Entitled: "War is Hell - Sherman peace in Cuba under Spanish rule is worse than hell." Bloody brutal figure of Spain trampling on emaciated Cuban child and dead USS Maine sailor. USS Maine (ACR-1) was classified as an armored cruiser. The Maine is best known for her loss in Havana Harbor on the evening of February 15, 1898. Sent to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt against Spain, she exploded suddenly, without warning, and sank quickly. The ship's crew consisted of 355: 26 officers, 290 sailors, and 39 marines. Of these, there were 261 fatalities. The cause and responsibility for her sinking remained unclear after a board of inquiry investigated. Popular opinion, fanned by inflammatory articles printed by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, blamed Spain. The phrase, "remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain", became a rallying cry for action, which came with the Spanish-American War later that year. While the sinking of the Maine was not a direct cause for action, it served as a catalyst, accelerating the approach to a diplomatic impasse between the U.S. and Spain. Lithograph by Grant Hamilton for Judge magazine, April 30, 1898.