Physical Description
Oxidized metal bugle.

Specific History
This bugle was salvaged from the wreck of the USS Maine.

General History
USS Maine was a second-class battleship built between 1888 and 1895. It was sent to Havana, Cuba, in January 1898 to protect American interests during the native revolt against the Spanish government. On the evening of February 15, 1898, the Maine sank when its forward gunpowder magazines exploded. Nearly three-quarters of the battleship's crew died. American popular opinion blamed the Spanish for the sinking of the Maine and war followed within a few months. In 1912 the Maine's wreck was raised to clear the harbor and to facilitate an investigation into the cause of the sinking. The remains were subsequently scuttled in deep waters north of Havana.