shafter after his attack on Santiago. When the destruction of Cervera's squadron, off Santiago, on July 3, 1898, was accomplished, the Harvard rescued nearly seven hundred officers and men from the burning Spanish cruisers. Infanta Maria Teresa, and the Almirante Oquendo (nearly all of whom had sought refuge on shore), who with about three hundred more Spanish prisoners, chiefly from the Vizcaya, were taken to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and to the naval academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
Rear-Admiral Cotton's promotions have been as follows : November 11, 1862, promoted to ensign; February 22, 1864, promoted lieutenant; July 25, 1866, lieutenant-commander; April 25, 1877, commander; May 28, 1892, captain; March 27, 1900, rear-admiral. After the Spanish-American war he was assigned to the navy yard, Mare Island, California, in 1898, and was made commandant of the navy yard and station, Norfolk, Virginia, July 16, 1900. In April, 1903, he succeeded to the command of the European squadron, and during the rendezvous in European waters was accorded royal receptions by the President of France, the Emperor of Germany, the King of England, and other distinguished sovereigns, besides being the recipient of many other notable greetings.
Rear-Admiral Cotton voluntarily retired from active duty in February, 1904, after more than forty-five years of service in the navy.
